The One Regret Betty White Had About Her Late Husband

Let’s talk about Betty White, a woman who filled her life with laughter, joy, and incredible success. But even with all that, she had one regret—a moment she wished she could turn back time for. It was about her late husband, Allen Ludden. In her own words, Betty once confessed, “I wasted a whole year that Allen and I could have had together, saying, ‘No, I wouldn’t marry him. No, I won’t. No, I won’t leave California. No, I won’t move to New York.’” Can you imagine saying no to love like that? It’s a powerful reminder of how fleeting life can be.

Why Betty Moved Cautiously in Love

Now, before you judge Betty too harshly, let’s take a step back. By the time she met Allen on the set of the iconic game show Password in 1961, she’d already been through two failed marriages in her 20s. That’s a lot for anyone to handle. So, when she guested on Password early in its run, she was naturally a little hesitant about diving headfirst into love again. But Allen? He was different. Betty was immediately struck by his kindness, both in front of the cameras and behind the scenes. “He was never too busy to say a warm goodbye after the last show finished,” she remembered fondly. Over time, they became close friends, setting the stage for something much deeper.

A Summer That Changed Everything

Not long after meeting, Betty agreed to star opposite Allen in a summer stock play called Critic’s Choice, performed in Massachusetts and Maine. It was during this time that Allen’s feelings for Betty really began to blossom. He recalled, “I fell in love with her opening night.” And it wasn’t just Allen who felt the magic. Even his then-young children—David, Martha, and Sarah, who had joined him in New England—sensed the special connection between their dad and Betty. They all had a blast together, even convincing Betty to take a leap off a rope swing into a lake (despite not knowing how to swim). Talk about diving headfirst into adventure!

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When summer ended, Allen and his family returned to New York, while Betty headed back to California. But the distance didn’t stop them. Allen kept asking Betty to marry him, but she kept saying no. “In love as I was, nonetheless marrying and moving east was still not in the equation,” she admitted. Allen, however, was persistent. He truly believed in their future together and kept pushing gently. Then came Easter, when Allen sent Betty a stuffed white bunny adorned with gold, flower-shaped earrings studded with tiny diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. Alongside the bunny was a 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 joked. “It was the goddamned bunny. I still have it.”

The Wedding and Early Days

The couple tied the knot at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas on June 14, 1963. Betty fondly recalled, “We were married by the same judge, David Zeno, who had joined Grant Tinker and Mary Tyler Moore the previous year.” They moved to Chappaqua, NY, with Allen’s three children and their two chocolate poodles, but adjusting wasn’t easy. Betty admitted to feeling waves of homesickness, while Allen’s daughter Martha went through a rebellious phase. Adding to the challenges, Betty lost her beloved father early in their marriage, closely followed by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Despite the trials, these hardships brought them closer. “It finally hit me that [Allen and I] were a unit,” Betty said. “From that day forward, any problem we had came from the outside.”

Collaboration and Career Success

Allen continued his illustrious career as a game show host, while Betty became a beloved guest on shows like What’s My Line?, I’ve Got a Secret, and various iterations of Password. When Betty wasn’t working, she and her mom would often watch Allen tape shows from the audience. The couple also sought every opportunity to collaborate, starring together in the 1963 romantic comedy play Janus. As game show producer Lin Bolen recalled, “When they couldn’t be together at work, they’d call each other from their dressing rooms.”

In 1968, they moved to California, where Betty thrived in her Emmy-winning role as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Their happy home life included vacations in Carmel, CA, where they decided to build their dream house. “When [Allen] was trying to talk me into getting married, he would say, ‘I’ll build you a house in Carmel.’ Boy did he ever,” Betty recalled fondly.