Betty White’s Bio
Betty White, born on January 17 in Oak Park, Illinois, moved to Los Angeles with her parents when she was two years old. She graduated from Beverly Hills High School.
Betty’s career began with small parts on radio which led into television at its very beginning on the west coast. Her first big break was joining Al Jarvis on a local TV show which broadcast five and a half hours a day, six days a week – live. After two years Betty inherited the show.
In partnership with producer Don Fedderson and writer George Tibbles, she formed her own production company. They produced Betty’s first comedy series, “Life with Elizabeth,” for which she received an Emmy in 1952; a daily NBC network talk/variety show; and a network situation comedy, “A Date with the Angels.” She appeared frequently on major variety and game shows, and was a recurring regular with Jack Paar (over 70 appearances), Merv Griffin, and Johnny Carson (including Mighty Carson Art Players). She also subbed as host on all three shows. Betty was a regular with Vicki Lawrence on “Mama’s Family,” as sister Ellen, a role she created with the rest of the company on “The Carol Burnett Show. “
Betty’s first appearance on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in the show’s fourth season led to her becoming a permanent cast member. Her portrayal of Sue Ann Nivens, the Happy Homemaker, brought two Emmys for Supporting Actress in 1974-75 and 1975-76.
Betty narrated the New Year’s Day Tournament of Roses Parade on network television for 20 years, and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for 10 years.
In 1970-71 she created, wrote and hosted her syndicated TV animal series, “The Pet Set.” In 1976 she was awarded the Pacific Pioneers in Broadcasting “Golden Ike” award and the Genii Award from American Women in Radio and TV. Betty received her fourth Emmy for Best Daytime Game Show Host for “Just Men.” Nominated 7 times for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for “The Golden Girls,” she won the Emmy the first season in 1985. She then appeared in the spin-off “The Golden Palace” for one season. Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series on “The John Larroquette Show” in 1996 brings the total Emmys to six. In 1997 she was nominated as a guest actress for “Suddenly Susan.” The American Comedy Awards gave her the Funniest Female Award in 1987 and the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1990. In 1995 she was inducted into the Television Academy’s Hall of Fame. In 2000 she received the American Comedy Award for the Funniest Female Guest Appearance in a Television Series for “Ally McBeal.” She has made recurring appearances on “That 70s Show” and on “Boston Legal” as Catherine Piper. Most recently Betty was the recipient of the 46th Annual Screen Actors Guild LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD in January 2010.
Betty is President Emeritus of Morris Animal Foundation and has been a trustee since 1971. She received the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Humane Award in 1987. She has served on the Board of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association since 1974 and as a Zoo Commissioner for 8 years. In February 2006, Betty was honored by the City of Los Angeles at the Los Angeles Zoo as “Ambassador to the Animals” for her life-long love of animals. A bronze plaque was placed next to the zoo’s Gorilla Exhibit.
Betty has appeared in several movies for television, including starring with Leslie Nielsen in “Chance of a Lifetime,” Tony Danza and Lea Thompson in “Stealing Christmas,” “The Retrievers” for Animal Planet, and “Annie’s Point” for the Hallmark Channel. Her endeavors on the big screen include “The Flood” with Morgan Freeman and Christian Slater, “Dennis the Menace Strikes Again” playing Mrs. Wilson opposite Don Rickles, a David E. Kelley’s “Lake Placid,” Rob Reiner’s “The Story of Us,” and a movie with Steve Martin called “Bringing Down the House.” Last year, Betty starred opposite Sandra Bullock in the blockbuster “The Proposal.”
Author of four books, “Betty White’s Pet Love,” “Betty White In Person,” “The Leading Lady: Dinah’s Story,” co-authored with Tom Sullivan, and “Here We Go Again: My Life In Television.” All came out in paperback and the last two on audio cassette.
The Conrad Pyle Company (Star Roses) named a rose after Betty. It’s a Romantica hybrid tea with a light blush pink to a soft light yellow in color and the fragrance is heavenly. The rose is significant since Betty narrated the “Rose” Parade, played the role of “Rose” on the Golden Girls and loves roses and grows many in her yard.
Betty was married for eighteen years to television host Allen Ludden until his death in 1981. She lives in Brentwood with Pontiac, her golden retriever.
