Nydia Eileen Westman (February 19, 1902 – May 23, 1970) was an American character 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. Until 1921, she performed on stage only with her family.
Career Westman's career started in theatre begain 1921 and she featured in the Broadway production Pigs in 1924. She starred in another long-running Broadway hit during 1926-1927 with Two Girls Wanted. Her screen appearances 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.
Her last role in a Broadway production was Midgie Purvis (1961).
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 +Film performancesYearTitleRoleNotes1932Strange JusticeGwenManhattan TowerMiss Wood1933From Hell to HeavenSue WellsKing of the JungleSueBondageIrmaThe Way to LoveAnnetteLittle WomenMamieCradle SongSister Sagrario1934Two AloneCorieSuccess at Any PriceDinahThe Trumpet BlowsCarmela RamirezManhattan Love SongAnnetteLadies Should ListenSusie FlambergOne Night of LoveMurielSweet AdelineNellie1935Captain HurricaneGertie UncreditedDressed to ThrillAnne TrepiedA Feather in Her HatEmily Judson1936Three Live GhostsPeggy 'Peg' WoofersThe Invisible RayBriggsUncreditedThe Gorgeous HussyMaybelleCraig's WifeMazieRose BowlSusie ReynoldsPennies from HeavenSlavey1937Bulldog Drummond Comes BackWhen Love Is Young'Dotty' LeonardBulldog Drummond's RevengeGwen Longworth1938The Goldwyn FolliesAdaThe First Hundred YearsMidgeBulldog Drummond's PerilGwen LongworthWhen Tomorrow ComesLulu1939The Cat and the CanaryCicily1940Forty Little MothersMadamoiselle Cynthia ClicheHullabalooLulu Perkins1941The Bad ManAngela HardyThe Chocolate SoldierLiesel1942The Remarkable AndrewMiss Van BurenThey All Kissed the BrideSecretary1943Hers to HoldNurse WillingPrincess O'RourkeMrs. BowersUncredited1944Her Primitive ManAunt Penelope1947The Late George ApleyJane Willing1948MickeyMiss Mabel AdamsUncreditedThe Velvet TouchSusan Crane1962Don't Knock the TwistAmy1963For Love or MoneyMarthaUncredited1964Mail Order BrideSalvation Army band memberUncredited1966The Ghost and Mr. ChickenMrs. CobbThe ChaseMrs. HendersonThe SwingerAunt Cora1967The Reluctant AstronautAunt Zana1968The Horse in the Gray Flannel SuitWoman in elevatorUncredited1970Rabbit, RunMrs. Smith
Television work +YearTitleRoleNotes1947–1950Mary Kay and JohnnyMary Kay's mother1948Actors Studio1 episode1950The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre"The Veranda"1949–1951The Philco Television Playhouse2 episodes1951Young Mr. BobbinAunt Bertha1952Robert Montgomery Presents1 episode1953Broadway Television TheatreAunt Minnie Stickney1 episode1954Philip Morris Playhouse1 episode1954–1955Kraft Television Theatre5 episodes1953-1955Studio OneMiss Twink/Cora Kinney1955Ford Television TheatrePenny1 episode1956Producers' ShowcaseSerena Applegate1 episode1957The Kaiser Aluminum HourMrs. Lansing1 episodeThe United States Steel HourMiss Prism1 episode1960Play of the WeekArmande Mangebois1 episode1962-1963Going My WayMrs. Featherstone30 episodes1963Route 66Mrs. LeMay1 episode1964The Addams FamilyMiss Morrison1 episodeThe Alfred Hitchcock HourAunt Ida Maye1 episodePerry MasonIvy Stanton1 episodeBonanzaMartha Washburn1 episodeBen CaseyMrs. Simmons1 episode1965The Donna Reed ShowMrs. Robbins1 episodeThe MunstersElderly woman1 episodeF TroopMama Dobbs1 episodeMy Favorite MartianMatilda1 episode1965-1966Please Don't Eat The DaisiesAunt Alice/Emma2 episodes1967That GirlLady"Rain, Snow, Ice"Family AffairMrs. Elkins1 episode1968PremiereWoman1 episode1969LancerBridget McGloin1 episodeAdam-12Alice Hoyt1 episode1967–1970Dragnet 1967Martha Anderson Myrtle Perriwinkle Mrs. Morrison Phoebe Kensington Jennifer Salt Mrs. Mary Burnside6 episodes1969Silent Night, Lonely NightMae1970BewitchedMrs. Quigley1 episode
References
External links
FilmsAndTV bio