Thank You for Being a Famous Friend: 20 Years After the Series Finale, Snakkle Looks Back at Great Guest Stars in Golden Girls History

betty white rue mcclanahan bea arthur estelle getty burt reynolds golden girls tv show season two ladies of the evening 1986 photo

ABC Studios

Burt Reynolds on The Golden Girls, 1986

After mistakenly getting arrested for prostitution, because this was an '80s sitcom after all, the girls get a surprise visit from Burt Reynolds, whose concert they missed while in the clink the previous evening.

george clooney estelle getty golden girls tv show guest star 1985 1992 photo

George Clooney on The Golden Girls, 1987

Holy high hair, Batman! (Because remember the time he was Batman too?) Clooney put in lots of quality time on '80s shows, and he spent this turn on The Golden Girls as a rookie undercover cop using the girls’ house as a base. Blanche really didn’t mind.

mario lopez golden girls tv show young 1985 1992 photo

Mario Lopez on The Golden Girls, 1987

Pre-Saved by the Bell, Mario played a struggling immigrant student whom Dorothy took under her pastel-clad wing. Of course she helped him; who could resist those dimples?

jenny lewis golden girls tv show young 1985 1992 photo

Jenny Lewis on The Golden Girls, 1987

Future Rilo Kiley frontwoman and Brooklyn Bridge star Jenny Lewis played Daisy, an evil little Sunshine Cadet who refused to give Rose her teddy bear back after Blanche accidentally sold it. Rose eventually outsmarted her. Eventually.

quentin tarantino golden girls tv show young 1985 1992 photo

Quentin Tarantino on The Golden Girls, 1988

You can have your Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction; I prefer my Quentin Tarantino as a back-row Elvis impersonator at Sophia’s wedding.

bob hope rue mcclanahan golden girls tv show 1985 1992 photo

ABC Studios

Bob Hope on The Golden Girls, 1989

Showbiz legend Bob Hope steals a kiss from Rue McClanahan during a cameo as Rose’s surrogate father (it’s complicated… go watch Oxygen) in this 1989 episode. Again, Blanche didn’t mind.

julio iglesias estelle getty golden girls tv show valentines day 1989 photo

Touchstone Television/Courtesy Everett Collection

Julio Iglesias on The Golden Girls, 1989

While the girls were sharing memories around the table with cheesecake (so, a typical day), Sophia hit the Valentine’s Day jackpot by snagging the smoldering Julio Iglesias as her date for the evening. Blanche did mind this time.

bea arthur dick van dyke golden girls tv show 1985 1992 photo

ABC Studios

Dick Van Dyke on The Golden Girls, 1989

Television behemoth Dick Van Dyke played Dorothy’s lawyer-turned-clown boyfriend, saving some dolphins while wearing giant shoes in court and securing prime-time TV’s most powerful super-couple.

bea arthur sonny bono golde ngirls tv show 1985 1992 photo

ABC Studios

Sonny Bono on The Golden Girls, 1990

In a glorious dream sequence, Dorothy has to decide between Lyle Waggoner and Sonny Bono (IMDB, kids). Of course, Sonny’s cameo is nothing compared to Sophia and Dorothy’s stirring rendition of “I Got You Babe.”

alisan porter rue mcclanahan golden girls tv show 1985 1992 photo

ABC Studios

Alisan Porter on The Golden Girls, 1991

Playing Blanche’s granddaughter, Curly Sue and Parenthood star Alisan Porter reluctantly took the stage with disastrous results (a.k.a. Blanche belting out her song for her, feather boa and all).

debbie reynolds rue mcclanahan golden girl tv show 1985 1992 photo

ABC Studios

Debbie Reynolds on The Golden Girls, 1991

The new fourth roommate? Debbie Reynolds guests as Truby Steele, who almost became Dorothy’s replacement in the house, had she remarried Stan. Luckily, she went back to slamming the door in his face.

fred willard rue mcclanahan golden girls tv show 1985 1992 photo

ABC Studios

Fred Willard on The Golden Girls, 1991

Blanche has a way with men, but even she didn’t do much for the ex-priest played by Christopher Guest favorite and master of awkward situations Fred Willard.