⭐ Early Life and Career Beginnings (1930s–1940s)

• Born: January 17, 1922, Oak Park, Illinois; raised in Los Angeles.

• Her first ambitions were to become a writer, but she discovered a passion for performing in high school.

• First TV appearance: 1939, singing on an experimental TV broadcast in Los Angeles—one of the earliest television appearances ever recorded.

• After WWII, she worked in radio, reading commercials, playing small roles, and eventually getting her own shows.

⭐ Breakthrough into Television (1950s)

• Co-hosted the live variety show Hollywood on Television (1949–1953).

• Gained attention for her wit, charm, and improvisational ability.

• Starred in and produced Life with Elizabeth (1953–1955), becoming:

  • One of the first women to produce a sitcom.

  • One of TV’s earliest female comedic leads.

• Appeared regularly on game shows and talk shows, which became a career signature.

⭐ Game Show Icon & Sitcom Roles (1960s–1970s)

• Frequent guest on classic game shows such as:

  • Password (where she met her future husband, Allen Ludden),

  • Match Game,

  • The $25,000 Pyramid, and more.

• Nicknamed “The First Lady of Game Shows.”

• Played Sue Ann Nivens, the hilariously sweet-and-sly “Happy Homemaker,” on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1973–1977), winning two Emmys.

⭐ Golden Era: The Golden Girls (1985–1992)

• Starred as Rose Nylund, the beloved naïve and kind-hearted character.

• The show became an instant classic, redefining roles for older women on TV.

• Earned another Emmy for the role.

• Portrayed Rose again in the spin-off The Golden Palace (1992–1993).

⭐ Continued Success and Reinvention (1990s–2000s)

• Guest roles on hit series such as:

  • The Practice,

  • Boston Legal,

  • Ally McBeal.

• Became a frequent voice and guest star in animated shows and children’s programs.

• Continued her game-show presence and talk-show appearances.

⭐ Resurgence as a Pop-Culture Icon (2010–2021)

• A social-media fan campaign led her to host Saturday Night Live in 2010, becoming the oldest SNL host at age 88. She won another Emmy.

• Co-starred in the comedy series Hot in Cleveland (2010–2015), playing sharp-witted caretaker Elka Ostrovsky.

• Acted in films such as:

  • The Proposal (2009),

  • You Again (2010).

• Published multiple books, became a beloved internet meme, and gained new generations of fans.

• Continued voice acting, guest TV roles, documentaries, and public appearances well into her late 90s.

⭐ Passing

• Betty White passed away on December 31, 2021, just a few weeks before her 100th birthday.

• She left behind one of the longest, most influential careers in American television history.