Little Known Facts About Betty White
“I had no idea that I would still be around at this point for one thing, but that I’d still be privileged enough to still be in this business. And it is such a privilege.
And the bottom line I think to the television business is that unless you’re a real bad egg, it is such fun. It really is. Thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
-- Betty White at her 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award acceptance speech at the Emmy Awards We all love Betty White... so here are some of our favorite facts about her life!
Betty White Facts
1. Aww, poor puppy
Betty’s passion for animals is so unwavering that she won’t accept movie roles if the script calls for potential animal abuse. She turned down the role of Helen Hunt’s mother in As Good As It Gets because Jack Nicholson’s character shoves a puppy dog down a laundry chute.
2. Sharing the love
Betty was originally considered for the role of the sexpot, "Blanche," on The Golden Girls (1985). However, Betty had already been the aggressive "Sue Ann Nivens" on Mary Tyler Moore (1970) and Rue McClanahan had played the introverted "Vivian" on Maude (1972). It was thought best not to have these two actresses reprise similar characters. Therefore, Betty got the part of naive "Rose Nylund" and Rue played the oversexed "Blanche."
3. Fourth time is a charm
Played the same character named Rose Nylund on four different TV series: The Golden Palace (1992), The Golden Girls (1985), Nurses (1991), and Empty Nest (1988). She admits to having surgery before The Golden Girls (1985), even though the program was about growing old and not having a problem with it.
