The daughter of actor-composer Theodore Westman and actress-playwright Lily Wren Westman, she appeared with the family's act as a child. At 16 she debuted on Broadway, doing much work there and in stock before joining the stage actors' rush to Hollywood in the early sound era. Onscreen from 1932, her small, pudgy appearance led her to supporting roles such as nervous old maids; her characters were often comedic. She continued appearing in occasional films until the year of her death.