Betty White

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Jane Leeves, Betty White, Valerie Bertinelli, and Wendie Malick

Remembering Betty White's extensive career

Betty White

American actress

Also known as: Betty Marion White

Written by Amy Tikkanen

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Nov 21, 2024 • Article History

Quick Facts

In full:: Betty Marion White

Born:: January 17, 1922, Oak Park, Illinois, U.S.

Died:: December 31, 2021, Brentwood, California (aged 99)

Also Known As:: Betty Marion White

Awards And Honors:: Grammy Award (2011); Emmy Award (1996); Emmy Award (1986); Emmy Award (1976); Emmy Award (1975); Emmy Award (2010): Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series; Emmy Award (1996): Outstanding Guest Actress for a Comedy Series; Emmy Award (1986): Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series; Emmy Award (1976): Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series; Emmy Award (1975): Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series; Grammy Award (2012): Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling); Television Academy Hall of Fame (inducted 1995)

Movies/Tv Shows (Acted In):: "Forky Asks a Question" (2019); "Trouble" (2019); "Toy Story 4" (2019); "Fireside Chat with Esther" (2015–2018); "Young & Hungry" (2017); "Bones" (2015–2017); "Crowded" (2016); "SpongeBob SquarePants" (2016); "Hot in Cleveland" (2010–2015); "The Soul Man" (2014); "WWE Raw" (2014); "Pound Puppies" (2010–2013); "Disney Mickey Mouse" (2013); "Save Me" (2013); "The Client List" (2012); "The Lorax" (2012); "Community" (2010); "You Again" (2010); "Glenn Martin DDS" (2009–2010); "The Middle" (2010); "The Bold and the Beautiful" (2006–2009); "30 Rock" (2009); "The Proposal" (2009); "Love N' Dancing" (2009); "My Name Is Earl" (2009); "Boston Legal" (2005–2008); "Ponyo" (2008); "Ugly Betty" (2007); "Higglytown Heroes" (2004–2007); "The Simpsons" (2000–2007); "Family Guy" (2006); "Joey" (2005); "Complete Savages" (2004–2005); "The Third Wish" (2005); "Malcolm in the Middle" (2004); "My Wife and Kids" (2004); "Everwood" (2003–2004); "The Practice" (2004); "I'm with Her" (2003); "Gary the Rat" (2003); "The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy" (2003); "Bringing Down the House" (2003); "That '70s Show" (2002–2003); "King of the Hill" (1999–2002); "Providence" (2002); "Yes, Dear" (2002); "Teacher's Pet" (2002); "The Ellen Show" (2001); "Ladies Man" (1999–2001); "The Wild Thornberrys" (2000); "Whispers: An Elephant's Tale" (2000); "Ally McBeal" (1999); "The Story of Us" (1999); "Lake Placid" (1999); "L.A. Doctors" (1998); "The Lionhearts" (1998); "Holy Man" (1998); "Hard Rain" (1998); "Suddenly Susan" (1996); "The John Larroquette Show" (1996); "Maybe This Time" (1995–1996); "The Naked Truth" (1995); "Diagnosis Murder" (1994); "Bob" (1993); "The Golden Palace" (1992–1993); "The Golden Girls" (1985–1992); "Empty Nest" (1989–1992); "Nurses" (1991); "Carol & Company" (1990); "Matlock" (1987); "D.C. Follies" (1987); "Mama's Family" (1983–1986); "Who's the Boss?" (1985); "The Love Boat" (1980–1985); "St. Elsewhere" (1985); "Hotel" (1984); "Fame" (1983); "Love, Sidney" (1982); "Best of the West" (1981); "The Betty White Show" (1977–1978); "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (1973–1977); "Ellery Queen" (1975); "Lucas Tanner" (1975); "Vanished" (1971); "Petticoat Junction" (1969); "That's Life" (1968); "Another World" (1964); "The United States Steel Hour" (1962); "Advise & Consent" (1962); "Date with the Angels" (1957–1958); "The Millionaire" (1956); "Life with Elizabeth" (1952–1955); "Hollywood on Television" (1949)

News •

Betty White Forever: New stamp will honor the much-beloved 'Golden Girls' actor • Nov. 16, 2024, 1:05 PM ET (AP)

Betty White (born January 17, 1922, Oak Park, Illinois, U.S.—died December 31, 2021, Brentwood, California) was an American actress best known for her comedic work on numerous television sitcoms, most notably The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Golden Girls.

White grew up in Los Angeles. In the 1940s she acted on various radio shows, and in 1949 she began regularly appearing on television, working as a “girl Friday” on Hollywood on Television. She later became host of the show, and in 1952 she cofounded Bandy Productions to develop her own projects. Later that year the television sitcom Life with Elizabeth premiered. White played the title role—a married woman whose various predicaments test the patience of her husband—in addition to cocreating and producing the show, which ran until 1955. Two years later she starred in the series Date with the Angels, a comedic look at domestic life. White subsequently became a frequent guest on television game shows, including To Tell the Truth, What’s My Line?, and Password. The latter was hosted by Allen Ludden. White and Ludden married in 1963 and were together until his death in 1981.

In 1973 White began appearing on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, a sitcom set in a television newsroom. White earned acclaim for her portrayal of Sue Ann Nivens, the devious and flirtatious host of the station’s “Happy Homemaker” show. She received three Emmy Award nominations for her work, winning in 1975 and 1976. After the series ended in 1977, White remained a fixture on television, starring on The Betty White Show (1977–78) and later appearing in recurring roles on such programs as The Love Boat and Mama’s Family.

USA 2006 - 78th Annual Academy Awards. Closeup of giant Oscar statue at the entrance of the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Hompepage blog 2009, arts and entertainment, film movie hollywood

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The Golden Girls debuted in 1985, starring—in addition to White as the innocent and highly optimistic Rose Nylund—Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty. The series, centred on a group of older women living together in Miami, became a major success. White earned seven Emmy nominations and won the award in 1986. After the show ended in 1992, White played Nylund on the spin-off series The Golden Palace, which ran for one season. White later acted on That ’70s Show, Boston Legal, and the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. In 1996 she won an Emmy for her guest appearance on The John Larroquette Show.

In 2010 White experienced a major surge in popularity, fueled in part by a humorous Super Bowl commercial in which she was tackled during a recreational football game. Fans subsequently launched a Facebook campaign to have the 88-year-old actress host Saturday Night Live. In May 2010 she became the comedy show’s oldest host, and White later received an Emmy Award for her performance. In June Hot in Cleveland debuted on the cable channel TV Land. The sitcom starred White as Elka, the quick-witted caretaker of a home rented by three women. The show ran until 2015. She also hosted and served as an executive producer for Betty White’s Off Their Rockers (2012–14), a reality show in which senior citizens played pranks on unsuspecting younger people. White later hosted the two-episode Betty White’s Smartest Animals in America (2015).

Although much of her work was for television, White also appeared in several movies. In 1962 she made her feature-film debut in Advise & Consent, and her later movies included the thriller Lake Placid (1999) and the romantic comedies The Proposal (2009) and You Again (2010). In 2019 she voiced the character Bitey White, a teething ring, in the animated feature Toy Story 4.

In addition to her acting, White was noted as an animal rights activist. She penned the memoirs Here We Go Again: My Life in Television (1995) and If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won’t) (2011). Her audiobook recording of the latter won a Grammy Award for best spoken-word album. White was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1995.

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