Nydia Westman (American, 1902-1970)
Westman got her start in show business young, performing on stage as part of her family’s vaudeville routine and making her Broadway debut in 1924. She transitioned away from stage comedies to films during the 1930s and 40s with the advent of sound, appearing at times alongside stars like Cary Grant and Bob Hope. George Hurrell’s portrait of Westman, taken in the mid-30s, captures the young actress at the height of her movie career. Westman’s postwar career saw her return to the stage and eventually to television, where she became best known for playing kindly older matrons on shows like Perry Mason, F Troop, and Bewitched.
