Known For
Acting
Known Credits
72
Gender
Female
Birthday
February 14, 1898 (128 years old)
Place of Birth
Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
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.
| 1965 | Wild Seedas Mrs. Simms | |
| 1962 | The Alfred Hitchcock Houras Mrs. Hayes | |
| 1962 | The Man Who Shot Liberty Valanceas Townswoman (uncredited) | |
| 1960 | Sergeant Rutledgeas Courtroom Spectator (uncredited) | |
| 1957 | Duel at Apache Wellsas Mrs. Munn (uncredited) | |
| 1955 | Tall Man Ridingas Mrs. Henderson (uncredited) | |
| 1950 | Sunset Boulevardas Courtier (uncredited) | |
| 1949 | The Blonde Banditas Jail Matron | |
| 1949 | Hellfireas Indian Woman (uncredited) | |
| 1948 | 3 Godfathersas Townswoman (uncredited) | |
| 1948 | Four Faces Westas Mrs. Winston | |
| 1948 | I, Jane Doeas Jury Woman | |
| 1947 | Blackmailas Mamie, the Maid | |
| 1947 | Robin Hood Of Texasas Guest | |
| 1946 | That Brennan Girlas Miss Novak - Elderly Woman (uncredited) | |
| 1945 | The Bells of St. Mary'sas Nun (uncredited) | |
| 1945 | Apology for Murderas Maid | |
| 1945 | The Fatal Witnessas Elsie - Vera's Maid (uncredited) | |
| 1930 | Phantom of the Desertas Mary Van Horn | |
| 1930 | The Medicine Manas Hilda | |
| 1928 | The Romance of Runnibedeas Dorothy Winchester | |
| 1927 | For the Term of His Natural Lifeas Sylvia Vickers | |
| 1927 | Red Signalsas Mark Bryson | |
| 1926 | 30 Below Zeroas Ann Ralston | |
| 1926 | No Man's Goldas Jane Rogers | |
| 1926 | The Dixie Flyeras Rose Rapley / Rose Jones | |
| 1926 | Say It with Babiesas | |
| 1926 | Ireneas Eleanor Hadley | |
| 1925 | The Northern Codeas Marie La Fane | |
| 1925 | Sallyas Rosie Lafferty | |
| 1924 | The Triflersas Beatrice Noyes | |
| 1924 | Laughing at Dangeras Carolyn Hollister | |
| 1924 | Women Firstas Jennie Doon | |
| 1924 | The Beautiful Sinneras Alice Carter | |
| 1924 | The Fatal Mistakeas Ethel Bennett | |
| 1924 | Racing for Lifeas Grace Danton | |
| 1924 | The Battling Foolas Helen Chadwick | |
| 1924 | Listen Lesteras Mary Dodge | |
| 1923 | The Man Life Passed Byas Joy Moore | |
| 1923 | Boston Blackieas Mary Carter | |
| 1923 | The Tiger's Clawas Harriet Halehurst | |
| 1923 | Temptationas Marjorie Baldwin | |
| 1923 | Dollar Devilsas Amy Andrews | |
| 1922 | Making a Manas Patricia Owens | |
| 1922 | The Great Nightas Mollie Martin | |
| 1922 | The Man Who Saw Tomorrowas Vonia | |
| 1922 | The Man from Hell's Riveras Mabella | |
| 1922 | Up and Goingas Jackie McNabb | |
| 1922 | Chasing the Moonas Jane Norworth | |
| 1922 | Sky Highas Estelle Halloway - his ward | |
| 1921 | Trailin'as Sally Fortune | |
| 1921 | The Last Trailas Winifred Samson | |
| 1921 | The Rough Diamondas Gloria Gómez | |
| 1921 | Wolves of the Northas Aurora Norris | |
| 1921 | The Smart Sexas Rose | |
| 1921 | Society Secretsas Louise | |
| 1921 | O'Malley of the Mountedas Rose Lanier | |
| 1921 | The Torrentas Velma Patton | |
| 1920 | The Testing Blockas Nelly Gray | |
| 1920 | Wanted at Headquartersas | |
| 1920 | Up in Mary's Atticas Mary | |
| 1920 | Desert Loveas Dolly Remington | |
| 1920 | The Daredevilas Alice Spencer | |
| 1920 | Silk Husbands and Calico Wivesas Georgia Wilson | |
| 1919 | The Feudas Betty Summers / Betty Brown | |
| 1919 | The Speed Maniacas Pearl Matthews | |
| 1919 | All Jazzed Upas Dainty Dotty | |
| 1918 | The King of the Kitchenas Her niece | |
| 1918 | The Belles of Libertyas Trixie | |
| 1918 | A Blind Pigas The Sheriff's Daughter | |
| 1917 | The Sign of the Cucumberas | |
| 1917 | Hearts and Flouras |