MoneyINC Logo
25+
Years of
Trust
13,000+
Articles
Written 
10M+
Annual 
Readers
300+
Global
Mentions

How Betty White Achieved a Net Worth of $75 Million

Betty White

Betty White was a wonderful person that many people, both inside and outside Hollywood, absolutely loved. White was born on January 17, 1922 in Oak Park, Illinois. As Betty neared her monumental 100th birthday, Hollywood planned an extravagant, public birthday celebration to celebrate this rare milestone birthday. Unfortunately, White didn't quite make it to her 100th birthday, as she passed away on December 31, 2021, 18 days shy of her monumental birthday.

Despite the fact that Betty White is no longer living, many people still wonder what Betty White net worth was prior to her death. According to various reputable sources, Betty White's net worth was $75 million. Here is an in-depth overview that explains exactly how she attained her wealth.

What Were Betty White's Early Days Like?

Betty wasn't merely an actress, but she was also a comedian, author, singer, television producer, voice actor, writer, presenter, and TV personality, as well. However, before White became famous, she grew up with parents who struggled to make ends meet. Growing up throughout The Great Depression was tough, but Betty's parents, especially her father, did what was necessary to make ends meet. Her father often exchanged items of value for food and other supplies that their family needed.

When Did Betty White Discover Her Love for Acting and Writing?

Betty discovered that she loved acting and writing at a young age, after tossing the idea of becoming a park ranger. If it weren't for the fact that women weren't allowed to work in careers as park rangers, Betty White might have followed that path, and those who have loved her for decades may have never had the opportunity to enjoy her. White wrote a play while in high school, which she played the main role in. This inspired Betty to become a movie star, and she began idolizing some of the famous female actresses of the time.

Why is Betty White in the Guinness Book of World Records?

Betty White is in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the longest TV career ever. She began entertaining on television just after she graduated high school and continued to do so for a whopping 74 years. The year 2013 was the year that Betty earned the right to be in the Guinness Book of World Records, and she continued to entertain practically right up until her death in 2021. Any future contenders for the title will have a difficult time beating this amazing record.

What Were Some of Betty White's First Acting Gigs?

In the late 1940s and the early 1950s, after being rejected for television commercials, White began her career entertaining America by appearing in several radio commercials. In the beginning, Betty accepted any acting jobs that she could get, just to get her name out there. She even accepted jobs for no pay at all. After all her hard work, Betty White was offered to host her own radio show, "The Betty White Show." After that, she began appearing on television, and she even co-hosted a show with Al Jarvis. Al Jarvis's show was called "Hollywood on Television," and it was a live variety show that many people loved.

Taking Over as Host

By 1952, Al Jarvis had left the TV show and White took over as the sole host, which lasted for four years. Betty worked hard to entertain people in any way she could, and she worked six days a week hosting the "Hollywood on Television" show. In addition, from 1952 - 1954, Betty hosted her own television show that had the same name as her radio show, "The Betty White Show." Although popular at the time, the show was subsequently canceled after some controversy involving Betty allowing a Black tap dancer to perform on her show.

The Game Show Queen

During the 1960s, Betty White discovered her love of game shows. With her winning personality and her ability to capture the attention of any audience, Betty excelled at various game shows. "Password," "Match Game," and "Super Password" were a few of the many game shows that she appeared on regularly.

What Were Some of Betty White's Notable Roles?

Most fans would agree that all of Betty White's roles were notable, as her true talent for acting and entertaining others always shined through. Despite this fact, White did have some very memorable roles. One of her first and truly memorable as well as enjoyable roles was her part in the "Mary Tyler Moore Show." Although she wasn't the star of the show, the appearances she made as Sue Ann Nivens were truly remarkable.

The Golden Girls

Another very impressive role that Betty White had was when she played Rose in "The Golden Girls." Even people who never knew who Betty White was loved and still do love watching reruns of this hilarious TV show that ran for seven seasons. It was canceled, likely due to the inability of White to get along with Bea Arthur, who played Dorothy in the show. The two had a difference of opinion when it came to their approach to acting on the show.

Mama's Family

Mama's Family is a sitcom that made its debut in 1983. Betty White was part of the cast and played Ellen Harper Jackson. This is another sitcom that definitely contributed to White's Riches, and not only was she great at acting in it, but she truly enjoyed it. The show ended in 1990, but people will always associate Betty White with "Mama's Family" and the numerous other TV shows she acted in.

Millions From Aired Reruns

In addition to the income Betty White earned from "The Golden Girls" while it was running, she earned approximately $87 million total once the show was canceled and reruns of it were aired. This definitely contributed to White's net worth of $75 million prior to her death.

Millions Earned From Numerous Other Shows

Betty White didn't allow age to impede her in any way, and the older she got, the more she sought out new ways to continue to captivate audiences. She constantly appeared on numerous TV shows, hosted the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade one year, and entertained the world in many other ways.

Betty White became a regular actor on "The Bold and the Beautiful," she appeared on "Boston Legal" and "The Practice" several times, in addition to a wide variety of other shows. She continued acting until the day she suffered the stroke that killed her a week later, and had she lived to her 100th birthday, she would certainly have continued to charm her audience during her public birthday celebration.

Betty White has entertained America, and the entire world, for seven, impressive decades. While she is no longer with us, her beautiful smile and positive energy will always remain with us. Betty didn't merely do what she did in order to earn money. She acted and entertained because she truly loved performing and being in front of the camera. Betty White also enjoyed singing, and during her earlier years, she sang at least a song or two on each show. Betty loved donating large amounts of money to worthy causes, and she was especially fond of animals and fighting for fair treatment for African-Americans, LBGTQ individuals, and more.

You can also read:

Garrett Parker

Written by Garrett Parker

Garrett by trade is a personal finance freelance writer and journalist. With over 10 years experience he's covered businesses, CEOs, and investments. However he does like to take on other topics involving some of his personal interests like automobiles, future technologies, and anything else that could change the world.

Read more posts by Garrett Parker

Related Articles

Stay ahead of the curve with our most recent guides and articles on , freshly curated by our diligent editorial team for your immediate perusal.
As featured on:

Wealth Insight!
Subscribe to our Exclusive Newsletter

Dive into the world of wealth and extravagance with Money Inc! Discover stock tips, businesses, luxury items, and travel experiences curated for the affluent observer.
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram