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Comedienne Pudgy! Passes Away in Las Vegas
Comedienne Pudgy! died suddenly in her Las Vegas home, on Christmas Eve day, 2007. The cause of death was an apparent heart attack, suffered while she was watching television in her living room.
Born Beverly Wines in Chicago, to German-Polish parents, she was nicknamed "Pudgy" as a little girl because of her chubby cheeks. The future "Queen of Tease" was voted high school “Class Clown,” which she claimed forced her to rethink her dream of becoming a mortician.
Her talent for witty wise-cracking led to her
becoming a legend at the "Basket of Curls" beauty salon, where she
worked. Unfortunately, Pudgy developed an
allergy to hair chemicals & had to look elsewhere for a career. She then joined a small theatre group called
Encore & 
took a job as a waitress at a downtown Chicago restaurant called Toffinetti's. She
traded wisecracks with the local & national politicos who populated the
lunch time booths, all vying to be seated at her station.
A singer-pianist named Les Tucker persuaded Pudgy to become a singing waitress at his 20 East Delaware Club & the place began to draw a celebrity clientele (from Count Basie to Barry Manilow), as word spread of Pudgy's comedy & her strong singing voice.
Chicago singer & good friend Nan Mason, convinced Pudgy to drop her waiting job & take a gig as a performer at Punchinello's. There she met future husband & manager Mike Cardella, who, in the early 1980s, booked her at the famed Freddy's Supper Club, in New York City.
Pudgy was so unique, that within 3 weeks, a bidding war began between the William Morris Agency & ICM, to sign her. She eventually signed with Lee Soloman at William Morris.
Pudgy duplicated her New York success in Los Angeles, becoming the longest running act in the history of Studio One's Back-lot in Hollywood. Her SRO audiences were constantly star-studded; Phyllis Diller, Milton Berle, Richard Deacon, Rose Marie, Sammy Davis Jr, Suzanne Somers, Donna Pescow, Robin Williams & Barry Manilow were just some of the names who went to see her time & again. In addition to being a recurring guest on “The Mike Douglas Show,” “The Merv Griffin Show” & “Hollywood Squares,” she starred in her own television specials "Pudgy! With The Chippendales" & "Pudgy! On The Queen Mary." In between major engagements, she continued working as a headliner in night clubs & casinos across America, winning many awards, including an A.F.T.R.A. Award, presented to her in Los Angeles by Dionne Warwick.
At the time of her death, Pudgy was starring
in X-Burlesque at the Flamingo Hotel
in Las Vegas.
She is survived by her husband, Mike Cardella & their three children, Michael
Jr, Melissa & Anthony. Pudgy’s funeral will be held in her native Chicago.
