Trivia

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.

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.

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.

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).

Was strongly critical of reality television.

In 1955, Betty White was the honorary mayor of Hollywood, California.

She started her entertainment career on radio in 1930 at the age of 8 playing an adopted orphan on the soap opera "Empire Builders".

Received her union card to work in radio by saying the line "Parkay" in a commercial during an episode of "The Great Gildersleeve". She earned $37.50 but had to pay $69 to join the union.

James L. Brooks offered her the role of Helen Hunt's mother in As Good as It Gets (1997). She turned down the role because she objected to the treatment of the dog in the film.

She played the same character (Rose Nylund) on four different series: The Golden Girls (1985), Empty Nest (1988), Nurses (1991) and The Golden Palace (1992).

In 2010, at age 88 and a half, she was the oldest person to ever host Saturday Night Live (1975).

Per her autobiography, White was named "Betty" at birth not "Elizabeth" because her parents did not want her to be saddled with any of the nicknames and derivatives of Elizabeth -- i.e. Beth, Liza, Ellie, etc.

Was portraying the conniving, gold-digging Ellen Harper, the niece of Rue McClanahan, who played the prudish Aunt Fran on Mama's Family (1983) at the same time as they were working together on The Golden Girls (1985) in almost opposite roles.

Started writing plays while in grammar school.

Frequent guest celebrity/panelist on numerous game shows,including every version of Password (1961), The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) (1965), Match Game (1973), The $10,000 Pyramid (1973), and countless others.

Attended and graduated from Beverly Hills High School in Beverly Hills, California at age 17 (Winter Class of 1939). Her name is listed as Betty Marion White. Her picture is on page 31 of the Watchtower, the school's yearbook.

For 11.5 years, she was the last surviving cast member of The Golden Girls (1985).

Skipped college to study classical vocal training under opera singer Felix Hughes, uncle of Howard Hughes.

Admitted to having had cosmetic surgery before The Golden Girls (1985), even though the program was about growing old and accepting it.

Appeared on many games shows with good friend Vicki Lawrence who was also a big game player.

Her death marked the fifth major figure from The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970) to pass away in 2021 after Cloris Leachman, Gavin MacLeod, Edward Asner and director Jay Sandrich.

Her paternal grandfather, Christopher Hans Christian White, was Danish, and her maternal grandfather, Nicholas Cachikis, was Greek. Her grandmothers, Etta K. Lundy and Margaret Hobbs, both Canadian-born, had English and Welsh ancestry.

Upon her death, she was cremated, and her ashes were given into the custody of her longtime press agent, Jeff Witjas. She passed away on December 31, 2021, only 17 days before what would have been her 100th birthday on January 17, 2022. Her final word before passing was "Allen", the first name of her late husband, Allen Ludden.

In radio, she performed in episodes of "The Great Gildersleeve", "Blondie" and "This Is Your FBI".

Was an avid animal welfare activist and worked with a number of organizations including; the Los Angeles Zoo Commission, the Morris Animal Foundation, Actors & Others for Animals, the Farm Animal Reform Movement, and Friends of Animals.

Received the Women's International Center (WIC) Living Legacy Award (1988).

Of the first two plays she auditioned for she landed both leads. The plays were Philip Barry's "Spring Dance" which ran for eight performances and the wartime romantic comedy "Dear Ruth".

She was very dear friends with renowned animal trainer and Hollywood animal behaviorist; Ralph Helfer, who provided many of his exotic animals for her television show The Pet Set (1971).

In her book "If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't)" (2011), Betty stated that she had her eyes done in 1976, and had allowed nature to take its course ever since.

In February 1939, at the request of the Los Angeles Packard dealer Earle C. Anthony, she and Harry Bennett, Beverly Hills High School student body president, performed songs from the operetta; 'The Merry Widow' in the Packard Motor Car Company building for an experimental television broadcast.

Began her career as the Phone Girl on Al Jarvis's afternoon television show in Los Angeles, California.

Met Mark Goodson, Bill Todman, Frank Wayne and Chester Feldman; when White was in New York, doing game shows.

Best known for her starring role as Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls (1985).

When they were a couple, she and Lane Allan's special song was Carl Ravazza's "I Love You for Sentimental Reasons".

In 1949, she appeared on a local Los Angeles television special "Haynes at the Reins" that featured KLAC radio disc jockey Dick Haynes. She performed "Somebody Loves Me" and "I'd Lie to Get You on a Slow Boat to China" with bandleader Roc Hillman and his band.

She was a member of the Unity Church.

In 1949, she was recommended by band leader Roc Hillman for a KLAC fifteen-minute comedy show called "Tom, Dick, and Harry" that starred three vaudevillians who managed a hotel. Betty played a maid and the show lasted a few weeks.

She was a Democrat and over the years she endorsed Franklin D. Roosevelt, Adlai Stevenson, John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

Made several appearances on Santa Barbara (1984) as part of a contest.

Attended and graduated from Horace Mann Grammar School in Beverly Hills, California.

In 1949, she appeared on KLAC's "Grab Your Phone" (not on IMDb) in which she was one of four phone girls tasked with taking calls from the audience, who endeavored to answer the questions asked by the host; Wes Battersea. She was paid $20 per week.

Studied acting at the Bliss-Hayden Theatre run by husband-wife film actor team; Harry Hayden and Lela Bliss.

Born at 6:38 PM (CST).

After World War II began, she participated in the American Women's Voluntary Services.