American Comedian And 'Golden Girls' Actress Betty White Dead at 99

© AP Photo / Matt SaylesFILE - Actress Betty White poses for a portrait in Los Angeles on June 9, 2010. White will turn 99 on Sunday, Jan. 17.
FILE - Actress Betty White poses for a portrait in Los Angeles on June 9, 2010. White will turn 99 on Sunday, Jan. 17. - Sputnik International, 1920, 31.12.2021
Subscribe
Citing law enforcement sources, TMZ reported on Friday that Betty White, 99, passed away at her home earlier that day. White, real name Betty Marion White Ludden, died just weeks shy of her 100th birthday.
No further details were provided about the Emmy-award-winning actress' passing.
"Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever," said Jeff Witjas, White's agent and close friend. "I will miss her terribly and so will the animal world that she loved so much. I don't think Betty ever feared passing because she always wanted to be with her most beloved husband Allen Ludden. She believed she would be with him again."
White's career spans several decades and dates back to 1939, when she booked her first professional acting gig at the Bliss Hayden Little Theatre in Beverly Hills, California. She would go on to work in both radio and TV for several years before scoring a variety program co-hosting gig alongside actor Al Jarvis.
White made television history in the 50s as the first woman to produce a sitcom. The program, entitled "Life with Elizabeth," was based on a character she originally portrayed on "Hollywood on Television," a talk show.
Between 1958 and 1978, White starred in several iterations of "The Betty White Show"—the first of which was a variety show. She was also a frequent guest on "Tonight Starring Jack Paar," an NBC late night show.
White's breakout role came about in 1973, when she portrayed Sue Ann Nivens on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," which ran until 1977.
However, it was White's role as Rose Nylund in "The Golden Girls" that catapulted the actress into Hollywood .
Other notable productions involving white include "Date with the Angels," "The Love Boat," "Mama's Family," "The Golden Palace," "Ladies Man, "Higglytown Heroes," "Boston Legal," "The Bold and the Beautiful," "Pound Puppies," "Hot in Cleveland."
Over the course of her career, White racked up several awards, including five Primetime Emmys and even a 2012 Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album.
Fans worldwide—including US President Joe Biden—have expressed their condolences for the late actress and American icon.
"Who didn’t love Betty White?" said Dr. Jill Biden, First Lady of the US. Meanwhile, Biden referred to the news of White's passing as "a shame."
Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала