American actress Betty White, whose television career spanned more than 80 years, has died at the age of 99.
Her death was confirmed Friday by Jeff Witjas, her longtime agent and friend. “I truly never thought she was going to pass away,” Witjas told The Associated Press. “She meant the world to me as a friend. She was the most positive person I’ve ever known.”
Witjas said White had been staying close to her Los Angeles home during the pandemic out of caution but had no diagnosed illness. It was unclear if she died Thursday night or Friday, he said.
White, who continued to act late into her life, would have turned 100 on Jan. 17. Considered to be a trailblazer of the small screen, White’s career was longer than any other female entertainer, having worked in the industry since 1939.
Known for her iconic sitcom roles on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “The Golden Girls,” White is considered to be the first woman to create a television sitcom and also was a staple of many popular game shows of the 1960s, all of which helped give her the title of “first lady of television.”
Read more: ‘Ertugrul’ actress Gulsim Ali looks ravishing in maroon dress
Throughout her career, White’s work earned her eight Emmy Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, three American Comedy Awards and one Grammy Award.
She was the first woman to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host for “Just Men!” in 1983. White was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1995 and named a Disney Legend in 2009.
In an interview with journalist Katie Couric to celebrate the actress’ 95th birthday, White said she considered herself the “luckiest old broad on TV.”
Off-screen, White was known for her love of animals, working with several organizations over the years whose efforts focused on animal rights and welfare.
