Everybody knows the "Golden Girl,' Betty White (who has written a cookbook) thanks to her exceptional career. For 80 years, she's been in the entertainment industry. She is known to be a pioneer in the world of television. Apart from holding a Guinness World Record, she is also the first female to create a sitcom titled Life with Elizabeth. The series got her the title, 'Mayor of Hollywood'.
However, apart from her notable works, people also remember her for her three marriages. She first got married to Dick Barker, then to Lane Allen, and finally to Allen Ludden. She voluntarily chose not to have kids but played a perfect stepmom to her last husband’s three kids.
After she lost Allen, she never tied the knot again. Here are some facts about her three marriages and two divorces.
1 The Short-Lived Relationship
The Golden Girls actress first met Dick Barker in 1945, and he was an army man. Due to World War II, she had to give up on her ambition to become an entertainer. So, she became a member of the American Women Voluntary Services and met her first husband.
Most of their courtship period was during the war. When they finally got married after World War finished, they lived together for only a couple of months. Barber also had a chicken farm in Ohio. In the end, Betty could not enjoy life as a farm wife. They eventually separated.
2 When She Gave Love Another Shot
Two years after her separation from her first husband, White tied the knot with Lane Allen in 1949. Allen wanted Betty to quit her career as an entertainer. He wanted her to stay home and take care of their family and raise their kids (which they never had). This was not in the cards. White was too ambitious, and, most importantly, didn’t want to have biological kids.
After staying together for a brief period of 2 years, they parted ways in 1951. With two failed marriages in her kitty, the comedian’s last marriage was destined to be a successful one.
3 Were The Divorces Her Fault?
Betty White was always a determined woman. She wanted to achieve her dreams and build a good life for herself. Her dreams were stalled during World War II, when she had to take up a job at the American Women Voluntary Services, as previously mentioned. She devoted her days to distributing supplies; nights were busy, as she did rousing dances for soldiers. That is when she married her first husband, Dick Barker.
She had to move to a farm with him but was soon convinced that farm life was not the kind of life she wanted. Thus, she left Ohio and her husband for good - she moved back to California to pursue her dreams. The second time, she was the one to leave her husband because of a clash of interests and different opinions about having kids. She admits that her divorces were her fault.
4 Third Time Lucky
The Guinness World Record holder regularly appeared on television game shows. She also met her third husband on the latter’s game show, Password, in 1961 - he was the host.
Allen loved her looks, her thoughts...her everything. Betty felt the same way about him. However, when Allen proposed to her, she said no, as she had some other plans. Later, they decided to get married to each other. This was an exceptional marriage for her and also the longest one. They stayed with each other for 18 years until Allen passed away, after which she never married again.
