700 fans greet Betty White in Lake Grove

"She's coming in from a helicopter. She's going to bust through the ceiling," speculated Eric D'Onofrio, 21, of Oakdale.

But Thursday night at a Lake Grove bookstore, Betty White made a relatively calm entrance from the elevator, leading adoring fans to clap and scream.

More than 700 fans waited in a line outside Barnes & Noble at the Smith Haven Mall where the 89-year-old award-winning actress and animal lover -- known for her roles on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "The Golden Girls" and most recently "Hot in Cleveland" -- signed copies of her sixth book, "If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't)."

The book draws on her lifetime lessons -- tackling everything from her film and television roles (including those she turned down), opinions on health and aging, her devotion to animals, and love of poker and crossword puzzles.

Gerard Kelly, 25, of North Babylon and friend Kelly Ryan, 21, of Brentwood, arrived at the store at 12:45 a.m. so they could be the first to snag the golden tickets doled out for the signing.

"I don't think there's [just] one thing you could like about Betty White. She's an icon and she's timeless," Ryan said.

That timeless quality was exhibited by the age range of the folks who pronounced their love for White, who has been riding high since her top-rated Snickers commercial aired during the 2010 Super Bowl and inspired thousands of fans to lobby for her to host "Saturday Night Live," which later earned her an Emmy Award.

SEE PHOTOSBetty White through the years

"She's legendary. Sixty-three years in the business and she's still going," said Julie Clark, 14, of St. James. "There's Justin Bieber and there's Betty White."

White seemed to be enjoying her fans, to whom she apologized for being nearly 45 minutes late, stuck in traffic on her first visit to Long Island. She wore a cream blazer with red flowers and black pants, and signed books, saying "thank you" constantly as fans heaped compliments her way.

"You are gorgeous," one woman said.

To which White quipped, "That's a joke right there."