Regrets and Reflections: Betty White's Story of Love and Marriage

Listen, friends. Betty White lived a life filled with joy, laughter, and incredible success. But even someone as legendary as Betty had a moment of regret, and it revolved around her marriage to the late Allen Ludden. In her own words, she shared, "I wasted a whole year that Allen and I could have had together, saying, 'No, I wouldn’t marry him. No, I won’t leave California. No, I won’t move to New York.' I wasted a whole year we could have had together." Those words hit hard, don’t they? But let’s dive deeper into this incredible love story.

Now, Betty wasn’t reckless with her heart. She’d already been through two failed marriages in her twenties, so when she met Allen on the set of the iconic game show Password in 1961, she was cautious. But Allen? He was different. Betty, who was 95 at the time of her reflection, remembered how Allen was always kind, both on and off camera. “He was never too busy to say a warm goodbye after the last show finished,” she reminisced. Over time, they became good friends, and the connection only grew stronger.

A Summer to Remember: The Turning Point

Not long after they met, Betty agreed to star opposite Allen in a summer stock play called Critic’s Choice, set in Massachusetts and Maine. Allen, who had lost his first wife, Margaret McGloin, to cancer the year before, recalled falling in love with Betty on opening night. And you know what? Allen’s kids—David, Martha, and Sarah—felt it too. They all had a blast together. Betty even recounted a fun moment where the kids convinced her to swing into a lake on a rope, even though she doesn’t swim. Talk about rising to the occasion!

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(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

A Long-Distance Love Story

When the summer ended, Allen and his family returned to New York, while Betty headed back to California. But their hearts? They stayed connected. Allen kept asking Betty to marry him, but she hesitated. "In love as I was, nonetheless, marrying and moving east was still not in the equation," she admitted. Allen, though, was persistent. He truly believed in their love and kept pushing gently. Then, on Easter, he sent Betty a stuffed white bunny wearing gold flower-shaped earrings adorned with tiny diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. Along with the bunny came a heartfelt note that said, "Please say YES." Betty’s heart melted, and when Allen called, she finally said yes. "It wasn’t the earrings that did it," Betty confessed. "It was the bunny. I still have it."

A Blissful Marriage and a Showbiz Power Couple

The couple tied the knot at the Sands hotel in Las Vegas on June 14, 1963, beginning one of the happiest collaborations in show business. They moved to Chappaqua, NY, with Allen’s three children and their two poodles. Betty admitted she struggled with homesickness, and Allen’s daughter, Martha, went through a rebellious phase. But through it all, their love only grew stronger. "It finally penetrated my thick skull that [Allen and I] were a unit," Betty shared. "From that day forward, any problem we had…came from the outside. Allen had taught me to stop running."

Allen continued his work as a beloved game show host, while Betty became a regular guest on shows like What’s My Line?, I’ve Got a Secret, and various versions of Password. When Betty wasn’t working, she and her mom would often watch Allen tape shows from the audience. They also collaborated on projects, starring together in the 1963 romantic-comedy play Janus. As game show producer Lin Bolen recalled, "When they can’t be together at work, they call each other from their dressing rooms."

The California Years and Building a Dream Home

In 1968, they moved to California, where Betty thrived in her Emmy-winning role as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. They cherished their time together, with Carmel, CA, becoming a favorite vacation spot. Allen had promised Betty he’d build her a house there, and he delivered. "Boy, did he ever," Betty fondly remembered.

A Tragic Turn and Unwavering Love

But life had other plans. Allen was diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer. After careful consultation, they decided against radiation or chemotherapy, choosing instead to make the most of every day they had left. They spent a beautiful summer making plans for their Carmel home and even co-starred on an episode of The Love Boat. When the house was finally completed in February 1981, Allen, though weakened, got to see it. "We took him back up to see the house finished," Betty recalled. "He slept there two nights."