Betty White Is Gorgeous in These Never-Before-Seen Photos From Her Early Career

Betty White has had the longest career of any entertainer in television history. That's no hyperbole - in 2018, the legendary actress known for her roles on The Golden Girls, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and more recently, Hot in Cleveland, celebrates her 80th year in Hollywood. In honor of the milestone, White granted the team behind the Pioneers of Television series unprecedented access to create a documentary retrospective about her life and work.

Betty White: First Lady of Television airs tonight on PBS (times vary by location - check your local listing), and in advance of the premiere, White opened up her personal photo archive, and is sharing never-before-seen pictures from early in her career with Town & Country. Read on to see snaps of White both at home and on-set.

Before venturing into TV, White had her own radio show called "The Betty White Show." Here she is posing with a microphone.

It's unclear when this photo of White at home with her poodle Danny was taken, but given the Emmy in the background (sitting on top of the television), it had to be after 1952. That's when she won her first regional Emmy award for "most outstanding female personality."

This snapshot of White gliding across an indoor ice rink dates back to 1954.

White is recognized as the first woman to produce a national television show (Life with Elizabeth). While in that role, she hired director Betty Tubiville (right), "creating the first network series to have a woman in both key positions," according to PBS.

White has always recognized the importance of giving back. Here she is taking a deserving young child to meet Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.

White continued to live with her mother Tess, even after she found success in acting. Here, White sips on a cup of tea and chats with mom while an almost overflowing box of fan-mail looms in the front of the frame.

White poses for a photograph in a plaid shirt and cowboy hat.

White with her puppy Bandit, who reportedly served as the inspiration for her company name, Bandy Productions.

Betty White with another one of her pups, Stormy, a St. Bernard, in 1954. In addition to her acting career, White has been an animal advocate for years.

On the set of The Betty White Show in 1954.

Driving with the top down, sometime around 1954.

White onstage at the Beverly Hills Theater before filming Life with Elizabeth.