Women We Love: Betty White

 

 

Happy Birthday to Betty White, 99 years old today! That's a birthday deserving of a shout-out to anyone, but Betty White holds a special place in our hearts. Is there anyone who doesn't love her? And who doesn't think she's beautiful? I am thinking of one accessory she always wears, the one each of us have with us, if we remember to put it on. 

You guessed it—that accessory is her smile, and she wears it all the time. Even when Betty White isn't smiling, it's there, while looking at you intently or ready to pop out at the end of a sentence.

Betty White and I go back to my childhood in Cleveland. She briefly had an afternoon talk show, which ran one season on NBC in 1954, but that was the year my mother went back to work. I was alone after school. Betty and I enjoyed each other's company immensely.

Told she was "not photgenic enough" for the movies (really?) she made her career in radio and early television (where I guess producers had 20/20 vision). She has never really not worked, but her career had wins and wanes, from her own sit-coms (three) to game shows to parade emcee.

About now it could be said Betty White was part of the fabric of American entertainment, but she became America's Sweetheart with her signature roles and personal appearances.

In 1973-77 she appeared as the deliciously icky Sue Ellen Nevins on the "Mary Tyler Moore" show followed by seven seasons as Rose on "The Golden Girls". At age 88 she became the oldest person to host "Saturday Night Live" after a 500,000-member group petitioned NBC. In 2010 she took a role on "Hot in Cleveland" only for the premiere episode and stayed on for six seasons. So there we were, back in Cleveland again.

Married three times, her third husband, Alan Ludden, was the keeper. After he died in 1981 she didn't remarry. When asked why, she said, "Once you've had the best, who needs the rest?" The two were advocates for animal health and welfare, a quest she has continued with great dedication.

She always looks great and dresses to enhance her sunny, delightfully kooky (just a little) self. She's not a fashion icon as such, but all of us can benefit by the way she dresses to flatter her personality as well as looking stylish and appropriate. Totally ladylike, you don't expect some of the wicked things that come out of her mouth, always with a wink and a smile. She could probably get away with anything, but you just know she has a heart of gold. 

Happy Birthday, Betty, and many more!

And while we're at it, Happy Birthday to two other stylish young ladies. Michelle Obama is 57 today, and Zoey Deschanel is 41. Have a beautiful day!