John D. F. BlackJoseph CalvelliRichard De RoyMeyer DolinskyMel GoldbergSidney MarshallJames MenziesE. Jack NeumanMilt RosenCarol SobieskiBetty UliusRoland WolpertPreston Wood
Mr. Novak is an American dramatic series starring James Franciscus in the title role, which aired on NBC for two seasons, from 1963 to 1965. The series won a Peabody Award in 1963.
The series follows John Novak, an idealistic first-year Englishteacher at Jefferson High School in Los Angeles who often got involved in the lives of his students and fellow teachers. Principal Albert Vane was played by Dean Jagger (he was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1964 and 1965 for his performance). Jagger left the series in 1964 after forty-four episodes, and it was explained that his character was elected California Superintendent of Public Instruction; Burgess Meredith played the new principal, Martin Woodridge, for the remaining seventeen episodes.
Set
The school seen in Mr. Novak duplicated Los Angeles' John Marshall High School "complete to walks, shrubs, and parking." After using the school itself for the pilot, the duplicate was built at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios, the "largest permanent set to be constructed [there] in a number of years." The complete set filled an acre at the studio. Other construction on the MGM sound stages included duplicates of corridors and classrooms.
Guest stars
Claude Akins, as Lou Myerson in "One Monday Afternoon" (1964)
Eddie Albert, as Charlie O'Rourke in "Visions of Sugar Plums" (1964)
Frank Albertson, as Jim O'Neal in "The Death of a Teacher" (1964)
Jeanne Cooper, as Louise Sargent in "The Boy Without a Country" (1963)
Noreen Corcoran, as Cathy Williams in "Fair The Well" (1964)
Johnny Crawford, two episodes, as JoJo Rizzo in "Let's Dig a Little Grammar" (1964) and as a delegate from the former Soviet Union in "The Tender Twigs" (1965)
Robert L. Crawford, Jr., brother of Johnny Crawford, as a Cuban delegate in "The Tender Twigs" (1965)
Pat Crowley, as Ariel Wilder in "Love in the Wrong Decision" (1963)
Robert Culp, as Frank Menlo in "The Tender Twigs" (1965)
Royal Dano, as Mr. Metcalfe in "To Break a Camel's Back" (1963)
Kim Darby, two episodes, one as Judy Wheeler (1965)
Bobby Diamond, as Gus in "Visions of Sugar Plums" (1964)
Micky Dolenz, as Ed in "Born of Kings and Angels" (1964)
Tony Dow was cast five times from 1963 to 1965, three as George.
Howard Duff, as Joe Stillman in "Mountains to Climb" (1965)
Leo Durocher, as himself in "Boy Under Glass" (1964)