“She is authentic, charming, intelligent and funny. You can put someone as versatile as Betty in any situation and, precisely, for this reason, she will always be important and will be someone current. That’s why it’s so special, “says actor Ryan Reynolds in the documentary Betty White: The First Lady of Television, which this Sunday premieres on Movistar +. The title of the film, however talkative it may seem, is more than justified. The actress, comedian and presenter has crept into the homes of generations of Americans for eight decades. And the most striking thing is that, despite having turned 99 last January, he is still active. In fact, in 2013, the Guinness Book of Records recognized her as the woman with the longest career on television. “I have been blessed with good health, so turning 99 is not that different from turning 98,” she explained earlier this year in the magazine. People. What is your secret? As she pointed out in that same publication, “a sense of humor” and not taking herself seriously have been her best weapons to resist so long in the industry.
It is true that in the thirties he already made his first steps on the radio. But it would not be until 1949 that, by the hand of the popular disc jockey Al Jarvis, he would make his debut on the small screen co-presenting Hollywood on Television. That variety show, of course, was his best school. Not only did it air six days a week, but each day it had to face five and a half hours live without a script. At that time, she made it clear that she was an off-road artist and an improvisational animal, since in addition to acting, interviewing or singing without ever losing her smile, she was also in charge of making all the announcements. However, in 1952 he went a step further with the sitcom Life with Elizabeth, which earned him his first Emmy. White, apart from starring in the series, made history by becoming one of the first production companies to run a show.
It is not surprising that with this background NBC knocked on his door in 1954 and suggested that he hold his own interview space, The Betty White Show. The network gave her total creative freedom and, unsurprisingly, she did not miss the opportunity: one of the first decisions she made as a producer was to hire a director. “It was so much prior to the women’s movements that we didn’t even think about it. It didn’t even occur to me that it was of another genre, “he says in the documentary. Likewise, the film highlights the controversy that existed then over the signing of the African-American dancer Arthur Duncan. The southern states, seeing a man of color on national television, called for the immediate cancellation of The Betty White Show. She did not succumb to the pressure; Unlike. His response to all those racists was: “I’m sorry, it stays and you have to accept it.”
White, in a moment of ‘Betty White: The First Lady of Television. Photo: Courtesy of Movistar
–
White, during his early years on television. Photo: Courtesy of Movistar.
–
In the sixties, as it survives in the newspaper library, Betty participated as a guest in practically all the television contests of the time. Those closest to her say that, even now, she is a natural competitor and addicted to crossword puzzles and word games. Precisely, in one of them, Password, met presenter Allen Ludden in 1961. “I flew to New York to do a thing or two, and Password it was one of them. I fell in love, I loved the contest. The presenter was very nice, very attractive, and I thought, ‘Wow!’ There was a rapport and a warmth. He started constantly sending me notes to win me over and, at the end of that year, he didn’t say ‘hello’, but ‘will you marry me?’ I thought it was a joke, it sounded ridiculous. One night we went to dinner and he gave me a box. I opened it and there was an engagement ring. It was beautiful, with diamonds. He said, ‘Put it on, you’re going to say yes sooner or later.’ As any girl with blood in her veins would do, I got angry, I gave it back and blurted out: ‘Forget it and stop asking me.’ I lived in California and was not going to move to New York. Did you return it to the jewelry store? No, he put it on a chain around his neck. So if we went to the beach, there was the ring, “he says. He, despite his refusals, did not give up. “When Easter came around he sent me a beautiful stuffed bunny with ruby, sapphire and gold earrings in his ears. There was a note that said, ‘Please say yes.’ That night when he called me, I didn’t say ‘hi’; I answered ‘yes’. And after that he would always say, ‘Betty is the only woman who didn’t say yes to the earrings.’ The truth is that I said yes to the bunny. We got married in 1963 and I lived in New York for four years. Then the program went on to be recorded in California and life was wonderful, ”he recalls of his great love. Until 1981, when Ludden passed away, they were indisputably one of America’s most admired couples. Although yes, to her two previous husbands, Dick Barker and Lane Allen, she does not dedicate a single word to them in the documentary.
Betty White in a file image. Photo: Courtesy of Movistar
–
The seventies were a good time for her. His popularity rose again like foam thanks to that lewd housewife named Sue Ann Nivens who played in The Mary Tyler Moore Show (translated as The Girl on TV In our country). And, a decade later, she stepped into the shoes of the naive as well as the unforgettable Rose Nylund in The Golden Girls, his most remembered role to this day. Thanks to both series, White got three of the eight Emmys that he treasures in total. However, despite joining two famous television hits, it would not be until well into the 21st century that his figure would rebound in the most unexpected way.
Jeff Witjas, his manager since 2001, confesses that “we decided to make some changes in his career and take risks.” No sooner said than done. The first thing that most caught the attention of viewers is that in 2006 he agreed to participate in the roast de William Shatner issued by Comedy Central. For the first time, White put aside her image of an endearing grandmother to bring out her most sarcastic and viperine humorous streak. The public was fascinated by this new facet. And already in 2010, taking advantage of the Super Bowl showcase, he starred in a hilarious ad for Snickers that immediately went viral on social media.
White, gorgeous in this stock image. Photo: Courtesy of Movistar.
–
Precisely, also in 2010, a young man from Austin started a campaign on Facebook for White to be in charge of presenting Saturday Night Live. More than half a million people signed the petition, so NBC could not refuse. On May 8, at the age of 88, White became the oldest celebrity to head the famous show. “I didn’t know what Facebook was, and now that I know what it is I have to say that it seems like a huge waste of time. People tell me it’s a great way to connect with old friends. At my age, if I want to connect with old friends, I need a güija board ”, he joked at the monologue initial. Despite her extensive experience in live television, that night was quite a challenge. “Stage fright is very uncomfortable, but it is a lifesaver because the fear that settles inside you has to be countered and you have to be able to handle it to do what you have to do. So stage fright makes you excel in a performance ”, he confesses about that experience.
Along with the rest of the companions of ‘The Golden Girls’. Photo: Cordon Press
–
Thanks to this media rebirth, Betty White is considered a pop icon in her native country. In the hour that the documentary lasts, all are compliments and praise for her. And the best thing about it is that, far from retreating, it is still at the foot of the canyon. In 2019, without going any further, he voiced Bitey White in the fourth installment of Toy Story. “People have been with me for so long, God bless them! They have always supported me, but I am surprised that it is still on television. They let me go back. And I don’t mean it with false modesty, I mean it. It is a great privilege to continue working in this business ”, he says in the final credits. Without a doubt, she has earned herself to be a living legend and one of the most loved and admired women in the industry.
One of White’s most celebrated images of recent years, her Betty’s Happy Hour video.
–
Keep reading
–
Sex, homosexuality and AIDS: the unlikely success story of ‘The Golden Girls’
–
–
–
