Betty White Celebrates 99th Birthday — A Look Back At Her Iconic Career That Has Spanned 8 Decades

Jan 18, 2021 by apost team

Betty White is no stranger to the limelight, having started her television career back in 1939—that means she's been working in show business for over 80 years! Each decade, White has brought new exciting roles to a fresh audience that can't help but fall in love with her each time. 

Born in Oak Park, Illinois, on January 17, 1922, Betty White's family moved to California just one year after her birth, eventually settling in Los Angeles. She attended Beverly Hills High School and graduated in 1939. Her passion for wildlife has been a constant in her life, and she wanted to become a forest ranger from a young age. Her dream was unattainable as, at the time, the profession could only be carried out by men. In a sweet moment decades later, Betty White was made an honorary forest ranger by the U.S. Forest Service at 88.

While not being able to work as a forest ranger at the time must have been a blow for White, it was the reason she decided to pursue a career as an actress instead. Landing her first television gig three months after finishing high school, the long career ahead of her was probably only a dream at the time. Soon after World War II broke out, and White put her career on hold to help with the war effort at home. She eventually began working again but didn't have luck at the movie studios after being told she was "not photogenic" and instead turned her attention to radio work.

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This led to more television work, and in 1951 Betty White was nominated for her first Emmy Award. She didn't win that time, but it would signal many other nominations and eventual wins. Her lead role on Life With Elizabeth earned her a Los Angeles Emmy Award win just one year later and put her on the map. By 1954 she had her own talk/variety show titled The Betty White Show. Ever the progressive visionary, White's creative control of the show allowed her to hire a female director and make African-American performer Arthur Duncan a regular cast member.

The 1960s saw White work on several game shows, including Password, where she met and later married the host, Allen Ludden. She also made her feature film debut in 1962's Advise & Consent and was offered a hosting role on Today, which she turned down for not wanting to move to New York. The position eventually went to Barbara Walters.

In 1973, White appeared as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which is considered one of the highlights of her career. She ended up winning two Emmy Awards for her portrayal. After the show ended, White was offered her own show, which would also be titled The Betty White Show, mirroring her first series of that name from the 1950s. The show's run didn't last long, and White split her time working on other shows, including The Carol Burnett Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

In 1983 White was the first woman to win a Daytime Emmy Award in the Outstanding Game Show Host category, and due to how many she has appeared on, she's been dubbed the "First Lady of Game Shows." A couple of years later, in 1985, White would land her signature role as Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls. The part bagged her another Emmy win and a nomination for every year of the show's run until it ended in 1992. The rest of the '90s and 2000s saw White take on smaller appearances in many popular shows, including Suddenly Susan, The Practice, The Bold and the Beautiful, and Boston Legal.  In 2010, Betty White became the oldest person to host the iconic show Saturday Night Live at 88 years old, after a Facebook group petitioning for her to host approached up to 500,000 members. She even won an Emmy for the appearance, putting her winning tally at seven. That same year she landed her role in Hot In Cleveland, which ran until 2015. 

The last few years have seen Betty White continue to act and make guest appearances on television. This included a special for her 90th birthday, Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America's Golden Girl, which featured many of her old co-stars and even a message from the sitting president Barack Obama. She even voiced a character named after her in Toy Story 4, Bitey White, and appeared in a scene with her contemporaries Carol Burnett, Carl Reiner, and Mel Brooks. White stated:

"It was wonderful the way they incorporated our names into the characters...And I'm a sucker for animals, so the tiger was just perfect!"

In the run-up to her 99th birthday on January 17, People Magazine spoke with White about how she plans to celebrate and what it's like getting older. She said matter-of-factly, "I am blessed with good health, so turning 99 is no different than turning 98." And in true Betty White fashion, she kept things light and also shared a few pearls of wisdom about growing older but staying mentally young. 

Amid the ongoing pandemic, White's birthday celebration will be small this year. She told the magazine that once things return to normal and she can begin to socialize again, she'll be "visiting with close friends and bringing food to [her] animal friends." The actress has been a lifelong supporter of animals, passionately advocating for them through some of her favorite organizations, including the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Actors and Others for Animals, and the Wildlife Learning Center.

The comedian also told Entertainment Tonight how she planned to celebrate:

"You probably didn't ask, but I'll tell you anyway. What am I doing for my birthday? Running a mile each morning has been curtailed by COVID, so I am working on getting The Pet Set re-released, and feeding the two ducks who come to visit me every day."

The Pet Set was a syndicated show of White's from the 1970s, which showcased her love for animals, as it spotlighted celebrities and their animal friends. Guest stars included Carol Burnett, Doris Day, Burt Reynolds, James Stewart, and Mary Tyler Moore, among others. Animals ranged from the more ordinary dogs, cats, and birds, to wild animals such as tigers, elephants, kangaroos, and more.

To commemorate The Pet Set's 50th anniversary, it is to be released on DVD and streaming platforms on February 23. White added in an accompanying press release, as reported by Entertainment Tonight:

"The Pet Set is one of my favorite shows. I'm thrilled it's going to be seen again after all these years."

But first up is Betty White's big 99th birthday on January 17. It's a pity that she couldn't have a big celebration for such a momentous birthday, but hopefully, she can have a big one for her centenary in 2022. 

Considering how well she is doing at her age—she's still working!—we could all stand to listen to what White says are the secrets to a happy and long life. Thankfully for us, she was kind enough to reveal some of those gems in her People Magazine interview. First up she says is to stay positive. White told People: "I don't like the other side. The positive side is a lot more fun."

This might seem like obvious advice, but it's hard not to have some doubts in times like these. Keeping positive is good advice for any time in life, but mostly as one gets older. Somewhat related to maintaining a positive demeanor, White's second tip is to see the funny side of life. She states:

"A sense of humor. Don't take yourself too seriously. You can lie to others—not that I would—but you cannot lie to yourself."

Sage advice indeed. Humor is essential, so to keep an open mind and not take things too seriously will help get you through tough times and keep you mentally young. The last bit of advice might even be the biggest secret of all—at least it's something she has exercised her whole life and career. It's to keep busy and, in her case, keep working. She summed up all three points:

"Again, having a sense of humor. Just looking at the positive side and not dwelling on the downside. Takes up too much energy being negative. Also having a good agent who keeps me busy all the time."
 

It all sounds so simple, and perhaps that's why White has finally made it to 99—a long and healthy life isn't about fancy things, but it comes down to wholesome and happy living and making sure you fill your time with things you enjoy doing. Her acting and comedy work is a big part of that for her, which is no surprise considering she's been working for over eight decades! Let's take a look at her illustrious career and all of the incredible achievements she's had.

Betty White has had the kind of illustrious and lengthy career that budding actors can only dream of. She's affected multiple generations with her work and is continuing to do so, even as she nears 100 years old. 

We hope Betty White had a happy and healthy 99th birthday and look forward to seeing her continue to work and impress us all with her longevity! What is your favorite Betty White moment on the screen? Let us know in the comments, and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!