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Entertainment • Actor

Kim Novak

Kim Novak is an American actor and former Hollywood star best known for her roles in 1950s films, especially Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Kim Novak is an American actor and former Hollywood star best known for her roles in 1950s films, especially Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo. Born Marilyn Pauline Novak in Chicago, she became one of the era’s top box-office draws before largely withdrawing from acting and later focusing on painting and poetry.

Early life and background

Kim Novak was born Marilyn Pauline Novak in Chicago in 1933. Sources describe her as the daughter of Czech immigrant parents and note that she worked as a model before moving into film.

Film career

Novak signed with Columbia Pictures in 1954 and quickly became a major star. Her breakthrough films included Picnic and The Man with the Golden Arm, and her performance in Vertigo became her signature role.

Later life and retirement

Novak stepped away from acting in the early 1990s, with her final screen role in Liebestraum (1991). She later devoted much of her time to painting and a quieter life outside Hollywood.

Recognition and legacy

Novak was regarded as one of the most prominent screen stars of the 1950s. In 2025, she received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival.

Key facts

  • She began her film career in 1954 after signing with Columbia Pictures.
  • She became one of Hollywood’s top box-office stars in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
  • Her best-known role is the dual part of Madeleine Elster and Judy Barton in Vertigo (1958).
  • She retired from acting in the early 1990s.
  • Later in life, she became known as a painter and lived in Oregon.
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Canadian context

Kim Novak remains a significant figure in classic Hollywood film history, and Vertigo is frequently discussed in film studies and retrospectives that are also of interest to Canadian audiences.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Kim Novak?
Kim Novak is an American actor best known for her 1950s film career and her role in Vertigo (1958).
What is Kim Novak’s birth name?
Her birth name is Marilyn Pauline Novak.
What is Kim Novak best known for?
She is best known for playing Madeleine Elster and Judy Barton in Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo.
When was Kim Novak born?
She was born on February 13, 1933.
When did Kim Novak stop acting?
Her final screen appearance was in Liebestraum (1991), after which she largely retired from acting.
What did Kim Novak do after acting?
She became known for painting and lived a more private life outside Hollywood.

References

  1. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kim-Novak
    Supports: Birth date and place, nationality, career overview, and best-known role in Vertigo.
  2. Turner Classic Movies — https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/142407%7C94121/Kim-Novak
    Supports: Birth name, career timeline, major 1950s films, and final screen appearance.
  3. Oregon Encyclopedia — https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/novak_kim_1933_/
    Supports: Early life, modeling background, Columbia Pictures signing, debut film, and move to Oregon.
  4. La Biennale di Venezia — https://www.labiennale.org/en/news/kim-novak-golden-lion-lifetime-achievement
    Supports: 2025 Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.