Skip to content
MovieCove
Kim Novak

Kim Novak

Actor · Born February 13, 1933 (93) · Chicago, Illinois, USA

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 Hitchcock's 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 Crack'd (1980), and had a regular role on the prime time series Falcon Crest (1986–87). 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 CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 13, 1933 (93)
From
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
31 on MovieCove · 40 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 25% in 30 days

What are Kim Novak's films like?

Across their 28 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Drama9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Documentary3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile
: browse their Biography movies
Mystery2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Mystery movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
31%
Bonds
23%
Morality
18%
Survival
10%
Society
8%
Power
6%
Ideas
4%
Romantic love10 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity8 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception7 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth4 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 28 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 12 · Serious 7 · Dark 9

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 14 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 5

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 8 · Charged 15 · Intense 5

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 14 · Shifting 12 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 16 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 8

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 16 · Even-paced 10 · Relentless 2

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 16 · Engaged 10 · Full focus 2

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 13 · Affecting 9 · Heavy 6

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 19 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 4

Roles they play

25 analyzed roles

Usually the Shapeshifter: 8 of 25 analyzed roles.

Shapeshifter
8 of 25
Trickster
4 of 25
Hero
4 of 25
Ally
3 of 25
Shadow
2 of 25
Threshold guardian
2 of 25
Mentor
1 of 25
Herald
1 of 25
Show the 25 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
12
Melancholic
13
Joyful
8
Romantic
8
Bittersweet
8
Other
23

How their films linger

Bittersweet14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 7 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet11
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Kim Novak's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 10 of their 31 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Kim Novak's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

40 credits, 31 with a MovieCove page; 29 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Proust Palimpsesto: Pastiches e Misturas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Madeleine Elster (archive footage) (uncredited)

  • Kim Novak: Live from the TCM Classic Film Festival (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Actor

  • Hollywood sul Tevere (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Actor

  • A Night at the Movies: The Suspenseful World of Thrillers(2009)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Bride of Trailer Camp (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as (archive footage)

  • Dark Galaxy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as (archive footage)

  • Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker(1991)

    as Molly (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Liebestraum(1991)

    as Lillian Anderson Munnsen

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The Children (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Rose Sellars

  • Malibu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Billie Farnsworth

  • Falcon Crest(1981)

    Show 19 episodes · as Kit Marlowe

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all shows

  • The Mirror Crack'd(1980)

    as Lola Brewster

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Just a Gigolo(1978)

    as Helga von Kaiserling

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The White Buffalo(1977)

    as Poker Jenny Schermerhorn

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Satan's Triangle(1975)

    as Eva

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Tales That Witness Madness(1973)

    as Auriol (segment "Luau")

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • The Third Girl from the Left(1973)

    as Gloria Joyce

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Great Bank Robbery(1969)

    as Sister Lyda Kebanov (forger)

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Legend of Lylah Clare(1968)

    as Lylah Clare / Elsa Brinkmann / Elsa Campbell

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders(1965)

    as Moll Flanders

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Kiss Me, Stupid(1964)

    as Polly the Pistol

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Of Human Bondage(1964)

    as Mildred Rogers

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • MGM 40th Anniversary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Actor

  • Boys' Night Out(1962)

    Co-Costume Designer · as Cathy

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Notorious Landlady(1962)

    Costume Design · as Carly Hardwicke

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Pepe(1960)

    as Kim Novak

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Strangers When We Meet(1960)

    as Margaret 'Maggie' Gault

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Middle of the Night(1959)

    as Betty Preisser

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Bell Book and Candle(1958)

    as Gillian Holroyd

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Vertigo(1958)

    as Madeleine Elster / Judy Barton

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Pal Joey(1957)

    as Linda English

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Jeanne Eagels(1957)

    as Jeanne Eagels

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Eddy Duchin Story(1956)

    as Marjorie Oelrichs Duchin

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Man with the Golden Arm(1955)

    as Molly

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Picnic(1955)

    as Madge Owens

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • 5 Against the House(1955)

    as Kay Greylek

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Son of Sinbad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Harem Girl

  • Phffft(1954)

    as Janis

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Pushover(1954)

    as Lona McLane

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The French Line(1953)

    as Model (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 39 titles from 1954 to 2026; peak year 1963.

Biggest box office

The Mirror Crack'd (1980)

$11M worldwide

Highest rated

Vertigo (1958)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19542026

Peak 1963 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 12 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1954Screen debut· Pushover
  • 1958Breakout· Vertigo
  • 1958Career best· Vertigo
  • 1959First top-billed film· Middle of the Night
  • 1981Career best· Falcon Crest

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting39 of 39: 37 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score54thOther crew2 of 39: 0 only other crew, 2 with another role

By decade

1950s13 · acting1960s10 · 10 acting · 2 crew1970s5 · acting1980s3 · acting1990s4 · acting2000s2 · acting2010s1 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 24% of 21 roles
545964

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Kim Novak's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 62nd percentile, the median of all 30; across their 28 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 61st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 28

Approval · how many liked their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 28

Reach · how many have seen their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 28

Midcredits score across 31 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th13
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

15 of their 31 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Crowd Pleaser15
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed12

Most divisive · actor

The Third Girl from the Left (1973)

60th percentile spread · 19% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Vertigo (1958)

Midcredits 99th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 25 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 42. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Kim Novak's work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 34 · mildMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles12–28 · median 19 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 18 · mildMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 37 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 46 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Kim Novak work with?

People who share at least 2 of Kim Novak's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; George Duning shares the most, 7.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles