EN
Eva Novak
Actor
Born February 14, 1898Died April 17, 1988 (90 years)
Eva Barbara Novak (February 14, 1898 – April 17, 1988) was an American film actress, who was quite popular during the silent film era.
On February 14, 1898, Eva Barbara Novak was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to Joseph Jerome Novak, an immigrant from Bohemia, and Barbara Medek. Her older sister, Johana, also became an actress. Joseph Novak died when Eva was still a child and Barbara was left to raise five children.
Novak began her acting career in 1917 in L-KO's Roped into Scandal, followed by another seven films that same year. She appeared in 17 films in 1918, and another eight in 1919. In 1920, she starred opposite Tom Mix in The Daredevil, one of six film roles she would have that year, and one of ten films in which she starred opposite Mix.
In 1921, she married stuntman William Reed, whom she met while on location for a film. They had two daughters Vivian Barbara and Pamela Eve.
Novak was interested in stunt performing herself, having been taught by Mix to perform many of her own stunts. From 1921 to 1928, she appeared in and starred in 48 films, including an early version of Boston Blackie. She also co-starred with Betty Bronson and Jack Benny in The Medicine Man (1930) and appeared in the 1922 film Chasing the Moon, which was an early forerunner of the 1950s film D.O.A. In the late 1920s, she and her husband moved to Australia, where she made numerous films, including The Romance of Runnibede. However, with the advent of "talking films", her popularity faded. She would continue to act, but mostly in obscure roles.
She appeared in 123 films between 1917 and 1965, when she retired. She was residing in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles at the time of her death from pneumonia at the age of 90, on April 17, 1988.
In May 1923, the Altoona Tribune held a contest to find the girl who most closely resembled Novak. An announcement in the newspaper said that the winner would receive $250 worth of clothes from a store.
On February 14, 1898, Eva Barbara Novak was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to Joseph Jerome Novak, an immigrant from Bohemia, and Barbara Medek. Her older sister, Johana, also became an actress. Joseph Novak died when Eva was still a child and Barbara was left to raise five children.
Novak began her acting career in 1917 in L-KO's Roped into Scandal, followed by another seven films that same year. She appeared in 17 films in 1918, and another eight in 1919. In 1920, she starred opposite Tom Mix in The Daredevil, one of six film roles she would have that year, and one of ten films in which she starred opposite Mix.
In 1921, she married stuntman William Reed, whom she met while on location for a film. They had two daughters Vivian Barbara and Pamela Eve.
Novak was interested in stunt performing herself, having been taught by Mix to perform many of her own stunts. From 1921 to 1928, she appeared in and starred in 48 films, including an early version of Boston Blackie. She also co-starred with Betty Bronson and Jack Benny in The Medicine Man (1930) and appeared in the 1922 film Chasing the Moon, which was an early forerunner of the 1950s film D.O.A. In the late 1920s, she and her husband moved to Australia, where she made numerous films, including The Romance of Runnibede. However, with the advent of "talking films", her popularity faded. She would continue to act, but mostly in obscure roles.
She appeared in 123 films between 1917 and 1965, when she retired. She was residing in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles at the time of her death from pneumonia at the age of 90, on April 17, 1988.
In May 1923, the Altoona Tribune held a contest to find the girl who most closely resembled Novak. An announcement in the newspaper said that the winner would receive $250 worth of clothes from a store.
Filmography
| 1965 | Laredo (TV Series) · as The 1st Woman |
| 1965 | Wild Seed · as Mrs. Simms |
| 1962 | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (TV Series) · as Mrs. Hayes |
| 1962 | The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance · as Townswoman (uncredited) |
| 1960 | Sergeant Rutledge · as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited) |
| 1959 | Laramie (TV Series) · as Townswoman |
| 1957 | Wagon Train (TV Series) · as Wagon Train Member |
| 1957 | The Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm · as Woman |
| 1957 | Tales of Wells Fargo (TV Series) · as Party Guest |
| 1957 | Duel at Apache Wells · as Mrs. Munn (uncredited) |
| 1956 | Runaway Daughters · as Party Guest |
| 1956 | Dakota Incident · as Mrs. Cooper |
| 1955 | How to Be Very, Very Popular · as Cast |
| 1955 | Tall Man Riding · as Mrs. Henderson (uncredited) |
| 1954 | Prince Valiant · as Cast |
| 1953 | The Eddie Cantor Story · as Cast |
| 1953 | The Mississippi Gambler · as Party Guest |
| 1953 | General Electric Theater (TV Series) · as Autograph Seeker |
| 1950 | Sunset Boulevard · as Courtier (uncredited) |
| 1950 | Women from Headquarters · as Manager |
| 1949 | The Blonde Bandit · as Jail Matron |
| 1949 | |
| 1948 | 3 Godfathers · as Townswoman (uncredited) |
| 1948 | Four Faces West · as Mrs. Winston |
| 1948 | Train to Alcatraz · as Doctor's Wife |
| 1948 | I, Jane Doe · as Jury Woman |
| 1947 | Blackmail · as Mamie, The Maid |
| 1947 | Robin Hood of Texas · as Guest |
| 1946 | That Brennan Girl · as Miss Novak - Elderly Woman (uncredited) |
| 1946 | Night and Day · as Nurse |
| 1946 | Claudia and David · as Maid |
| 1945 | The Bells of St. Mary's · as Nun (uncredited) |
| 1945 | Apology for Murder · as Maid |
| 1945 | The Fatal Witness · as Elsie - Vera's Maid (uncredited) |
| 1945 | Corpus Christi Bandits · as Stage Passenger |
| 1945 | The Topeka Terror · as Mrs. Green |
| 1938 | Ride a Crooked Mile · as Cashier |
| 1930 | Phantom of the Desert · as Mary Van Horn |
| 1930 | The Medicine Man · as Hilda |
| 1927 | For the Term of His Natural Life · as Sylvia Vickers |
| 1927 | Red Signals · as Mark Bryson |
| 1926 | Irene · as Eleanor Hadley |
| 1924 | Laughing at Danger · as Carolyn Hollister |
| 1923 | The Tiger's Claw · as Harriet Halehurst |
| 1922 | Making a Man · as Patricia Owens |
| 1922 | The Man Who Saw Tomorrow · as Vonia |
| 1922 | Sky High · as Estelle Halloway - His Ward |