ADVERTISEMENT

Betty White is a legend in her own right. This sweetest little lady has not only won the hearts of virtually everyone for her uplifting personality, she has also earned a Guinness World Record for the longest TV career for a female entertainer.

The comic dynamo has been performing for more than 74 years in the entertainment industry, and it makes us wonder how come she is not a superhero!

Well, Betty was born on January 17, 1922, which makes her only two years away from celebrating her hundredth birthday. It means this almost centenarian actress is older than sliced bread, and color television, and… well, the list of important inventions is down below. And it really puts Betty’s legend into a historical perspective!

Image credits: Angela George

#1

Penicillin

Penicillin

Penicillin was discovered in 1928 by professor Alexander Fleming.

Solis Invicti Report

RELATED:
    #2

    Sliced Bread Was Intented In 1928

    Sliced Bread Was Intented In 1928

    Sliced bread was invented in 1928. Otto Frederick Rohwedder created the Chillicothe Baking Company, which sold the first loaf that utilized Rohwedder's bread-slicing machine.

    bark Report

    #3

    Color Television

    Color Television

    June 25, 1951 was the day when CBS broadcast its first color TV show. Unfortunately, no one could tell because they all had black-and-white TV sets. The first program in color was called "Premiere."

    Nesster Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Anna Te
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was born in 1983 in Russia and we didn't have a color TV there at that time as well.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu

    Betty White, who has spanned more than 80 years in the entertainment industry, is regarded as one of the television pioneers. The famous actress is also known as the first woman to produce a sitcom, “Life With Elizabeth,” which led her to receive the honorary title Mayor Of Hollywood in 1955.

    In 1939, just after graduating high school, Betty began her radio career, soon switching to television. Her career skyrocketed. But with WWII, she shelved her ambitions and joined the American Women's Voluntary Services. Of that era, she told Cleveland Magazine, "It was a strange time and out of balance with everything." 

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #4

    Scotch Tape

    Scotch Tape

    1929 was the year when this life-saving tape was invented.

    Mike Mozart Report

    #5

    Canned Beer

    Canned Beer

    Although we've had canned beverages since 1813, mass production of them only started in 1935.

    rusticusa Report

    #6

    The Electric Traffic Signal Was Created In 1923

    The Electric Traffic Signal Was Created In 1923

    After witnessing an accident between an automobile and a horse-drawn carriage, African American inventor, Garrett Morgan, filed a U.S. patent for a traffic signal. Patent] was granted on 20 November 1923 for Morgan's three-position traffic signal.

    Mack Male Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Rabbit Carrot
    Community Member
    4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The world's first traffic light was a manually operated gas-lit signal installed in London in December 1868. I’m not sure she’s quite that old yet. The first automated traffic control system dates back to 1910.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu

    Betty was a regular on the game show circuit when she met her match in 1961, hosted by Allen Ludden. He became Betty’s third and last husband, and their stars on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame sit side by side to this day.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    In Betty’s more than eight decades in the business, her trademark smile, gracious demeanor, and clever wit have made her a living legend.

    #7

    Frozen Food

    Frozen Food

    Before 1929, frozen food was not a thing.

    Rosana Prada Report

    #8

    Bubble Gum

    Bubble Gum

    In 1928, Walter E. Diemer, an accountant for the Fleer Chewing Gum Company in Philadelphia, was experimenting with new gum recipes. These experiments turned out to be successful.

    Beatrice Murch Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #9

    The Slinky

    The Slinky

    In 1943, the mechanical engineer Richard James accidentally came up with the toy when he was trying to find a way of keeping products on ships undamaged.

    Matthew M Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #10

    Nuclear Fission

    Nuclear Fission

    The discovery of nuclear fission occurred in December 1938 by Lise Meitner, Otto Frisch, and Otto Hahn. Meitner and Frisch were physicists and Hahn was a nuclear chemist.

    mzter Report

    #11

    1957: Birth Control Pill

    1957: Birth Control Pill

    Enovid, a drug the FDA approved for menstrual disorders, came with a warning: The mixture of synthetic progesterone and estrogen also prevents ovulation. Two years later, more than half a million American women were taking Enovid—and not all of them had cramps. In 1960, the FDA approved Enovid for use as the first oral contraceptive.

    Sarah C Report

    #12

    Automatic Wrist Watches

    Automatic Wrist Watches

    Automatic wrist watches became a thing back in 1923.

    Tony Alter Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    AntiNutjob
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Automatic (self winding) wrist watches in 1923. Automatic pocket watches were invented over 100 years earlier.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #13

    Trampoline

    Trampoline

    The first modern trampoline was built by George Nissen and Larry Griswold in 1936. Nissen was a gymnastics and diving competitor and Griswold was a tumbler on the gymnastics team.

    Charles Hutchins Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #14

    LSD

    LSD

    LSD was first synthesized on November 16, 1938, by Dr. Albert Hoffman.

    Manel Torralba Report

    #15

    Jukeboxes

    Jukeboxes

    In 1927, Betty White was already five years old when the first jukebox that automatically shifted records was introduced to the public.

    Vítor Baptista Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    M O'Connell
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Automatic disc changing music boxes became a thing in 1899, so this is more of a stretch.

    #16

    Barbie

    Barbie

    In 1959, the world was introduced to Barbie.

    Wainuiomartian Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    David Butler
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Who was an American remake of "Lilli", a fashion doll launched on 12 August 1955, created by Rolf Hausser in the likeness of the main character of a single-panel cartoon by Reinhard Beuthien for the German "Bild" newspaper, first appearing on 24 June 1952. While there were definitely knock-offs by rival toy companies, Ruth Handler -- who may or may not have wanted to create such a doll to replace paper dolls -- bought one while on holiday in Switzerland in 1956, "adapted" the design with the help of Jack Ryan, and launched "Barbie" on 9 March 1959. Post-WW2 anti-German prejudice may have been involved, but when Mattel bought the copyright in 1964 (after being sued for copyright infringement in 1961 by Louis Marx and Company, who had the legal license for the doll) the newspaper could no longer print the cartoon nor the toy company the doll.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #17

    Bean Bag Chair

    Bean Bag Chair

    1969 was the year of Woodstock and when beanbag chairs became a thing.

    kentbrew Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Andy Mutch
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Unfortunately, the inventor is still trying to get out of his!

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #18

    The Ballpoint Pen Was Invented In 1924

    The Ballpoint Pen Was Invented In 1924

    RussellHarryLee Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Viktor Feurer
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Unfortunately not. The first mass produced ballpoint pen was patented in 1924. In 1938 an upgraded one was invented/patented.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #19

    Notebooks With Spiral Bindings Were Invented In 1924

    Notebooks With Spiral Bindings Were Invented In 1924

    Jimmie Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #20

    M&m’s Candy Invented 1941

    M&m’s Candy Invented 1941

    Mike Mozart Report

    #21

    Big Mac

    Big Mac

    The Big Mac wasn't introduced until 1967. McDonald's was originally a hot dog stand that only turned to burger-making in 1948.

    pointnshoot Report

    #22

    Electric Razor

    Electric Razor

    Up until 1931, non-electric razors were not only a choice, but also the only possibility.

    Tom Ray Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Dave P
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    1931 was the first commercial released one, the first working prototype was in 1910, and several more models existed until Jacob Shick (as in Shick's Razors) perfected it and released it to Market.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #23

    The Rubik's Cube – Invented 1974

    The Rubik's Cube – Invented 1974

    Simon Law Report

    #24

    Instant Coffee

    Instant Coffee

    Coffee may have existed for centuries, but instant coffee has been here with us since 1938.

    Titanas Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #25

    1982: Computer Virus

    1982: Computer Virus

    Fifteen-year-old Rich Skrenta created an application called Elk Cloner as a prank—and ended up creating the first virus to spread outside its home network. Elk Cloner spreads via floppy disk and attaches to the Apple OS II operating system. When users boot from the disk, Elk Cloner transfers the computer's memory; any additional disks inserted without rebooting are also infected. On every fiftieth boot, the computer displays text written by Skrenta:
    Elk Cloner: The program with a personality / It will get on all your disks / It will infiltrate your chips / Yes it's Cloner! / It will stick to you like glue / It will modify ram too / Send in the Cloner!

    Joey Coleman Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Raine Soo
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why compare a lovely lady like Betty White to something as annoying as a virus?

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #26

    The Internet

    The Internet

    In the 1950s, first computers were created. By 1965, MIT released the first wide area network (WAN). Four years later, the first successful internet message was sent from UCLA to Stanford Research Institute. But it took a while for memes to become a thing.

    Pixabay Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #27

    Microwave Oven

    Microwave Oven

    In 1945, the heating effect of a high-power microwave beam was accidentally discovered by Percy Spencer. In 1947, Raytheon built the "Radarange," the first commercially available microwave oven.

    Jeremy Hall Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Kelly Hartle
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    He realized it could be used for cooking when he turned it on and the chocolate bar he had in his pocket melted.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #28

    1956: Hard Drive

    1956: Hard Drive

    IBM released the first computer hard disk drive, the 2,000-pound-plus, refrigerator-sized IBM 305 RAMAC, which introduced magnetic disk storage. Up until then, files were either kept on spools of magnetic tape or on good old-fashioned paper, with no way to jump right to the record you wanted to pull up. With the RAMAC, a mechanical arm would retrieve data by storing data at a particular magnetic orientation. This technology went on to be used (at a smaller size) in laptops and computer servers everywhere.

    Tim Patterson Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Marek Yanchurak
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Forget hard drives, what is essentially the first electronic, digital, programmable computer (i.e. what we think of as a computer today), ENIAC, was only completed in 1945.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #29

    Garages

    Garages

    C.G. Johnson invented the electric garage door opener in 1926.

    Ben Baligad Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #30

    Garbage Disposal

    Garbage Disposal

    The garbage disposal unit was invented in 1927 by John W. Hammes, an architect working in Racine, Wisconsin. He applied for a patent in 1933 that was issued in 1935.

    deanhochman Report