Betty White is often called the "Queen of Television." It's not hard to
figure out why.
In 1953, at the age of 29, she was given her first national TV series
after a career in radio that started when she was 16. The show, Life
with Elizabeth, was a two-year hit and led Betty to make her first
appearances on a game show: after serving as a fill-in on What's My
Line?, Betty became a regular on Gene Rayburn's Make
the Connection. Betty settled into a career of appearances on other
game shows, as well as Jack Paar's Tonight Show and annual turns
at hosting the Tournament of Roses parade. In the early '60s, her frequent
appearances on Password caught the eye and heart of host Allen
Ludden, and the two were soon married. (Allen passed away in 1981.)
Things slowed down for Betty in the early '70s, outside of a syndicated
series called The Pet Set, but lightning soon struck
again. As man-chasing "Happy Homemaker" Sue Ann Nivens in the
wildly successful The Mary
Tyler Moore Show, Betty won two Emmy awards and was suddenly one of
the biggest names in TV in her upper 40's. Her variety show
and special appearances also increased
dramatically, and Betty was soon making the rounds of the new generation
of celebrity game shows, including, of course, MG, where her
answers frequently pushed the limits of double entendre.
After MTM ended its run in 1977, Betty starred in a self-titled
sitcom (a wickedly funny spoof on the TV business that was regrettably
short-lived) and became an even more frequent panelist (a virtual
regular) on MG and
Liar's Club. Betty disappeared for a spell following Allen
Ludden's death (except for occasional appearances on Password Plus then hosted by Tom Kennedy), but in 1983 made a triumphant return
as the hostess of Just Men!, a panel show that made her the
only female Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Game Show Host. The Queen
was back.
Bets next turned up
in a reoccuring role on Mama's Family, and then landed her most
successful role as dimwitted Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls,
which ran for seven years and gave White her fourth Emmy. (Betty tells the
story that she was to have
been the man-hungry Blanche character - following her persona since Sue
Ann - but traded with co-star Rue
McClanahan just days before production was to begin.)
Betty still hasn't slowed down. She had a supporting role in a new sitcom
in 1995, Maybe This
Time, which didn't last. More recently, she had a memorable guest turn in the movie Lake Placid, co-starred on CBS's Ladies' Man, and hosted a Christmas-themed marathon on Game Show Network.
The Queen, thankfully, has no intention of abdicating her throne.
Betty White is often called the "Queen of Television." It's not hard to
figure out why.
Things slowed down for Betty in the early '70s, outside of a syndicated
series called The Pet Set, but lightning soon struck
again. As man-chasing "Happy Homemaker" Sue Ann Nivens in the
wildly successful The Mary
Tyler Moore Show, Betty won two Emmy awards and was suddenly one of
the biggest names in TV in her upper 40's. Her variety show
and special appearances also increased
dramatically, and Betty was soon making the rounds of the new generation
of celebrity game shows, including, of course, MG, where her
answers frequently pushed the limits of double entendre.
After MTM ended its run in 1977, Betty starred in a self-titled
sitcom (a wickedly funny spoof on the TV business that was regrettably
short-lived) and became an even more frequent panelist (a virtual
regular) on MG and
Liar's Club. Betty disappeared for a spell following Allen
Ludden's death (except for occasional appearances on Password Plus then hosted by Tom Kennedy), but in 1983 made a triumphant return
as the hostess of Just Men!, a panel show that made her the
only female Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Game Show Host. The Queen
was back.
Betty still hasn't slowed down. She had a supporting role in a new sitcom
in 1995, Maybe This
Time, which didn't last. More recently, she had a memorable guest turn in the movie Lake Placid, co-starred on CBS's Ladies' Man, and hosted a Christmas-themed marathon on Game Show Network.
