Kim Novak

Marilyn Pauline Novak born February 13 1933 known professionally as Kim Novak is an American retired film and television actress She began her career in 1954 after signing with Columbia Pictures There she became a successful actress starring in a string of movies among them the critically acclaimed Picnic 1955 She later starred in such popular successes as The Man with the Golden Arm 1955 and Pal Joey 1957 However she is perhaps best known today for her dual role as both Judy Barton and Madeleine Elster in Alfred Hitchcocks classic thriller Vertigo 1958 Novak was popular in box office popularity polls and she starred opposite several top leading men of the era including James Stewart William Holden Frank Sinatra Tyrone Power and Kirk Douglas Although still young her career declined in the early 1960s and after several years in a series of lackluster films she withdrew from acting in 1966 She has only sporadically returned since She later returned to the screen in The Mirror Crackd 1980 and had a regular role on the prime time series Falcon Crest 198687 After a disappointing experience during the filming of Liebestraum 1991 she has permanently retired from acting stating she has no desire to return Description above from the Wikipedia article Kim Novak licensed under CCBYSA full list of contributors on Wikipedia