Betty White

Born
January 17, 1922 · Oak Park, Illinois, USA
Died
December 31, 2021 · Los Angeles, California, USA (cerebrovascular accident)
Birth name
Betty Marion White
Nicknames
- Grand Dame of Television
- Queen of Television
- Queen of T.V.
Height
5′ 4″ (1.63 m)

Betty was originally considered for the role of the sexpot Blanche Devereaux on The Golden Girls (1985). However, Betty had already been the aggressive Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970) and Rue McClanahan had played the introverted Vivian Cavender on Maude (1972). It was thought best not to have these two actresses reprise similar characters. Therefore, Betty got the role of naive Rose Nylund and Rue played the oversexed Blanche Devereaux.
Before she was a successful comedienne, actress and an animal activist, she was a member of the American Women's Voluntary Services (where she drove a PX truck) during World War II and she worked as a disc jockey at KLAC.
In 1954, she was criticized for having black tap dancer Arthur Duncan in her show The Betty White Show (1952). The producers wanted to remove him from the show, but she said "He stays. Live with it," and gave Duncan more airtime. Soon afterwards, her show was canceled.
She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television at 6747 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 18, 1988. Her Walk of Fame star is located next to that of her late husband Allen Ludden.
Of the four principal stars/actresses on The Golden Girls (1985), Betty White was the oldest, as well as the last to pass away. Betty White was born on January 17, 1922; Bea Arthur was born on May 13, 1922; Estelle Getty was born on July 25, 1923; and Rue McClanahan was born on February 21, 1934).

[At age 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.
It's your outlook on life that counts. If you take yourself lightly and don't take yourself too seriously, pretty soon you can find the humor in our everyday lives. And sometimes it can be a lifesaver.