Basic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Cyril Cecil Nigg |
| Birth | March 12, 1905, Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minnesota |
| Death | March 25, 1999, Los Angeles, California |
| Education | Loyola High School of Los Angeles, Class of 1923; UCLA, B.A. in Business Administration, 1927 |
| Occupations | Sales executive, snack food manufacturer, corporate director, civic leader |
| Best known for | Transforming Bell Brand Foods into a Southern California snack powerhouse; UCLA alumni and regental leadership; Catholic lay leadership |
| Parents | Peter Julius Nigg and Rose Dorothy Ulmen |
| Sibling | Rita Armstrong |
| Marriages | Edith Witkowski Nigg (married 1929, deceased); Dorothy Lieb Von der Ahe (married 1989, predeceased him); Josephine Alicia Josie Wayne Nigg, née Saenz (married 1996) |
| Children | Two with Edith: C. Peter Nigg and Nancy Nigg Doty |
| Descendants at death | 16 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren |
| Faith | Roman Catholic; honored as Knight of Malta, Knight Commander of St. Gregory, and Knight of the Holy Sepulchre |
| Key affiliations | UCLA Alumni Association president; ex officio University of California Regent; United Way of Los Angeles County; Vernon Rotary Club; Sales Executives Club; boards of multiple Catholic and health institutions |
| Notable philanthropy | Major support for the Cyril C. Nigg Newman Center at UCLA, gift totaling 2 million dollars; backing for Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and numerous charities |
Early Life and Education
Cyril Cecil Nigg was born in Minnesota and grew up in a family steeped in German American Catholic tradition. His parents moved from Mankato to Minneapolis around 1911, then set their sights on Los Angeles in 1920 when Cyril was 15. The westward move changed the arc of his life.
He graduated from Loyola High School in 1923, having received gold medals for his academic achievements. He then enrolled at the University of California, Southern Branch, which would later be known as UCLA. On campus, he combined knowledge and initiative. He was the president of the Newman Club, profited handsomely from the Southern Campus yearbook, took part in drama, and joined Kappa Sigma. He completed his business degree in 1927, convinced that learning and networking in the place where one wishes to reside is a wise investment.
From Sales Foundation to Entrepreneurial Leap
Nigg tried real estate after UCLA before entering U.S. Gypsum 1928. At the start of the consumer period, he joined Kellogg as a Los Angeles salesman in 1929. Creating cereal divisions that maximized visibility and sales, he treated grocery aisles like a stage. Store owners trusted him. Promotions put him on pace for national leadership by 1945.
He made a different choice. He preferred to root his future in Los Angeles and to control his own enterprise. That year he left Kellogg, bought into a small chip and pretzel maker, and began rewriting the script for regional snack food.
Bell Brand Foods: If It Is Bell, It Is Swell
For about $100,000, Nigg and partners bought the Los Angeles Saratoga Chip and Pretzel Company in 1945. Bell Brand Foods was renamed after a mission bell. A growing corporation benefited from his retail discipline, postwar recruiting of excellent management, and advertising skills. Volume doubled fast. Potato chips, tortilla chips, corn chips, cheese curls, and pretzels were added to suit Southern California tastes.
Radio, packaging, and grocery aisles advertised Bell Brand’s If It Is Bell, It Is Swell. A well-run operation was based in Santa Fe Springs in the 1940s and 1960s. Nigg became a prominent builder and fixer. He served on boards and helped Orange Crush and Weber Showcase survive or wind down.
In 1970, after roughly 25 years at the helm, he sold Bell Brand Foods to American Brands. He stayed briefly as a director and snack division head, then retired at age 65. The sale secured his family’s future and freed his time for philanthropy, ranching interests in Nevada, and civic leadership.
Family, Marriages, and the Wayne Connection
After marrying Edith Witkowski in 1929, Cyril and Edith worked together for decades. Discipline and saving helped this family weather tough times and boost prosperity. They had two kids, C. Peter and Nancy Nigg (later Nancy Doty). With C, the next generation joined the business. Peter is Bell Brand Foods chairman and Nancy’s husband Leon is president.
A 60-year marriage ended with Edith’s death. Dorothy Lieb Von der Ahe married Nigg in 1989. He married Josephine Alicia Josie Wayne in 1996 after Dorothy died. Josie was John Wayne’s first wife and mother to Michael, Toni, Patrick, and Melinda. Nigg married into a famous Hollywood family late in life, but their love was based on faith and duty. Nigg died in 1999, leaving Josie, his two children, and 16 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. His obituary listed 10 stepchildren, reflecting his extensive family from previous marriages and the Wayne link.
Faith, Philanthropy, and Civic Leadership
Nigg donned his Catholicism lightly but lived it. He believed service was the key to a meaningful life from Newman Club days to papal awards. His philanthropy increased with his wealth. He donated $2 million to UCLA’s Cyril C. Nigg Newman Center and sponsored archdiocesan initiatives including the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. He chaired boards at Immaculate Heart College, California Institute for Cancer Research, St. John of God Hospital, and the Catholic Welfare Bureau.
Civic life also improved. He led the Vernon Rotary Club, Sales Executives Club, and United Way of Los Angeles County. He got the 1985 Victor M. Carter Humanitarian Award. The Holy See awarded him knighthoods in the Order of Malta, Order of St. Gregory, and Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre for his continued lay leadership.
UCLA Stewardship and Statewide Impact
Nigg donated and built institutional capability at his alma mater. Mid-1950s UCLA Alumni Association president. That made him an ex officio member of the UC Regents from 1955 to 1957. On audit, educational policy, and medical sciences committees, he advocated for graduate programs, a large medical center, and facilities that would elevate UCLA nationally. He promoted the Lake Arrowhead Conference Center and other additions that boosted the nascent university’s research.
His philosophy was straightforward. Keep faith with the community that nurtures you, and build institutions that outlast any single leader. He practiced that creed across business, philanthropy, and governance.
Timeline Highlights
| Year or period | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1905 | Born in Mankato, Minnesota on March 12 |
| 1911 | Family moves to Minneapolis |
| 1920 | Moves to Los Angeles at age 15 |
| 1923 | Graduates Loyola High School with honors, enrolls at UC Southern Branch |
| 1927 | Earns B.A. in Business Administration from UCLA |
| 1928 to 1929 | Works at U.S. Gypsum, then joins Kellogg Company |
| 1929 | Marries Edith Witkowski |
| 1945 | Leaves Kellogg, buys Saratoga Chip and Pretzel Company, rebrands as Bell Brand Foods |
| 1940s to 1960s | Expands Bell Brand into a regional leader across multiple snack categories |
| 1955 to 1957 | UCLA Alumni Association president and ex officio UC Regent |
| 1970 | Sells Bell Brand Foods to American Brands and retires from active management |
| 1985 | Receives Victor M. Carter Humanitarian Award |
| 1989 | Marries Dorothy Lieb Von der Ahe |
| 1996 | Marries Josephine Alicia Josie Wayne |
| 1999 | Dies in Los Angeles at age 94 on March 25 |
Family at a Glance
| Relation | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Father | Peter Julius Nigg | Lived into his nineties |
| Mother | Rose Dorothy Ulmen | German American Catholic heritage |
| Sister | Rita Armstrong | Nine years younger |
| First wife | Edith Witkowski | Married 1929, lifelong partner until her death |
| Second wife | Dorothy Lieb Von der Ahe | Married 1989, predeceased him |
| Third wife | Josephine Alicia Josie Wayne | Married 1996, former spouse of John Wayne |
| Son | C. Peter Nigg | Served as chairman of Bell Brand Foods |
| Daughter | Nancy Nigg Doty | Married to Leon Doty, who served as Bell Brand president |
| Grandchildren and great-grandchildren | 16 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren | Count at time of his death in 1999 |
Legacy and Memory
Nigg’s tale resembles a Los Angeles parable. A young Midwesterner reimagines grocery shelves, then invests on himself and makes a little chip producer famous. His success inspires modest philanthropy, boardroom stewardship, and assistance to many charities. UCLA’s Cyril C. Nigg Newman Center still serves students. Snack fans remember mission bells and the jingle If It Is Bell, It Is Swell. Family memories are warm, steady, and community-oriented. Because it lives where people worship, study, and share chips, it lasts.
FAQ
Who was Cyril Nigg?
A Los Angeles businessman and philanthropist, he built Bell Brand Foods into a regional snack leader and served UCLA and Catholic causes for decades.
When and where was he born and when did he die?
He was born March 12, 1905, in Mankato, Minnesota, and died March 25, 1999, in Los Angeles.
What is Bell Brand Foods known for?
The company produced potato chips, tortilla chips, corn chips, cheese curls, and pretzels with the slogan If It Is Bell, It Is Swell.
When did he sell Bell Brand Foods?
He sold the company in 1970 to American Brands and then retired from active management.
What was his connection to UCLA?
He was UCLA Alumni Association president, served as an ex officio UC Regent from 1955 to 1957, and funded the Cyril C. Nigg Newman Center.
Whom did he marry?
He married Edith Witkowski in 1929, Dorothy Lieb Von der Ahe in 1989, and Josephine Alicia Josie Wayne in 1996.
How is he connected to John Wayne?
His third wife, Josephine Josie Wayne, was John Wayne’s first wife and mother of four of Wayne’s children.
Did he have children?
Yes, two children with Edith: C. Peter Nigg and Nancy Nigg Doty.
What honors did he receive from the Catholic Church?
He was invested as a Knight of Malta, Knight Commander of St. Gregory, and Knight of the Holy Sepulchre.
What did he support philanthropically?
He supported UCLA’s Newman Center with a 2 million dollar gift and contributed to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and many health and educational charities.
