Betty Whites 100th Birthday To Be Celebrated By Hallmark Channel

People all over the world were shocked and dismayed to learn that actress Betty White had passed away in her Los Angeles home early on New Year’s Eve at the age of 99. It was later reported that the cause of her death was a stroke she had suffered six days prior to her passing. White’s death came just over two weeks before her much-anticipated 100th birthday. Now, Hallmark Channel is planning a marathon of special programming dedicated to the much-loved actress.

Tribute To Betty White

Betty White is best known for her roles in The Golden Girls and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, both of which garnered fans of all ages, all over the world.

CNN reports that the planned nationwide movie event will still go on to celebrate what would have been the beloved actress’s 100th birthday on January 17. That film will be aired at 900 theaters across the USA and will follow Betty’s life, highlighting her work as a comedian and actress and as a fierce advocate for animals.

Hallmark Channel Celebrates Betty White’s 100th Birthday

Not to be outdone, Hallmark Channel is also planning to celebrate Betty White’s 100th birthday with a special marathon, starting on January 17 and running into January 18. The network shared the announcement with Southern Living, revealing plans for “Honoring Betty White”, a special slate of programming scheduled for her 100th birthday.

Starting at 12 am, Hallmark Channel will air a 40-episode marathon of The Golden Girls while highlighting many of Rose Nylund’s funniest and most iconic moments. The lineup will run throughout the day and will lead up to a special presentation of the 2011 Hallmark movie The Lost Valentine at 8 pm ET/PT. The plot of the movie surrounds a reporter (Jennifer Love Hewitt) who seeks the truth about a woman’s (Betty White) husband (Billy Magnussen), a pilot who never returned from duty in World War II.

Following The Movie, The Marathon Will Resume And Will Conclude At 5 am ET/PT On Tuesday, January 18.

A news release teased, “The marathon includes specially selected episodes of The Golden Girls that highlight Rose’s surprising competitive streak; visits by her St. Olaf relatives; funny career moments from the grief center and assisting consumer reporter Enrique Mas; along with plenty of romance, including boyfriends Dr. Jonathan Newman, Mister Terrific and of course, Miles Webber.”

Besides the marathon, Hallmark Channel will further honor Betty’s legacy by participating in the #BettyWhiteChallenge. The company has contributed to the social media push to raise money for animal welfare causes by donating to North Shore Animal League America.

Readers anywhere in the world can also participate in the #BettyWhiteChallenge by donating to American Humane, or any local animal rescue group, in Betty White’s name on what would have been her 100th birthday on January 17.

Readers, will you be tuning in for “Honoring Betty White”? Let us know by dropping a comment below.