The incredible life of Betty White in photos

After spending the late 1930s modeling and getting into acting, she landed her first major gig, co-hosting the live TV show "Hollywood on Television" with radio DJ Al Jarvis. She took over sole hosting duties in 1952.

The same year White went solo hosting "Hollywood on Television," she was cast as the title character on the comedy sitcom "Life with Elizabeth."

But unlike the other starlets in Hollywood at the time, White had started a production company so she had full control of the show. That led to her producing and hosting her own variety show on NBC in 1954, "The Betty White Show."

Through the 1960s, White became a fixture on the talk show circuit as a regular on "The Tonight Show." She also made frequent appearances on game shows, including "Password" and "What's My Line?"

White married "Password" host Allen Ludden in 1963 and were together until his death in 1981. It was White's third and final marriage.

In 1973, she delivered a career-changing performance as Sue Ann Nivens on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." It earned her Emmy wins in 1975 and 1976.

In 1983, White made history by becoming the first woman to win a Daytime Emmy in the category of outstanding game show host. She won it for her work on "Just Men!"

In 1985, White landed the role that she will be forever known for: the naïve Rose Nylund on "The Golden Girls."

Her "Golden Girls" performance would lead to another Primetime Emmy win in 1986. She would go on to win two more times in her career.

White would go on strong into the 2000s working in television. She also won a Grammy for a spoken word recording of her best-selling autobiography "If You Ask Me," was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.