Biography for
Betty White (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

17 January 1922, Oak Park, Illinois, USA

Birth Name

Betty Marion White

Height

5' 4" (1.63 m)

Mini Biography

Although best known as the devious Sue Ann Nivens on the classic sitcom "Mary Tyler Moore" (1970) and the ditzy Rose Nylund on "The Golden Girls" (1985), Betty White had been in television for a long, long time before those two shows, having had her own series, "Life with Elizabeth" (1952) in 1952. The widow of TV game-show host Allen Ludden, she has been inducted into the Television Hall of Fame and is known for her tireless efforts on behalf of animals.

IMDb Mini Biography By: A. Nonymous

Spouse

Allen Ludden	(14 June 1963 - 9 June 1981) (his death)
Lane Allan	(8 November 1947 - 1949) (divorced)
Frederick R. (Dick) Barker	(9 July 1945 - December 1945) (divorced)

Trivia

Received the Women's International Center (WIC) Living Legacy Award in 1988.

Started career as the "Phone Girl" on Al Jarvis's afternoon TV show in L.A.

James L. Brooks offered her the role of Helen Hunt's mother in As Good as It Gets (1997). She turned it down because she objected to the treatment of the dog in the film.

Beloved frequent guest celebrity/panelist on numerous game shows, including every version of "Password All-Stars" (1961), "The Hollywood Squares" (1965), "Match Game 73" (1973), "The (New) $25,000 Pyramid" (1973), and countless others.

Per her autobiography, White was named "Betty" at birth not "Elizabeth" because her parents did not want her to be saddled with any of the nicknames and derivatives of Elizabeth -- i.e. Beth, Liza, Ellie, etc.

Moved to Los Angeles when she was only two years old.

Played the same character, Rose Nylund, on four different TV series: "The Golden Palace" (1992), "The Golden Girls" (1985), "Nurses" (1991), and "Empty Nest" (1988).

Is an avid Animal Rights activist and is a sponsor for Farm Animal Reform Movement and Friends of Animals.

Attended the same high school as Angelina Jolie, Michael Klesic, Nicolas Cage, Lenny Kravitz, David Schwimmer, Jonathan Silverman, Gina Gershon, Rhonda Fleming, Jackie Cooper, Rob Reiner, Antonio Sabato Jr., Pauly Shore, Michael Tolkin, Corbin Bernsen, Elizabeth Daily, Albert Brooks, and Crispin Glover.

Is strongly critical of reality television.

Admits to having surgery before "The Golden Girls" (1985), even though the program was about growing old and not having a problem with it.

Parents' names were Horace and Tess White. Her father was an electrical engineer.

Is of German and Greek ancestry.

Is an avid animal welfare activist and works with a number of organizations; including the Los Angeles Zoo Commission, the Morris Animal Foundation, and Actors & Others for Animals.

Betty was originally considered for the role of the sexpot, "Blanche," on "The Golden Girls" (1985). However, Betty had already been the aggressive "Sue Ann Nivens" on "Mary Tyler Moore" (1970) and Rue McClanahan had played the introverted "Vivian" on "Maude" (1972). It was thought best not to have these two actresses reprise similar characters. Therefore, Betty got the part of naive "Rose Nylund" and Rue played the oversexed "Blanche".

Was portraying the conniving, gold-digging Ellen Harper, the niece of Rue McClanahan, who played the prudish Aunt Fran, On "Mama's Family" (1983) at the same time as they were working together on "The Golden Girls" (1985) in almost opposite roles.

Attended the same school as Jamie Luner.

Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1988. The star is next to her late husband, Allen Ludden,'s star.

Made several appearances on "Santa Barbara" (1984) as part of a contest.

In 1955, Betty was the honorary mayor of Hollywood, California.

With Rue McClanahan's death in June 2010, White became the last surviving member of the four "The Golden Girls" (1985).

At 88 and a half, she was the oldest person to ever host "Saturday Night Live" (1975). [2010]

In her first screen appearance, she played Jimmy Lydon's girlfriend in Time to Kill (1945), a short promoting the educational benefits of the US Armed Forces' "GI Bill".

She is a member of the Unity Church.

Of the four principal stars/actresses on "The Golden Girls" (1985), Betty White is the oldest (first born), as well as the last surviving. (In order: Betty White, born on January 17, 1922; Bea Arthur, born on May 13, 1922; Estelle Getty, born on July 25, 1923; and Rue McClanahan, born on February 21, 1934).

Best known for her starring role as Rose Nylund on "The Golden Girls" (1985).

She has never had children.

She started her entertainment career on radio in 1930 at the age of 8 playing an adopted orphan on the soap opera "Empire Builders".

She is a Democrat and throughout the years has endorsed Franklin D. Roosevelt, Adlai Stevenson, John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton.

She is a supporter of Barack Obama.

Friends with Gavin MacLeod, Mary Tyler Moore, Edward Asner, Cloris Leachman, Rue McClanahan, Charlotte Rae, Marla Gibbs, Norman Lloyd, Dick Van Dyke, Tom Poston, Susan Harris, Mark Goodson, Dick Clark, Bill Cullen, Richard Dawson, Alex Trebek, Bob Eubanks, Joyce Bulifant, Ed Begley Jr., Carol Burnett, Vicki Lawrence and Allen Ludden (who was her husband from 1963 until his death in 1981).

Between Norman Lloyd, Ernest Borgnine, Mickey Rooney, Angela Lansbury, Dick Van Dyke and Larry Hagman, White is one of the oldest stars in Hollywood never to retire.

Personal Quotes

[At 90] I can credit my folks for my genes. That said, I can't get over that at this age I don't feel this age. I'm not trying to be any younger. I'm not lying about my age. If I were lying about my age, I would say I was 89. I'm just at one of those good times in one's life. I'm at one of the high spots. I'm healthy enough to enjoy it. I'm surrounded by friends I adore. Isn't that kind of the best way to sign off?

I'm in the acting business. That's the ego business. When you get offers, the way things are going now you've gotta enjoy it. You've gotta take to time to taste it, and appreciate it and make the most of it.Those offers aren't going to come around all the time. By the time I'm 100...

The audience today has heard every joke. They know every plot. They know where you're going before you even start. That's a tough audience to surprise, and a tough audience to write for. It's much more competitive now, because the audience is so much more - I want to say sophisticated.

[on Bea Arthur] Bea was not that fond of me. I don't know what I ever did but she was not that thrilled with me. But I loved Bea and I admired her.

Where Are They Now

(September 2009) Announced to be the recipient of the 46th Annual Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. The award will be presented to her on Saturday, January 23rd, 2010.

(1983) Release of her book, "Betty White's Pet-Love: How Pets Take Care of Us".

(1987) Release of her autobiography, "Betty White in Person".

(2011) New York, NY, USA: Release and promotion of her newest book, "If You Ask Me: (And of Course You Won't)"