Celebrity3 min(s) read
Published 17:40 16 Jan 2021 GMT
Beloved TV sitcom star Betty White celebrates her 99th birthday today.
Per My Modern Met, the Golden Girls actress was born on January 17, 1922, in Oak Park, Illinois - the only child of Christine Tess and Horace Logan White.
Her family moved to California a year later and Betty grew up wanting to be a forest ranger. However, since women weren't yet allowed to take on that job, she instead fell into acting and writing after graduating from Beverly Hills High School in 1939.
White embarked on her eight-decade-long career in entertainment. Initially, she struggled to find roles due to being "not photogenic", so sought roles on the radio to accrue more acting credits.
This led to her moving into televised work. Since then she's never looked back, starring in many hit TV and radio shows, winning multiple Emmys, and even hosting her own talk show.
Betty recently spoke about how she's managed to stay so active despite her advanced age in a candid new interview with People Magazine, in which she spoke about her life, career, and health.
Take a look at the birthday message Sandra Bullock and Ryan Renolds recorded for Betty a year ago:In the interview, Betty stated:
"I don't like the other side. The positive side is a lot more fun... I am blessed with good health so turning 99 is no different than turning 98."
When asked what the secret was to her good health, she promptly replied: "A sense of humor. Don't take yourself too seriously. You can lie to others - not that I would - but you cannot lie to yourself.
"Just looking at the positive side and not dwelling on the downside. Takes up too much energy being negative. Also having a good agent who keeps me busy all the time."
In another interview with Entertainment Tonight, the actress also spoke about how she intends to celebrate her birthday while in quarantine, stating: "You probably didn't ask, but I’ll tell you anyway.
"What am I doing for my birthday? Running a mile each morning has been curtailed by COVID, so I am working on getting The Pet Set re-released, and feeding the two ducks who come to visit me every day."
Per ET, The Pet Set was a syndicated show dating back to 1971, which originally ran for 39 episodes and showcased White's lifelong devotion to animals.
The show featured celebrity guest appearances from Carol Burnett, Mary Tyler Moore, Doris Day, James Stewart, Burt Reynolds, Shirley Jones, Michael Landon, Barbara Eden, James Brolin, Della Reese, Vincent Price, and Rod Serling.
According to PR Newswire, the Emmy award-winning sitcom star is due to re-release the series on digital streaming platforms and on DVD on February 23, 2021, with help from MPI Media Group, Darren Wadyko Media, and Albets Enterprises.
Commenting on the show's 50th-anniversary re-release, White stated: "If I haven't told you already, I will now. The Pet Set is one of my favorite shows. I'm thrilled it's going to be seen again after all these years."
