A true icon of American television, actress Betty White died this Friday, December 31, 2021, at the age of 99. She was going to be celebrating her hundredth birthday in a few days.
“Even if Betty was going to be 100 years old, I thought she would live forever,” her agent shared with People magazine, before adding, “I don’t think she was afraid of dying, because ‘she always wanted to be with her beloved husband, Allen Ludden. She thought she would be by his side again ”.
As reported by TMZ, according to a source close to Betty White, she did not suffer from any particular illness and thus died of natural causes. In 2020, the American media had also made it known that the actress rarely left her home because of the Covid-19 pandemic which was raging in the United States.
Betty White, a TV legend
Born January 17, 1922 in Chicago, Betty White was considered one of the pioneers of early television and one of the longest-career actresses, having worked in her profession for 50 years. A profession whose passion came to her in 1939. While she initially aspired to become a forest ranger, the profession not being accessible to women at that time, the interest of Betty White was finally postponed for the stage, after having written and performed the lead role of an end-of-study play.
After making her radio debut in various programs, in the 1940s, it was in 1949 that she appeared on television for the first time. In the 1950s, she became the first woman to produce a sitcom, that of “Life with Elizabeth”, in which she also played the lead role. With more than a hundred participations through series and other American programs, such as the “SNL” in 1975, it is his mainly comedic roles that have marked many generations. Including in particular, her unforgettable character that she held in the sitcom “Les Craquantes”, from 1985 to 1992. Betty White then interpreted the awkward and often naive “Rose Nylund”.
Also present on the big screens, it is in 2019 on the occasion of the last Pixar, “Toy Story 4”, that Betty White had made one of her last collaborations. Surprised by her own longevity, during the Emmy Awards in 2018, she was astonished herself with her eternal touch of humor: “It’s amazing that I’m still in this job, and that you still support me!“.
While she was preparing to blow out her hundred candles on January 17, “Betty White: 100 Years Young – A Birthday Celebration”, a special documentary for this occasion was planned and scheduled for her birthday. As recently as December 28, Betty White had tweeted: “My hundredth birthday … I can’t believe it’s coming.”
My 100th birthday… I cannot believe it is coming up, and People Magazine is celebrating with me! The new issue of @people is available on newsstands nationwide tomorrow. https://t.co/kTQnsbMDGK
– Betty White (@BettyMWhite) December 28, 2021