Nydia Eileen Westman was a talented American actress and singer who had a successful career spanning stage, screen, and television. Born on February 19, 1902, in New York City, Westman was the daughter of Theodore and Lily (Wren) Westman, both of whom were active in vaudeville. Her parents' profession had a significant influence on her early life, and she even attended the Professional Children's School.
Westman's family was filled with individuals who were involved in the performing arts. Her sisters, Lolita and Neville, were actresses, while her brother, Theodore, was an actor and playwright who sadly passed away on November 20, 1927.
Westman's acting career began with episodic appearances on TV series such as That Girl and Dragnet, as well as uncredited bit roles in movies. However, she also appeared in some groundbreaking films, including Craig's Wife, which starred Rosalind Russell, and the first film version of Little Women.
Westman's screen debut came in the 1922 film Strange Justice, and she went on to appear in 31 films during the 1930s. Her role in the 1962-1963 ABC series Going My Way, in which she played the housekeeper Mrs. Featherstone, was particularly notable. The series starred Gene Kelly and Leo G. Carroll as Roman Catholic priests in New York City.
In addition to her work in film and television, Westman also had a successful career on stage. Her first Broadway play was Pigs in 1924, and her last was Midgie Purvis in 1961. One of her most notable stage roles was Nell in Samuel Beckett's Endgame, which she debuted off-Broadway and won one of the first Obie awards for.
Westman was married to producer Robert Sparks from 1930 until 1937 and had a daughter, actress Kate Williamson, born on September 19, 1931. Tragically, Westman passed away on May 23, 1970, at the age of sixty-eight due to cancer in Burbank, California.
