Minerva Pious (March 5, 1903 â€" March 16, 1979) was an American
radio, television and film actress. She was best known as the
malaprop-prone Pansy Nussbaum in Fred Allen's famous "Allen's Alley"
current-events skits. In his book, Treadmill to Oblivion, Allen called
Pious "the most accomplished woman dialectitian ever to appear in
radio."Minnie Pious, as she was originally known, was born in Odessa,
Czarist Russia, and moved to the United States with her parents when
she was 2 years old, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1918 through her
naturalized citizen father.She attended high school in Bridgeport,
Connecticut, where she was active in the Players Club dramatic
organization. An article in the December 6, 1919, issue of the
Bridgeport Telegram reported, "Miss Minerva Pious delighted the school
with her dramatic reading ..." and added "Miss Pious has given very
many successful story readings through the past year and will continue
the community work."Pious's excellent typing and shorthand in high
school led to a job as a stenographer for a judge in Bridgeport. She
later wrote for a national syndicate. Next she was a writer for
Loew's. She spent the majority of her life and career in New York City
and worked extensively as a radio comedian.[citation needed]
radio, television and film actress. She was best known as the
malaprop-prone Pansy Nussbaum in Fred Allen's famous "Allen's Alley"
current-events skits. In his book, Treadmill to Oblivion, Allen called
Pious "the most accomplished woman dialectitian ever to appear in
radio."Minnie Pious, as she was originally known, was born in Odessa,
Czarist Russia, and moved to the United States with her parents when
she was 2 years old, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1918 through her
naturalized citizen father.She attended high school in Bridgeport,
Connecticut, where she was active in the Players Club dramatic
organization. An article in the December 6, 1919, issue of the
Bridgeport Telegram reported, "Miss Minerva Pious delighted the school
with her dramatic reading ..." and added "Miss Pious has given very
many successful story readings through the past year and will continue
the community work."Pious's excellent typing and shorthand in high
school led to a job as a stenographer for a judge in Bridgeport. She
later wrote for a national syndicate. Next she was a writer for
Loew's. She spent the majority of her life and career in New York City
and worked extensively as a radio comedian.[citation needed]
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