Betty White is celebrating her 99th birthday today. The star shared her plans to celebrate:
“Since I am turning 99, I can stay up as late as I want without asking permission,” said White to The Associated Press.
White also plans to eat a meal of hot dogs and fries. Along with this, Jeff Witjas, a longtime friend and agent of White, will bring her a bouquet of roses. She will also spend time feeding ducks who like to visit her home in Los Angeles.
White has a long career as an actress – many like to joke about how she is older than slice bread (she really is!). She has been in the show business most of her life, starting her career in the late 1930s.
White was born on Jan. 17, 1922 in Oak Park, Illinois. She grew up in Los Angeles, where her family moved when she was only two-years-old.
It was in 1953 that White began her first sitcom role, “Life with Elizabeth,” where she starred as a wife who often found herself getting into difficult situations. The show aired until 1955.
White played roles in several other shows after this. In 1973, she joined “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” as Sue Ann Nivens, which led her to win two Emmy Awards. White also appeared on several episodes of “The Love Boat” and “Mama’s Family.”
In 1985, White began one of her most well-known roles, Rose Nylund, in “The Golden Girls.” The show became immensely popular and remains so to this day. White received seven Emmy nominations for her role, winning one for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series. “The Golden Girls” ended in 1992 with seven seasons.
In 2010, White appeared in a Snickers commercial during the Super Bowl, where she gets tackled during a game of football. The commercial was received positively by viewers and spread all over the internet. That same year, White received the opportunity to host “Saturday Night Live,” where she became the oldest host of the show. She also starred in the role of Elka Ostrosky in the sitcom “Hot in Cleveland” in 2010.
White has continued to keep up her acting skills in recent years. In 2011, she starred in the film “The Lost Valentine.” The following year, White performed a voice role in “The Lorax.” She also had a voice role in “Toy Story 4” in 2019.
White also recently took part in a documentary about her life, “Betty White: First Lady of Television.” The film aired on PBS in 2018. It was long in the making, having spent a decade being filmed.
Besides acting, White has also spent much time working with zoos. Having a deep love for animals from a young age, White enjoys getting to share with others the efforts that zoos put in helping animals. She also works to spread the word about endangered species and how people can take part in protecting them. In 2014, White joined the Columbus Zoo to celebrate the opening of its exhibit, Heart of Africa.
“I have to keep acting so that I can afford to keep doing my charity work,” White told The Hollywood Reporter in 2010.
White continues to have her usual positive spirit, even as she grows older. She shared her way to living a long life in a recent interview:
“Having a sense of humor,” she told People. “Just looking at the positive side and not dwelling on the downside. Takes up too much energy being negative. Also having a good agent who keeps me busy all the time.”
Rebekah Davidson
Intern