Betty Marion White was born in Oak Park, Il, on January 17 th 1922 as the only child to Christine Tess and Horace Logan White. In 1923 they moved to Alhambra, CA and then later to Los Angeles. She attented the Beverly Hills Unified School District and then Beverly Hills High School, graduating in 1939.She originally wanted to be a forest ranger, but at the time, women were not allowed to be in that profession. Writing became her main interest instead, and she wrote and played the lead role in a graduation play at Horace Mann School and discovered a newfound interest in performing. Drawing inspiration from her idols, Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, she decided to become an actress.
Betty White began her television career in 1939, right after she graduated high school. She soon found work modeling and her first professional acting job was at the Bliss Hayden Little Theatre. During WWII, she put her career on hold and did volunteer work transporting military supplies through California and participating in events for the troops before they were deployed.
Betty White has been in numerous television shows, either as a main character or a guest role, won many awards, has had several documentaries written about her, met a few presidents, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, written several books, (including two audiobooks that are read by her) and participated in a slew of humanitarian projects to benefit animals. She has been married a total of three times (two ended in divorce and her last husband died from stomach cancer). If you wish to go into further detail about her life and her accomplishments, there are links included on the top of this page to lead you where ever you wish to go.