A Historical Tribute to Betty White's Future 30 Rock Emmy Nod

Betty White wheedled Emmy nods out of single appearances on a number of ratings-deprived television series: The John Larroquette Show, Yes, Dear, and the final season of My Name is Earl, among others. Tonight the 87-year-old legend doggedly attempts to achieve the same accolade on 30 Rock, playing herself amid TGS's crew of caricatures. I'm putting 20 down on Jenna Maroney asking for advice regarding showbiz vitality and Betty deadpanning back, "The password is strip aerobics, bitch." After the jump, a tribute to the Movieline patron saint and her more unusual TV appearances.

Life with Elizabeth

Recognition: Emmy, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy

Year: 1952

Betty White won one of the first lead actress Emmys for her role on this strangely forgotten series, which ran for 65 episodes (almost as twice as many as The Honeymooners's 39). As the tart young housewife Elizabeth, White acted as foil to her jocular husband Alvin (Del Moore). Even stranger, the show's writers broke each episode into three 10-minute vignettes that played more like extended skits. Sue Ann Nivens would've idolized this level of domestic effervescence.

The Odd Couple

Recognition: One of TV Guide's "100 Greatest TV Episodes"

Year: 1972

This marks one of the few notable "guest-appearances-within-a-guest-appearance" that I can remember. In the indisputably finest, most fondly remembered episode of The Odd Couple, Felix Unger (Tony Randall) acts as a clue-giving partner to sportswriter Oscar Madison (Jack Klugman) on an episode of Password. When Oscar tries describing the password "gravy," Felix responds with the non sequitur "Lincoln." Betty White, then already a real-life regular on Password as her husband Allen Ludden hosted, played the rational celebrity who dispensed sensible clues.

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