TVXOHOF, 3/08 - BETTY, LIVING THROUGH TELEVISION

For the March of 2008 induction into the Television Crossover Hall of Fame, we're saluting a lady who's still going strong in Toobworld well into her eighties. She's not only appearing as herself in shows like 'Ugly Betty', but she's also playing other characters in TV shows like 'Boston Legal' and 'The Bold & The Beautiful'.

BETTY WHITE

Of course, Betty White will always be known for her roles as Rose Nylund on 'The Golden Girls' and as Sue Ann Nivens on 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show'. She's also starred in her own series 'The Betty White Show' and 'Date With The Angels'. (In the TV Universe, Betty White also starred on 'The Golden Girls', but their version of the show must be different from ours in some way.)

There is one series I'm still not sure about. 'Life With Elizabeth' had Betty White playing Elizabeth White, but I'm not sure if that was supposed to be a fictionalized view of her own life. If it was, there had to be some kind of splainin to go with it, as there has to be with 'The Drew Carey Show'.
And then there are the hundreds of game show appearances she's made over the years, especially with her late husband Allen Ludden on 'Password' (not to mention her commercials for 1-800-PET-MEDS!)

It was Ms. White's association with 'Password' which led to her first big appearance as herself in a fictional setting. As usual, she was the celebrity partner, this time playing against a famous New York sportswriter, Oscar Madison. Madison unfortunately was teamed up with his roommate, Felix Unger. ('The Odd Couple')
There's a spoof poster you can see online which declares "Betty White Is Sick Of Your Shit". That no-nonsense attitude served her well on 'The Naked Truth' when she drove off with Nora Wilde stuck in the passenger side window, and when she was keeping bus depot manager John Hemingway in a "Sunset Boulevard" style arrangement.
Miss White also has doppelgangers in other TV dimensions. In animated form, she appeared twice on 'The Simpsons' and in an episode of 'Family Guy' as well. And in the TV dimension for those movies of the week that couldn't fit into the main Toobworld (mostly because of alternate history Presidents) she showed up in "Vanished", based on the novel by Fletcher Knebel.

Here's a full list of Betty White's appearances as herself in the TV Universe:

EARTH PRIME-TIME

"Ugly Betty"

- Bananas for Betty (2007)
"I'm with Her"
- Meet the Parent (2003)
"The John Larroquette Show"

- Here We Go Again (1996)
"The Naked Truth"
- Star and Comet Collide! Giant Bugs Invade! (1995)

- Elvis Is Coming! (1995)
"Matlock"
- The Network (1987)
"Madame's Place"

- Episode #1.19 (1982)
"The Odd Couple"
- Password (1972)
"O'Hara, U.S. Treasury"
- Operation: Lady Luck (1972)

EARTH PRIME-TIME/MOTW

Vanished (1971)

THE TOONIVERSE

"The Simpsons"
- Homerazzi (2007)

- Missionary: Impossible (2000)
"Family Guy"
- Peterotica (2006)

Betty White turned 86 back in January and she's still going strong. So there's still hope she'll be showing up again in some other TV series as herself.

I'm thinking 'Torchwood'........

Well, we wouldn't want it to be 'Dexter', do we???

BCnU!
Toby OB