Nancy Nutter da Silva

Nancy Nutter da Silva, of Ossining, NY, died July 6th, 2025 after a short illness. She was 93 years old.

Born October 2nd, 1931 in Medford, Massachusetts, the daughter of Helen Bates and Winslow Alden Nutter, Nancy graduated early from Winchester High School in 1948 and entered Tufts University that fall at just 16 years old. There she started with Greek, Latin, Mathematics, History, Rhetoric, Moral and Physical Science and Natural and Revealed Religion (!), but quickly turned to Theater Production under the tutelage of Marston Balch. She appeared in four productions, declared a drama major, and was elected to the famed Pen, Paint and Pretzels drama association. In the end, Nancy was possibly more proud of her '3P' membership than she was her AEA, SAG and AFTRA Union memberships. She graduated with an AB (BA) in Drama, 1952.

Directly after graduation Nancy traveled to the Cleveland Playhouse, where she was featured in three shows, assisted the Director on another, and the Stage Manager on yet another. Returning quickly to New York, moving into a walkup on Mulberry St., she studied with Herbert Berghof and Uta Hagen and pounded the pavement. She soon joined the company of Director Alex Segal, who employed her as a Production Secretary on three of his Broadway productions in the late 50s: 'Jolly's Progress', 'Who Was That Lady I Saw You With?' and 'Compulsion'. As Nancy once said, "Alex told me, 'You're not a great secretary, but you're smart.'"

On 'Compulsion' she met actor Howard da Silva, and the year after they moved in together to a loft above Kove Bros Hardware on 21st and 7th. She continued to audition (often with scene partner Alan Alda, whom she had met through da Silva) and soon scored a gig with the Theatre Guild, as Miss M. Muse in 'The Skin of Our Teeth' starring Helen Hayes. In 1961, while she was on tour in Europe with Hayes and the Guild, da Silva tracked her down, and they were married in Greenwich, England.

Onscreen she and da Silva worked together in 'David and Lisa' (1962), and she also appeared in 'The Swimmer' (1968). Onstage in the '70s and '80s she worked with her family, and without in NY Regional Theater, including the Emelin in Mamaroneck, the Stage Company in Queens and the Equity Library Theatre in Lincoln Center. In later years she assisted her close friend, director Cyprienne Gabel, on several projects, worked in casting, appeared in readings, and taught acting in the Westchester BOCES system. One of her last notable local credits was reading Allen Ginsberg's 'Howl' (unedited) at a Banned Book event held at the Ossining Public Library.

Nancy was an avid photographer, taking candid yearbook shots for her children's schools, as well as the occasional semi-professional spread, as when her beautiful shots of China were purchased by Travel Magazine. A famously insatiable reader, she filled their house with books on every subject, and was known to read supermarket circulars when nothing else was available. She was also an occasional happy traveler, venturing to favorites like London and Amsterdam, and further off to Russia, China, the GDR and Cuba, where she met Fidel Castro.

Nancy was a lifelong animal lover, including spiders, snakes and bears, and a longtime vegetarian. She hated fireworks because they scared animals.

Nancy was a proud lapsed Unitarian (pre-Universalist), and though a relative nonbeliever, embodied the Unitarian tenets of ethics and rationalism. She was also proud of her age, usually increasing it by a year when asked.

She is survived by her sister Charlotte Krenis (Laurence), son Daniel, daughter Margaret (Peter), Grandchildren Peter, Holly and David, and a host of other family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to your favorite animal welfare group or the Center for Cuban Studies in Brooklyn, NY.