Betty White
Author: Trudy Stroup
Venerable. I have heard this word used to describe many actors and actresses. From context, I thought it meant something like, accomplished or honored. This is what I thought of when contemplating this article. To avoid making a fool of myself, I decided to look up the exact meaning of the word. Merriam-Webster defines venerable as "old and respected: valued and respected because of old age, long use, etc." And Oxford's definition isn't any brighter. I see Betty White as the Grande Dame of television; a medium she chose above all others in the entertainment industry. She was an actress who made her own way and did things her own way.
She was born Betty Marion White on January 17th, 1922, in Oak Park, Illinois to Horace White, an electrical engineer, and Tess, a homemaker. Horace moved the family to Los Angeles when Betty was just 2 years old. Some have reported Betty's birth name as Elizabeth, however, she has said that her mother didn't want to risk people calling her Liz, Lizzie, or Beth, so she avoided the risk by naming her Betty. By all accounts, the only child of Horace and Tess had a normal, happy childhood. She attended Horace Mann Private School in Beverly Hills, followed by Beverly Hills High School.
Betty worked as a model after high school, dabbled in local theatre, and then got a job in a studio working in production. In the summer of 1939, Betty stepped in front of the camera. Betty said this about her first experience in acting, "I danced on an experimental TV show, the first on the west coast, in downtown Los Angeles. I wore my high school graduation dress and our Beverly Hills High student body president, Harry Bennett and I danced the 'Merry Widow Waltz'". Betty continued working in front of the camera, singing on variety shows. She also added radio to her line up taking parts in radio shows like "This is Your FBI", "Empire Builders" as well as guest spots on other shows. But Betty put her promising, growing career on hold when WWII hit the states. She joined The American Women's Voluntary Services and took a seat behind the wheel of a PX truck, delivering supplies to locations around the LA basin. In the evenings, Betty attended send off parties for our men at arms. Of that time, Betty was quoted saying, "It was a strange time and out of balance with everything."
In 1945, Betty met and married Dick Barker. He eventually talked her into leaving Hollywood and moving to his chicken farm in Ohio. After the move, the marriage dissolved and they divorced in December of that same year. Betty returned to Hollywood a single woman. When she was no longer needed in the war effort, Betty returned to her career as an entertainer; reverting to her roots in production. She soon met husband number two, Lane Allen, in 1947. They were married for two years, divorcing in 1949 because he continually encouraged her to give up show business and caused her to question her life. Realizing that she was already doing what she was meant to do, she ended the marriage.
In 1951, she developed the television show "Life with Elizabeth". While writing the show, she realized she would take the lead role herself. Not only did she produce the show, but she also starred in it as well, being one of the first women to do so. Her work on the show garnered Betty her first of 21 Emmy nominations. She has won 5 awards, so far. As the 50's marched on into the 60's, Betty appeared in a myriad of variety shows. She also started her own show titled The Betty White Show. Her bubbly personality and quick wit made her a game show circuit favorite and in 1961, she made a guest appearance on the game show "Password" hosted by Allen Ludden. He asked her out on a date and they continued seeing each other throughout 1961. Allen asked for her hand in 1962, but she was reluctant given her past experience with husbands who tried to change her. She said "no" for a year before giving in and marrying him in 1963. Allen was a widower father of three and Betty considered those children a blessing. She never had any children of her own, but considered her life complete. Betty and Allen were married until his death in 1981. Their stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame are side by side. Betty has said her only regret in marrying Allen is "I spent a whole year, wasted a whole year that Allen and I could have been together, saying 'NO, I won't marry him. No, I won't leave California. No, I won't move to New York.' I wasted a whole year we could have had together."
Betty worked continuously throughout her career. Though she made movies, her preference was television. She had roles on several shows playing a variety of characters. She has been a police detective, a city official, mother, daughter, grandmother, smart, ditzy, cartoon characters and more. On The Mary Tyler Moore Show, she played the free spirited, lusty next door neighbor Sue Ann Nivens. Her performance on this show brought a request her to read for a part on The Golden Girls in 1984. She read for the part of Blanche, the lusty grandmother. Fellow actress Rue McClanahan read for the part of Rose, the ditzy grief counselor, a role she had played in the past, but to avoid typecasting, the producer asked them to switch roles and they made television history. Betty's popularity has only increased as time progresses. She has captured a younger audience with her work in films and television during the last decade, taking the side of the alligator in "Lake Placid" and taking the opportunity to show her bawdy side in "The Proposal" with Sandra Bullock, a secret part of her personality unknown to the public but for which she was famous on television studio sets for years. She continues to capture audience attention in her newest television show "Hot in Cleveland". Her popularity with her new audience of young people inspired them to take to Facebook; petitioning the producers of Saturday Night Live to ask Betty to host the show. They gave her that honor making her the oldest host of the show to date.
Though she has led a very busy life and career, Betty has also been an animal rights activist. This cause is so dear to her heart that she lists Animal Rights Activist on her résumé and has stated that she has to continue working so she afford to keep helping animals. In an interview in 2014, when asked what she would have done if she hadn't been an actress, she quickly answered Zoo Keeper. She started a T-shirt line to help benefit her cause gifting the proceeds to The Morris Animal Foundation. And she has turned down parts in movies if there were animals that appeared to be harmed. Such is the case for the movie "As Good As It Gets" with Jack Nicholson whose character throws a dog down the garbage shoot.
Betty has been an intricate part of television and thus all of our lives for over 70 years. She shows no sign of stopping though she will celebrate her 94th birthday in just a few days. I can't wait to see what she does next.
Author: Trudy Stroup
Venerable. I have heard this word used to describe many actors and actresses. From context, I thought it meant something like, accomplished or honored. This is what I thought of when contemplating this article. To avoid making a fool of myself, I decided to look up the exact meaning of the word. Merriam-Webster defines venerable as "old and respected: valued and respected because of old age, long use, etc." And Oxford's definition isn't any brighter. I see Betty White as the Grande Dame of television; a medium she chose above all others in the entertainment industry. She was an actress who made her own way and did things her own way.
She was born Betty Marion White on January 17th, 1922, in Oak Park, Illinois to Horace White, an electrical engineer, and Tess, a homemaker. Horace moved the family to Los Angeles when Betty was just 2 years old. Some have reported Betty's birth name as Elizabeth, however, she has said that her mother didn't want to risk people calling her Liz, Lizzie, or Beth, so she avoided the risk by naming her Betty. By all accounts, the only child of Horace and Tess had a normal, happy childhood. She attended Horace Mann Private School in Beverly Hills, followed by Beverly Hills High School.
Betty worked as a model after high school, dabbled in local theatre, and then got a job in a studio working in production. In the summer of 1939, Betty stepped in front of the camera. Betty said this about her first experience in acting, "I danced on an experimental TV show, the first on the west coast, in downtown Los Angeles. I wore my high school graduation dress and our Beverly Hills High student body president, Harry Bennett and I danced the 'Merry Widow Waltz'". Betty continued working in front of the camera, singing on variety shows. She also added radio to her line up taking parts in radio shows like "This is Your FBI", "Empire Builders" as well as guest spots on other shows. But Betty put her promising, growing career on hold when WWII hit the states. She joined The American Women's Voluntary Services and took a seat behind the wheel of a PX truck, delivering supplies to locations around the LA basin. In the evenings, Betty attended send off parties for our men at arms. Of that time, Betty was quoted saying, "It was a strange time and out of balance with everything."
In 1945, Betty met and married Dick Barker. He eventually talked her into leaving Hollywood and moving to his chicken farm in Ohio. After the move, the marriage dissolved and they divorced in December of that same year. Betty returned to Hollywood a single woman. When she was no longer needed in the war effort, Betty returned to her career as an entertainer; reverting to her roots in production. She soon met husband number two, Lane Allen, in 1947. They were married for two years, divorcing in 1949 because he continually encouraged her to give up show business and caused her to question her life. Realizing that she was already doing what she was meant to do, she ended the marriage.
In 1951, she developed the television show "Life with Elizabeth". While writing the show, she realized she would take the lead role herself. Not only did she produce the show, but she also starred in it as well, being one of the first women to do so. Her work on the show garnered Betty her first of 21 Emmy nominations. She has won 5 awards, so far. As the 50's marched on into the 60's, Betty appeared in a myriad of variety shows. She also started her own show titled The Betty White Show. Her bubbly personality and quick wit made her a game show circuit favorite and in 1961, she made a guest appearance on the game show "Password" hosted by Allen Ludden. He asked her out on a date and they continued seeing each other throughout 1961. Allen asked for her hand in 1962, but she was reluctant given her past experience with husbands who tried to change her. She said "no" for a year before giving in and marrying him in 1963. Allen was a widower father of three and Betty considered those children a blessing. She never had any children of her own, but considered her life complete. Betty and Allen were married until his death in 1981. Their stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame are side by side. Betty has said her only regret in marrying Allen is "I spent a whole year, wasted a whole year that Allen and I could have been together, saying 'NO, I won't marry him. No, I won't leave California. No, I won't move to New York.' I wasted a whole year we could have had together."
Betty worked continuously throughout her career. Though she made movies, her preference was television. She had roles on several shows playing a variety of characters. She has been a police detective, a city official, mother, daughter, grandmother, smart, ditzy, cartoon characters and more. On The Mary Tyler Moore Show, she played the free spirited, lusty next door neighbor Sue Ann Nivens. Her performance on this show brought a request her to read for a part on The Golden Girls in 1984. She read for the part of Blanche, the lusty grandmother. Fellow actress Rue McClanahan read for the part of Rose, the ditzy grief counselor, a role she had played in the past, but to avoid typecasting, the producer asked them to switch roles and they made television history. Betty's popularity has only increased as time progresses. She has captured a younger audience with her work in films and television during the last decade, taking the side of the alligator in "Lake Placid" and taking the opportunity to show her bawdy side in "The Proposal" with Sandra Bullock, a secret part of her personality unknown to the public but for which she was famous on television studio sets for years. She continues to capture audience attention in her newest television show "Hot in Cleveland". Her popularity with her new audience of young people inspired them to take to Facebook; petitioning the producers of Saturday Night Live to ask Betty to host the show. They gave her that honor making her the oldest host of the show to date.
Though she has led a very busy life and career, Betty has also been an animal rights activist. This cause is so dear to her heart that she lists Animal Rights Activist on her résumé and has stated that she has to continue working so she afford to keep helping animals. In an interview in 2014, when asked what she would have done if she hadn't been an actress, she quickly answered Zoo Keeper. She started a T-shirt line to help benefit her cause gifting the proceeds to The Morris Animal Foundation. And she has turned down parts in movies if there were animals that appeared to be harmed. Such is the case for the movie "As Good As It Gets" with Jack Nicholson whose character throws a dog down the garbage shoot.
Betty has been an intricate part of television and thus all of our lives for over 70 years. She shows no sign of stopping though she will celebrate her 94th birthday in just a few days. I can't wait to see what she does next.