October 20th, 2010
10:40 AM ET
'Vertigo' actress Kim Novak diagnosed with breast cancer“Vertigo” star Kim Novak, 77, has been diagnosed with breast cancer, the actress’s manager confirmed to CNN. “It was caught early by a routine yearly mammogram and [she] is undergoing treatment," her manager said in a statement, adding that as of Tuesday evening, Novak had "just got out of surgery...and doctors are very pleased. She should be totally fine." The actress is known for her work in movies like "Vertigo," "Picnic," Pal Joey" and "Bell, Book and Candle," but has since taken a step back from the Hollywood spotlight. Novak currently resides in Oregon with her husband, Dr. Robert Malloy, and stays fit by working out with a trainer three times a week and riding horses daily, her manager said.
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I have been a fan of Kim's for years. I'm glad she still has so many other fans too..she is a very special person and I think she was wise to leave Hollywood and have a normal life. I have read that the studios in those days ran the lives of the stars so I'm glad she left while still on top and made her own choices. Good luck to Kim.
Dr. Kay:
How totally ignorant of you. Early detection saved my life. I was 49 and the tumor was 1.2 cm. Neither I nor my Gyn detected it. Went in for a routine mammogram and there it was, invasive. The mammogram was digital and therefore had about 1/10 of the radiation of the old mammograms. Many 77 year old women would like to live longer and without pain. Some people handle chemo just fine. I lost my hair. BFD. It's back now, but the cancer is not. Are you REALLY a doctor??
Early detection saved my life. I was 49 and the tumor was 1.2 cm.
You obviously didn't absorb what Dr. Kay had to say. She was referring to women in Ms. Novak's age range, not middle-age women such as you.
I loved Kim Novak years ago playing Peter Stavro's stepdaughter Skylar Kimball (the name she took when the real Skylar was killed in her car that got blown up by a bomb) on "Falcon Crest" with the late Cesar Romero as Peter Stavros and Jane Wyman as Angela Channing! My prayers goes out to her in this trying time. My Mom named her daughter Kim after her and Mom is a 28 year breast cancer survivor!
This woman was stunningly beautiful and very talented. She gave many fine on screen performances. And then she bowed out of the film industry gracefully. Much earlier than she should have. At 77, she is as beautiful as ever.
Why not suprise your fans Kim and come back and give us another one of your great on screen permances.. You could show this young Hollywood trash how it's really done. God bless you Kim and get well soon.
Loved her in Vertigo, Strangers when we meet. Jeanne Eagles, Picnic. I hope she gets well soon! A true classy lady!!
And she has such a lovely pair too! As I was growing up in my teens I always wanted her. She was absolutely beautiful. Good luck my dear.
Hi, Kim:
We met back when we were both about 25 in your borrowed east-side apt. (the Aly Khan,s, I believe. I wrote a story about your career as a painter, and a very good one in the Keene portrait school. You had a giant dog ("Warlock"?). And we published your story with photos of several of your paintings. I still recall our time together as if it were yesterday and not 50 years or so ago, and it goes with out saying that this Irish Brooklyn boy fell in love with-the-down to-earth Polish kid from Chicago. You were waiting for Richard Quine to pick you up, and my heart broke. And then you married a guy named Johnson (I think), so I didn't leave my wife and three kids to chase after you. In those years as a magazine writer, I met many of the Hollywood queens, including the Columbia move goddesses - Rita, Marilyn and you)– and you were by far the fairest (and realest) of them all. Have a speedy recovery and get back on the horse. If you still have a big dog, bring him to meet my two St. Bernard girls. I am now in S. Cal across the street from Laguna Beach, Oh, and just in case you are interested, Sophia was your runner-up - a great lady with a phone addiction at that time that I wrote about. God Bless
Hang in there Kim. You're my favorite. I see why Sammy loved you so much.
My prayers go out to you Kim, When I was a young'un growing up in Iowa, I carried a pic of you in my wallet. Had a huge crush on you. I too am in Oregon now.
No 77 year old woman should be getting routine mammograms. At that age, cancer is nearly always very slow growing and a patient is much more likely to die from other causes long before she even notices symptoms. And breast treatment is no walk in the park, even for young and otherwise healthy women. Radiation, chemo, and surgery are likely to do an asymptomatic elderly patient far, far more harm than good. Women must start educating themselves about the best use – or non-use – of routine cancer screenings. The radiation and cancer treatment industries have made it clear what their top priority is: Money.
There have been questions regarding the benefit/harm of mammograms. Some say the radiation might assist the growth of cancer. There need to be more studies. In the mean, women just need to be more familiar with what is normal and what is not. My mother developed breast cancer in 2001 and had surgery. She was told they got it all and would not need chemo which I agree is horrible stuff. One year later cancer had completely enveloped her liver and was inoperable. My uncle, her brother, had cancer fifteen years ago, was treated and is still alive. He had a complete recovery. So treatment doesn't kill everyone. I am not in favor of poisoning people to rid them of cancer but I know that sometimes it works.
My mother had this same cancer this year at 72. Lumpectomy and radiation only – and the prognosis is excellent. She's fully expecting to live as long, if not longer than her mother who passed away at 97.
The love and prayers being expressed for Kim Novak warm us all. May they keep her well and healthy for many years to come. Kim lit up the screen and will always be an ageless motion picture icon. It is not our imagination; the entertainment business was much different back then and much more satisfying than the one we have now.
My husband's fave actress has always been Kim Novak and we were both saddened to learn of this news..but with prayers by us and many others..we know she will conquer this and continue to remain the beautiful and classy lady she's always been...TAKE CARE KIM & GOD BLESS....
All my best for a quick recovery.
Another Oregonian.
Kim and her husband have lived for many years near my home town of Medford, Oregon in the Rogue River Valley (Southern Oregon). She is one of our respected citizens and we are proud of her. She is also a very private person. Thanks for your talents that brought us such great films, Kim. Best wishes for your continued good health.
Kim you are one classy lady.................you are in my prayers!
They don't make stars like they used to. Kim Novak is one of them, classy lady! God speed!
Wishing Kim a full and speedy recovery. Vertigo and Picnic are two of my favorite movies, she was wonderful in both.
My thoughts and prayers are with you – you have been my favorite ever since my mom told me that I was named after you.
She will be in my prayers too. All good thoughts for Kim.
Bell, Book & Candle - one of my favorite movies.
I wish Kim a speedy recovery. She was my favorite growing up and was absolutely wonderful to watch in my two favorite movies of all time, Picnic and Pal Joey.
Superb actress and a real beauty, too. Wishing her a full recovery.
"Picnic" is one of the best. She is wonderfull. wish the best for her.
With prayers and love you will get through. It sure looks like you have a lot of loves! Speedy recovery. You are an ICON in the industry and always have been in my book. A real Lady.I have admired you for many a year so "BEAT THAT BEAST!" and recover quickly.
With love and admiration
Joanne
I fell in live with her on movie (PICNIC).She is most beautifull.
Praying for this wonderful lady!
A very talented and classy woman. We need a lot more actresses like her!
Kim Novak, Grace Kelley, Natalie Wood, Susan Hayward...so classy and so talented!
Best to a gorgeous, true STAR!
Best wishes and a speedy recovery to a wonderful person and a great actress! The movie Vertigo was one of my favorites as well as Bell, Book and Candle...what a lovely lady.
My best to her. She is a beautiful and talented actress. Loved Picnic! Oh, and Satan's Triangle!
Just saw her this summer at tribute for her & she looked fantastic! Speedy healing to a classy lady.
My very best to a truly lovely lady
I only saw her in Vertigo, but what a movie! What an actress! Experience you never forget. Wish her well.
My best wishes to Kim Novak and her family. A wonderful actress and human being. God bless you. You will be fine. Love from all of us.
I’ve seen Kims’ movies many times over, always a treat. I hope things work out for her.
You are my favorite KIm, I have been your fan forever. I finally got to see you in person in LA in July, at a film screening. It was just so wonderful to see you and hear your talk about your career, and you are still beautiful. I had my daughter Kim with me she finally got to see who she was named after. I love Bell, Book and Candle even have a cat named Pie. You have a lot of love coming your way, get well soon, you will beat this.
I loved her in "Picnic". You will get through this, Kim. I did.
Kim Novak was my very favorite actress when I was growing up. There was something ethereal about her. Beautiful beyond words yet a vulnerable quality. So glad she created a happy stable life for herself. But I've missed her on the screen for so many years. Also being a cancer survivor myself, I send my prayers for a full recovery.
Just saw a great Kim Novak movie last night on TCM with Fredric March and I thought boy, she really is a terrific actress. Get well soon, Ms. Novak. Would love to see you do an interview on TCM.
Did you also notice what a great actor Frederic March, was? see him in "The Death of a Salesman", along with a sterling cast (1953)
MY BEST TO KIM,MY FAVORITE ACTRESS AND A BEAUTIFUL WOMEN. GOD BLESS
What a rude and insensitive post Jcorey. People make mistakes – how about you – do you make mistakes?
About the star of one of my favorite movies..................................no..........................how sad for you that you are able to relate to such genius.................................
glad to hear. I miss her in movies. would love to see her more. my favorite of her's is "strangers when we meet" with Kirk Douglas. Great movie and she is truly one of the best.
Great Actress, she was great in "VERTIGO" w/ Jimmy Stewart.
Hope for a quick recovery.
Our prayers are with you, Kim. Thank you for so many great performances and enjoy your horses!
So sorry to hear this but so happy it was caught early!
Get well and be strong Ms Novak! Just want you to know you have young fans too who love your work, and your eternal beauty!!!
That was mean she's done hope you don't ever have to go through anything like that. Good luck Kim.
Kim Novak is who actresses should try to be like these days God bless Kim
Best of luck and well wishes to Miss Novak....always was a 1st rate act!!
I wish her a healthy, speedy recovery. I'm glad it was discovered early, that is the key to this type of cancer. She is one of my favorite actresses ever. I have secretly, had a 'girl' crush on her since I was in my early teens. (Now 56!)
Best of luck Kim one of my favorite movies "Goodbye Charlie" with Tony Curtis and Walter Mathau I'll say a prayer for you!"
My favorite is "Kiss me stupid" with Dean Martin. She is a great actress. I sincerely wish her a rapid and full recovery.
That was Debbie Reynolds in Goodbye Charlie.
Best wishes to Kim, another great actress.
That was Debbie Reynolds...
I don't care what the new studies say...early detection does lead to an early cure. Best of luck Kim!
So true!
Glad that they got it now, have a friend that her mom died of this type of cancer.
I do hope she'll be fine... Ms Novak and Grace Kelly have been my favourite actresses, 2 icons, 2 LADIES.
God bless Kim
MY PRAYERS ARE WITH HER
I add my prayers to yours.
Adore her and miss seeing her in films. May she recover fully from this horrible monster we call cancer.