Beloved actress Betty White dies at the age of 99 on New Year’s Eve
- Replies 4
Beloved actress Betty White dies at the age of 99 on New Year’s Eve
America's sweetheart Betty White has passed away on New Year's Eve, less than three weeks shy of her centennial.
Jeff Witjas, the beloved actress' agent and close friend, confirmed the sad news to People Magazine.
Betty White passed away on New Year’s Eve, less than three weeks shy of her 100th birthday on January 17. Credit: Amanda Edwards/WireImage.
“Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever,” he said.
Betty White, who became known worldwide after playing Emmy-winning roles on television sitcoms The Golden Girls and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, had a long-standing career of more than 80 years in television.
A trailblazer, White was a huge star in her 60s and became a pop culture phenomenon in her 80s and 90s despite the fact that the entertainment industry is dominated by those who are younger these days.
Additionally, White has been starring in a TV sitcom, Hot In Cleveland, at age 92 until the show was cancelled in late 2014.
When asked about her longevity, the late comedic actress always cited "good health, good fortune and loving your work" as the secrets to her lasting career.
“It’s incredible that I’m still in this business and that you are still putting up with me,” White said in an appearance at the 2018 Emmy Awards ceremony, where she was honoured for her long career.
“It’s incredible that you can stay in a career this long and still have people put up with you. I wish they did that at home.”
The sweet-smiling, white-haired White was known for not being afraid to mock herself, throwing out a joke about her sex life or a snarky crack.
The comedic actress also has a standard answer for whenever she got asked if there was anything she still wanted to do after such a long career, responding with "Robert Redford" every chance she gets.
Photos of Betty White from the 1960s. Credit: Getty Images.
Betty Marion White was born on January 17, 1922, in Oak Park, Illinois. During the Great Depression, she and her family moved to Los Angeles.
She started her entertainment career in the late 1930s. In 1939, she made her TV debut, appearing on an experimental channel in Los Angeles as a singer.
White first gained fame from her role on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”, playing the lusty Sue Ann, who was the host of a home-making television show and whose motto was “a woman who does a good job in the kitchen is sure to reap her rewards in other parts of the house.”
The role earned white a best-supporting actress Emmys in 1975 and 1976.
She won another Emmy in 1986 after starring in the global hit TV sitcom "The Golden Girls" — a TV show about four older women living together in Miami that featured an age demographic rarely highlighted on American television.
In more recent years, White has regularly appeared on "Saturday Night Live" after a young fan started a campaign to have her host the show.
Her hosting gig earned her another Emmy.
“Who would ever dream that I would not only be this healthy but still be invited to work?” White said in a 2015 interview with Oprah Winfrey.
“That’s the privilege ... to still have jobs to do is such a privilege.”
The cause of the comedic actress' death has not been disclosed to the public at the time of reporting.
.png){kind=icon}
