The pioneering Emmy-winning comedienne enjoyed one of the longest careers in showbiz history: she began regularly appearing on television in 1949 and had a voice role in "Toy Story 4" in 2019. 

"Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever," her agent Jeff Witjas told People magazine in a statement.

"I will miss her terribly." 

TMZ, citing law enforcement sources, said she died at her home on Friday. The cause of death was not immediately revealed.

The news sparked an outpouring of tributes, with President Joe Biden tweeting, "Betty White brought a smile to the lips of generations of Americans. She's a cultural icon who will be sorely missed."

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which hands out the Oscars, said White was "a legend, trailblazer and cultural icon who blessed generations with her talent and humour. She will be truly missed." 

White was one of the first woman producers on the 1950s sitcom "Life With Elizabeth," in which she also starred. 

Later, as a nonagenarian, she interacted with much younger fans on Instagram.

"It's incredible that I'm still in this business -- and you are still putting up with me!" White said at the 2018 Emmys. 

In all, she won five primetime Emmys, two daytime awards including one for lifetime achievement, and a regional Emmy in Los Angeles.

White, whose signature halo of white-blonde hair and clear blue eyes were instantly recognizable, adopted a variety of on-screen personas.

She went from playing a 1950s housewife on "Elizabeth" to a man-hungry 1970s TV personality on "Moore" to a doe-eyed 1980s "Golden Girl" retiree.

In real life, she loved delivering irreverent one-liners.

When asked by late-night host David Letterman about her favourite pastimes, the long-time animal welfare advocate replied: "(I like to) play with animals, mostly. And vodka's kind of a hobby."

- Late success -

White won over an entirely new generation of viewers -- millennials who watched "Golden Girls" reruns -- with her snarky, sometimes bawdy wit.

She also starred on TV Land's "Hot in Cleveland" and hosted the hidden camera prank show "Off Their Rockers."

She even returned to game shows on a revamped "To Tell The Truth."

In 2010, at age 88, White became the oldest-ever host of long-running comedy sketch show "Saturday Night Live" -- an experience she called "probably the most fun I've ever had, and the scariest."

SNL veteran and late-night TV host Seth Meyers tweeted Sunday that White was "the only SNL host I ever saw get a standing ovation at the after-party. A party at which she ordered a vodka and a hotdog and stayed till the bitter end."

White chalked up her long career to being "blessed."

In addition to her multiple Emmys, White was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1995.

She won three Screen Actors Guild awards, including a lifetime achievement trophy in 2010. In 2011, she took home a Grammy for the audio version of one of her books.

White and Ludden were married from 1963 until his death in 1981. The actress never remarried and had no children of her own.

eNCA