Introduction
A look back at the remarkable life of Betty White, from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” to “The Golden Girls” and “Hot in Cleveland.”
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Image Credit: REX/Shutterstock -
Betty White circa 1965
Image Credit: Anonymous/AP/REX/Shutterstock White was a mainstay of game shows in the 1960s. Her career started two decades earlier, first in radio, and then hosting “Hollywood on Television” — a daily variety show — in 1949. Her very first TV gig was in 1939.
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Betty White on ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’
Image Credit: CBS-TV/REX/Shutterstock White made several guest appearances on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in 1973. Here she is opposite star Gavin MacLeod.
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Betty White on ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’
Image Credit: CBS-TV/REX/Shutterstock White became a regular on the show through its end in 1977. She played the Happy Homemaker Sue Ann Nivens.
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Betty White at the 1975 Emmy Awards
Image Credit: AP/REX/Shutterstock White won her second and third Emmy Awards portraying Nivens, winning back to back in 1975 and 1976. Here she is with co-star Ed Asner.
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Betty White in ‘The Betty White Show’
Image Credit: Mtm Prod/REX/Shutterstock After “The Mary Tyler Moore” show ended in 1977, White got her own sitcom, “The Betty White Show.” It was actually the second show to bear that name; she hosted a NBC talk show in 1954.
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Betty White in ‘Mama’s Family’
Image Credit: Joe Hamilton Productions/REX/Shutterstock White had a recurring role on “Mama’s Family” from 1983 to 1985, alongside future costar Rue McClanahan.
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Betty White in ‘Love, Sidney’
Image Credit: NBC TV/REX/Shutterstock In 1981, White guest starred in an episode of “Love, Sidney” opposite Tony Randall. The show was one of the first to have an LGBT character (Randall). White would become a lifetime supporter of LGBT rights.
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Betty White in ‘The Golden Girls’
Image Credit: SNAP/REX/Shutterstock Following “Mama’s Family,” both White and McClanahan were cast in “The Golden Girls” in 1985. White was initially offered the role of vamp Blanche, but took the part of St. Olaf native Rose Nylund.
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Betty White at the 1986 Emmy Awards
Image Credit: Douglas C. Pizac/AP/REX/Shutterstock White won her fifth Emmy in her very first season portraying Rose on “The Golden Girls.” She was nominated for Outstanding Actress every year for the show’s entire run.
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Betty White at the 1998 Walk of Fame Ceremony
Image Credit: Nick Ut/AP/REX/Shutterstock In 1988, White accepted a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her late husband, game show host Alan Ludden. Her own star is adjacent to his.
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Betty White at George Burns’ Birthday
Image Credit: BEI/BEI/Shutterstock White and fellow funnywoman Carol Channing at George Burns’ birthday in 1992.
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Betty White in ‘Bob’
Image Credit: Paramount TV/REX/Shutterstock When “The Golden Girls” ended, White starred in the short-lived spin-off, “The Golden Palace.” After that show was cancelled in 1993, she joined the cast of “Bob” opposite Bob Newhart.
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Betty White at the 1996 Emmy Awards
Image Credit: BEI/BEI/Shutterstock White won her sixth Emmy for a guest appearance on “The John Larroquette Show” in 1996.
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Betty White at the 2008 TV Land Awards
Image Credit: Jim Smeal/BEI/BEI/Shutterstock Betty White reunited with her “Golden Girls” costars Rue McClanahan and Bea Arthur at the 2008 TV Land Awards. She is the only surviving principal cast member.
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Betty White in ‘Annie’s Point’
Image Credit: Larry Levinson Prod/REX/Shutterstock White’s prolific TV career also included TV movies in addition to game shows and sitcoms. She starred as the lead in the 2005 “Annie’s Point.”
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Betty White at the 2010 SAG Awards
Image Credit: Mark J. Terrill/AP/REX/Shutterstock Sandra Bullock presented White with the Screen Actor’s Guild Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. The two costarred in “The Proposal.”
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Betty White in ‘Hot In Cleveland’
Image Credit: Allocca/StarPix/REX/Shutterstock White once again found sitcom success in 2010 with “Hot in Cleveland.” The show also starred Valerie Bertinelli, Wendie Malick, and Jane Leeves.
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Betty White at the ‘You Again’ premiere
White’s film career continued to be white hot. Here’s the actress at the premiere of the 2010 comedy “You Again.”
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Betty White at the 2011 SAG Awards
Image Credit: Mark J. Terrill/AP/REX/Shutterstock In January 2011, White won Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series at the SAG Awards for “Hot In Cleveland.”
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Betty White’s 89th birthday.
Image Credit: Allocca/StarPix/REX/Shutterstock The show helped white celebrate White’s 89th birthday in 2011.
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Betty White at the ‘If You Ask Me’ signing
Image Credit: Sykes/REX/Shutterstock White is also a prolific author. Here she is at the 2011 release of her book “If You Ask Me.”
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Betty White at the 2012 SAG Awards
Image Credit: Eric Charbonneau/REX/Shutterstock She won the SAG Actor again in 2012.
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Betty White at the 2012 People’s Choice Awards
Image Credit: Chris Pizzello/AP/REX/Shutterstock In January 2012, the sitcom won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Cable TV Comedy, much to White’s delight.
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Betty White in ‘Betty White’s Off Their Rockers’
Image Credit: Kinetic Content/REX/Shutterstock White also got into the hidden camera format in 2012, where elderly people play pranks on younger people. The show premiered in January 2012.
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Betty White at ‘The Lorax’ premiere
Image Credit: Smeal/BEI/BEI/Shutterstock As if she wasn’t prolific enough, White also does voiceover work. She did the voice of Grammy Norma in “The Lorax,” which opened in February 2012.
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Betty White at the 2012 NAB Awards
Image Credit: REX/Shutterstock Among her many honors, White was inducted in the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in April 2012.
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Betty White at her salute
Image Credit: Gregory Pace/BEI/BEI/Shutterstock White was saluted by the Friar’s Club in May 2012. Here she is with Uggie, the adorable dog from “The Artist.”
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Betty White named Who-manitarian of the Year
White was named Who-manitarian of the Year in December 2012. She is a lifelong animal rights activist.
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Betty White at the 2013 GLAAD Media Awards
Image Credit: Aleks Kocev/BFAnyc.com/REX/Shutterstock In 2013, White and Alex Pettyfer auctioned off kisses to benefit the LGBT community, but not before planting smooches on each other.
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Betty White at the 2015 TV Land Awards
Image Credit: MediaPunch/REX/Shutterstock White continued to appear on awards shows such as the 2015 TV Land Awards.