Following Betty White’s death at the age of 99 last week, the public continues to mourn the beloved TV icon. Many big names like Ryan Reynolds, William Shatner and Sandra Bullock have paid tribute to the late star. Not only is this praise a testament to how beloved she was, but it also signifies just how many people she was privileged to work with over the course of her wide-ranging career. One of her most memorable (and underrated) credits came in the form of the hit sitcom That ‘70s Show. With this, series veteran Kurtwood Smith took a moment to remember his late co-star.
Betty White played the role of Bea Sigurdson, the mom of Debra Jo Rupp’s Kitty Forman and mother-in-law to Kurtwood Smith’s Red. With this, Smith got to share a number of memorable scenes with the Golden Girls alum. In an Instagram post, Smith honored White by posting a photo and a sweet caption:
It’s a sad end to the year.. losing such a wonderful comedic genius. More than that, #BettyWhite was a wonderful person! It was a treat to know her and a privilege to work with her.
Most fans are sure to agree with the actor’s bittersweet sentiments. The actress was indeed a brilliant performer, one that kept viewers in stitches with her many performances. That ‘70s Show, in particular, allowed her to channel a sharp-tongued character, not too much unlike her legendary Sue Ann Nivens role from The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Her ‘70s character, Bea, can be glimpsed in Kurtwood Smith’s photo, as the actress poses alongside Debra Jo Rupp and the late Tom Poston, who played her TV husband, Burt. Check out the throwback picture down below:
From 2002 to 2003, Betty White appeared on a total of four episodes of the hit Fox sitcom. Her character was best known for her seemingly pleasant appearance, which she used to mask a somewhat cold personality, which was mainly aimed at her daughter. The character was also known for humorously yelling out, “Bert!” whenever she tried to get her husband’s attention. Though it was a smaller supporting role, White was more than able to flex her comedic chops with it and became a memorable part of the cast.
The Emmy-winning actress’ work in sitcoms are pretty much the stuff of legend at this point. Though she was noted for her work on screen, many have also made note of her kindness behind the scenes. Don Cheadle, who worked with her on The Golden Palace, recently recalled how she generously helped solve a lighting problem that would occur any time they were on camera together. Instances like that only further prove why the woman was a national treasure.
Meanwhile, Kurtwood Smith is set to reprise his role as the comedically gruff Red Forman for That ‘90s Show, a sequel series that will see him reteam with Debra Jo Rupp. The sequel series is currently in development at Netflix (and even garnered a response from ‘70s Show alum Danny Masterson). It’s far too early to say if Bea will be addressed on the show, but a small tribute to the character would be quite nice.
We here at CinemaBlend continue to extend our thoughts to Betty White’s loved ones at this time.
