A photo of Betty White, with dimpled smile and guileless gaze, fills the cover of a coffee table book arriving the month before her 100th birthday.
The image evokes the genuine White, according to the book's author, Ray Richmond. After digging into her life and career, he concluded that she's as warm and appealing as appearances would have it.
But her willingness to play against type, whether as scheming Sue Ann on 鈥淭he Mary Tyler Moore Show鈥 or naive Rose of 鈥淭he Golden Girls,鈥 proves how game and talented White is, said Richmond.
That, coupled with an impressive work ethic, carried her from a cameo on television in its 1930s infancy to the darling of 鈥淪aturday Night Live鈥 in the 21st century, with a myriad of show business gigs along the way.
鈥淵ou could make a convincing case that Betty White is the most versatile and beloved entertainer in American history,鈥 said Richmond, whose 鈥淏etty White: 100 Remarkable Moments in an Extraordinary Life鈥 (becker&mayer! Books) is out Tuesday.
Besides starring in sitcoms and making guest appearances in dozens of others, she was a reliably witty game show host and guest; parade emcee (California's Rose Parade and New York's Thanksgiving Day parade) and soap opera actor (鈥淭he Bold and the Beautiful鈥). She dabbled in drama on the big screen (including as a U.S. senator in 1962's 鈥淎dvise & Consent鈥) and on TV (鈥淏ones,鈥 鈥淏oston Legal鈥).
Hosting 鈥淪aturday Night Live鈥 in 2010 - at age 88 - earned her a fifth Emmy Award and a new generation of admirers.
White, who will reach centenarian status on Jan. 17, 2022, didn't participate in the book. Richmond, a veteran entertainment reporter and critic, instead relied on research and interviews with her friends and colleagues, including Carol Burnett, Candice Bergen and Gavin MacLeod (Murray on 鈥淭he Mary Tyler Moore Show鈥).
MacLeod, who died last May at age 90, wrote the book's forward. Saluting White as a great performer and 鈥渘ational treasure,鈥 he deemed her 鈥渙ne of the most caring and loving human beings I've ever known.鈥
She's also a pro, said Bill D'Elia, producer with David E. Kelley of 鈥淏oston Legal.鈥 Kelley, who had worked with White on his film 鈥淟ake Placid,鈥 delighted in giving her salty language and bad behavior to play, D'Elia says in the book.
鈥淒avid loved the contrast of her image versus what the character was saying,鈥 he said. 鈥淪he would happily say anything and do anything the story and script called for.鈥
The book briefly sketches the Illinois native's early years before moving to a breezily detailed account of White's success in Hollywood. The great loves of her life - husband Allen Ludden, who was a game show host, and animals of all breeds - also get attention. Among the book's photos is one of the couple on the day of their Las Vegas wedding in 1963 (Ludden died in 1981).
There are also studio and publicity shots of White alone and with her co-stars. One was taken the night she, Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty re-enacted scenes from 鈥淭he Golden Girls鈥 at a royal variety show in London attended by Britain's Queen Mother, who is said to have requested their performance.
Among the moments and milestones recounted in 鈥淏etty White: 100 Remarkable Moments in an Extraordinary Life鈥:
-After singing at her 1939 high school graduation, White and another student were asked to join an experimental TV test in Los Angeles. As the pair danced and sang on the sixth floor of a building owned by auto dealer and broadcast pioneer Earle C. Anthony, the performance was transmitted to the lobby. The audience: the teens' parents and a few others.
-When the United States entered World War II in December 1941, White, then just shy of 20, joined a women's volunteer organization that provided home-front support. She drove trucks carrying supplies for soldiers housed at Los Angeles-area camps during the day; at night, she joined dances for troops set to be deployed overseas.
-鈥淭he Betty White Show,鈥 with White hosting a half-hour of songs and interviews, debuted in 1954 on NBC. It included 21-year-old Black tap dancer Arthur Duncan at a time when people of color were rarely seen on TV. Station managers citing viewer complaints threatened to pull the show. A defiant White began booking Duncan more frequently, with the network's backing. Duncan, who became a longtime regular on 鈥淭he Lawrence Welk Show鈥 starting in the 1960s and is now 88, is quoted in the book saluting White for defending him and 鈥渙pening a lot of doors for me in performing.鈥
-White moved in glamorous circles, and created them. Burnett recalls joining 鈥済ame nights鈥 at the White-Ludden house. Charades, board games and such were the entertainment, and 鈥渢hey would have people there like Fred Astaire just hanging around. And Burt Reynolds. My gosh, there were just so many,鈥 Burnett said.
Luis Armando Albino was six years old in 1951 when he was abducted while playing at an Oakland, Calif., park. Now, more than seven decades later, Albino has been found thanks to help from an online ancestry test, old photos and newspaper clippings.
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told delegates at the United Nations the world is at a global inflection point, having a choice between walking away from multilateralism or setting differences aside to confront serious global challenges.
The brother of a 27-year-old man who was fatally shot in Scarborough over the weekend has been arrested and charged in connection with his death, say police.
Kate, the Princess of Wales, made her first public appearance Sunday since she announced she had completed chemotherapy and would return to some public duties.
Comedian John Mulaney and actor Olivia Munn now have a second child, a daughter named Mei June Mulaney.
The head of the Air Canada pilots union says she'll step down if members opt not to approve a tentative deal with the airline, raising the stakes as aviators mull whether to accept hefty salary gains or drive an even harder bargain.
The Royal Canadian Mint has introduced its latest Gold Maple Leaf bullion coin 鈥 made entirely from gold sourced from a single mine in northern Ontario
The Royal Canadian Mint has introduced its latest Gold Maple Leaf bullion coin 鈥 made entirely from gold sourced from a single mine in northern Ontario
Ontario's police watchdog has decided there are no grounds to believe Sudbury police committed a crime during a difficult arrest in May where the suspect's neck was broken.
The City of Calgary ended water restrictions for the city at a Sunday morning update.
The brother of a 27-year-old man who was fatally shot in Scarborough over the weekend has been arrested and charged in connection with his death, say police.
A man is facing numerous drug trafficking charges after Dufferin OPP seized a large assortment of drugs and weapons in Orangeville earlier this week.
Pasquale Monaco says he鈥檚 debating whether to keep renting out the two-bedroom basement apartment of the Montreal building he owns after it was flooded 鈥 again 鈥 in August, when the remnants of tropical storm Debby sent four feet of water rushing into the space.
North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson avoided directly weighing in during a gubernatorial campaign event Saturday on a CNN report outlining evidence that he made disturbing posts on a pornography website's message board more than a decade ago.
An explosion in a coal mine in eastern Iran killed at least 33 workers and injured 17 others, officials said Sunday, marking one of the worst mining disasters in the country's history as others remained missing hours after the blast.
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At least two students at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania have been suspended from the swim team after a report that a racial slur was scratched onto a student's body, officials said.
The prime minister's official itinerary says the interview will be shot during his trip to New York, where he is meeting with other world leaders ahead of the 78th gathering of the United Nations General Assembly.
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A $2.14-billion federal loan for an Ottawa-based satellite operator has Canadian politicians arguing about whether American billionaire Elon Musk poses a national security risk.
Body mass index, a long-time tool used to measure a person's health, may soon be out the door as some health professionals push for a system they say is more accurate.
Infectious disease physician Dr. Isaac Bogoch says whooping cough is most risky for unvaccinated infants, children and older people.
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The owner of the shuttered Three Mile Island nuclear power plant said Friday that it plans to restart the reactor under a 20-year agreement that calls for tech giant Microsoft to buy the power to supply its data centers with carbon-free energy.
Lebanese authorities on Thursday banned walkie-talkies and pagers from being taken on flights from Beirut airport, the National News Agency reported, after thousands of such devices exploded during a deadly attack on Hezbollah this week.
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Jonathan Aranda homered for the second consecutive game, helping Taj Bradley and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Saturday.
Unifor says workers at General Motors' CAMI assembly plant and battery facility in southwestern Ontario have ratified a new collective agreement.
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The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.
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The brother of a 27-year-old man who was fatally shot in Scarborough over the weekend has been arrested and charged in connection with his death, say police.
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The City of Calgary ended water restrictions for the city at a Sunday morning update.
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麻豆传媒 Montreal at Six for Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024 with anchor Matt Gilmour.
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The Philippine Association of Saskatchewan welcomed all newcomers to Regina on Sunday during its third annual Kabayan event.
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The 75-year-old building, formerly the Waskesiu Chamber of Commerce building, was relocated to the Parks Canada compound on the edge of the townsite.
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There were no injuries reported after a fired damaged a home on Regent Street near Douglas Street in Greater Sudbury鈥檚 west end on Sunday morning.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told delegates at the United Nations the world is at a global inflection point, having a choice between walking away from multilateralism or setting differences aside to confront serious global challenges.
Ontario鈥檚 police watchdog is investigating after an Ontario Provincial Police officer discharged his firearm at a 36-year-old man in near Moonbeam, Ont., on Friday night.
The identity of a motorcyclist has been revealed by loved ones on social media following Friday鈥檚 fatal south end collision in London. The London Police Service has not released anything regarding the driver鈥檚 identity.
The most popular hockey podcasters on the planet brought some major attention to the Forest City this weekend with the annual Chiclets Cup.
Wage increases, new paid holidays and a big signing bonus are part of the new contract for CAMI employees in Ingersoll, Ont.
One man is in police custody after fabricating a story to police and reporting his vehicle was stolen.
Fire crews worked to extinguish a fire at a tent encampment in Barrie on Sunday.
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As the City of Windsor celebrates the first east-end edition of its popular Open Streets event, officials say it likely won't be the last.
Essex-Windsor Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is reporting that it鈥檚 above the provincial target for sudden cardiac arrest response times.
The Amherstburg Uncommon Festival is living up to its name with the addition of a drone light show 鈥 a first for Essex County.
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A Victoria woman is now $1 million richer after winning a Maxmillions prize on a recent Lotto Max Draw.
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The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.
Animal protection officers in British Columbia have rescued three pit bulls 鈥 including one that gave birth to 10 puppies 鈥 from a rat-infested home in Kelowna.
Despite the heavy rain, plenty of muscle turned up for United Way鈥檚 annual Pull the Bus fundraiser in Lethbridge Friday.
Lethbridge County has rescinded its fire restriction as a result of the recent cool, wet weathr.
The Lethbridge Hurricanes kicked off the 2024-25 season on a winning note Friday night, defeating the Edmonton Oil Kings 3-1 in a game played at VisitLethbridge.com Arena.
The Royal Canadian Mint has introduced its latest Gold Maple Leaf bullion coin 鈥 made entirely from gold sourced from a single mine in northern Ontario
A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.
Following an outbreak of COVID-19 on its continuing care floor and just ahead of the flu season, St. Joseph鈥檚 General Hospital in Elliot Lake has opted to re-introduce a universal masking policy until further notice.
Newfoundland and Labrador sponsored a minor football team in England, now they鈥檙e about to play one of the biggest clubs in European soccer.
Newfoundland and Labrador's chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.
A 16-year-old biennial event aimed at fostering business in the country's eastern Arctic and northern regions has been cancelled indefinitely as a dispute unfolds between Inuit in Canada and a Labrador group claiming to share their heritage.
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