Betty White Died at the Age of 99, Only Weeks Before Her 100th birthday
Betty White Died at the Age of 99, Only Weeks Before Her 100th birthday
The beloved actress was set to celebrate her centennial birthday on January 17
According to TMZ and People, Betty White died at the age of 99.
On January 17, White, who was born in 1922, would have turned 100 years old.White, who became America's geriatric sweetheart after Emmy-winning turns on television sitcoms, is said to have died at her home on Friday morning, according to law enforcement. She had a career spanning more than 80 years. She had a long and illustrious career as a comedienne, actor, author, animal rights activist, and one of the first female television pioneers.
On January 17, 1922, White was born in Oak Park, Illinois. Her legal name, 'Betty,' is not a shorter version of 'Elizabeth,' as her parents did not want her to be associated with any derivation or nicknames such as Beth, Liza, or Ellie.
She began her entertainment career in radio in the late 1930s, and by 1939, she had made her television debut singing on a Los Angeles experimental channel. She became a regular on 'Hollywood on Television,' a daily five-hour live variety show, in 1949, after serving in the American Women's Voluntary Service, which aided the US effort during WWII.Top 20 Betty White Moments
She co-founded a production firm and served as co-creator, producer, and star of the 1950s sitcom 'Life With Elizabeth' a few years later, becoming a pioneering woman in television.
White was a fixture on television in the 1960s and early 1970s, anchoring coverage of the annual Tournament of Rose Parade and appearing on game shows like 'Match Game' and 'Password.' In 1963, she married her third and final husband, 'Password' host Allen Ludden. On 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show,' White rose to fame as the snarky, lustful Sue Ann Nivens, the host of a home-making television show whose motto was 'a woman who does a good job in the kitchen is sure to reap her rewards in other sections of the house.' In 1975 and 1976, White won Emmys for best supporting actress for the role.Mary Tyler Moore show Betty White as Sue Ann Nivens
The Betty White Show (11-29-54) part 1 of 2
Betty White's Best Rose Nylund's Moments | The Golden Girls
In 1986, she was nominated for another Emmy for 'The Golden Girls,' a sitcom about four older ladies living together in Miami that represented an age group rarely seen on American television. White was also nominated for six Emmys for her portrayal of the widowed Rose Nylund, a charming, naive, and sassy Midwesterner, on the show, which lasted from 1985 to 1992 and was one of the highest-rated shows of the period.
Following a less successful sequel to 'The Golden Girls,' she had a string of tiny film roles, talk-show appearances, and one-off television performances, one of which earned her an Emmy for a guest appearance on 'The John Larroquette Show.'After a young fan initiated a Facebook campaign to have White host 'Saturday Night Live,' she ended up starring in every sketch on the night and won yet another Emmy.
In 2010, the Associated Press named her entertainer of the year, and a 2011 Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed White, then 89, to be America's most popular and trustworthy celebrity, with an 86 percent favorable rating. As host of 'Betty White's Off Their Rockers,' a hidden-camera show in which older actors perpetrated pranks on younger people, White's witty and brassy personality came in useful.Betty White Monologue: Facebook - Saturday Night Live
'Who'd have guessed that I'd not only be this healthy, but also be asked to work?' In a 2015 interview with Oprah Winfrey, White remarked. 'That's the privilege... having jobs to perform is such a blessing.'
White, who was childless, volunteered for animal welfare organizations. She once turned down a part in the film "As Good as It Gets" due to a scene in which a puppy was thrown down a garbage chute.In a January 2021 interview with PEOPLE, White stated that ""Just looking at the positive side and not concentrating on the downside" is the secret to living a long and happy life. Being pessimistic consumes far too much energy."
For years, that had been her slogan. She told PEOPLE in 1999 that she tries to make the most of every day. "You'd better appreciate how wonderful life is while it's still happening," she advised. "Because it'll all be gone before you know it."
