Mack, Nila (1891–1953)

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Mack, Nila (1891–1953)

American actress, radio writer and producer. Name variations: Nila Mac. Born Nila Mac, Oct 24, 1891, in Arkansas City, Kansas; died Jan 20, 1953, in New York, NY; dau. of Carl Mac (engineer) and Margaret (Bowen) Mac; m. Roy Briant (actor and screen-writer), Mar 20, 1913 (died 1927).

Radio producer who introduced the concept of having parts played by children on children's shows, began career as an actress with traveling repertory companies, including Alla Nazimova troupe; also worked in vaudeville and wrote scripts for films; performed on Broadway in Eva the Fifth (1928) and Buckaroo (1929); joined CBS in NYC, performing in Radio Guild productions, and in "Nit-Wits" and "Night Club Romances" (1929); was program director of Arkansas City radio station; was director of CBS radio's children's program, "The Adventures of Helen and Mary" (renamed "Let's Pretend" in 1934), and wrote adaptations, mostly of stories of Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, and Arabian Nights, for shows (1930–53). "Let's Pretend" won almost 60 awards, including George Foster Peabody Award (1943).