Is Betty White Really Older Than Sliced Bread?
At nearly 100 years old, Betty White has had an extensive Hollywood career that began all the way in the late 1930s (via Biography). However, it wasn't until she appeared in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" in the 1970s that White became a star. Most notably, White later starred and received an Emmy for her role as Rose Nylund in "Golden Girls" (per Britannica). According to Mental Floss, her lengthy career eventually garnered her a Guinness world record in 2014 for having the longest TV career as a female entertainer.
That being said, TribLIVE states that penicillin, frozen food, and even television are all younger than White — and that's not all. You might have seen a meme about her being older than sliced bread in recent years. Snopes reports that the meme resurfaced just in time for White's 99th birthday on January 17. The question then is, is it actually true or just an internet rumor? Per History, sliced bread was invented in 1928, six years after White was born in 1922.
Betty White is indeed older than sliced bread
Although bread has been around for centuries, the sliced variety is a relatively new invention (via History). According to Snopes, this is all thanks to Otto Rohwedder, a man who, at first, had some trouble with his bread slicer. A fire destroyed his prototype in 1917 and his first one broke down after a few months of use (per National Museum of American History). Nonetheless, Rohwedder prevailed and his machine made its debut in Missouri on July 6, 1928. Per Gold Medal Bakery, it could slice and wrap a loaf of bread. By 1930, sliced bread could be found in most towns in the United States, simply because it was easier to use.
As for White, she may be "older," but she is still a Hollywood powerhouse. Screen Rant reports that she mostly does voice work these days. In 2019, she lent her voice to the animated film "Toy Story 4" (via Suggest). White's last feature role was on the sitcom "Hot in Cleveland." She landed the role in 2010 when she was 88. White later told Parade that she felt incredibly lucky to be working at her age. However, she's not the oldest living celebrity. At 104, Yahoo! states Marsha Hunt is considered to be the oldest living actor from Hollywood's Golden Age.