Best known for her role as Rose Nylund in the '80s sitcom "Golden Girls," funnywoman Betty White has broken new ground in Hollywood for much of her 95 years. She's also been an icon for women and gay rights supporters.
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Happy 95th birthday, Betty White!
Comedian and actress Betty White, the last surviving "Golden Girl," known for her wry sense of humor and feigned lack of smarts, celebrates her 95th birthday on Tuesday.
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One of the 'Golden Girls'
At the age of 63, White (left) took on her most famous role in "Golden Girls." The series, which debuted in 1985, was well-liked for its realistic portrayals of four women retirees sharing a house in Miami. White became something of a feminist icon as she played Rose Nylund, a country girl always ready with a smile and an anecdote about life in the backwoods of St. Olaf, Minnesota.
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Emmy nominee for best actress
Though perhaps not intentionally, Betty White has repeatedly broken new ground for women in Hollywood. In 1951, she was among the first nominees for the brand new category of best actress at the Emmy TV awards. Shortly after, she became one of the few women in television with full creative control of a sitcom when she starred in and produced "Life with Elizabeth" (1952-1955).
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What's the 'Password'?
Although White wanted to be an actress after appearing in a high school play, it took her years to truly make her mark on television. After hosting radio shows, the Tournament of Roses parade and appearing in a number of television dramas, White took her talents to game shows in the 1960s. It was on the hit series, "Password," that she met her future husband, host Allen Ludden.
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A friend of Liberace
White has become a beacon for many in the LGBT community for her support of gay rights. In an interview, she revealed she had always known her friend Liberace was gay and said people should mind their own business when it comes to gay marriage. "If a couple has been together all that time - and there are gay relationships that are more solid than some heterosexual ones - I think it's fine."
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From movies to late night
After "Golden Girls" ended in 1992, White made a name for herself as a comedian whose vulgar language sometimes betrays her grandmotherly appearance. She made several appearances on late-night shows before fans petitioned to have her host "Saturday Night Live," which she did in 2010. Here, she plays Sandra Bullock's straight-shooting grandmother in "The Proposal."
As she's grown older, White's wry sense of humor has won her a place in many hearts, both young and old. She made parents and their children laugh in 2012 as she voiced the role of Grammy Norma, a wisecracking grandmother, in the animated film version of Dr. Seuss' "The Lorax."
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At 95, Betty White has become something of an unintentional icon for women and gay rights activists in the US.
By all appearances, she is grandmotherly - well-mannered and timid. But when she opens her mouth, even in character, the stereotypes of what an elderly woman should be fall away.
Best known for her role as the not-so-bright Rose Nylund of St. Olaf, Minnesota in the long-running television series "Golden Girls," White has made a name for herself as a straight-talking actress who doesn't play by any unwritten rules. She broke new ground while hosting a daily variety show in Los Angeles beginning in 1949, was one of the first Emmy nominees for the category of best actress once the category was introduced in 1951 and later accompanied Liberace to events to support him as he kept his identity as a gay man secret.
White's work, both on-and-offscreen, has brought her many fans who will be pleased to wish her "Happy birthday!" on Tuesday.
