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A Celebration of One of America's Most Beloved Stars

BETTY WHITE: THE FIRST LADY OF TELEVISION - A Celebration of One of America’s Most Beloved Stars With Ryan Reynolds, Valerie Bertinelli, Tina Fey, Carl Reiner and more. 

AIRS 

  • SATURDAY AUGUST 18th at 7pm
  • TUESDAY AUGUST 21st at 8pm 
  • SATURDAY AUGUST 25th at 4pm 

 https://youtu.be/mEYVe3zEoCU BETTY WHITE: FIRST LADY OF TELEVISION is a warm look at the life and career of the beloved television and film legend who celebrates 80 years in show business this year — officially the longest career in the history of TV.

Betty White circa 1970
Betty White circa 1970

Lauded for her roles as the bawdy Sue Ann on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” the innocent Rose on “The Golden Girls” and her more recent role as the worldly Elka on “Hot in Cleveland,” Betty White is also an industry pioneer. She was the first woman to produce a national TV show, the first woman to star in a sitcom, the first producer to hire a female director and the first woman to receive an Emmy nomination.Granted exclusive access to Betty and her team, the producers were able to capture the magic of her performances at various venues, along with more personal moments at home and interacting with close friends — one of whom is a 900-pound grizzly bear. The film is packed with hilarious clips from her long career and comments from friends and co-stars, including Valerie Bertinelli, Georgia Engel, Tina Fey, Valerie Harper, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Gavin MacLeod, Carl Reiner, Ryan Reynolds, Tom Sullivan, Alex Trebek and many more.

The cast of The Betty White Show, 1977
The cast of The Betty White Show, 1977

 BETTY WHITE: FIRST LADY OF TELEVISION traces Betty’s remarkable career, from her early days in radio to her first TV series as co-host of a live, five-and-a-half-hour, six-day-a-week variety show. She produced and starred in the pioneering sitcom “Life with Elizabeth” and was a popular TV personality throughout the 50s and 60s. 

Betty White and Allen Ludden on the game show PASSWORD
Betty White and Allen Ludden on the game show PASSWORD

A rabid game player in real life, Betty was a much sought-after game show contestant. It was during an appearance on “Password” where she first met the man who would become her husband and the love of her life, Allen Ludden. The 1970s saw Betty win two Emmys for her role as the man-hungry “Happy Homemaker” on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” Betty earned another Emmy in the mid-80s for her role as Rose on “The Golden Girls.” She made history when she hosted “Saturday Night Live” in 2010 at the age of 88 – and won yet another Emmy. 

Betty White and fuzzy feline friend
Betty White and fuzzy feline friend

Although she continues to attain roles and accolades, Betty’s true love is animals; she has been a passionate animal advocate throughout her career. PROGRAMS LIKE THIS ARE MADE POSSIBLE WITH YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT.  LEARN MOREabout our other great programs and thank you gifts. DONATE today.  

Copyright 2018 WLRN 91.3 FM

Mia Laurenzo is a 30-year veteran of public television in Miami. She began her career learning every aspect of video production. Currently she is a writer, producer, on-air host and promotions coordinator for TV, radio and the web. Her experiences include producing for a series, special events and historical documentaries. As a native Floridian, she is a perfect fit for South Florida's Storyteller Station, WLRN. She has produced award winning, nationally distributed documentaries like Journey to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade where one year she followed a high school band and a clown as they prepared for the big day and the next year, she had the privilege of being a clown herself. Previously, she produced Weird Florida: On the Road Again, a sequel to the highly successful show Weird Florida: Roads Less Traveled, where the cast and crew travel over 1,500 miles searching the Sunshine State’s weirdest and wackiest places. On a more serious note and what she considers to be her most important work, she produced Out of Darkness, Into Light, a documentary on child sexual abuse,which delved into the lives of three adult survivors, a show in which she was awarded her first of two Emmys.