'Diff'rent Strokes' Actor Conrad Bain Objected to Fellow 'Maude' Star Bea Arthur's Plastic Surgery

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[Note: Unless otherwise indicated, all commentary and quotes in this article are from an interview conducted by the author with those mentioned.]

The Big Picture

Diff'rent Strokes actor Conrad Bain got his start on the New York stage and in small TV roles on daytime soaps like Dark Shadows. Bain's big break arrived when he starred as Dr. Arthur Harmon, TV husband to Rue McClanahan's Vivian Harmon, on the CBS 1970s sitcom, Maude, starring Bea Arthur.

From Maude to Diff'rent Strokes to The Golden Girls

Before actor Conrad Bain starred in his own TV sitcom, Diff'rent Strokes (NBC/ABC, 1978-1986), he played a supporting role on Maude (CBS, 1972-1979), another half-hour comedy. That show starred his good friend Bea Arthur (a.k.a. Beatrice Arthur), and actress Rue McLanahan, both of whom would go on to star in The Golden Girls (NBC, 1985-1992).

Close Colleagues and Friends

Through the years, Conrad Bain (who died at 89 in 2013) remained in contact with both Bea Arthur (who died at 86 in 2009) and Rue McLanahan (who died at 76 in 2010). During that time, Bain felt comfortable enough to share his personal opinions with both actresses.

That certainly was the case with Arthur. Bain was a concerned about the facial plastic surgery procedures the actress had between and during her appearance on Maude and The Golden Girls.

"I thought it was a bit much," he said in 1984. "Bea may have looked more attractive, but when an actor has any kind of plastic surgery, they lose their unique features. And that sometimes works against certain character portrayals."

In Her Face

Selective plastic surgery procedures of all types are no longer the choices of just celebrities and the very rich. In the modern world, millions of people opt to have such procedures to what they believe will improve their appearance.

Conrad Bain may have objected to Bea Arthur's decision to have plastic surgery, thinking doing so would negatively effect her character portrayals.

However, Arthur's personal choice certainly did not prevent her from attaining success nor in any way prove detrimental to her career or life, for that matter.