Betty White, beloved Hollywood actor and respected on-screen icon, died at age 99 on the morning
of December 31st, 2021, TMZ reported.
The outlet cited law enforcement sources for the news of White's passing, but no further
statement has been provided, including cause of death.
While the star doesn't leave behind any children of her own, she was married three times.
She first wed Dick Barker in 1945 and divorced him that same year, then was married to Lane
Allen from 1947 to 1949, and Allen Ludden from 1963 until his death in 1981.
White was step-mother to Ludden's three children from a previous marriage, according to the
Los Angeles Times.
As White's fans both grieve her death and celebrate her life, they are also surely reminiscing
about their favorite roles that the star tackled over the years, as well as the comedic legacy
she created.
Betty White's on-screen work went all the way back to 1945 when she appeared in a short
project called "Time to Kill" as "Lou's Girl," per IMDb.
However, that was just the beginning of a long and successful career in the entertainment
industry.White went on to appear on shows like "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "The Love
Boat," "Mama's Family," "That '70s Show," and "Hot in Cleveland," as well as in films
like 2009's "The Proposal," alongside Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, who were both incredibly
fond of their older co-star.
Of course, when talking about White's greatest roles, it would be impossible not to mention
her long-running gig as Rose Nylund on the classic sitcom "Golden Girls."
Appearing on the show from 1985 to 1992, White earned four Golden Globe Award nominations
for her work as well as multiple Emmy Award nominations and one win in 1986 for Outstanding
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
She gushed to TODAY in 1987 about working with her beloved co-stars:
"We are having so much fun, there should be a law against it."
As the star neared her 99th birthday in January 2021, she opened up to People about what kept
her motivated and trudging on (while seemingly loving life), saying, quote, "A sense of humor."
She added,
"Don't take yourself too seriously.
You can lie to others — not that I would — but you cannot lie to yourself."
Although it's incredibly sad to lose an accomplished actor like White, we can still appreciate
the legacy and laughs that she has left behind.
Many fans and celebrities are shocked by Betty White's death — the "Golden Girls" star
seemed invincible, and it is hard to believe she is gone.
Case in point: The beloved 99-year-old star teased her friend Ryan Reynolds just days
before her death.
White quipped to People,
"I've heard Ryan can't get over his thing for me, but Robert Redford is The One."
Clearly, White was on the ball until the very end, which isn't too surprising as she was
one of a kind.
Seth Meyers's tribute to White sums up one of the many reasons she was unique.
He tweeted,
"RIP Betty White, the only SNL host I ever saw get a standing ovation at the after party.
A party at which she ordered a vodka and a hotdog and stayed til the bitter end."
According to The Hollywood Reporter, White held the Guinness World Record for the longest
TV career for a female entertainer.
But White was much more than her accomplishments — millions loved her self-effacing humor
and empathy.
As for White's reaction to all the love she received throughout her life?
She told Katie Couric in 2017,
"I just appreciate the fact that people have been so kind to me all these years."
And despite spending decades in a business that can be ruthless and cutthroat, she always
maintained a positive outlook, which probably explains why she held public favor for so
long.
White said of her admirable philosophy in an interview with NewYou,
"Be kind, and think about people around you – the animals around you, too.
We do terrible things to each other.
We have to work hard to stop that, to deflect that.
That's a great thing we can all achieve."
So here's to White's incredible life, career, and above all else — her kindness.