- Mel Novak
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Mel Novack Born Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Other names Mel Novack Occupation Actor Years active 1971 – present Mel Novak is an American character actor who is best known for villainous roles in action, martial arts and occasionally horror and science fiction films. He is also known for doing all of his own stunts and fighting scenes.
Contents
Career
Born in Pittsburgh, Novak played professional baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates before he began acting. His athletic career was cut short by a massive rotator cuff injury. Novak made his film debut in 1974, appearing in two blaxploitation films, Truck Turner and Black Belt Jones, the former starring Isaac Hayes, the latter Jim Kelly. Subsequent parts in The Ulimate Warrior (1975) starring Yul Brynner, Cat in the Cage (1978), starring Sybil Danning, and others followed. One of his more high-profile parts from the 70's was as the hitman Stick in Game of Death (1978), directed by Robert Clouse. Novak also had small roles in two Chuck Norris films, A Force of One (1979) and An Eye for an Eye (1981).
Since the turn of the 80's, Novak been acting mostly in low-budget, independent features, such as in Lovely But Deadly (1981) for director/producer David Sheldon, starring B-movie heroine Lucinda Dooling. In the 90's, he appeared in two films for director Garry Marshall, Exit to Eden (1994), based on the novel by Anne Rice, and Dear God (1996). In 2005, he appeared in the action/horror film Vampire Assassin, also featuring Gerald Okamura, with whom Novak has acted with in several films, and Rudy Ray Moore.
Personal life
Novak is also an ordained minister, having worked in skid row and prison ministry for over twenty years. He also has two daughters, Nikol and Lea, and 2 grandchildren from daughter Lea. Elijah and Ali Mae are their names.
Filmography
Film Year Film Role Notes 1974 Black Belt Jones Blue Eyes Truck Turner Doctor Alternative title: Black Bullet 1975 The Ulimate Warrior Lippert Alternative titles: The Barony
The Last Warrior1978 Cat in the Cage Ralph Desmond Game of Death Stick 1979 A Force of One The Announcer 1980 Tom Horn Corbett's Bodyguard 1981 Lovely But Deadly Warren Lang Force: Five The Assassin An Eye for an Eye Montoya 1985 Force of Darkness Conrad Sword of Heaven Dirk 1989 Family Reunion Tom Andrews 1991 Capital Punishment Mason Dover Alternative title: Kickbox Terminator 1993 Expert Weapon Miller Alternative title: American Dragon 1994 Pocket Ninjas Mr. Kaufman Working title: Skate Dragons
Alternative title: Super Sonic Pocket Ninjas on Wheels
Foreign release title: Triple Dragon
Direct Hit Kovar Exit to Eden Walker's henchman 1996 Dear God Sidewalk Minister 1997 Future War Otis[1] Moonbase Guard 1999 The F-Zone Priest 2002 Power Elite President Jonathan Caine 2003 GiAnts Jonathan Caine[2] Direct-to-DVD release 2005 SWAT: Warhead One Dick Danvers Direct-to-DVD release Vampire Assassin Gustoff Slovak Alternate title: Vampire Assassins 2006 Big Guns Larry Armstrong Direct-to-DVD release 2008 Drifter TKD Thomas Tyler Television Year Title Role Notes 1971 The F.B.I. Policeman 1 episode 1973 Mannix Elmo Bagley 1 episode 1976 The Blue Knight Steve 1 episode Ark II First guard 1 episode 2006 Pastor Greg Man with dog 1 episode References
- ^ Bonanno, Luke (28 October 2008). ""Mystery Science Theater 3000" 20th Anniversary Edition DVD Review". Ultimate Disney. http://www.dvdizzy.com/mst3k-20th.html. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
- ^ "GiAnts (2003)". Dread Central. http://www.dreadcentral.com/reviews/giants-2003. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
Bibliography
- Gods in Polyester, or, A Survivors' Account of 70's Cinema Obscura (2004)
- —Features several pieces by Novak on his 70's films.
- Gods In Spandex, or, A Survivors' Account of 80's Cinema Obscura (2007)
- —Features several pieces by Novak on his 1980s films.
External links
- Mel Novak at the Internet Movie Database
- Mel Novak at AllRovi
- A Nanarland.com interview
Categories:- American Christian clergy
- American film actors
- American television actors
- Pittsburgh Pirates players
- Actors from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Living people
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