Eva Novak
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.
Filmography
Wild Seed
as Mrs. Simms
Wild Seed
as Mrs. Simms
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
as Townswoman (uncredited)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
as Townswoman (uncredited)
Sergeant Rutledge
as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Sergeant Rutledge
as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Duel at Apache Wells
as Mrs. Munn (uncredited)
Duel at Apache Wells
as Mrs. Munn (uncredited)
Tall Man Riding
as Mrs. Henderson (uncredited)
Tall Man Riding
as Mrs. Henderson (uncredited)
Sunset Boulevard
as Courtier (uncredited)
Sunset Boulevard
as Courtier (uncredited)
The Blonde Bandit
as Jail Matron
The Blonde Bandit
as Jail Matron
Hellfire
as Indian Woman (uncredited)
Hellfire
as Indian Woman (uncredited)
3 Godfathers
as Townswoman (uncredited)
3 Godfathers
as Townswoman (uncredited)
Four Faces West
as Mrs. Winston
Four Faces West
as Mrs. Winston
I, Jane Doe
as Jury Woman
I, Jane Doe
as Jury Woman
Blackmail
as Mamie, the Maid
Blackmail
as Mamie, the Maid
Robin Hood Of Texas
as Guest
Robin Hood Of Texas
as Guest
That Brennan Girl
as Miss Novak - Elderly Woman (uncredited)
That Brennan Girl
as Miss Novak - Elderly Woman (uncredited)
The Bells of St. Mary's
as Nun (uncredited)
The Bells of St. Mary's
as Nun (uncredited)
Apology for Murder
as Maid
Apology for Murder
as Maid
The Fatal Witness
as Elsie - Vera's Maid (uncredited)
The Fatal Witness
as Elsie - Vera's Maid (uncredited)
Phantom of the Desert
as Mary Van Horn
Phantom of the Desert
as Mary Van Horn
The Medicine Man
as Hilda
The Medicine Man
as Hilda
The Romance of Runnibede
as Dorothy Winchester
The Romance of Runnibede
as Dorothy Winchester
For the Term of His Natural Life
as Sylvia Vickers
For the Term of His Natural Life
as Sylvia Vickers
Red Signals
as Mark Bryson
Red Signals
as Mark Bryson
30 Below Zero
as Ann Ralston
30 Below Zero
as Ann Ralston
No Man's Gold
as Jane Rogers
No Man's Gold
as Jane Rogers
The Dixie Flyer
as Rose Rapley / Rose Jones
The Dixie Flyer
as Rose Rapley / Rose Jones
Say It with Babies
Say It with Babies
Irene
as Eleanor Hadley
Irene
as Eleanor Hadley
The Northern Code
as Marie La Fane
The Northern Code
as Marie La Fane
Sally
as Rosie Lafferty
Sally
as Rosie Lafferty
The Triflers
as Beatrice Noyes
The Triflers
as Beatrice Noyes
Laughing at Danger
as Carolyn Hollister
Laughing at Danger
as Carolyn Hollister
Women First
as Jennie Doon
Women First
as Jennie Doon
The Beautiful Sinner
as Alice Carter
The Beautiful Sinner
as Alice Carter
The Fatal Mistake
as Ethel Bennett
The Fatal Mistake
as Ethel Bennett
Racing for Life
as Grace Danton
Racing for Life
as Grace Danton
The Battling Fool
as Helen Chadwick
The Battling Fool
as Helen Chadwick
Listen Lester
as Mary Dodge
Listen Lester
as Mary Dodge
The Man Life Passed By
as Joy Moore
The Man Life Passed By
as Joy Moore
Boston Blackie
as Mary Carter
Boston Blackie
as Mary Carter
The Tiger's Claw
as Harriet Halehurst
The Tiger's Claw
as Harriet Halehurst
Temptation
as Marjorie Baldwin
Temptation
as Marjorie Baldwin
Dollar Devils
as Amy Andrews
Dollar Devils
as Amy Andrews
Making a Man
as Patricia Owens
Making a Man
as Patricia Owens
The Great Night
as Mollie Martin
The Great Night
as Mollie Martin
The Man Who Saw Tomorrow
as Vonia
The Man Who Saw Tomorrow
as Vonia
The Man from Hell's River
as Mabella
The Man from Hell's River
as Mabella
Up and Going
as Jackie McNabb
Up and Going
as Jackie McNabb
Chasing the Moon
as Jane Norworth
Chasing the Moon
as Jane Norworth
Sky High
as Estelle Halloway - his ward
Sky High
as Estelle Halloway - his ward
Trailin'
as Sally Fortune
Trailin'
as Sally Fortune
The Last Trail
as Winifred Samson
The Last Trail
as Winifred Samson
The Rough Diamond
as Gloria Gómez
The Rough Diamond
as Gloria Gómez
Wolves of the North
as Aurora Norris
Wolves of the North
as Aurora Norris
The Smart Sex
as Rose
The Smart Sex
as Rose
Society Secrets
as Louise
Society Secrets
as Louise
O'Malley of the Mounted
as Rose Lanier
O'Malley of the Mounted
as Rose Lanier
The Torrent
as Velma Patton
The Torrent
as Velma Patton
The Testing Block
as Nelly Gray
The Testing Block
as Nelly Gray
Wanted at Headquarters
Wanted at Headquarters
Up in Mary's Attic
as Mary
Up in Mary's Attic
as Mary
Desert Love
as Dolly Remington
Desert Love
as Dolly Remington
The Daredevil
as Alice Spencer
The Daredevil
as Alice Spencer
Silk Husbands and Calico Wives
as Georgia Wilson
Silk Husbands and Calico Wives
as Georgia Wilson
The Feud
as Betty Summers / Betty Brown
The Feud
as Betty Summers / Betty Brown
The Speed Maniac
as Pearl Matthews
The Speed Maniac
as Pearl Matthews
All Jazzed Up
as Dainty Dotty
All Jazzed Up
as Dainty Dotty
The King of the Kitchen
as Her niece
The King of the Kitchen
as Her niece
The Belles of Liberty
as Trixie
The Belles of Liberty
as Trixie
A Blind Pig
as The Sheriff's Daughter
A Blind Pig
as The Sheriff's Daughter
The Sign of the Cucumber
The Sign of the Cucumber
Hearts and Flour
Hearts and Flour