Actress Betty White, whose saucy, up-for-anything charm made her a television mainstay for more than 60 years, has died. She was 99.
People and the Washington Post reported White’s death.
Her witty style gave life to a roster of quirky characters over more than a half-century. They included the oddball Rose Nylund in “The Golden Girls” and the outspoken caretaker on “Hot In Cleveland.”
She also drew laughs with occasional salty one-liners in the 2009 comedy “The Proposal” and the horror spoof “Lake Placid.” By popular demand, she hosted “Saturday Night Live” in 2011.
White once said her character Sue Ann Nivens in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” could be “icky-sweet” but was “really a piranha type.” That role brought her two Emmys.
White's acting pizzazz inspired generations of actors and entertainers who took to social media Friday to remember her legacy.
According to comedian Seth Myers, White's age didn't hold her back from having a good time.
"RIP Betty White, the only SNL host I ever saw get a standing ovation at the after party. A party at which she ordered a vodka and a hotdog and stayed til the bitter end," he wrote on Twitter.
George Takei eulogized White's iconic onscreen characters, writing, "Our Sue Ann Nivens, our beloved Rose Nylund, has joined the heavens to delight the stars with her inimitable style, humor, and charm."
Hours before he's set to host CNN's New Year's Eve Live show, Andy Cohen wrote: "Tonight we will raise MANY glasses to the WONDERFUL legacy of Betty White!!!"
Journalist Dan Rather memorialized White's integrity, writing: "Betty White was much beloved because of who she was, and how she embraced a life well lived."
Reese Witherspoon reminisced on the happiness she felt while watching White on screen:
President Joe Biden issued a statement highlighting the joy she brought to generations of Americans:
Henry Winkler touched on the kind of person she was, writing "Thank you for your humor, your warmth and your activism."
Ryan Reynolds remembers her as someone who defied the odds:
Viola Davis highlighted her legacy, writing "You blew a huge hole in this world that will inspire generations."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.