Biography

Beverly Younger

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Beverly Ruth Younger was born August 2, 1915 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Her parents were Edward J. Younger (1891-1954) and Margaret Verle Dunham (1891-1975). Beverly's first stage appearance was at the age of four and from the age of six until she left high school in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA she had parts with the Bainbridge Players. She decided to stay and performed for the next several years with the Federal Theater and began being featured on radio soap operas. She was also a writer, specializing in comedic monologues. She met actor Lester Burton Podewell (1907-1998) in the Eugene O'Neill play, The Straw, in which they both had roles. They married later that year in 1937. Many of her early monologues were written for his performances, however she wrote many character impersonations for her own one woman shows. For five years she played Matilda Pendleton on radio's Ma Perkins. Following that experience she played Kitty Keene on the radio series by that name. During the 1950's on Stud Terkel's Stud's Place live TV show in Chicago she played Gracie the waitress. Her husband, Lester Podewell, was among the diner's clientele. She died following a lengthy illness on July 24, 1999 in Evanston, Illinois, USA.
- IMDb mini biography by: SAGE STEPS

As an elementary school student Beverly had small parts with the Bainbridge Players. At the age of fourteen she quit high school to become a regular member of that group. She finished secondary schooling through the use of private tutors.
A 1944 South Carolina newspaper characterizing Beverly's background said her cradle was a wardrobe trunk backstage, she carried a makeup box before a purse, and did her first acting as a toddler.
The parents of Beverly Younger in 1947 resided in McMinnville, Oregon, USA. Her father was the manager of the McMinnville Chamber of Commerce. Beverly and her husband, Lester Podewell, moved west to establish and operate a children's theater. It was reported that they wanted to get away from the city when they bought a home on RR #8, on Glenn Creek drive, West Salem, Oregon, USA.
Beverly Younger was twice nominated for the Sarah Siddons award as the best actress in Chicago.
As the featured presenter in 1967 for a Rockford Woman's Club Beverly did a one woman show that depicted three kinds of women. There was a spinster, nearing panic as she searched for a man while being prodded by her married sister; a wife from a poor background married to and dominated by a rich and cultured husband; and a mother striving for status through her son's achievements.

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