Betty White's Rose Nylund Actually Appeared In Four TV Series
Cultural icon and actor Betty White died on December 31 inside her home due to natural causes, according to TMZ. White was only a few weeks shy of her 100th birthday, per CNN. A source told TMZ that White "didn't have any sudden illness, nor was she battling any particular ailment." White was known for her quick wit and comedic timing during her decades-long television career. White's most famous roles were the salacious "Happy Homemaker" Sue Ann Nivens in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and the innocent, ditsy Rose Nylund in "The Golden Girls," per IMDb.
Many fans loved White's portrayal of Rose so much that they are mourning her by remembering her naive but lovable character on Twitter. "If you REALLY know me, you know that GOLDEN GIRLS is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE SHOWS. Also, if you know me, you'd know that ROSE NYLUND is my favorite character on the show," one fan tweeted. "She was the sweetest of the Girls, the most genuine friend. Just like me, lol. RIP Betty." Another fan also paid their respects by discussing how White's character impacted their life. "The Golden Girls got me through a lot of depressive episodes as a teenager and I'll never forget how much I loved my spirit animal, Rose Nylund," they tweeted. "I always dreaded this day and it hurts just as bad as I thought it would. RIP Betty, you made it to 100 in my eyes,"
In fact, White's "The Golden Girls" role was such a hit, she also landed the opportunity to appear as Rose on three other sitcom TV series.
Betty White almost didn't play Rose Nylund
Betty White's famous character, Rose Nylund, did not only appear on "The Golden Girls," but Rose also appeared on four different shows! White first appeared as Rose on "The Golden Girls" in 1985, then on "Empty Nest" in 1988, "Nurses" in 1991, and "The Golden Palace" in 1992, per IMDb. Rose made quite an impact on television history, so fans might find it hard to believe that White almost was not cast in that role! White was supposed to play Blanche Devereaux and Rue McClanahan was supposed to play Rose. However, director Jay Sandrich believed White would've reminded the audience of her other famous role, Sue Ann Nivens, from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show."
"It was a perfect switch, in hindsight, but I was a little scared," White said in an interview with wildaboutmovies.com (via Outsider) in 2004. "I knew Blanche. That would have been easy. I didn't exactly know how to play dumb. The best advice I got was, again, from Jay Sandrich. He said, 'Rose takes every word for its literal meaning. She knows no sarcasm, no nothing. If somebody said Rose could eat a horse, she'd call the SPCA.'"
White enjoyed embodying the role of Rose, but she enjoyed working alongside her co-workers on the set of "The Golden Girls" even more. "We are having so much fun, there should be a law against it," White said on TODAY in 1987. "We work well together because everybody's very professional, but off-camera, we adore each other. And it's a privilege to go to work."
Rest in peace, Betty White.