Betty Marion White Ludden

 Betty Marion White Ludden (January 17, 1922 – December 31, 2021)

A pioneer of early television and with a career spanning over nine decades, White was noted for her vast work in the entertainment industry, having been one of the first women to exert control in front of and behind the camera, as well as for being the first woman to produce a sitcom (Life with Elizabeth), which contributed to her being named honorary Mayor of Hollywood in 1955. She was also widely known for her roles as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1973–1977), Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls (1985–1992), and Elka Ostrovsky on Hot in Cleveland (2010–2015).
White was eight years old when she made her radio programming debut in 1930. Several years later in young adulthood she began working as a radio personality in Los Angeles under the guidance of disc jockey Al Jarvis. After making the transition to television, White became a staple panelist of American game shows, including Password, Match Game, Tattletales, To Tell the Truth, The Hollywood Squares, and The $25,000 Pyramid; dubbed "the first lady of game shows", White became the first woman to receive the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host for the show Just Men! in 1983. She was also known for her appearances on The Bold and the Beautiful, Boston Legal, The Carol Burnett Show, and Saturday Night Live. White received eight Emmy Awards in various categories, three American Comedy Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Grammy Award.

White was married, and divorced, twice before marrying Allen Ludden in 1963. He proposed to White at least twice before she accepted. The couple appeared together in an episode of The Odd Couple featuring Felix's and Oscar's appearance on Password. The two appeared together on the Match Game panel in 1974, 1975 and 1980. Allen Ludden died from stomach cancer on June 9, 1981, in Los Angeles. While they had no children together, she was a stepmother to three of his children from his first marriage to Margaret McGloin Ludden, who died of cancer in 1961. White was a pet enthusiast and an animal health advocate who worked with animal organizations, including the Los Angeles Zoo Commission, The Morris Animal Foundation, African Wildlife Foundation, and Actors & Others for Animals. Her interest in animal welfare began in the early 1970s while she was both producing and hosting the syndicated series, The Pet Set, which spotlighted celebrities and their pets. In 2017 after 70 years, White was invited to become a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. At age 95, this made her the oldest new member at the time. White died at her home a little before 9:30 am PST on December 31, 2021, seventeen days before what would have been her 100th birthday.