Shelly Novack
{{Short description|American football player and actor (1944–1978)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Shelly Novack
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Sheldon Lennard Novack
| birth_date = {{birth date|1944|1|10|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Los Angeles County, California, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1978|5|27|1944|1|10|mf=y}}
| death_place = Santa Monica, California, U.S.
| resting_place = Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery
| alma_mater = Santa Monica City College
California State University, Long Beach
| occupation = Football player, actor
| years_active = 1964–1978
| known_for =
| spouse = {{marriage|Colleen Belle Johnson|1973|1978}}
| children = 1
}}
Sheldon Lennard "Shelly" Novack (January 10, 1944 – May 27, 1978) was an American college football player for the Long Beach State 49ers. He was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the 15th round (135th pick overall) of the 1966 American Football League draft.{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1966_AFL/draft.htm|title=1966 AFL Draft|date=November 27, 1965|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|accessdate=August 28, 2020}} After his retirement as a football player, Novack became an actor in both television and film.
Football career
=Scholastic football=
Novack was an all-league and special mention Junior College All-American at Santa Monica City College (class of 1963), and first-team All-American at Long Beach State in 1964 and 1965.
=Professional football=
In November 1965, Novack was drafted as a wide receiver by the American Football League (AFL) San Diego Chargers. He was the 135th pick in the 1966 AFL draft, but never played in a regular season game.
After two seasons in San Diego, Novack met Universal Studios acting coach Vincent Chase while playing in a touch football league during the offseason. Chase invited Novack to a meeting at the studios, which led to Novack embarking on an acting career.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iHskAAAAIBAJ&pg=3359,671652&dq=shelley+novack+san+diego+chargers&hl=en|title=Universal Studios' Flowering Talent|date=May 12, 1970|page=2|publisher=The Milwaukee Journal|work=milwaukeejournal.com|accessdate=November 30, 2012}}
Acting career
In 1968, Novack made his screen debut in the Hallmark Hall of Fame television film A Punt, a Pass, and a Prayer.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gH5QAAAAIBAJ&pg=7015,6505982&dq=shelley+novack+san+diego+chargers&hl=en|title=Drama Fans Will Get A Taste Of Football|date=November 20, 1968|publisher=St. Petersburg Times|page=12–D|accessdate=November 30, 2012}} He went on to appear in guest roles on television shows such as Ironside, Police Story, The Streets of San Francisco, Quincy, M.E., The Virginian and The Love Boat.{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/142384%7C139861/shelly-novack#biography|title=Biography for Shelly Novack|date=2020|publisher=Turner Classic Movies|work=Turner Classic Movies|access-date=August 28, 2020}}
Novack was a regular on the Quinn Martin-produced TV shows The F.B.I. (1973–74) and Most Wanted. In addition to television, he performed in a few theatrical film releases, including Johnny Finney in 1969's Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here; and Rolling, the cockpit mechanic who assists in moving the stranded jet, in 1970's Airport.
In 1977, Novack won the very first Toyota Grand Prix pro-celebrity race.{{cite news|title=Catching On|date=April 19, 1977|work=The Los Angeles Times|page=D–3}}
Death
On May 27, 1978, Novack died of a heart attack in Santa Monica, California at age 34. He is interred in the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California.
Filmography
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1967–1970
| Various roles | 5 episodes |
| 1968
| A Punt, a Pass, and a Prayer | Barney | Television movie |
| 1968–1974
| Ironside | Various roles | 5 episodes |
| 1969
| The Outsider | Edward Potolski | Episode: "Service for One" |
| 1969
| The Bold Ones: The New Doctors | H.P. Leader | Episode: "The Rebellion of the Body" |
| 1969
| Willie Boy | Johnny Finney | |
| 1969
| Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here | Johnny Finney | |
| 1969–1970
| Various roles | 3 episodes |
| 1970
| The Forty-Eight Hour Mile | | Television movie |
| 1970
| McCloud | James Waldron | Episode: "Portrait of a Dead Girl" |
| 1970
| Airport | Rolling | |
| 1970
| Gunsmoke | Adam Bramley | Episode: "Stark" |
| 1970
| Theron Pardo | Television movie shot in 1967 |
| 1971
| Matt Lawrence | Episode: "Days of Rage" |
| 1971
| Ed Kelton | Episode: "The Sands of Anger" |
| 1971
| The D.A. | | Episode: "The People versus Boley" |
| 1971
| Earl Grimes | Episode: "Inferno" |
| 1972
| Vern Hammond | Episode: "Hang-Up" |
| 1972
| Fan | |
| 1972
| Cody | Episode: "Concrete Valley, Neon Sky" |
| 1972
| Banyon | | Episode: "The Old College Try" |
| 1972–1975
| Various roles | 3 episodes |
| 1972–1976
| The Streets of San Francisco | Various roles | 2 episodes |
| 1973
| Art | Episode: "Dark Vengeance" |
| 1973
| Sonny | Television movie |
| 1973
| Carson | Episode: "The Self-Destruct Project" |
| 1973
| Toke | | |
| 1973–1974
| Kung Fu | Various roles | 2 episodes |
| 1973–1974
| Agent Chris Daniels | |
| 1974
| York | Episode: "Horror in the Heights" |
| 1974–1977
| Various roles | 7 episodes |
| 1975
| The Desperate Miles | Lou | Television movie |
| 1975
| Cop on the Beat | Henderson | Television movie |
| 1975
| Medical Story | Jerry | Television movie |
| 1975
| Officer Oliver MacDougall | Episode: "Sing a Song of Suspense" |
| 1975
| Ralph Forester | Episode: "Portrait of Evil" |
| 1975
| Switch | Strayhorn | Episode: "Mistresses, Murderers and Millions" |
| 1976
| Bobby Cox | Episode: "Murder In Velvet" |
| 1976
| Andy Reed | Episode: "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" |
| 1976
| D.O. Viner | |
| 1976
| The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries | Wally Siebert | Episode: "Wipe-Out" |
| 1976–1977
| Sgt. Charlie Benson | 22 episodes |
| 1977
| Brad Brockway | Episode: "The Captain and the Lady/One If by Land/Centerfold" |
| 1977
| Ben | Episode: "The Hero Syndrome" |
| 1978
| Peter Brooks | Television movie |
| 1978
| Love's Dark Ride | Karl Sears | Television movie, (final film role) |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|Biography}}
- {{IMDb name|0636796|Shelly Novack}}
- {{find a Grave|7175414}}
{{San Diego Chargers 1966 draft navbox}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Novack, Shelly}}
Category:Male actors from Los Angeles
Category:American male film actors
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:American male television actors
Category:California State University, Long Beach alumni
Category:Jewish American male actors
Category:San Diego Chargers players
Category:Santa Monica College alumni
Category:Burials at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery
Category:20th-century American male actors