Thomas McNutt, beloved teacher, union president, and actor, has died at 87

Thomas McNutt, 87, of Doylestown, a revered teacher who instilled a love of theater in thousands of students at Bishop McDevitt High School, then went on to a robust acting career and served as president of the Philadelphia SAG-AFTRA chapter, died Saturday, Sept. 24, of a heart attack at his home.

Though he made his mark elsewhere, Mr. McNutt initially planned to become a priest. Born in Philadelphia to Leona and Cornelius McNutt, he attended Holy Cross School in Mount Airy, then Northeast Catholic High School. Mr. McNutt transferred from North Catholic after his second year, enrolling in St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, where he completed high school and earned a bachelor’s degree in theology.

“He gave everybody a chance, everybody; it didn’t matter who you were.”

Eventually, Mr. McNutt left the seminary and joined the Air National Guard. And in 1960, he accepted a job at what was then a new Catholic high school in Wyncote: Bishop McDevitt. Over nearly 40 years at McDevitt, Mr. McNutt taught English and Latin and founded the Royal Masque Drama Club.

Jane Metzler first met Mr. McNutt in sophomore honors English class, where her teacher was commanding yet calm, “not a showboat, despite his theater background.” Students were drawn to Mr. McNutt, said Metzler, a 1973 McDevitt graduate. He inspired students, he challenged them, he respected them and elevated their work.

“He gave everybody a chance, everybody; it didn’t matter who you were,” said Metzler, who went on to a career in broadcast journalism and communications. “I had such a firm foundation thanks to Tom McNutt — that love for theater, for the performing arts, for writing.”

To Bill Hanley, Mr. McNutt was a friend of 50 years and a colleague for many of them.

“Tom represented Bishop McDevitt better than anyone who ever worked there,” Hanley said. “His fellow teachers loved him. When he entered the building, it was the same as the sun breaking through on a cloudy day.”

It was not uncommon for Mr. McNutt to run into former students; he was thrilled to be remembered. Earlier this year, he was honored as a “Legend of Bishop McDevitt” by an alumni group of the now-closed school.

“He loved meeting people.”

Acting was part of Mr. McNutt’s life even when he was enrolled in the seminary, where he would perform in shows. He took a sabbatical from teaching in the early 1990s and studied at the Walnut Street Theatre and got theater, film, and commercial work as his teaching and family schedule permitted. In 1997, Mr. McNutt retired from teaching to pursue acting full time.

Mr. McNutt first started getting recognized for his work in the 1990s, after he filmed a Monday Night Football commercial with John Madden. Along with his wife, Helen, he often appeared on Law and Order: Cold Case, which filmed locally and ran from 2003 to 2010. He was a crew favorite, Mr. McNutt’s son Mark said.

“It was tremendous fun for him,” Mark McNutt said. “He loved meeting people.”

Mr. McNutt was a member of Actors Equity and SAG-AFTRA. He held both featured roles and worked as a background actor, and brought the same spirit of professionalism and joy to any job he took. He was elected president of the Philadelphia chapter of SAG-AFTRA in 2015, and held that role until 2017.

Helen McNutt said her husband felt a deep need to give back. He marched for Black people’s rights as a young man in the 1960s, and he held the labor cause dear.

“He wanted to help, to make sure people are getting the proper representation where they work, and in what they do for their livelihood,” she said.

Nicole Izanec, the current president of the Philadelphia SAG-AFTRA chapter, said Mr. McNutt was universally loved.

“The Philly film scene will never be the same,” Izanec said of Mr. McNutt’s death. “He had so much heart, and seeing him on set lit people up with joy. He was jolly and befriended everyone, even if they just met. This is truly a loss for our community.”

Mr. McNutt was enormously proud of his family, sons Scott, Mark, Thomas, and Christopher, and nine grandchildren. And he was devoted to his wife of 52 years.

Mr. McNutt was deeply religious. He kept a book with the names of cherished friends and family members who had died, and he prayed for them daily, with special remembrances on the anniversaries of their death. He was also proud of the 40 years he spent in recovery from addiction, and often supported others in their recovery.

He was a squash champion and ardent Phillies fan. He loved recitation and could tell you anything about every Shakespeare play. He loved watching Jeopardy! and often knew the answers to tough questions.

Mr. McNutt was in excellent shape; he went to the gym daily. On the day he died, he put his granddaughter to bed, then walked into his kitchen, where he told his wife he had a pain in his chest. He then collapsed and died.

Along with his wife and sons, he is survived by his nine grandchildren.

The family will receive visitors at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 235 E. State St., Doylestown. Mass will take place at noon.

In lieu of flowers or memorial contributions, Mr. McNutt’s family asks that people treat others with kindness, as Mr. McNutt would.