Betty White Turns 98 Today!

Betty White has turned 98 years old. The actress is known for work on such shows as, The Golden Girls and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. 

White was born on January 17, 1922 in Oak Park, Illinois. She was an only child, her father an electrical engineer, her mother a homemaker. When she was 2, her family moved out to Hollywood. After graduation, White performed in a few radio shows and even appeared on television sporadically through the late ’30’s and ’40’s. This was far before most Americans even owned a television.

White’s first windfall in the entertainment industry happened in 1949, where she became a regular host on the entertainment show Hollywood on Television. From there, she founded her own production company, Bandy Productions, and with it created two new shoes: A daytime talk show called, The Betty White Show and, Life with Elizabeth, where she played the titular character.

Throughout the ’50’s and ’60’s, White continued to appear on television on a wide variety of programs, including commercials, bit parts in ongoing series, guest spots on talk shows, and game shows. She met her husband, Allen Ludden, while on the game show Password in 1961. Despite already being a television personality, White had not even reached the height of her fame.

In 1973, White appeared on The Marry Tyler Moore Show as Sue Ann Nivens, a host of a popular homemaking show. Her character was kindly and compassionate in front of the camera, but shrewd and cynical behind it. Her character soon became a regular on the show, and it won White two consecutive Emmys for Best Comedic Supporting Actress in 1975 and 1976.

After playing a much beloved supporting character, White once again became one of the main characters in a sitcom. In 1986, she, along with Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty starred in The Golden Girls, a show about four elderly women living together in Florida. White played Rose Nylund, a kind but naive widow. The show was very successful, lasting seven seasons and garnering more than 30 awards in its run. It also won White another Emmy, this time for Best Lead Comedic Actress.

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After The Golden Girls, White continued to appear regularly on television, playing bit-parts and doing commercial work, much like how she did back in the ’50’s and ’60’s. White even became a main character in another sitcom, 2010’s Hot in Cleveland, which ran for six seasons.

Even at 98, Betty White is still in the limelight, making us laugh.