Remembering the Late Betty White on Her 101st Birthday
January 17th marks what would have been beloved Betty White’s 101st birthday, following her passing on December 31st, 2021.
The legendary actress and comedian earned the Guinness World Record for “Longest TV Career for a Female Entertainer” in 2014 and 2018, and she has received numerous awards throughout her life.
In honor of her birthday today, we’re here to remember and celebrate Betty White’s amazing life.
Betty Marion White’s Early Life
Betty Marion White was born on January 17th, 1922 in Oak Park, Illinois, with her family eventually moving to Los Angeles during the Great Depression. She graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1939.
Although her love of nature inspired her to seek a career as a forest ranger, White hit a wall when it became known that women were not allowed to be forest rangers at the time.
During World War II, White served in the American Women’s Voluntary Services, delivering military supplies to the Hollywood Hils.
When asked about volunteering during the war, White said, “It was a strange time and out of balance with everything.”
Becoming a Performer
Betty White discovered her love of performing when she wrote a graduation play and performed the lead role at Horace Mann School.
Because she was initially told she was not photogenic, she first sought radio work and appeared on a variety of shows until landing her own radio show called The Betty White Show.
In 1949, Betty White began transitioning to live television with Hollywood on Television, followed by the comedy sitcom Life with Elizabeth.
She hosted and produced The Betty White Show on KLAC-TV and then NBC from 1952 to 1954, and it was the first American network variety show to feature an African-American performer, Arthur Duncan, in a regular role.
Betty White began appearing in The Mary Tyler Moore Show in season four, and eventually, she landed her own sitcom on CBS, entitled The Betty White Show, followed by a variety of work on television.
White was the first woman to win a Daytime Emmy Award in 1983 for Outstanding Game Show Host for NBC’s Just Men.
In 1985, White began playing Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls, which ran until 1992 and earned her the Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series.
Following the end of The Golden Girls, White appeared in a variety of television roles, including The Bold and the Beautiful soap opera for 22 different appearances.
Revitalized Career
Betty White saw a career resurgence in 2010 when she hosted Saturday Night Live and subsequently played a supporting role in Hot in Cleveland for 5 years.
She made many appearances on television during this time period until her death on December 31st, 2021.
Throughout her 70+ year career, Betty White earned five Primetime Emmy Awards, two Daytime Emmy Wards, a Los Angeles Emmy Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Daytime Emmy, among many other awards.
Betty White’s Legacy
Today Betty White is remembered for her legacy. White was known as an animal welfare advocate, and she worked with various animal organizations throughout her life.
Today, we’re thinking of Betty White on what would've been her 101st birthday. She leaves behind an unforgettable legacy of compassion and advocacy for animals. 🌸💐🌼 pic.twitter.com/6JzliPbmkg
— Pet Alliance Orlando (@petallianceGO) January 17, 2023
White was also known as an advocate for racial equality. When critics called for her to remove Arthur Duncan, an African American tap dancer, from The Betty White Show in 1954, she refused, and said, “He says, live with it.”
She was also known as a supporter and advocate of LGBTQ+ rights.
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Betty White continues to be beloved and missed.