On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we get our Golden Girls on and talk about the life of the one and only Betty White. While most of you known her from her role as Rose on that smash hit show, some may know her from her life in game shows or any of the endless rolls and Emmys afterward. She is the oldest person to host Saturday Night Live (was 88 at the time), and she was pioneer for both women and black actors in Hollywood.

She started off wanting to be a forest ranger. Why? She loves animals and the outdoors. But turns out, back in the day, women couldn’t be rangers. So, she set her sights on acting and entertainment. After a bit of a dis, some movie execs told her she didn’t have the looks for film, so she started in Radio. She took off, landing lots of local jobs in LA, then a local TV show in LA, and then finally a national show on NBC called Life With Elizabeth. In her role as head of the show, she pissed off the south by insisting a black actor stay in the show, even though it may be what got the show cancelled. Good for her.

She spent years doing game shows, most notably the Password and Matchgame. She in fact met her one true love, Allen Ludden the host of Password and married him. From there, she did numerous shows and guest spots, finally making it to Mama’s Family, a sitcom that was successful enough to make them want to cast her on Golden Girls. She was a breakout hit in that show, earning an Emmy for best actress in the first season and getting nominated every other season of the show (The first time that has happened).

So, who was she supposed to play on Golden Girls originally? How old is she now? How did social media land her on SNL? How old was she when she finally became a forest ranger? Listen, laugh, learn.

Visit Our Sources:

https://www.biography.com/actor/betty-white

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_White

https://www.pbs.org/wnet/pioneers-of-television/pioneering-people/betty-white/

https://people.com/tv/betty-white-preps-for-99th-birthday-and-says-a-sense-of-humor-keeps-her-forever-young/

https://apnews.com/article/mary-tyler-moore-sandra-bullock-betty-white-fecd6ed6db7f9f82c5fcc4d587084d68

https://www.insider.com/betty-white-facts-career-2019-1