Betty White

Summary of Character[]

Betty Marion White Ludden, or better known as Betty White, was an American actress, comedienne, singer, author, animal lover and former game show personality. With a career spanning seven decades from 1939 to 2021, she is best known to modern audiences for her television roles as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls. From 2011 to 2015, she starred as Elka Ostrovsky in the TV Land sitcom Hot in Cleveland. She has also released several books over the span of her career. In August 2010, she entered a deal with G.P. Putnam Sons to produce two more books, the first of which released in 2011.

White has won six Emmy Awards and received 20 Emmy nominations over the course of her career, including being the first woman ever to receive an Emmy for game show hosting (for the short-lived Just Men!). In May 2010, White became the oldest person to guest-host Saturday Night Live, for which she also received a Primetime Emmy Award. She made regular appearances on the game shows Password and Match Game and played recurring roles on Mama's Family, Boston Legal, and the Bold and the Beautiful.

On December 31, 2021, Betty died at her home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California at the age of 99, seventeen days short of her 100th birthday.

U.S. President Joe Biden released a statement upon her death, describing her as a "lovely lady" and a "cultural icon who will be sorely missed".

Former First Lady Michelle Obama also expressed her sympathy on social media, writing White "broke barriers, defied expectations, served her country, and pushed us all to laugh. ... Barack and I join so many around the world who will miss the joy she brought to the world."

Many other celebrities also paid tribute, including Ryan Reynolds, Sandra Bullock, Ellen DeGeneres, Seth Meyers, Conan O'Brien, Bob Iger, Paul Feig, Andy Cohen, and Kathy Griffin.

The US Army also gave its condolences as White served in the army during World War 2 in the American Women's Voluntary Services.

For more information about her, visit here.