Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Betty White’s last word before she died ‘was late husband Allen’s name’

White’s former co-star Vicki Lawrence broke the news during a recent interview

Maanya Sachdeva
Tuesday 04 January 2022 04:33 EST
Comments
Remembering Betty White: Late actress was known for animal activism

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Betty White’s last word before she died was reportedly her late husband Allen Ludden’s name.

In an exclusive interview, actor Vicki Lawrence told The Hollywood Reporter that she learned White had called out for her husband before the 99-year-old actor died “peacefully in her sleep” on 31 December 2021.

Lawrence and White met on the sets of sketch comedy hit The Carol Burnett Show, and went on to co-star in the series’ spin-off Mama’s Family.

When Lawrence was asked about the last time she spoke to White , the 72-year-old told THR that it had been a while since the actors had been in touch.

However, Lawrence continued, she spoke to Burnett in the wake of White’s death, and learned that The Golden Girls star had called out for her husband moments before she passed away.

“[Burnett] said she spoke to Betty’s assistant, who was with her when she passed, and she said the last word out of her mouth was ‘Allen’,” Lawrence said.

“It’s so lovingly sweet, I hope it’s true,” she added.

White married Emmy Award-winning gameshow host Ludden in 1963, after two prior failed marriages. The Hot in Cleveland star never remarried after Ludden died from stomach cancer in 1981.

White explained her decision not to remarry during a 2014 appearance on Larry King Now, when she told the show’s late host: “When you’ve had the best, who needs the rest?”

In the official statement confirming her death, White’s agent Jeff Whitjas said White never feared dying because she always wanted to be “with her most beloved husband Allen Ludden”.

“She believed she would be with him again,” the statement read.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in