Nydia Westman
{{Short description|American actress (1902–1970)}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Nydia Westman
| image = Nydia Westman in Manhattan Tower (1932).jpg
| caption = Westman in Manhattan Tower (1932)
| birth_name = Nydia Eileen Westman
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1902|02|19|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = New York City, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1970|05|23|1902|02|19|mf=yes}}
| death_place = Burbank, California, U.S.
| resting_place = Oakwood Memorial Park Cemetery
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1932–1970
| spouse = {{marriage|Salathiel Robert Sparks, aka Robert S. Sparks|1930|1937|reason=divorced}}
| children = Kate Williamson
}}
Nydia Eileen Westman (February 19, 1902 – May 23, 1970) was an American actress and singer of stage, screen, and television.
Early years
Westman's parents, Theodore and Lily (Wren) Westman were active in vaudeville in her native New York City. In addition to their working together on stage, her mother was a writer and her father was a composer. She attended the Professional Children's School.{{cite book|last1=Nissen|first1=Axel|title=Accustomed to Her Face: Thirty-Five Character Actresses of Golden Age Hollywood|date=2016|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786497324|pages=201–203|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U9PIDAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Nydia+Eileen+Westman%22&pg=PA202|accessdate=21 April 2018|language=en}} Until 1921, she performed on stage only with her family.{{cite news |title=Nydia Westmans (sic) Rise |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96296950/nydia-westman/ |access-date=February 24, 2022 |work=Evening Star |date=November 27, 1927 |location=District of Columbia, Washington |page=Part 3 - 1|via = Newspapers.com}}
Career
Westman's career ranged from episodic appearances on TV series such as That Girl and Dragnet and uncredited bit roles in movies to appearances in films such as Craig's Wife, which starred Rosalind Russell, and the first film version of Little Women.
Westman's screen debut came in Strange Justice (1932). She appeared in 31 films in the 1930s.
She appeared as the housekeeper Mrs. Featherstone in the 1962–1963 ABC series, Going My Way, which starred Gene Kelly and Leo G. Carroll as Roman Catholic priests in New York City.
Westman's first Broadway play was Pigs (1924); her last was Midgie Purvis (1961).{{cite web|title=Nydia Westman|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/nydia-westman-64610|website=Internet Broadway Database|publisher=The Broadway League|accessdate=21 April 2018|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180421025919/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/nydia-westman-64610|archivedate=21 April 2018}}
Personal life
Westman was married to Robert Sparks, a producer, from 1930 until 1937; they had a daughter, actress Kate Williamson. Westman died of throat cancer at the age of 68 in Burbank, and was buried at Oakwood Memorial Park Cemetery in Chatsworth, California.Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14000 Famous Persons by Scott Wilson
Selected filmography
| class="wikitable"
|+Film performances !Year !Title !Role !Notes |
| rowspan="2" |1932
|Gwen | |
| Manhattan Tower
|Miss Wood | |
| rowspan="6" |1933
|Sue Wells | |
| King of the Jungle
|Sue | |
| Bondage
|Irma | |
| The Way to Love
|Annette | |
| Little Women
|Mamie | |
| Cradle Song
|Sister Sagrario | |
| rowspan="7" |1934
|Corie | |
| Success at Any Price
|Dinah | |
| The Trumpet Blows
|Carmela Ramirez | |
| Manhattan Love Song
|Annette | |
| Ladies Should Listen
|Susie Flamberg | |
| One Night of Love
|Muriel | |
| Sweet Adeline
|Nellie | |
| rowspan="3" |1935
|Gertie |Uncredited |
| Dressed to Thrill
|Anne Trepied | |
| A Feather in Her Hat
|Emily Judson | |
| rowspan="6" |1936
|Peggy 'Peg' Woofers | |
| The Invisible Ray
|Briggs |Uncredited |
| The Gorgeous Hussy
|Maybelle | |
| Craig's Wife
|Mazie | |
| Rose Bowl
|Susie Reynolds | |
| Pennies from Heaven
|Slavey | |
| rowspan="3" |1937
| | |
| When Love Is Young
|'Dotty' Leonard | |
| Bulldog Drummond's Revenge
|Gwen Longworth | |
| rowspan="4" |1938
|Ada | |
| The First Hundred Years
|Midge | |
| Bulldog Drummond's Peril
|Gwen Longworth | |
| When Tomorrow Comes
|Lulu | |
| 1939
|Cicily | |
| rowspan="2" |1940
|Madamoiselle Cynthia Cliche | |
| Hullabaloo
|Lulu Perkins | |
| rowspan="2" |1941
|Angela Hardy | |
| The Chocolate Soldier
|Liesel | |
| rowspan="2" |1942
|Miss Van Buren | |
| They All Kissed the Bride
|Secretary | |
| rowspan="2" |1943
|Nurse Willing | |
| Princess O'Rourke
|Mrs. Bowers |Uncredited |
| 1944
|Aunt Penelope | |
| 1947
|Jane Willing | |
| rowspan="2" |1948
|Miss Mabel Adams |Uncredited |
| The Velvet Touch
|Susan Crane | |
| 1962
|Amy | |
| 1963
|Martha |Uncredited |
| 1964
|Salvation Army band member |Uncredited |
| rowspan="3" |1966
|Mrs. Cobb | |
| The Chase
|Mrs. Henderson | |
| The Swinger
|Aunt Cora | |
| 1967
|Aunt Zana | |
| 1968
|The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit |Woman in elevator |Uncredited |
| 1970
|Mrs. Smith | |
=Television work=
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Title !Role !Notes |
| 1947–1950
|Mary Kay's mother | |
| 1948
| |1 episode |
| 1950
| |"The Veranda" |
| 1949–1951
|The Philco Television Playhouse | |2 episodes |
| 1951
|Aunt Bertha | |
| 1952
| |1 episode |
| 1953
|Aunt Minnie Stickney |1 episode |
| 1954
| |1 episode |
| 1954–1955
| |5 episodes |
| 1953-1955
|Miss Twink/Cora Kinney | |
| 1955
|Penny |1 episode |
| 1956
|Serena Applegate |1 episode |
| rowspan="2" |1957
|Mrs. Lansing |1 episode |
| The United States Steel Hour
|Miss Prism |1 episode |
| 1960
|Armande Mangebois |1 episode |
| 1962-1963
|Mrs. Featherstone |30 episodes |
| 1963
|Mrs. LeMay |1 episode |
| rowspan="5" |1964
|Miss Morrison |1 episode |
| The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
|Aunt Ida Maye |1 episode |
| Perry Mason
|Ivy Stanton |1 episode |
| Bonanza
|Martha Washburn |1 episode |
| Ben Casey
|Mrs. Simmons |1 episode |
| rowspan="4" |1965
|Mrs. Robbins |1 episode |
| The Munsters
|Elderly woman |1 episode |
| F Troop
|Mama Dobbs |1 episode |
| My Favorite Martian
|Matilda |1 episode |
| 1965-1966
|Aunt Alice/Emma |2 episodes |
| rowspan="2" |1967
|Lady |"Rain, Snow, Ice" |
| Family Affair
|Mrs. Elkins |1 episode |
| 1968
|Woman |1 episode |
| rowspan="2" |1969
|Bridget McGloin |1 episode |
| Adam-12
|Alice Hoyt |1 episode |
| 1967–1970
|Martha Anderson Myrtle Perriwinkle Mrs. Morrison Phoebe Kensington Jennifer Salt Mrs. Mary Burnside |6 episodes |
| 1969
|Mae | |
| 1970
|Mrs. Quigley |1 episode |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Nydia Westman}}
{{Portal|Biography|New York City|Los Angeles|California|Theatre|Music|Film|Television}}
- {{IMDb name}}
- {{IBDB name}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120218121924/http://www.filmsandtv.com/movies/nydiawestman.php FilmsAndTV bio]
- {{Find a Grave}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Westman, Nydia}}
Category:American film actresses
Category:American stage actresses
Category:American television actresses
Category:Actresses from New York City
Category:Actresses from Greater Los Angeles
Category:Deaths from cancer in California
Category:Obie Award recipients
Category:Singers from New York City
Category:20th-century American actresses