Actors - Kim Novak

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	Actors - Kim Novak

Kim Novak (born February 13, 1933) is an American actress.

Biography

Novak was born Marilyn Pauline Novak in Chicago, Illinois, a Roman Catholic of Czech extraction. Her father was a railroad clerk and former teacher; her mother was also a former teacher, and she has a sister.

After graduating high school, she began her career modeling teen fashions for a local department store. She later received a scholarship at a modeling school and continued to model part time. She also worked as an elevator operator, a sales clerk, and a dental assistant.

After a job touring the country as a spokesman for refrigerators, "Miss Deepfreeze," Novak moved to Los Angeles, where she continued modeling. She then appeared as a model standing on some stairs in the RKO motion picture The French Line (1954) starring Jane Russell and Gilbert Roland. Novak's bit received no screen credit.

She was seen by a Columbia Pictures talent agent and made a screen test. Studio chief Harry Cohn was looking for someone to replace the rebellious and difficult Rita Hayworth. Novak was signed to a six-month contract. Columbia decided to make the blonde and buxom actress their version of Marilyn Monroe. She was still using the name Marilyn Novak, and they wanted to change it to Kit Marlowe. She wanted to keep her surname, however, and resisted pressure to change it. She and the studio finally settled on the stage name Kim Novak.

Cohn told her to lose weight, and he won the battle to make her wear brassieres. She took acting lessons, which she had to pay for herself, then debuted as Lona McLane in Pushover
(1954) opposite Fred MacMurray and Philip Carey. Though her role was not the best, her beauty caught the attention of fans and critics alike.

She then played the femme fatale role as Janis in Phffft! (1954) opposite Judy Holliday, Jack Lemmon, and Jack Carson. Novak's reviews were good. More people were eager to see the new star, and she received an enormous amount of fan mail. She went on to appear in a number of successful movies.

After playing Madge Owens in Picnic (1955) opposite William Holden, Novak won a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer and for World Film Favorite. She was also nominated for the British BAFTA Film Award for Best Foreign Actress.

She played Molly in The Man with the Golden Arm
(1955) opposite Frank Sinatra and Eleanor Parker on loan-out to United Artists. The movie was a big hit. She was paired opposite Sinatra again in Pal Joey
(1957), which also starred Rita Hayworth.

Her popularity became such that she made the cover of the July 29, 1957, issue of Time Magazine. That same year, she went on strike, protesting at her current salary of $1,250 per week.

In 1958, Novak appeared in a dual role as Madeleine Elster and Judy Barton in Hitchcock's classic thriller Vertigo opposite James Stewart.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Kim Novak ]

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Actors - Kim Novak

Biography

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