Looking Back At Betty White's Legendary Career For Her 98th Birthday

Jan 17, 2020 by apost team

We are taking a look at Betty White's incredible life over the years, from getting her start on radio shows to becoming a household name Betty has truly had an amazing life. Let's take a look: 

Born on January 17th, 1922, Betty Marion White moved with her family during the great depression to Los Angeles. White quickly took up acting at her high school before landing several radio gigs, according to People. 

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Betty got a job as a co-host at a live show called "Hollywood on Television" where she was able to practice comedy before getting her own show "The Betty White Show." Afterward, she landed a role on the sitcom "Date with the Angels."

After two failed marriages, Betty was not looking for love until a persistent game show host, Allen Ludden, kept asking her hand in marriage. Betty admitted to Archive of American Television, “We felt like we knew each other." However, Ludden passed away in 1981 just before their 18th anniversary. 

Betty made frequent appearances on was "The Johnny Carson Show," in which in one bit 500 gallons of water washed her off the set. 

One of the most popular sitcoms Betty did was on the "Mary Tyler Moore Show" which aired from 1970 to 1977. Betty's comedic role on the show got her two Emmy awards. The late Mary Tyler more said of her co-star “Betty is a good friend, a dear friend.” 

In Betty's later years she joined the show "The Golden Girls" in 1985, with Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur and Estelle Getty. The show was about 4 retired women living and sharing a house in Miami. White along with all her co-stars were awarded Emmys for their performances in the show. 

Coming out as a foul-mouth grandma in the 2000's Betty was featured in the popular comedy movie "The Proposal" with Sandra Bullock. At the MTV Movie Awards, Betty joked about Bullock saying, “Our sex scenes were cut for theatrical release, but don’t worry, everyone can see them on the unrated DVD." Later on, White got a gig on a Snickers commercial during the Superbowl where she also played her role of hard Grandma.

"My first ambition was to be a forest ranger, but back in those days girls weren’t allowed to be forest rangers,” Betty White said to People. However, Betty was made an honorary forest ranger by the U.S. Forest Service. “In my heart, I’ve been a forest ranger all my life, but now I’m official,” she said.

At 98-years-old, White is not seen as much in the spotlight anymore. However, in 2018, she graced the Emmy stage to accept an award on her life-long career in television and make a few remarks. She joked to the audience, "I’m just gonna quit while I’m ahead,” she joked. “It’s incredible you can stay in a career this long and still have people put up with you. I wish they did that at home.”

Betty once told People about her life and career, “You better realize how good life is while it’s happening, because before you know it, it will all be gone.”