Betty White
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Bibliography
Notes
Inducted into Television Academy Hall of Fame (1995).
White is a vocal and well-known animal lover and activist. She has been a trustee of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association for 25 years, and is a past president and 24-year member of the Morris Animal Foundation. White has been honored frequently by animal and animal-rights groups.
Biography
Comic actress Betty White was a strong television presence for more than 50 years, both as a sitcom player and as an irreverent wit on scores of panel game shows. She was front and center at the birth of live television in the 1940s, serving as one of the medium's earliest female producers - in addition to making her mark as a comedienne on sitcoms and popular game shows that depended on a fast quip. White's regular appearances on the panels of "Liar's Club" and "Password" nearly eclipsed her acting work until a supporting role on the acclaimed sitcom "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (CBS, 1970-77) reestablished her primetime presence, earning her an Emmy for her angelic-faced but bawdy "happy homemaker," Sue Ann Nivens. She went on to enjoy further sitcom successes with NBC's surprise gal pal hit, "The Golden Girls" (NBC, 1985-1992), where she offered up daffy naiveté as Rose Nylund. As White's status evolved into that of a revered pop culture icon, her razor wit was tapped nonstop for everything from "That '70s Show" (Fox, 1998-2006) and "Boston Legal" (ABC, 2004-09) to a Facebook-instigated hosting stint on "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 1975- ), which made her one of the hippest octogenarians in small screen history. Like television comedian Lucille Ball and other timeless talents from the early days of television, White remained a relevant comedic force for decades and was destined to live on in rebroadcasts forever.
Elizabeth White was born on Jan. 17, 1922 in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, IL and raised in Beverly Hills, CA. She graduated from Beverly Hills High in 1939 and worked as a model and summer stock theater actress before breaking into broadcasting as a radio player. The dimpled, fair-skinned actress scored her first on-air work in 1949 on "Hollywood on Television" (1949-1952), a live local variety show that encompassed news, interviews and comedy skits and was produced live six days a week for a grueling five and a half hours. A regular comedy sketch on the show was spun off into a syndicated sitcom, "Life with Elizabeth" (1952-55), in which White starred as a spirited young wife opposite straight man husband Del Moore in domestic vignettes. White also served as co-producer of the show, which was a rare achievement for an actress at the time. White began making regular appearances as a panelist on game shows like "What's My Line" (CBS, 1950-1975) and "Make the Connection" (NBC, 1955), as well as playing another young, hijinks-prone wife in the series, "Date With the Angels" (ABC, 1957-58), which she also produced. When that show failed, she helmed her own variety series "The Betty White Show" (ABC, 1958).
While appearing as panelist on the game show "Password" in 1961, White hit it off with the show's host, Allen Ludden, to whom she was married from 1963 until his early death from cancer in 1981. White turned down an offer to join the team of NBC's "Today" (NBC, 1952- ) and spent the majority of the 1960s as a mainstay on comedic panel game shows like "The Liar's Club" (syndicated, 1969-1989), "What's My Line" (CBS, 1950-1975) and "The Match Game" (NBC, 1962-69) to such an extent that many younger fans had no idea she was really an actor and not a career "TV personality." That perception of White changed forever in 1970 when Mary Tyler Moore and Grant Tinker invited her to guest star in an episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" as Sue Ann Nivens, host of WJM's "Happy Homemaker" show. The inspired, against-type casting of White as a cheerful phony whose ever-smiling act belied the bawdy, acid-tongued man-chaser lying beneath led to a five season-long supporting character role for which White won two Emmy Awards and a renewed reputation as a comic actress. When the show came to an end, White was rushed into her own "The Betty White Show" (CBS, 1977-78) where she played a fading TV star.
The effort lasted one season before White was back on game shows and hosting the annual Tournament of Roses parade on NBC, which she had done since 1970. She also took on more acting roles than prior to her "MTM" breakout, opting for sweeter characters in TV movies-of-the-week, including "With this Ring" (ABC, 1978) and "The Best Place to Be" (NBC, 1979). In 1983, White finally accepted an offer to host her own game show, "Just Men!" (NBC, 1983), a short-lived NBC effort where she played off the deliciously lascivious persona she had perfected in Sue Ann Nivens. Her efforts earned her Daytime Emmy Award for Best Game Show Host. The same year, she began making occasional appearances on "Mama's Family," reprising the character of the nouveau-riche older sister she had played on the original sketch comedy incarnation of the white trash comedy on "The Carol Burnett Show" (CBS, 1967-1978) in the 1970s.
In 1985, everything changed and White's career as beloved icon was solidified. She was offered the role of Blanche Devereaux, the over-sexed, middle-aged widow on "The Golden Girls" - the tale of four women of a certain age, sharing a home in the retiree stronghold of Florida. Tired of acting with libido in hand, she asked instead for the role of Rose Nylund, the doe-eyed, naive roommate from the Midwest who was all heart. NBC agreed and White rounded out a strong cast of entertainment veterans who were cautiously optimistic that TV audiences would show interest in a series about women over 50 - albeit, gutsy ones. The risk-taking show was embraced by Saturday night viewers of all ages, and White won a Best Actress Emmy in 1986 and nominations every subsequent year until 1992. When "The Golden Girls" ended in 1992, White joined co-stars Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty on "The Golden Palace" (CBS, 1992-93) which moved their "GG" characters to a new network and a new locale - that of a modest hotel. As with many spin-offs, the show flopped, but CBS put White in "Bob" (CBS, 1992-93), the network's latest series with Bob Newhart, in a futile attempt at adding some adrenaline into that show's fading ratings. In 1995, White published the memoir Here We Go Again: My Life in Television and accepted the part of Shirley, mother to Marie Osmond, in the sitcom "Maybe This Time" (ABC, 1995). White earned an Emmy Award for a guest spot on "The John Larroquette Show" (NBC, 1993-96) and was given co-starring roles in the short-lived series "Me & George" (CBS, 1998) and "Ladies Man" (CBS, 1999-2001).
After an extended absence from the big screen, White provided some comic relief in a supporting role as a foul-mouthed widow in the thriller "Lake Placid" (1999). In a pair of considerably cleaner voice roles, she brought to life animated characters in the family feature "Whispers: An Elephant's Tale" (2000) and "The Wild Thornberry's: The Origin of Donnie" (2001). A respected comedy veteran always guaranteed to bring a nostalgic sparkle to the screen, White found herself busier than ever in the new millennium, making appearances in irreverent sitcoms like "That '70s Show" and "Malcolm in the Middle" (Fox, 2000-06) and returning to the big screen in the comedy hit "Bringing Down The House" (2003) co-starring Steve Martin and Queen Latifah.
White was nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Guest Actress in a Comedy for an appearance on "Yes, Dear" (CBS, 2000-06) and the following year, the now 82-year-old firecracker who did not appear to age physically - almost a female version of Dick Clark - enjoyed a guest stint on the legal drama "The Practice" (ABC, 1997-2004), where she used her sweet little white-haired lady looks to hilarious effect as a conniving blackmailer with a rap sheet. She earned another Emmy nod and her well-received character was carried over into the spin-off series "Boston Legal," where White continued to appear regularly for the next several years while holding down a day job as a recurring player on the soap, "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS, 1987- ). The Emmy train kept rolling when, in 2009, she earned a nod for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her turn as the Crazy Witch Lady on an episode of "My Name Is Earl" (NBC, 2005-09). Back in features, she co-starred opposite Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds in the romantic comedy, "The Proposal" (2009). At the end of the year, White turned in a hilarious cameo on "30 Rock" (NBC, 2006-13), riffing with star Tracy Morgan, whose character calls her after freaking out over a second celebrity death in the belief he may be number three.
The Betty Onslaught continued through 2010 when she starred alongside fellow old-timer Abe Vigoda in a popular ad for Snickers, which aired during "Super Bowl XLIV" and became that year's most talked-about commercial. Meanwhile, a grassroots social networking campaign began that January, demanding White host "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 1975- ). When the Facebook group reached upwards of 500,000 members, "SNL" producers were unable to ignore the call and in March cast her as host. Her episode aired on May 8, 2010, making White - at age 88 - the oldest host of the show. She even took the time to thank fans for the honor of hosting, saying "I didn't know what Facebook was. Now that I do know what it is, I have to say, it seems like a huge waste of time." Because the writers were unsure what she could do, they surrounded her with other famous comedic women, including Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph. But she more than proved capable of doing all they asked and more, playing the grandmother of bumbling action star MacGruber (Will Forte), a confused census interviewee, and a member of "CSI: Sarasota," while also performing a death metal take on "Thank You for Being a Friend." The episode earned the highest ratings for "SNL" in 18 months, while White later received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her memorable appearance. Meanwhile, she landed a co-starring role on the comedy series "Hot in Cleveland" (TV Land, 2010-15), playing an acerbic Polish caretaker whose pointed barbs toward three middle-aged roommates (Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves and Wendie Malick) alludes to a rather storied and sordid past. While the show became the biggest ratings-getter ever for the small cable station, White - whose role was originally a guest starring part until the producers made her a regular - earned her SAG and Emmy award recognition in 2011 and 2012. White compounded that success by hosting a hidden camera show featuring senior citizens pranking younger people called "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (NBC / Lifetime 2012-14).
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Film Production - Main (Feature Film)
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Music (Special)
Misc. Crew (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Misc. Crew (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1949
Made TV debut after several years in radio
1953
Produced and starred on the syndicated sitcom "Life with Elizabeth" (retitled "The Betty White Show" in 1954)
1955
Became a panelist on game show "Make the Connection" (NBC)
1956
Appeared on "The Story of Virginia Lennert" episode of "The Millionaire" (CBS)
1957
Produced and starred on "Date with the Angels" (ABC)
1958
Hosted her own variety program "The Betty White Show" (ABC)
1961
Regularly appeared as a panelist on game show "Password" (CBS, ABC)
1962
Made her feature film debut in "Advise and Consent"
1967
Co-hosted the "78th Annual Tournament of Roses Parade" (NBC)
1971
Hosted the syndicated animal series "The Pet Set"
1971
Made TV-movie debut in "Vanished" (Fox)
1973
Played the relentlessly perky Sue Ann Nivens on CBS' "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"
1977
Headlined her own short-lived sitcom "The Betty White Show" (CBS)
1983
Landed a recurring role as the snobbish Ellen, the title character's oldest daughter on "Mama's Family" (NBC)
1983
Hosted the NBC game show "Just Men!"
1985
Played the memorable role of ditzy and sweet Rose Nylund on the NBC comedy series "The Golden Girls"
1992
Reprised role of Rose Nylund for the spin-off "The Golden Palace" (CBS)
1993
Joined the cast of "Bob" (CBS) as Bob Newhart's boss
1995
Played Marie Osmond's mother on the short-lived ABC sitcom "Maybe This Time"
1996
Played herself on a memorable episode of "The John Larroquette Show" (NBC)
1996
Received an Emmy nomination for appearance on "Suddenly Susan" (NBC)
1998
Cast as Mrs. Wilson in the straight to video release "Dennis the Menace Strikes Again"
1999
Provided some comic relief as a foul-mouthed widow in the thriller "Lake Placid"
1999
Had a regular role on the CBS sitcom "Ladies Man"
2001
Voiced Grandma Sophie in "The Wild Thornberry's: The Origin of Donnie"
2002
Received an Emmy nomination for her guest starring role on "Yes, Dear" (CBS)
2002
Landed a recurring role as Kitty's mother on "That '70s Show"
2003
Joined Steve Martin for the comedy "Bringing Down the House"
2004
Guest starred on three episodes of "The Practice" (ABC) as Carol Piper, a resident of Alan Shore's (James Spader) hometown
2005
Again portrayed Catherine Piper with a recurring role on "Boston Legal" (ABC)
2006
Joined the CBS soap opera "The Bold and the Beautiful" as Ann Douglas, the mother of arch Stephanie Forrester (Susan Flannery)
2007
Starred in a parody of ABC's "Ugly Betty" titled "Ugly Betty White" for the TV Land Awards
2007
Played herself as the victim of Wilhelmina Slater's (Vanessa Williams) temper on an episode of "Ugly Betty" (ABC)
2009
Joined Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds for the comedy "The Proposal"
2009
Earned an Emmy nomination for her guest starring role on NBC's "My Name is Earl" as the Crazy Witch Lady
2010
Co-starred opposite Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick, and Valerie Bertinelli on TV Land's ensemble comedy "Hot in Cleveland"
2010
Hosted NBC's "Saturday Night Live" after fans campaigned on social networking site Facebook
2011
Nominated for the 2011 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
2011
Co-starred with Jennifer Love Hewitt in the Lifetime drama "The Lost Valentine"
2012
Voiced the character Grammy Norma in animated feature "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax"
2015
Guest starred on two episodes of "Bones"
2017
Played Ms. Wilson on "Young & Hungry"
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
Inducted into Television Academy Hall of Fame (1995).
White is a vocal and well-known animal lover and activist. She has been a trustee of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association for 25 years, and is a past president and 24-year member of the Morris Animal Foundation. White has been honored frequently by animal and animal-rights groups.
"I'm better known for my animal work than my career. I spend more time on it. I'm not into animal rights. . . . I'm into animal health and well-being." --Betty White to LOS ANGELES TIMES, July 13, 1999
"She could read the phone book and be funny." --"Lake Placid" director Steve Miner to LOS ANGELES TIMES, July 13, 1999
