South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
PBS salutes enduring star Betty White
In “Betty White: First Lady of Television,” the most remarkable sequence comes near the end. The actress kisses, feeds and charms an 800-pound grizzly bear. “I’m the luckiest old broad on two feet,” White says.
She wants to be remembered for her animal advocacy, friends say in the PBS special, premiering Tuesday. The actress, 96, will also be treasured for her TV pioneering, her comedy and her spirit.
“If you pass 70, just look to Betty. That’s the way to do it,” actress Valerie Harper says.
White learned TV in the medium’s early days, logging many hours of live broadcasting and becoming one of the first female producers. From “Life With Elizabeth,” her first series in the 1950s, she moved on to talk shows, game shows and sitcoms. White’s life is a compelling history of television.
She will make you hoot again as man-hungry “Happy Homemaker” Sue Ann Nivens on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” wacky Rose Nylund on “The Golden Girls” and sharp-tongued Elka on “Hot in Cleveland.” She branched out, doing drama in “The Lost Valentine,” hosting “Saturday Composite photo shows Betty White in 2018 and the 1950s. Night Live” and spoofing herself in a Snickers commercial.
Harper, Gavin MacLeod and Georgia Engel from the Moore show salute White’s gifts, strength and resilience. Younger colleagues Valerie Bertinelli, Ryan Reynolds and Jennifer Love Hewitt are awed.
The program shares many personal details. White says she was a spoiled only child and credits her mom’s positive influence. The actress adored the singing team Jeanette MacDonald (“my idol”) and Nelson Eddy.
She recalls her love story with “Password” host Allen Ludden, who kept proposing. She wishes she had said yes sooner. They wed in 1963; Ludden died in 1981.
White still loves word games. “She’s witty, and she’s quick,” says “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek. She is shown working with her assistant and answering fan mail. She explains how stage fright gives a performance edge.
She was an ensemble actress who became a star. Her rapport is clear in first-rate scenes with Bea Arthur on “The Golden Girls,” Carl Reiner on “Hot in Cleveland” and Tina Fey on “SNL.”
White is even better with that bear. The woman and her show are exhilarating.
PAUL MCCARTNEY
■
The Beatles legend’s “Carpool Karaoke” with James Corden became an internet sensation. Now it’s a CBS special with more footage of McCartney performing in a pub.
Monday, 8 p.m.
VMAS
■
Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes and Logic with Ryan Tedder perform on MTV’s Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall. Monday, 9 p.m.
‘STORY OF ROYALS’ABC
■ and People join forces for this four-hour look at the British royal family. The speakers include “Monarch” author Robert Lacey and Andrew Morton, author of “Diana: Her True Story.” Wednesday, Thursday, 9 p.m.