Beginning her career as a talented child actress, Beverly Washburn worked alongside Hollywood’s most popular actors and her list of favorites is long (see www.beverlywashburn.com).
While she appeared in several “Wagon Train” episodes, her favorite was The Tobias Jones Story where Lou Costello plays a drunk accused of murder – a rare dramatic role for the comedian and one of his final acting appearances.
“I was a big Abbott & Costello fan, so it was a thrill to work with Lou,” said Washburn from Las Vegas where she has lived for over 20 years. “I just loved him, he was such as sweet man. But he was so used to ad-libbing in the comedy routines that he actually found it hard to stick to the script. When he forgot a line, he would look into the camera and say, ‘So how are ya?’ which always made me giggle.”
Washburn possessed a special talent that was often in demand.
“I could cry on cue which was usually required for playing the poor little orphan girl-type roles I often had,” she explained. “My brother would tease me and say I cried at supermarket openings!”
Co-stars were quick to praise young Beverly’s mature acting skills. After they worked together, Lou Costello publicly acknowledged her for helping bring out his credible dramatic performance.
In her book, “Reel Tears: The Beverly Washburn Story, Take Two” re-released in 2013 by BearManor Media, Washburn shares many more stories from her career.
“It hasn’t all be roses, as I talk about in my book,” she adds, “but I have a lot of fond memories for sure.”
Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Alabama, and has written features, columns, and interviews for over 750 newspapers and magazines. See www.getnickt.org
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