**Kim Novak** (born Marilyn Pauline Novak, 1933) is an American actress who became one of Hollywood's biggest stars of the 1950s. Discovered by Columbia Pictures, she was launched as Rita Hayworth's successor, embodying the seductive yet often vulnerable blonde.

Her career took off with **Picnic** (1955) and continued with hits like the musical **Pal Joey** (1957). Her most iconic role is undoubtedly that of Judy Barton/Madeleine Elster in Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece, **Vertigo** (1958), where she displayed a captivating and tormented duality.

Other notable performances include the witch in **Bell, Book and Candle** (1958) and **Strangers When We Meet** (1960). Novak was known for her cool beauty, combined with an underlying sensitivity that allowed her to portray complex and ambiguous characters. She gradually retired from acting in the 1960s, dedicating herself to other passions.