Actress Nedra Volz was born on June 18, 1908, in Montrose. She found fame late in life as an actress in movies and television sitcoms.
Sept/Oct 2024 (Volume 16, Issue 5)
By John Busbee
“Everywhere I go, people think they know me from somewhere. Because I look so familiar to them. Cashiers think they know me as a customer, even if I’ve never been in the store before. Some of the little kids come up to me and ask if they can hug me. And some of the senior citizens will say, ‘I think you’re the cutest thing,’” said Nedra (pronounced ‘nee-druh’) Volz in a 1983 interview for the Chillicothe Gazette, a Tennessee newspaper.
Hollywood has always had a bevy of A-list actors who capture the attention of the media and idolizing fans. These stars are supported by a foundation of talented, work-a-day, character actors like Volz. This noteworthy “supporting cast” of actors have names not always recognized, but their faces spark “a-ha” moments of recognition. At under five feet tall, Volz delivered some of her most powerful performance punches as a senior actor on popular television sitcoms such as “All in the Family,” “The Dukes of Hazzard,” “Alice,” “Maude,” “Diff’rent Strokes” and “One Day at a Time.”
Nedra Volz portrayed housekeeper Adelaide Brubaker on the popular television sitcom “Diff’rent Strokes,” which aired from 1978 to 1986.
Born on June 18, 1908, in the southeast Iowa river town of Montrose, Nedra Viola Gordinier was the only child of Otis S. Gordinier and Verdah Viola (Vanosdoll) Gordinier. She followed a similar path as many performers of that transitional era of entertainment, the world of vaudeville. Her parents were vaudevillians, so at an early age she seemed pre-destined for the world of performing. No crystal ball could have predicted what that path would be.
Volz’s career evolved, giving her a varied background of experience that would prove invaluable as she transitioned from vaudeville to radio, and finally, to television and movies. Her versatility and unique attributes made her a darling of many television series from the 1970s into the early 1990s. These later roles ranged from kindly little old lady, to sassy senior, and descriptives for her acting included “bawdy,” “raucous,” “smart aleck,” “deceptively sweet” and “surprisingly saucy.” Her extensive list of credits include memorable movies and a string of some of the most iconic television shows of her time. This chameleon-like brilliance led to steady work in television and film when many her age were content to bask in retirement. Exploring her story is a fascinating look at how this talented Iowan carved her legacy within the entertainment industry.
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