About
"I'd like to be remembered as Betty, their good friend that they invite into their home."
In her nearly two-and-a-half-hour interview, Betty White (1922-2021) talks about her start in television as a co-host, with Al Jarvis, on L.A.'s local station KLAC in 1949. She also recalls her years as a guest host on Jack Paar's Tonight Show, and as a 20-year co-host for the Rose Parade. White speaks in detail about The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Golden Girls, including the members of both casts and the producers: Mary Tyler Moore, Grant Tinker, Ed Asner, Ted Knight, Gavin MacLeod, Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, and Bea Arthur. Tony Fantozzi conducted the interview on June 4, 1997 in Los Angeles, CA.
Highlights
Betty White on appearing in an experimental television broadcast of "The Merry Widow" in 1939
Betty White on appearing on Password with eventual husband Allen Ludden
Betty White on appearing on Tonight Starring Jack Paar
Betty White on the ensemble cast of The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Betty White on the end of The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Betty White on the original script and casting of The Golden Girls
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On her early years and influences; on appearing in an experimental television broadcast of "The Merry Widow" in 1939; on her experience with World War II
On appearing on the radio program "The Great Gildersleeve" for sponsor Parkay; on going on the air on KLAC in Los Angeles, and on the panel show Grab Your Phone; on television programming on the west coast in the '40s and early '50s, and on appearing on The Al Jarvis Show
On winning an Emmy Award for Outstanding female personality in 1952; on her first TV series, Life with Elizabeth co-starring Del Moore
Chapter 2
On hosting Hollywood on Television and on having guests like Buster Keaton on; on how it was for women in television in the early '50s; on how Life with Elizabeth developed
On the Betty White Show experimenting with color in 1954, and on the show going off the air; on hosting Tournament of Roses Parade and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
On her affinity for game shows; on appearing on Password with eventual husband Allen Ludden
Chapter 3
On appearing on What's My Line?, I've Got a Secret, and To Tell the Truth; on appearing on Match Game; on the enduring popularity of Goodson/Todman game shows
On the Quiz Show Scandals and how they never touched Goodson/Todman shows; on hosting Date with the Angels; on appearing on Tonight Starring Jack Paar
On turning down a chance to work on the Today show; on her syndicated show about animals, The Pet Set (1971); on her first appearance as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Chapter 4
On the ensemble cast of The Mary Tyler Moore Show; on winning two Emmys for The Mary Tyler Moore Show; on the end of The Mary Tyler Moore Show
On appearing on Mama's Family and The Carol Burnett Show; on the original script and casting of The Golden Girls; on her character "Rose Nylund" on The Golden Girls, and how director Jay Sandrich helped her find her
On how she, Beatrice Arthur, Estelle Getty, and Rue McClanahan complemented each other on The Golden Girls; on The Golden Palace , and on the importance of time slots; on her Television Hall of Fame honor
On the then-current state of her career, and on her love of animals; on the then-future of television; on how she'd like to be remembered
Chapter 5
On various people with whom she's worked in her career
On B-roll footage pictures from her career- in 1939; with Al Jarvis; with Del Moore; wedding picture with Allen Ludden; with the cast of The Mary Tyler Moore Show with Emmys; with Allen Ludden at the Emmys; with Johnny Carson doing an Adam and Eve sketch
Shows
Carol Burnett Show, The (1967-78)
Betty White on appearing on Mama's Family and The Carol Burnett Show
Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)
Betty White on winning an Emmy for Outstanding female personality in 1952
Betty White on winning two Emmys for The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Golden Girls, The
Betty White on the original script and casting of The Golden Girls
Betty White on how she, Beatrice Arthur, Estelle Getty, and Rue McClanahan complemented each other on The Golden Girls
Betty White on her character "Rose Nylund" on The Golden Girls, and how director Jay Sandrich helped her find her
Golden Palace, The
Betty White on The Golden Palace , and on the importance of time slots
I've Got a Secret
Betty White on appearing on What's My Line?, I've Got a Secret, and To Tell the Truth
Jack Paar Show, The (1953-56)
Betty White on appearing on Password with eventual husband Allen Ludden
Life With Elizabeth
Betty White on her first TV series, Life with Elizabeth co-starring Del Moore
Betty White on how Life with Elizabeth developed
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Betty White on hosting Tournament of Roses Parade and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Mama's Family
Betty White on appearing on Mama's Family and The Carol Burnett Show
Mary Tyler Moore Show, The
Betty White on her first appearance as "Sue Ann Nivens" on The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Betty White on the ensemble cast of The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Betty White on winning two Emmys for The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Betty White on the end of The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Mary Tyler Moore Show, The: "The Lars Affair"
Betty White on being cast on The Mary Tyler Moore Show as "Sue Ann Nivens" - the Happy Homemaker, on the episode "The Lars Affair"
Match Game
Betty White on appearing on Match Game
Pet Set, The
Betty White on her syndicated show about animals, The Pet Set (1971)
To Tell the Truth
Betty White on appearing on What's My Line?, I've Got a Secret, and To Tell the Truth
Today
Betty White on turning down a chance to work on the Today show
Tonight Starring Jack Paar aka The Jack Paar Show
Betty White on appearing on Tonight Starring Jack Paar
Tournament of Roses Parade
Betty White on hosting Tournament of Roses Parade and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
What's My Line?
Betty White on appearing on What's My Line?, I've Got a Secret, and To Tell the Truth
Topics
Historic Events and Social Change
Betty White on her experience with World War II
Betty White on how it was for women in television in the early '50s
Industry Crossroads
Betty White on the Quiz Show Scandals and how they never touched Goodson/Todman shows
Quiz Show Scandals
Betty White on the Quiz Show Scandals and how they never touched Goodson/Todman shows
Representation on Television
Betty White on how it was for women in television in the early '50s
Technological Innovation
Betty White on the Betty White Show experimenting with color in 1954, and on the show going off the air
Television Industry
Betty White on the Quiz Show Scandals and how they never touched Goodson/Todman shows
War
Betty White on her experience with World War II
Women
Betty White on how it was for women in television in the early '50s
World War II
Betty White on her experience with World War II
Genres
Comedy Series
Betty White on her first TV series, Life with Elizabeth co-starring Del Moore
Betty White on how Life with Elizabeth developed
Betty White on hosting Date with the Angels
Betty White on her first appearance as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Betty White on the ensemble cast of The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Betty White on appearing on Mama's Family and The Carol Burnett Show
Betty White on playing "Rose Nylund" on The Golden Girls
Game Shows
Betty White on her affinity for game shows
Betty White on appearing on Password with eventual husband Allen Ludden
Betty White on the enduring popularity of Goodson/Todman game shows
Betty White on attempting to host three different game shows, including Just Men!
Betty White on appearing on What's My Line?, I've Got a Secret, and To Tell the Truth
Betty White on appearing on Match Game
Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials
Betty White on hosting Tournament of Roses Parade and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Betty White on appearing on Mama's Family and The Carol Burnett Show
News and Documentary
Betty White on turning down a chance to work on the Today show
Talk Shows
Betty White on appearing on Tonight Starring Jack Paar
People
Eddie Albert
Betty White on working with Eddie Albert, Sam Peckinpah, Del Moore, Frank De Vol, Seaman Jacobs, and Jack Paar
Beatrice Arthur
Betty White on how she, Beatrice Arthur, Estelle Getty, and Rue McClanahan complemented each other on The Golden Girls
Edward Asner
Betty White on working with Mark Goodson,Dinah Shore, Rod Serling, Grant Tinker, Mary Tyler Moore, Edward Asner, Cloris Leachman, and Ted Knight
James L. Brooks
Betty White on James L. Brooks, Allan Burns, Ed. Weinberger, Stan Daniels,
Carol Burnett
Betty White on appearing on Mama's Family and The Carol Burnett Show
Allan Burns
Betty White on Allan Burns, Ed. Weinberger, Stan Daniels, Jan Sandrich, Bob Daly, Donna Reed, and Johnny Carson
Johnny Carson
Betty White on Allan Burns, Ed. Weinberger, Stan Daniels, Jan Sandrich, Bob Daly, Donna Reed, and Johnny Carson
Bob Daly
Betty White on Allan Burns, Ed. Weinberger, Stan Daniels, Jan Sandrich, Bob Daly, Donna Reed, and Johnny Carson
Stan Daniels
Betty White on Allan Burns, Ed. Weinberger, Stan Daniels, Jan Sandrich, Bob Daly, Donna Reed, and Johnny Carson
Don Fedderson
Betty White on working with Dick Haymes, Al Jarvis, and Don Fedderson
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Betty White on winning her 1952 Best Actress Emmy
Estelle Getty
Betty White on how she, Beatrice Arthur, Estelle Getty, and Rue McClanahan complemented each other on The Golden Girls
Mark Goodson
Betty White on working with Mark Goodson,Dinah Shore, Rod Serling, Grant Tinker, Mary Tyler Moore, Edward Asner, Cloris Leachman, and Ted Knight
Susan Harris
Betty White on Vicki Lawrence, Rue McClanahan, Terry Hughes, Susan Harris, and Bob Newhart
Terry Hughes
Betty White on Vicki Lawrence, Rue McClanahan, Terry Hughes, Susan Harris, and Bob Newhart
Seaman Jacobs
Betty White on working with Eddie Albert, Sam Peckinpah, Del Moore, Frank De Vol, Seaman Jacobs, and Jack Paar
Al Jarvis
Betty White on working with Dick Haymes, Al Jarvis, and Don Fedderson
Buster Keaton
Betty White on hosting Hollywood on Television and on having guests like Buster Keaton on
Ted Knight
Betty White on working with Mark Goodson,Dinah Shore, Rod Serling, Grant Tinker, Mary Tyler Moore, Edward Asner, Cloris Leachman, and Ted Knight
Vicki Lawrence
Betty White on Vicki Lawrence, Rue McClanahan, Terry Hughes, Susan Harris, and Bob Newhart
Cloris Leachman
Betty White on working with Mark Goodson,Dinah Shore, Rod Serling, Grant Tinker, Mary Tyler Moore, Edward Asner, Cloris Leachman, and Ted Knight
Allen Ludden
Betty White on appearing on Password with eventual husband Allen Ludden
Betty White on her husband Allen Ludden
Rue McClanahan
Betty White on how she, Beatrice Arthur, Estelle Getty, and Rue McClanahan complemented each other on The Golden Girls
Betty White on Vicki Lawrence, Rue McClanahan, Terry Hughes, Susan Harris, and Bob Newhart
Mary Tyler Moore
Betty White on the end of The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Betty White on working with Mark Goodson,Dinah Shore, Rod Serling, Grant Tinker, Mary Tyler Moore, Edward Asner, Cloris Leachman, and Ted Knight
Bob Newhart
Betty White on Vicki Lawrence, Rue McClanahan, Terry Hughes, Susan Harris, and Bob Newhart
Jack Paar
Betty White on working with Eddie Albert, Sam Peckinpah, Del Moore, Frank De Vol, Seaman Jacobs, and Jack Paar
Sam Peckinpah
Betty White on working with Eddie Albert, Sam Peckinpah, Del Moore, Frank De Vol, Seaman Jacobs, and Jack Paar
Donna Reed
Betty White on Allan Burns, Ed. Weinberger, Stan Daniels, Jan Sandrich, Bob Daly, Donna Reed, and Johnny Carson
Jay Sandrich
Betty White on her character "Rose Nylund" on The Golden Girls, and how director Jay Sandrich helped her find her
Betty White on Allan Burns, Ed. Weinberger, Stan Daniels, Jan Sandrich, Bob Daly, Donna Reed, and Johnny Carson
Rod Serling
Betty White on working with Mark Goodson,Dinah Shore, Rod Serling, Grant Tinker, Mary Tyler Moore, Edward Asner, Cloris Leachman, and Ted Knight
Dinah Shore
Betty White on working with Mark Goodson,Dinah Shore, Rod Serling, Grant Tinker, Mary Tyler Moore, Edward Asner, Cloris Leachman, and Ted Knight
Grant Tinker
Betty White on working with Mark Goodson,Dinah Shore, Rod Serling, Grant Tinker, Mary Tyler Moore, Edward Asner, Cloris Leachman, and Ted Knight
Frank De Vol
Betty White on working with Eddie Albert, Sam Peckinpah, Del Moore, Frank De Vol, Seaman Jacobs, and Jack Paar
Barbara Walters
Betty White on turning down a chance to work on the Today show, and being replaced with Barbara Walters
Ed. Weinberger
Betty White on Allan Burns, Ed. Weinberger, Stan Daniels, Jan Sandrich, Bob Daly, Donna Reed, and Johnny Carson
Ethel Winant
Betty White on her first appearance as "Sue Ann Nivens" on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (cast by Ethel Winant)