Helen Mack
Biography
Helen Mack was an American actress whose career began in silent films when she was a child and went on to take in Broadway, vaudeville, radio, and television. Born in Rock Island, Illinois, she attended New York City's Professional Children's School and made her screen debut at age 10. She worked with Gloria Swanson in Zaza (1923) and became a leading lady in the 1930s, appearing in The Son of Kong (1933) and She (1935). She was best known for the screwball comedy His Girl Friday (1940), playing Molly Malloy opposite Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell. In the 1940s she moved into radio, acting in Myrt and Marge and producing and directing programs such as Richard Diamond, Private Detective and Meet Corliss Archer, and she co-wrote and produced A Date with Judy. She also wrote plays and television episodes until her death.
72years old at death
- Born Rock Island
- Died Beverly Hills
- Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
- Also credited as Helen McDougall, Helen McAvity and Helen Macks
Movie Career
- Films
- 5
- Career span
- 17 years1923 to 1940
Every film, newest first
- 1940His Girl FridayIMDb rating 7.8
- 1935SheIMDb rating 6.4
- 1934Kiss and Make-UpIMDb rating 5.9
- 1933The Son of KongIMDb rating 5.6
- 1923ZazaIMDb rating 6.6
Genres
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Behind the camera
Mack and Aleen Leslie co-wrote the radio series A Date with Judy, and Mack was its producer-director, a role few women held in network radio.
First role
Mack performed on Broadway and in vaudeville. Her first stage role came in The Idle Inn, acting alongside Jacob Benami.
First role
Mack's film career began at age 10 in the 1923 silent Success, where she was first billed as Helen Macks.
Big break
After a Fox Film screen test in March 1931, Mack was on the studio lot within three weeks. She played a leading lady for the first time opposite Victor McLaglen in While Paris Sleeps (1932).
A role that slipped away
Mack's career had declined for three years before Sweepings, and three of her productions failed. RKO Radio Pictures Inc. gave her another chance as Mamie Donahue in that film.
Behind the camera
In 1949, Mack wrote the children's record Gossamer Wump with Roger Price. Frank Morgan narrated it, and Capitol Records released it.
Helen Mack movies on Netflix
Worked with
Helen Mack shares two films with Cary Grant, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Cary Grant's page
Noble Johnson's page
Irving Bacon's page
Randolph Scott's page
John Qualen's page
Regis Toomey's page
All films by Howard Hawks
All films by Ernest B. Schoedsack
All films by Irving Pichel
Awards
One award and honor.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.