Jump to content

Betty White

Page extended-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by QuestFour (talk | contribs) at 16:58, 24 April 2020. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Betty White
White at the Time 100 gala in 2010
Born
Betty Marion White

(1922-01-17) January 17, 1922 (age 102)
Other namesBetty White Ludden[1]
EducationHorace Mann School
Alma materBeverly Hills High School
Occupation(s)Actress, comedian
Years active1939–present
Title4th Mayor of Hollywood (Honorary)
Spouses
  • Dick Barker
    (m. 1945; div. 1945)
  • Lane Allen
    (m. 1947; div. 1949)
  • (m. 1963; died 1981)

Betty Marion White Ludden (née White; born January 17, 1922)[2] is an American actress and comedian,[3][4] with the longest television career of any entertainer, spanning more than 80 years.[5][6][7] Regarded as a pioneer of television, she was one of the first women to exert control both in front of and behind the camera[8] and is recognized as the first woman to produce a sitcom (Life with Elizabeth),[9] which contributed to her receiving the honorary title Mayor of Hollywood in 1955.[10]

White is known for her award-winning roles as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1973–1977) and Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls (1985–1992) – the Writers Guild of America has included both sitcoms in its list of the 101 Best-Written TV Series of All Time[11] – and Elka Ostrovsky on Hot in Cleveland (2010–2015).

A staple panelist of American game shows such as Password, Match Game, Tattletales, The Hollywood Squares and The $25,000 Pyramid, White has been dubbed "the first lady of game shows", and became the first woman to receive an Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host in 1983 for the show Just Men![12] She is also known for her appearances on Boston Legal, The Carol Burnett Show, and Saturday Night Live.

Other than her television career, White also starred in film with her best known films being Advise & Consent, Lake Placid, the English dub of Ponyo, The Proposal, The Lorax, and she received critical acclaim for her performance in the television film The Lost Valentine.

White has received eight Emmy Awards in various categories, three American Comedy Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Grammy Award.[13] She also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is a 1985 Television Hall of Fame inductee, and a 2009 Disney Legend.

Early life

Betty Marion White was born in Oak Park, Illinois, on January 17, 1922.[2] She has stated that Betty is her legal name and not a shortened version of Elizabeth.[14][15][16] She is the only child of Christine Tess (née Cachikis; 1899–1985), a homemaker, and Horace Logan White (1899–1963),[17] a lighting company executive.[18][19] Her paternal grandfather was Danish and her maternal grandfather was Greek, with her other roots being English and Welsh (both of her grandmothers were Canadian).[20][21][22]

White's family moved to Alhambra, California in 1923 when she was a little over a year old, and later to Los Angeles during The Great Depression.[23][24] To make extra money, her father would build radios (crystal sets) and sell them wherever he could. Since it was the height of the Depression, and hardly anyone had a sizable income, he would trade the radios in exchange for other goods, including dogs on some occasions.[25]

She attended Horace Mann School in Beverly Hills, and Beverly Hills High School, graduating in 1939. Her interest in wildlife was sparked by family vacations to the High Sierras. She initially aspired to a career as a forest ranger, but was unable to accomplish this because women were not allowed to serve as rangers at that time.[25][26] Instead, White pursued an interest in writing. She wrote and played the lead in a graduation play at Horace Mann School, and discovered her interest in performing.[1] Inspired by her idols Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy,[27] she decided to pursue a career as an actress.[18]

Entertainment career

1939–1949

White began her television career in 1939, three months after high school graduation, when she and a classmate sang songs from The Merry Widow on an experimental Los Angeles channel.[28][1][29] White found work modeling, and her first professional acting job was at the Bliss Hayden Little Theatre. When World War II broke out, she put her career on hold and volunteered for the American Women's Voluntary Services. Her assignment included the transportation of military supplies through California. She also participated in events for troops before they were deployed overseas.[30]

After the war, White made rounds to movie studios looking for work, but was always turned down because she was "unphotogenic". So then she started to look for radio jobs where being photogenic did not matter. Her first radio jobs included reading commercials and playing bit parts, and sometimes even doing crowd noises. She made about five dollars a show. She would do just about anything, like singing on a show for no money, or making an appearance on the local game show.[18] She appeared on shows such as Blondie, The Great Gildersleeve, and This is Your FBI. She then got her own radio show, called The Betty White Show.[31] In 1949, she began appearing as co-host with Al Jarvis on his daily live television variety show Hollywood on Television, originally called Al Jarvis' Make-Believe Ballroom on KFWB radio and on KLAC-TV in Los Angeles.[8][29]

1950s

White began hosting the show by herself in 1952 after Jarvis' departure,[8] spanning five and a half hours of live ad-lib television six days per week over a contiguous four-year span altogether. In all of her various variety series over the years, White would sing at least a couple of songs during each broadcast. In 1951, she was nominated for her first Emmy Award as "Best Actress" on television, competing with such legendary stars as Judith Anderson, Helen Hayes, and Imogene Coca (the award went to Gertrude Berg). This was the very first award and category in the new Emmy history designated for women on television.

White in 1954

In 1952, the same year that she began hosting Hollywood on Television, White co-founded Bandy Productions with writer George Tibbles and Don Fedderson, a producer.[8] The trio worked to create new shows using existing characters from sketches shown on Hollywood on Television. White, Fedderson, and Tibbles created the television comedy Life with Elizabeth, with White portraying the title role.[8] The show was originally a live production on KLAC-TV in 1951, and won White a Regional Los Angeles Emmy in 1952.[8][15][29][32]

Life with Elizabeth was nationally syndicated from 1952 to 1955, allowing White to become one of the few women in television with full creative control in front of and behind the camera.[8] The show was unusual for a sitcom in the 1950s because it was co-produced and owned by a twenty-eight-year-old woman who still lived with her parents. White said they didn't worry about relevance in those days, and that usually the incidents were based on real life situations that happened to her, the actor who played Alvin, and the writer.[18]

White also performed in commercials seen on live television in Los Angeles, including a rendition of the "Dr. Ross Dog Food" advertisement at KTLA during the 1950s. She guest starred on The Millionaire in the episode "The Virginia Lennart Story", as the owner of a small town diner that received an anonymous gift of $1,000,000, in 1956.[8]

In 1954, she hosted and produced her own daily talk/variety show, The Betty White Show, on NBC (her second show to feature that title).[8] Like her sitcom, she had creative control over the series, and was able to hire a female director.[33] The show faced criticism for the inclusion of Arthur Duncan, an African-American performer, as a regular cast member. The criticism followed when NBC expanded the show nationally. Local southern stations threatened to boycott unless Duncan was removed from the series. In response, White said "I'm sorry. Live with it." and gave Duncan more airtime.[33][34] Initially a ratings success, the show repeatedly changed time slots and suffered lower viewership. By the end of the year, NBC quietly cancelled the series.[35]

Following the end of Life with Elizabeth, she appeared as Vicki Angel on the ABC sitcom Date with the Angels from 1957 to 1958. As originally intended, the show, loosely based on the Elmer Rice play Dream Girl, would focus on Vicki's daydreaming tendencies. However, the sponsor was not pleased with the fantasy elements, and pressured to have them eliminated. "I can honestly say that was the only time I have ever wanted to get out of a show," White later said.[35] The sitcom was a critical and ratings disaster, but ABC wouldn't allow White out of her contractual agreement and required her to fill the remaining thirteen weeks in their deal. Instead of a retooled version of the sitcom, White rebooted her old talk/variety show, The Betty White Show, which aired until her contract was fulfilled."[35]

In July 1959, White made her professional stage debut in a week-long production of the play, "Third Best Sport", at the Ephrata Legion Star Playhouse in Ephrata, Pennsylvania.[36]

1960s

Out of work, White turned her attention to network game shows. She made many appearances on the hit Password show as a celebrity guest from 1961 through 1975. She married the show's host, Allen Ludden, in 1963.[8] She subsequently appeared on the show's three updated versions Password Plus, Super Password, and Million Dollar Password, having been on versions of the game with five different hosts (Allen Ludden, Bill Cullen, Tom Kennedy, Bert Convy, and Regis Philbin). White made frequent game show appearances on What's My Line? (starting in 1955), To Tell the Truth (in 1961, 1990, and 2015), I've Got a Secret (in 1972–73), Match Game (1973–1982), and Pyramid (starting in 1982). Both Password and Pyramid were created by White's friend, Bob Stewart.

She made her feature film debut as Kansas Senator Elizabeth Ames Adams in the 1962 drama, Advise & Consent. Although her performance was well received, it would be her only big-screen appearance for decades.

NBC offered her an anchor job on their flagship morning show Today. She turned the offer down because she didn't want to move to New York (where Today is produced) permanently. The job eventually went to Barbara Walters.[37] Through the 1950s and 1960s, White began a nineteen-year run as hostess and commentator on the annual Tournament of Roses Parade broadcast on NBC (often co-hosting with Lorne Greene), and appeared on a number of late night talk shows, including Jack Paar's Tonight Show, and other daytime game shows.[8]

1970s

White as Sue Ann Nivens in The Mary Tyler Moore Show

In 1973, White made several appearances in the fourth season of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, as the "man-hungry" Sue Ann Nivens.[8] The role garnered White her second and third Emmy Awards. Although considering the role a highlight of her career, she has described the character's image as "icky sweet", feeling she was the very definition of feminine passivity, owing to the fact she always satirized her own persona onscreen in just such a way.[18]

A running gag was that Sue Ann's hard-edged private personality was the complete opposite of how she presented herself on her show. "We need somebody who can play sickeningly sweet, like Betty White," Moore herself suggested at a production meeting, which resulted in casting White herself. White won two Emmy Awards back-to-back for her role in the hugely popular series.[8]

A scene from the final episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show (from left): White, Gavin MacLeod, Ed Asner, Georgia Engel, Ted Knight, and Mary Tyler Moore

In 1975, NBC replaced her as hostess and commentator on the Tournament of Roses Parade broadcast, feeling she was too identified with rival network CBS due to her newfound success on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. White admitted to People magazine it was difficult "watching someone else do my parade",[38] although she soon would start a ten-year run as hostess of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for CBS.

Following the end of The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1977, White got her own sitcom on CBS, her fourth show entitled The Betty White Show[8] (the first having been broadcast a quarter century earlier), during the 1977–78 season, in which she co-starred with John Hillerman and former Mary Tyler Moore co-star Georgia Engel. It was canceled after one season.

Cast photo from The Betty White Show of 1977. From left-John Hillerman, Betty White, Georgia Engel.

White appeared several times on The Carol Burnett Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson appearing in many sketches, and began guest-starring in a number of television movies and television miniseries, including With This Ring, The Best Place to Be, Before and After, and The Gossip Columnist.[8]

1980s

In 1983, White became the first woman to win a Daytime Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Game Show Host, for the NBC entry Just Men!.[39] Due to the amount of work she has done on them, she has been deemed the "First Lady of Game Shows".[40]

From 1983-1984, White had a recurring role playing Ellen Harper Jackson on the series Mama's Family,[8] along with future Golden Girls co-star Rue McClanahan. White had originated this character in a series of sketches on The Carol Burnett Show in the 1970s. When Mama's Family was picked up in syndication after being canceled by NBC in 1984, White left the show (with the exception of one final appearance in the show's syndicated version in 1986).

In 1985, White scored her second signature role and the biggest hit of her career as the St. Olaf, Minnesota-native Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls.[8] The series chronicled the lives of four widowed or divorced women in their "golden years" who shared a home in Miami. The Golden Girls, which also starred Beatrice Arthur, Estelle Getty, and Rue McClanahan, was immensely successful and ran from 1985 through 1992. White won one Emmy Award, for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series, for the first season of The Golden Girls[8] and was nominated in that category every year of the show's run (the only cast member to receive that distinction – Getty was also nominated every year, but in the supporting actress category).

White was originally offered the role of Blanche in The Golden Girls, and Rue McClanahan was offered the role of Rose (the two characters being similar to roles they had played in Mary Tyler Moore and Maude, respectively). Jay Sandrich, the director of the pilot, suggested that since they had played similar roles in the past, they should switch roles, Rue McClanahan later said in a documentary on the series. White originally had doubts about her ability to play Rose, until the show's creator took her aside and told her not to play Rose as stupid but as someone "terminally naive, a person who always believed the first explanation of something."[41]

1990s

The Golden Girls ended in 1992 after Arthur announced her decision to depart the series. White, McClanahan, and Getty reprised their roles Rose, Blanche, and Sophia in the spin-off The Golden Palace.[8] The series was short-lived, lasting only one season. In addition, White reprised her Rose Nylund character in guest appearances on the NBC shows Empty Nest and Nurses, both set in Miami.[8]

After The Golden Palace ended,[8] White guest-starred on a number of television programs including Suddenly Susan, The Practice, and Yes, Dear where she received Emmy nominations for her individual appearances. She won an Emmy in 1996 for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, appearing as herself on an episode of The John Larroquette Show.[42] In that episode, titled "Here We Go Again", a spoof on Sunset Boulevard, a diva-like White convinces Larroquette to help write her memoirs. At one point Golden Girls co-stars McClanahan and Getty appear as themselves. Larroquette is forced to dress in drag as Beatrice Arthur, when all four appear in public as the "original" cast members. White comically envisions her Rose as the central character with the others as mere supporting players.

White at the premiere for The Proposal in June 2009

2000s

In December 2006, White joined the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful in the role of Ann Douglas (where she would make 22 appearances), the long-lost mother of the show's matriarch, Stephanie Forrester, played by Susan Flannery.[43] She also began a recurring role in ABC's Boston Legal from 2005 to 2008 as the calculating, blackmailing gossip-monger Catherine Piper, a role she originally played as a guest star on The Practice in 2004.[8]

White appeared several times on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson appearing in many sketches and returned to Password in its latest incarnation, Million Dollar Password, on June 12, 2008, (episode #3), participating in the Million Dollar challenge at the end of the show. On May 19, 2008, she appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, taking part in the host's Mary Tyler Moore Show reunion special alongside every surviving cast member of the series. Beginning in 2007, White was featured in television commercials for PetMeds, highlighting her interest in animal rights and welfare.[44]

2010s

In 2009, the candy company Mars, Incorporated launched a global campaign for their Snickers bar; the campaign's slogan was: "You're not you when you're hungry". White appeared, alongside Abe Vigoda, in the company's advertisement for the candy during the 2010 Super Bowl XLIV. The advertisement became very popular, and won the top spot on the USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter.[45][46]

Following the success of the Snickers advertisement, a grassroots campaign on Facebook called "Betty White to Host SNL (Please)" began in January 2010. The group was approaching 500,000 members when NBC confirmed on March 11, 2010 that White would in fact host Saturday Night Live on May 8. The appearance made her, at age 88, the oldest person to host the show, beating Miskel Spillman, the winner of SNL's "Anybody Can Host" contest, who was 80 when she hosted in 1977.[47][48] In her opening monologue, White thanked Facebook and joked that she "didn't know what Facebook was, and now that I do know what it is, I have to say, it sounds like a huge waste of time."[24] The appearance earned her a 2010 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, her seventh Emmy win overall.

In June 2010, White took on the role of Elka Ostrovsky the house caretaker on TV Land's original sitcom Hot in Cleveland along with Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves and Wendie Malick. Hot in Cleveland was TV Land's first attempt at a first-run scripted comedy (the channel has rerun other sitcoms since its debut). White was only meant to appear in the pilot of the show but was asked to stay on for the entire series.[49] In 2011, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Elka, but lost to Julie Bowen for Modern Family.[50] The series ran for six seasons, a total of 128 episodes, with the hour-long final episode airing on June 3, 2015.[51]

White also starred in the Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation of The Lost Valentine on January 30, 2011 (this presentation garnered the highest rating for a Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation in the previous four years and according to the Nielsen Media Research TV rating service won first place in the prime time slot for that date.)[52] and from 2012 to 2014, White hosted and executive produced Betty White's Off Their Rockers, in which senior citizens play practical jokes on the younger generation.[53] For this show, she received three Emmy nominations.

A Betty White calendar for 2011 was published in late 2010. The calendar features photos from White's career and with various animals.[54] She also launched her own clothing line on July 22, 2010, which features shirts with her face on them. All proceeds go to various animal charities she supports.[55]

White's success continued in 2012 with her first Grammy Award for a spoken word recording for her bestseller If You Ask Me. She also won the UCLA Jack Benny Award for Comedy, recognizing her significant contribution to comedy in television, and was roasted at the New York Friars' Club.[56]

A television special, Betty White's 90th Birthday Party, aired on NBC a day before her birthday on January 16, 2012. The show featured appearances of many stars with whom White has worked over the years, as well as a message from sitting president Barack Obama.[57] In January 2013, NBC once again celebrated Betty White's birthday with a TV special featuring celebrity friends, including former president Bill Clinton; the special aired on February 5.[58]

On August 18, 2018, White's career was celebrated in a PBS documentary called Betty White: First Lady of Television.[59] The documentary was filmed over a period of ten years, and featured archived footage and interviews from colleagues and friends.[33]

In 2019, White joined the voice cast of Pixar's Toy Story 4. She provided the voice of Bitey White, a toy tiger that was named after her.[60] The other toys she shared a scene with were named and played by Carol Burnett, Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks. White commented that "It was wonderful the way they incorporated our names into the characters ... And I’m a sucker for animals, so the tiger was just perfect!"

Personal life

Family

White and Allen Ludden (1963)

In 1945, White married Dick Barker, a United States Army Air Forces pilot.[61] The marriage was short-lived. In 1947, she married Lane Allen, a Hollywood agent.[61] This marriage ended in divorce in 1949.

On June 14, 1963, White married television host and personality Allen Ludden, whom she had met on his game show Password as a celebrity guest in 1961,[62] and her legal name was changed to Betty White Ludden.[2] He proposed to White at least twice before she accepted. The couple appeared together in an episode of The Odd Couple featuring Felix's and Oscar's appearance on Password. Ludden appeared as a guest panelist on Match Game, with White sitting in the audience. (She was prompted to criticize one of Ludden's wrong answers on camera during an episode of Match Game '74.) The two appeared together on the Match Game panel in 1974, 1975 and 1980.

Allen Ludden died from stomach cancer on June 9, 1981, in Los Angeles.[16][63][64] While they had no children together, she is stepmother to his three children from his first marriage to Margaret McGloin Ludden, who died of cancer in 1961. White has not remarried since Ludden's death. In an interview with Larry King, when asked whether she would remarry, she replied by saying "Once you've had the best, who needs the rest?"[65]

Friendships

Bea Arthur

White had a strained relationship with her Golden Girls co-star Bea Arthur on and off the set of their television show, commenting that Arthur "was not that fond of me" and that "she found me a pain in the neck sometimes. It was my positive attitude – and that made Bea mad sometimes. Sometimes if I was happy, she'd be furious."[66][67] After Arthur's death in 2009, White said, "I knew it would hurt, I just didn't know it would hurt this much." Despite their differences, The Golden Girls was a positive experience for both actresses. Bea Arthur would often insist on waiting to leave for lunch until all four (White, Rue McClanahan, Estelle Getty, and herself) had finished their work, and could leave together.[68][69]

Lucille Ball

White first met Lucille Ball while working on the short-lived sitcom Date With the Angels, which was filmed on the Desilu Studios lot where I Love Lucy was also filmed. The two quickly struck up a friendship over their accomplishments in taking on the male dominated television business of the '50s. They relied on one another through divorce, illness, personal loss, and even competed against one another on various game shows.[70][71]

Liberace

In a 2011 interview, White said that she always knew her close friend Liberace was gay and that she sometimes accompanied him to premieres.[66] A supporter of gay rights, White said that "If a couple has been together all that time – and there are gay relationships that are more solid than some heterosexual ones – I think it's fine if they want to get married. I don't know how people can get so anti-something. Mind your own business, take care of your affairs, and don't worry about other people so much".[72]

Mary Tyler Moore

Mary Tyler Moore and her husband Grant Tinker were close friends with White and Ludden. When Valerie Harper left The Mary Tyler Moore Show, producers felt the show needed another female character and created Sue Ann Nivens in the process. Nivens was described as an "icky sweet Betty White type", but they went against asking White to audition. In a 2010 Archive of American Television interview, Moore explained that producers, aware of Moore and White's friendship, were initially hesitant to audition White for the role, the fear being that if she hadn't been right, that it would create awkwardness between the two.[73]

John Steinbeck

In her 2011 book If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't), White writes about her friendship with famed author John Steinbeck. White's husband Allen Ludden attended the same school as Steinbeck's wife Elaine. The couples became close friends, and Steinbeck gave an early draft of his Nobel Prize acceptance speech to Ludden for his birthday.[74][37]

Humanitarian work

White is a pet enthusiast and an animal health advocate who works with animal organizations, including the Los Angeles Zoo Commission, the Morris Animal Foundation, African Wildlife Foundation, and Actors & Others for Animals. Her interest in animal rights and welfare began in the early 1970s while she was both producing and hosting the syndicated series, The Pet Set, which spotlighted celebrities and their pets.[8][75]

As of 2009, White is the president emerita of the Morris Animal Foundation, where she has served as a trustee of the organization since 1971.[8] She has been a member of the board of directors of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association since 1974.[8] Additionally, White served the association as a Zoo Commissioner for eight years.[8]

White with President Barack Obama in the Oval Office in June 2012

According to the Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Garden's ZooScape Member Newsletter, White hosted "History on Film" from 2000 to 2002. White donated nearly $100,000 to the zoo in the month of April 2008 alone.[76]

Betty White served as a presenter at the 2011 American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards ceremony at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on October 1, 2011, in Los Angeles.[77]

In September 2011, she teamed up with English singer Luciana to produce a remix of her song "I'm Still Hot". The song was released digitally on September 22 and the video later premiered on October 6.[78] It was made for a campaign for a life settlement program, The Lifeline. White served as a judge alongside Whoopi Goldberg and Wendy Diamond for the American Humane Association's Hero Dog Awards airing on The Hallmark Channel on November 8, 2011.[79]

Legacy

Achievements and honors

White has won five Primetime Emmy Awards, two Daytime Emmy Awards (including the 2015 Daytime Emmy for Lifetime Achievement), and received a Regional (LA) Emmy in 1952.[80] White is the only woman to have received an Emmy in all performing comedic categories, and also holds the record for longest span between Emmy nominations for performances—her first was in 1951 and her most recent was in 2011, a span of 60 years. She has also won three American Comedy Awards (including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1990), and two Viewers for Quality Television Awards. She was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1995 and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6747 Hollywood Boulevard alongside the star of her late husband Allen Ludden.

Walk of Fame

White was the recipient of the Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters Golden Ike Award and the Genii Award from the American Women in Radio and Television in 1976.[8] The American Comedy Awards awarded her the award for Funniest Female in 1987 as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1990.[8]

The American Veterinary Medical Association awarded White with its Humane Award in 1987 for her charitable work with animals.[8] The City of Los Angeles further honored her for her philanthropic work with animals in 2006 with a bronze plaque near the Gorilla Exhibit at the Los Angeles Zoo.[8] The City of Los Angeles named her "Ambassador to the Animals" at the dedication ceremony.[8]

She was formally inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 1995. In 2009, White received the TCA Career Achievement Award from the Television Critics Association.[8]

In September 2009, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) announced plans to honor White with the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award at the 16th Screen Actors Guild Awards. Actress Sandra Bullock presented White with the award on January 23, 2010, at the ceremony, which took place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.[8] She is a Kentucky Colonel.[81] In 2009, White and her now-deceased Golden Girls cast mates Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty were awarded Disney Legend awards. Betty was inducted into the California Hall of Fame in December 2010. In 2010, she was chosen as the Associated Press's Entertainer of the Year.[82]

File:The Golden Girls Disney Legends.jpg
The Golden Girls Disney Legends plaque at Walt Disney Studios

On November 9, 2010, the USDA Forest Service, along with Smokey Bear, made Betty White an honorary forest ranger, fulfilling her lifelong dream.[83][84] White said in previous interviews that she wanted to be a forest ranger as a little girl but that women were not allowed to do that then. When White received the honor, more than one-third of Forest Service employees were women.[85]

In January 2011, White received a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series for her role as Elka Ostrovsky in Hot in Cleveland. The show itself was also nominated for an award as Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, but lost to the cast of Modern Family.[86] She won the same award again in 2012, and has received a third nomination.[87]

In October 2011, White was awarded an honorary degree and white doctors coat by Washington State University at the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association's centennial gala in Yakima, Washington.[88]

A 2011 poll conducted by Reuters and Ipsos revealed that White was considered the most popular and most trusted celebrity among Americans, beating the likes of Denzel Washington, Sandra Bullock, and Tom Hanks.[89]

Filmography

Film career

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1945 Time to Kill Lou's Girl Short film [90]
1962 Advise & Consent Senator Bessie Adams [91]
1971 Vanished Hostess
1980 The Hollywood Knights Herself
1986 Big City Comedy
1996 The Story of Santa Claus[92] Gretchen Claus Voice [91]
1998 Hard Rain Doreen Sears [91]
Dennis the Menace Strikes Again Martha Wilson [91]
Holy Man Herself [91]
1999 Lake Placid Mrs. Delores Bickerman [91]
The Story of Us Lillian Jordan [91]
2000 Whispers: An Elephant's Tale Round Voice [91]
Tom Sawyer Aunt Polly [91]
2001 The Retrievers Mrs. Krisper [91]
The Wild Thornberrys: The Origin of Donnie Grandma Sophie Voice [93]
2003 Bringing Down the House Mrs. Kline [91]
Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt Cameo [91]
2005 The Third Wish Lettie [91]
2006 Where's Marty? Herself [94]
2007 Your Mommy Kills Animals Documentary [95]
In Search of Puppy Love
2008 Ponyo[96] Yoshie Voice [91]
2009 Love N' Dancing Irene [91]
The Proposal Grandma Annie [91]
Part Two: The Warm Mission Betty Short film
2010 You Again Grandma Bunny Byer [91]
Prep & Landing: Operation: Secret Santa Mrs. Claus Voice [97]
2011 Betty White: Champion for Animals Herself Documentary [98]
2012 The Lorax Grammy Norma Voice [91]
2013 Letters to Jackie: Remembering President Kennedy Narrator Documentary [99]
Betty White Goes Wild Herself [100]
2019 Toy Story 4 Bitey White Voice [101]

Television career

Year Title Role Notes
1939 Unknown Unknown White and a former high school classmate (this was shortly after graduation) sang songs from The Merry Widow on an experimental Los Angeles channel in 1939.
1949–50 Hollywood on Television Herself
1952 The Eddie Albert Show
1953–55 Life with Elizabeth[102] Elizabeth Lead role, 65 episodes
1954 The Betty White Show Herself From February 8, 1954 to December 31, 1954
1955–56 What's My Line? 8 episodes
1956 The Millionaire Virginia Lennart Episode: "Millionaire Virginia Lennart"
1957–58 Date with the Angels Vickie Angel Lead role, 33 episodes
1958 The Betty White Show Herself Lead role, 14 episodes
1958–62 The Jack Paar Show Recurring role, 36 episodes
1958–2001, 2016 To Tell the Truth Appearances on CBS (Collyer), NBC (Moore), and ABC (Anderson) versions. Main panelist (2016)
1961–2008 (Super) (Million Dollar) Password (All Stars), (Plus) Recurring panelist; appeared on all versions of the show.
1962 The United States Steel Hour Episode: "Scene of the Crime"
1963–82, 1991 Match Game Herself Recurring panelist, Appeared on the first 3 versions of the show.
1963–75 You Don't Say! Recurring panelist, 10 episodes
1968 That's Life Episode: "Buying a House"
1969 Petticoat Junction Adelle Colby Episode: "The Cannonball Bookmobile"
1971 The Pet Set[103] Herself Recurring role, 31 episodes
1972 O'Hara, U.S. Treasury Episode: "Operation: Lady Luck"
The Odd Couple Episode: "Password"
1973–77 The Mary Tyler Moore Show Sue Ann Nivens Main cast, 46 episodes
1975 Lucas Tanner Lydia Merrick Episode: "The Noise of a Quiet Weekend"
Ellery Queen Louise Demery Episode: "The Adventure of Miss Aggie's Farewell Performance"
The Carol Burnett Show Various Recurring role, 3 episodes
1976–77 The Sonny and Cher Show Herself Guest role, 2 episodes
1976–79 Liar's Club Recurring panelist, 48 episodes
1977–78 The Betty White Show Joyce Whitman Lead role, 14 episodes
1978 The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour Voice Teacher 1 episode
Snavely (aka Chateau Snavely) Gladys Snavely 1 episode (pilot only)
With This Ring TV film Evelyn Harris
1979 The Best Place to Be Sally Cantrell
Before and After Anita
1980 The Gossip Columnist Herself
The Love Boat[104] Various Guest role, 5 episodes
1981 Best of the West Episode: "Mail Order Bride"
1982 Eunice Ellen TV film
The $25,000 Pyramid Herself Recurring panelist, 85 episodes
Love, Sidney Charlotte Episode: "Charlotte's Web"
1983 Just Men! Herself Host, 65 episodes
Fame Catherine Episode: "Sunshine Again"
1983–1984, 1986 Mama's Family Ellen Harper Jackson Recurring role, 15 episodes
1984 Hotel Wilma Klein Episode: "Outsiders"
Trivia Trap Herself Celebrity Week
1985 St. Elsewhere Capt. Gloria Neal 2 episodes
Who's the Boss? Bobby Barnes
1985–92 The Golden Girls Rose Nylund Main role, 180 episodes
1987 Alf Loves a Mystery Aunt Harriet TV film
1988 Santa Barbara Cameo Guest role, 3 episodes
Another World Brenda Barlowe Special Guest Star
1989–92 Empty Nest Rose Nylund Guest role, 3 episodes
1990 Carol & Company Trisha Durant Episode: "Trisha Springs Eternal"
1991 Chance of a Lifetime Evelyn Eglin TV film
Nurses Rose Nylund Episode: "Begone with the Wind"
1992–93 The Golden Palace Lead role, 24 episodes
1993 Bob Sylvia Schmidt Main cast, 8 episodes
1994 Diagnosis Murder Dora Sloan Episode: "Death by Extermination"
1995 The Naked Truth Herself 2 episodes
Maybe This Time Shirley Wallace Main role, 18 episodes
1996 A Weekend in the Country Martha TV film
Suddenly Susan Midge Haber Episode: "Golden Girl Friday"
1998 The Lionhearts Dorothy (voice) 5 episodes
L.A. Doctors Mrs. Brooks Episode: "Leap of Faith"
Noddy Annabelle (Mrs. Santa Claus) Special: Anything Can Happen At Christmas
1999 Hercules Hestia (voice) Episode: "Hercules and the Tiff on Olympus"
Ally McBeal Dr. Shirley Flott Episode: "Seeing Green"
Ladies Man Mitzi Stiles Main role, 30 episodes
King of the Hill Dorothy / Ellen / Delia (voice) Guest role, 3 episodes
2000 The Wild Thornberrys Sophie Hunter (voice) 3 episodes
Intimate Portrait: Betty White Herself
The Simpsons Episode: "Missionary: Impossible"
2001 The Ellen Show Connie Gibson Episode: "Missing the Bus"
2002 Teacher's Pet Granny (voice) Episode: "The Turkey That Came for Dinner"
Yes, Dear Sylvia Episode: "Kim's New Nanny"
Providence Julianna Episode: "The Heart of the Matter"
2002–03 That '70s Show Bea Sigurdson Recurring role, 4 episodes
2003 The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy Mrs. Doolin (voice) Episode: "Who Killed Who?"
Gary the Rat Gary's Mother (voice) Episode: "This Is Not a Pipe"
I'm with Her Herself Episode: "Meet the Parent"
Stealing Christmas Emily Sutton TV film
2003–04 Everwood Carol Roberts 2 episodes
2004 The Practice Catherine Piper 3 episodes
My Wife and Kids Mrs. June Hopkins Episode: "The Maid"
Malcolm in the Middle Sylvia Episode: "Victor's Other Family"
2004–05 Complete Savages Mrs. Riley 2 episodes
2005 Joey Margaret Bly Episode: "Joey and the House"
Annie's Point Annie Eason TV film
2005–08 Boston Legal Catherine Piper Main role, 16 episodes
2006 My Name Is Earl Mrs. Weezmer Episode: "The Witch Lady"
Family Guy Herself Episode: "Peterotica"
2006–09 The Bold and the Beautiful Ann Douglas Recurring role, 23 episodes
2007 Higglytown Heroes Grandma (voice) Episode: Calling All Heroes
Ugly Betty Herself Episode: "Bananas for Betty"
The Simpsons Episode: "Homerazzi"
2009 30 Rock Episode: "Stone Mountain"
2009–10 Glenn Martin DDS Grandma Shelia Martin (voice) Guest role, 2 episodes
2010 The Middle Mrs. Nethercott Episode: "Average Rules"
Saturday Night Live Herself Episode: "Betty White/Jay-Z"[105]
Community Professor June Bauer Episodes: Anthropology 101 & "The Psychology of Letting Go"[106]
2010–15 Hot in Cleveland Elka Ostrovsky Main role, 128 episodes
2010–13 Pound Puppies Agatha McLeish (voice) Main cast, 13 episodes
2011 The Lost Valentine Caroline Thomas TV film
2012–14 Betty White's Off Their Rockers Herself Host
2012 The Client List Ruth Hudson Episode: "Past Is Prologue"
2013 Save Me God Episode: "Holier Than Thou"
Mickey Mouse Old Lady (voice) Episode: "New York Weenie"
2014 The Soul Man Elka Ostrovsky Episode: "All the Way Live"
2015 Saturday Night Live Grandmother Episode: "Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special"
2015–present Fireside Chat with Esther Rose / Lady Bette 3 episodes
2015–17 Bones Dr. Beth Mayer 2 episodes
2015–present Betty White's Smartest Animals in America Herself Host
2016 SpongeBob SquarePants Beatrice (voice) Episode: "Mall Girl Pearl"
Crowded Sandy Episode: "The Fixer"
2017 Young & Hungry Ms. Bernice Wilson 2 episodes
If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast Herself TV film
2018 Betty White: First Lady of Television Documentary
2019 Forky Asks A Question Bitey White Episode: "What Is Love?"

Literature

White has published several books during her career. In August 2010, she entered a deal with G.P. Putnam's Sons to produce two more books, the first of which, If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't), was released in 2011.[107] In February 2012, White received her first Grammy Award ("Best Spoken Word Recording") for the audio recording of the book.[108]

Year Title
1983 Betty White's Pet-Love: How Pets Take Care of Us
1987 Betty White in Person
1991 The Leading Lady: Dinah's Story
1995 Here We Go Again: My Life In Television
2008 Together: A Novel of shared vision
2011 If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't)
2011 Betty & Friends: My Life at the Zoo

Audiobooks

  • 2004: "Here We Go Again" (Read by the author) ISBN 978-1451613698[109]
  • 2011: If You Ask Me: (And of Course You Won't) (read by the author), Penguin Audio, ISBN 978-0-1424-2936-5[110]

References

  1. ^ a b c Archive of American Television interview for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, 0:0:47-50 on YouTube[dead link]
  2. ^ a b c "Betty White Biography". A&E Television Networks. March 3, 2016. Archived from the original on December 14, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2017.
  3. ^ Tenz, Courtney (January 17, 2017). "Betty White, comedian and actress, turns 95". Deutsche Welle. Archived from the original on August 11, 2017. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  4. ^ "Happy birthday! Actress and comedian Betty White turns 95". FOX59. January 17, 2017. Archived from the original on August 11, 2017. Retrieved August 11, 2017. Popular actress and comedian Betty White turns 95 on Tuesday.
  5. ^ Dawn, Randee (September 6, 2013). "Betty White, 'Breaking Bad' earn 'Guinness World Records' titles". Today.com. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
  6. ^ "Longest TV career by an entertainer (female)". Guinness World Records. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  7. ^ "Longest TV career by an entertainer (male)". Guinness World Records. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag Kilday, Gregg (September 15, 2009). "Betty White to receive SAG lifetime award". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 26, 2010. Retrieved October 5, 2009.
  9. ^ "Pioneers of Television: Sitcoms: TV Programs on Iowa Public Television". Iptv.org. Archived from the original on January 6, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  10. ^ Hollywood.com, LLC (January 17, 2011). "Happy Birthday Betty White! - General News". Hollywood.com. Archived from the original on January 6, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  11. ^ "'101 Best Written TV Series of All Time' From WGA/TV Guide: Complete List". Deadline. June 2, 2013. Archived from the original on June 7, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  12. ^ Stacy Conradt, Mental Floss (February 23, 2010). "10 reasons we love Betty White - CNN.com". Edition.cnn.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  13. ^ "Betty White". emmys.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  14. ^ "Betty White Biography (1922–)". Film Reference. Advameg, Inc. Archived from the original on December 3, 2008. Retrieved November 1, 2008.
  15. ^ a b "Betty White". She Made It. The Paley Center for Media. Archived from the original on April 8, 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
  16. ^ a b Lipton, James (host) (September 28, 2010). "Betty White". Inside the Actors Studio. Season 16. Episode 1606. Bravo.
  17. ^ "Person Details for Betty Marion White, "Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878-1938" –". Familysearch.org. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  18. ^ a b c d e O'Dell, Cary (January 1, 1997). Women Pioneers in Television: Biographies of Fifteen Industry Leaders. McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-0167-3. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  19. ^ "Hollywoodland Category: Betty White in the 1930 Census Posted by Allen Ellenberger on April 14, 2014". Allanellenberger.com. Archived from the original on January 22, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  20. ^ Smolenyak Smolenyak, Megan (June 16, 2010). "Betty White: White-Hot in Cleveland or Not". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on June 19, 2010. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  21. ^ Scott, Walter (December 21, 1986). "Personality Parade". Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  22. ^ Nolasco, Stephanie (May 5, 2010). "Betty White Draws Line With Nudity & Marijuana But Hopes For Beer Pong Rematch On 'SNL'". StarPulse. Archived from the original on November 21, 2010. Retrieved May 9, 2010.
  23. ^ Jacobs, Matthew (January 17, 2013). "Betty White's 91st Birthday: 10 Facts About America's Golden Girl". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  24. ^ a b "Betty White". Saturday Night Live. Season 35. Episode 679. May 8, 2010. NBC. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ a b "Betty White Interview – Part 1 of 5". Youtube. September 8, 2009. Archived from the original on April 16, 2017. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
  26. ^ Green, John (November 9, 2010). "U.S. Forest Ranger Betty White". ABC. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
  27. ^ "Betty White: PBS salutes enduring star". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  28. ^ France, Lisa Respers (February 9, 2010). "Cool Betty White is red-hot". CNN. Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2013. According to an oral history interview White conducted in 1994 for the Archive of American Television, she broke into the business three months after graduating from Beverly Hills High School in 1938 at an early age, as part of an experimental television show.
  29. ^ a b c O'Neil, Tom (June 17, 2010). "Betty White reflects on a golden career". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 5, 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
  30. ^ "Hot Shots: Betty White". cleveland magazine. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  31. ^ "Betty White honored with 2009 Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award". Screen Actors Guild Awards. Los Angeles. January 23, 2010. Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
  32. ^ Gomes, Patrick (September 3, 2015). "Betty White Remembers Her First Emmys - in 1951!". People. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  33. ^ a b c "Betty White: PBS salutes Happy Homemaker, Golden Girl, TV pioneer". USA Today. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  34. ^ "Betty White's 80-year career celebrated in PBS special". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  35. ^ a b c "The Early Betty White 1947-1973". WFMU. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  36. ^ Negley, Erin (July 13, 2019). "Betty White made her theater debut 60 years ago in Lancaster County". LNP. Archived from the original on July 16, 2019. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  37. ^ a b "Betty White: Hall of Fame Tribute". Television Academy. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  38. ^ Windeler, Robert (December 20, 1976). "MTM Is Ending and Stumpers Is Dumped, but Betty White & Allen Ludden Still Have Each Other". People. 6 (25). Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  39. ^ "It's Evening in America". Vanity Fair. May 2012. Page 157.
  40. ^ Conradt, Stacy (February 23, 2010). "10 reasons we love Betty White". CNN. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  41. ^ "Seven Things You Didn't Know About Birthday Girl Betty White". radar. January 17, 2012. Archived from the original on February 16, 2016. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
  42. ^ "The John Larroquette Show". Television Academy. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  43. ^ "Returning". Soap Opera Weekly. February 13, 2007. p. 5.
  44. ^ "1-800-PetMeds and Betty White Team Up to Promote Pet Health". 1-800-PetMeds (Press release). January 3, 2007. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  45. ^ Schultz, E.J. (October 4, 2013). "BEHIND THE SNICKERS CAMPAIGN THAT LAUNCHED A GLOBAL COMEBACK". AdAge. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  46. ^ Elliott, Stuart (February 19, 2013). "Candy Aims Print Ads at Consumers 'Hungry' for Redemption". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  47. ^ Silverman, Stephen M. (March 11, 2010). "Betty White to Host Saturday Night Live May 8". People. Archived from the original on March 14, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  48. ^ Rice, Lynette (May 9, 2010). "'Saturday Night Live' with Betty White attracts big ratings". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 27, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  49. ^ Hinckley, David (June 19, 2013). "'Hot in Cleveland' to return with live episode". Daily News. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
  50. ^ Seidman, Robert (March 1, 2010). "TV Land First Original Sitcom "Hot in Cleveland With Valerie Bertinelli and Betty White Premieres in June". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on December 17, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  51. ^ "'Hot in Cleveland' To End Run After Six Seasons on TV Land". Deadline Hollywood. November 17, 2014. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
  52. ^ "CBS's 'The Lost Valentine' starring Betty White wins time". Radio & Television Business Report. January 31, 2011. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  53. ^ Roxborough, Scott (March 31, 2011). "Betty White to Host 'Off Their Rockers' for NBC". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 20, 2012. Retrieved October 30, 2011.
  54. ^ "Golden Girl Betty White poses for calendar". BBC News. July 8, 2010. Archived from the original on April 21, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  55. ^ "Betty White, 88, Debuts New Clothing Line". Us Weekly. July 21, 2010. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  56. ^ Dougherty, Barry (November 3, 2012). "The Roast of Betty White". New York Friars Club. Archived from the original on July 20, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  57. ^ "Betty White and Betty Crocker celebrate 90th birthday". On the Red Carpet. January 16, 2012. Archived from the original on October 24, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  58. ^ Harnick, Chris (January 16, 2013). "Betty White Honored By NBC With New Birthday Special Featuring Bill Clinton". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  59. ^ "Betty White's 80-year career celebrated in PBS special". www.msn.com. Archived from the original on August 1, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  60. ^ Truitt, Brian (June 3, 2019). "'Toy Story 4' exclusive: Check out the four comedy legends joining Woody, Buzz and the gang". USA Today. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  61. ^ a b Gliatto, Tom (June 12, 1999). "Forever Betty". People. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  62. ^ White, Betty (1995). Here We Go Again: My Life In Television 1949–1995. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0-684-80042-X.
  63. ^ "Allen Ludden, TV Host, Is Dead; On 'College Bowl' and 'Password'". The New York Times. June 10, 1981. p. B6.
  64. ^ Crawford, Setrige (January 17, 2012). "Betty White Remembers Late Husband Allen Ludden on 90th Birthday". The Christian Post. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  65. ^ Weiss, Shari (April 9, 2011). "Betty White: Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan are 'ungrateful' actors who 'abuse' their fame". Daily News. New York. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  66. ^ a b "CNN Official Interview: Betty White: Bea Arthur was not fond of me". CNN. May 4, 2011. Archived from the original on January 25, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  67. ^ Musto, Michael (May 5, 2011). "BETTY WHITE REVEALS WHY BEA ARTHUR HATED HER!". villagevoice. Archived from the original on February 17, 2016. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  68. ^ Kaufman, Gil (April 27, 2009). "Bea Arthur Remembered By 'Golden Girls' Co-Stars". MTV News. Archived from the original on November 10, 2013. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  69. ^ White, Betty. Here We Go Again: My Life in Television. Scribner, 2010. ISBN 978-1451613698
  70. ^ "Betty White and Lucille Ball Had Quite the Special Friendship". Closer. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  71. ^ "Betty White and Lucille Ball's close friendship was led by laughter, admiration for each other". FOX News. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  72. ^ Moritz, Robert (October 31, 2010). "Life Is a Scream for Betty". Parade. Archived from the original on January 21, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  73. ^ "Mary Tyler Moore & Betty White on how Betty White was cast on the MTM Show - EMMYTVLEGENDS.ORG". youtube. May 18, 2010. Archived from the original on April 16, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  74. ^ "America's Favorite Golden Girl: Betty White". kirkus. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  75. ^ "30 Fun Facts About Birthday Girl Betty White!". Tv.yahoo.com. January 17, 2014. Archived from the original on January 22, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  76. ^ "Betty White". networthbuzz.com. July 3, 2019. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  77. ^ "It's Hotter in Hollywood with Betty White at the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards Presented by CESAR Canine Cuisine". American Humane Association. June 2, 2011. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  78. ^ "I'm Still Hot (feat. Betty White) – Single by Luciana". iTunes. Apple Inc. September 22, 2011. Archived from the original on November 13, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  79. ^ "Betty White, Ewan McGregor, More To Judge New 'Hero Dog Awards' Show". The Huffington Post. Reuters. July 28, 2011. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  80. ^ "Betty White". Television Academy. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  81. ^ Huriash, Lisa J. (February 7, 2010). "Mayor becomes 'Kentucky Colonel'". Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  82. ^ Coyle, Jake (December 20, 2010). "Betty White Voted AP Entertainer of the Year". The Huffington Post. Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  83. ^ "Forest Service makes actress Betty White honorary ranger". United States Forest Service. November 9, 2010. Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  84. ^ "Forest Service makes actress Betty White honorary ranger". USDA. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  85. ^ Green, John (November 9, 2010). "U.S. Forest Ranger Betty White". ABC News. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
  86. ^ "The 17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild Award. SAG-AFTRA. 2011. Archived from the original on May 4, 2012. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  87. ^ Bibel, Sara (December 12, 2012). "Betty White Nominated for Third Consecutive Screen Actors Guild Award for TV Land's 'Hot in Cleveland'". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  88. ^ "Comedian Betty White named honorary WSU alumna | WSU Insider | Washington State University". WSU Insider. October 25, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  89. ^ "America loves Betty White best". CNN. August 19, 2011. Archived from the original on September 26, 2011. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  90. ^ "Betty White's Health: Despite Rumors To The Contrary, Acclaimed Actress Is Still Not Ready To Retire". November 22, 2016. Archived from the original on January 17, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  91. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Filmography for Betty White". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on May 13, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  92. ^ "The Story of Santa Claus | TV Guide". TVGuide.com. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  93. ^ "Milestones for Betty White". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on January 17, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  94. ^ "Name dropper". The Monterey Herald. Archived from the original on January 17, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  95. ^ "Your Mommy Kills Animals (2007)". Rotten Tomatoes. rottentomatoes.com. Archived from the original on August 22, 2010. Retrieved July 17, 2010.
  96. ^ "Ponyo | TV Guide". TVGuide.com. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  97. ^ "Breaking News - Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Prep & Landing" Returns With Two All-New Holiday Specials Slated for 2010 and 2011, on ABC - TheFutonCritic.com". www.thefutoncritic.com. October 11, 2010. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  98. ^ "Betty White Champion For Animals - Dove Family Friendly Movie Reviews". Archived from the original on January 17, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  99. ^ Harvey, Dennis (October 4, 2013). "Film Review: 'Letters to Jackie: Remembering President Kennedy'". Archived from the original on June 28, 2017. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  100. ^ "Betty White goes wild!". www.nlb.gov.sg. Archived from the original on January 17, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  101. ^ "Toy Story 4 Includes Cameos From Betty White, Mel Brooks, and Other Comedy Icons". Movies. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  102. ^ Life with Elizabeth, retrieved September 4, 2019
  103. ^ The Pet Set, retrieved September 4, 2019
  104. ^ Betty White & Allen Ludden -The Love Boat- 1/2, retrieved September 4, 2019
  105. ^ "Betty White To Host SNL May 8, Reunite Former Cast Membersn". huffingtonpost. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  106. ^ "Betty White on Community Recap". TV Fanatic. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  107. ^ Nichols, Michelle (August 18, 2010). "Betty White books to reflect on sex, aging, animals". Reuters. Archived from the original on September 24, 2010. Retrieved November 5, 2010.
  108. ^ Wloszczyna, Susan (February 14, 2012). "Betty White takes 'ego trip' with Grammy, SAG". USA Today. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  109. ^ "Here We Go Again: My Life In Television". www.amazon.com. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  110. ^ "If You Ask Me". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved September 4, 2019.

Further reading

  • Tucker, David C. The Women Who Made Television Funny: Ten Stars of 1950s Sitcoms. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2007.