Mr. Novak

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Mr. Novak
James Franciscus Dean Jagger Mr. Novak 1964.JPG
James Franciscus as Mr. Novak and Dean Jagger as Principal Albert Vane.
Genre Drama
Created by E. Jack Neuman
Starring James Franciscus
Dean Jagger
Burgess Meredith
Opening theme Lyn Murray
Composer Leith Stevens
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes60
Production
Executive producerE. Jack Neuman
ProducerJoseph Calvelli
Running time48 mins.
Production company MGM Television
Original release
Network NBC
ReleaseSeptember 24, 1963 (1963-09-24) 
April 27, 1965 (1965-04-27)

Mr. Novak is an American television dramatic series starring James Franciscus in the title role as a high school teacher. The series aired on NBC for two seasons, from 1963 to 1965. It won a Peabody Award in 1963. [1]

Contents

Synopsis

The series follows John Novak, an idealistic first-year English teacher at Jefferson High School in Los Angeles, who often gets involved in the lives of his students and fellow teachers. James Franciscus, who plays Mr. Novak, previously appeared in Naked City (Episode: "Hey Teach") as an undercover homicide detective playing a high school teacher in a bad school. Principal Albert Vane was played by Oscar-winning film actor 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.

Jeanne Bal portrayed Assistant Vice Principal Jean Pagano during the 1963–64 season. Initially, plans called for increasing her role for the 1964–65 season, promoting her to second billing on the show, but the producer instead cut the number of episodes in which she was to appear, and she left the program. [2]

The series showcased many popular actors of the time, including Martin Landau, Walter Koenig, Beau Bridges, Tony Dow, Ed Asner, June Lockhart, Sherry Jackson, and many others. This trendsetting show was the first to depict both teachers and students in a dramatic and realistic manner and was very influential on the educational community. Many cutting-edge themes were showcased, including racial discrimination, cheating on exams, anti-Semitism, alcoholism, dropouts, drug abuse, and political extremism. In its two-year run, the program won over 47 awards from various educational institutions, including the National Education Association, and was the recipient of a prestigious Peabody Award for excellence. [3]

Cast

Recurring

Guest stars

Episodes

Season 1: 1963–64

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"First Year, First Day"Boris SagalE. Jack Neuman Boris Sagal Joseph StafanoSeptember 24, 1963 (1963-09-24)
22"To Lodge and Dislodge"Boris SagalE. Jack Neuman Boris SagalOctober 1, 1963 (1963-10-01)
33"I Don't Even Live Here"Abner BibermanE. Jack Neuman Boris Sagal Milt RosenOctober 8, 1963 (1963-10-08)
44"X is the Known Factor"Richard DonnerE. Jack Neuman Boris Sagal Preston WoodOctober 15, 1963 (1963-10-15)
55"A Single, Isolated Incident"Abner BibermanE. Jack NeumanOctober 22, 1963 (1963-10-22)
66"The Risk"Michael O'HerlihyE. Jack Neuman Boris Sagal Theodore ApsteinOctober 29, 1963 (1963-10-29)
77"Hello, Miss Phipps"Don MedfordE.Jack Neuman Boris Sagal John T. DuganNovember 5, 1963 (1963-11-05)
88"To Break a Camel's Back"Michael O'HerlihyE.Jack Neuman Boris Sagal Meyer DolinskyNovember 12, 1963 (1963-11-12)
99"A Feeling for Friday"Michael O'HerlihyE.Jack Neuman Boris SagalNovember 19, 1963 (1963-11-19)
1010"Pay the Two Dollars"Walter DonigerE.Jack Neuman Boris Sagal Milt RosenNovember 26, 1963 (1963-11-26)
1111"Love in the Wrong Seasons"Ida LupinoE.Jack Neuman Boris Sagal Richard De RoyDecember 3, 1963 (1963-12-03)
1212"The Boy Without a Country"Michael O'HerlihyE.Jack Neuman Boris Sagal Richard De RoyDecember 10, 1963 (1963-12-10)
1313"A Thousand Voices"Richard DonnerE.Jack Neuman Boris Sagal Anthony WilsonDecember 17, 1963 (1963-12-17)
1414"My Name is Not Legion"Bernard GirardE.Jack Neuman Boris Sagal Robert E. ThompsonDecember 24, 1963 (1963-12-24)
1515"He Who Can Does"Irving LernerE.Jack Neuman Boris Sagal Roland WopertDecember 31, 1963 (1963-12-31)
1616"Song of Songs"David AlexanderE.Jack Neuman Boris Sagal James MenziesJanuary 7, 1964 (1964-01-07)
1717"The Exile"Michael O'HerlihyE.Jack Neuman Boris SagalJanuary 14, 1964 (1964-01-14)
1818"Sparrow on the Wire"Mark RydellE.Jack Neuman Boris Sagal James MenziesJanuary 21, 1964 (1964-01-21)
1919"The Private Life of Douglas Morgan Jr."Richard DonnerMargaret and Paul SchneiderJanuary 28, 1964 (1964-01-28)
2020"Death of a Teacher"Richard DonnerE.Jack Neuman Boris SagalFebruary 4, 1964 (1964-02-04)
2121"I'm on the Outside"Abner BibermanE.Jack Neuman Boris Sagal Boris IngsterFebruary 11, 1964 (1964-02-11)
2222"Chin Up, Mr. Novak"Michael O'HerlihyE.Jack Neuman Boris Sagal Joseph CalvelliFebruary 18, 1964 (1964-02-18)
2323"Fear is a Handful of Dust"Abner BibermanE.Jack Neuman Boris Sagal Carol SobieskiFebruary 25, 1964 (1964-02-25)
2424"How Does Your Garden Grow?"Michael O'HerlihyE.Jack Neuman Boris Sagal Joseph CalvelliMarch 3, 1964 (1964-03-03)
2525"The Tower"Michael O'HerlihyE.Jack Neuman Boris Sagal James MenziesMarch 10, 1964 (1964-03-10)
2626"One Way to Say Goodbye"Richard DonnerE.Jack Neuman Boris SagalMarch 17, 1964 (1964-03-17)
2727"Day in the Year"Ida LupinoE.Jack Neuman Boris Sagal Sidney MarshallMarch 24, 1964 (1964-03-24)
2828"Moment Without Armor"Michael O'HerlihyE.Jack Neuman Boris Sagal Margaret ArmenMarch 31, 1964 (1964-03-31)
2929"Fare Thee Well"Abner BibermanE.Jack Neuman Boris Sagal Carol SobieskiApril 7, 1964 (1964-04-07)
3030"The Senior Prom"Michael O'HerlihyE.Jack Neuman Boris Sagal Sidney MarshallApril 14, 1964 (1964-04-14)

Season 2: 1964–65

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
311"Moonlighting"Richard DonnerStory by: John Ryan
Teleplay by: Meyer Dolinsky
September 22, 1964 (1964-09-22)
322"With a Hammer in His Hand, Lord, Lord!"Allen ReisnerJohn D.F. BlackSeptember 29, 1964 (1964-09-29)
333"Visions of Sugar Plums"Paul WendkosJoseph CalvelliOctober 6, 1964 (1964-10-06)
344"Little Girl Lost"Paul WendkosBetty UliusOctober 20, 1964 (1964-10-20)
355"One Monday Afternoon"Paul WendkosMel Goldberg & Herman GrovesOctober 27, 1964 (1964-10-27)
366"Let's Dig a Little Grammar"Joseph SargentMel GoldbergNovember 10, 1964 (1964-11-10)
377"The People Doll: You Wind It Up and It Makes Mistakes"Herschel DaughtertyJohn D.F.BlackNovember 17, 1964 (1964-11-17)
388"Boy Under Glass"Allen ReisnerMel GoldbergNovember 24, 1964 (1964-11-24)
399"Born of Kings and Angels"Paul WendkosGeorge Clayton JohnsonDecember 1, 1964 (1964-12-01)
4010"A as in Anxiety"Allen ReisnerBetty UliusDecember 8, 1964 (1964-12-08)
4111"Johnny Ride the Pony"Allen H. MinerDavid P. HartmanDecember 15, 1964 (1964-12-15)
4212"Beyond a Reasonable Doubt"Richard DonnerMartha WilkersonDecember 22, 1964 (1964-12-22)
4313"Love Among the Grown-Ups"Abner BibermanHarold GastDecember 29, 1964 (1964-12-29)
4414"From the Brow of Zeus"Ron WinstonMel GoldbergJanuary 5, 1965 (1965-01-05)
4515"An Elephant is Like a Tree"Abner BibermanJohn D.F. BlackJanuary 12, 1965 (1965-01-12)
4616"Enter a Strange Animal"Alvin GanzerAlvin SargentJanuary 19, 1965 (1965-01-19)
4717"Beat the Plowshares, Edge the Sword"Alvin GanzerGilbert RalstonJanuary 26, 1965 (1965-01-26)
4818"Faculty Follies: Part 1"Joseph SargentMeyer DolinskyFebruary 2, 1965 (1965-02-02)
4919"Faculty Follies: Part 2"Joseph SargentMeyer DolinskyFebruary 9, 1965 (1965-02-09)
5020"The Silent Dissauders"Allen ReisnerBetty UliusFebruary 16, 1965 (1965-02-16)
5121"Mountains to Climb"Paul WendkosStory by: Roland Wolpert
Teleplay by: Roland Wolpert & John D.F. Black
February 23, 1965 (1965-02-23)
5222"May Day, May Day"Ida LupinoStory by: John D.F. Black & Donald Michael Platt
Teleplay by: John D.F. Black
March 2, 1965 (1965-03-02)
5323"Where is There to Go, Billie, But Up?"Abner BibermanStory by: Herman Groves & Mel Goldberg
Teleplay by: Mel Goldberg
March 9, 1965 (1965-03-09)
5424"The Tender Twigs"Joseph SargentStory by: Robert Presnell Jr.
Teleplay by: Robert Presnell Jr. & Mel Goldberg
March 16, 1965 (1965-03-16)
5525"Honor and All That"Paul WendkosJerry McNeelyMarch 23, 1965 (1965-03-23)
5626"The Student Who Never Was"Paul WendkosMeyer DolinskyMarch 30, 1965 (1965-03-30)
5727"There's a Penguin in My Garden"Alvin GanzerJohn D.F. BlackApril 6, 1965 (1965-04-06)
5828"The Firebrand"Michael O'HerlihyHoward GastApril 13, 1965 (1965-04-13)
5929"And Then I Wrote..."Abner BibermanJoseph CalvelliApril 20, 1965 (1965-04-20)
6030"Once a Clown"Abner BibermanMel GoldbergApril 27, 1965 (1965-04-27)

Production

The series was created by producer/writer E. Jack Neuman and director Boris Sagal and featured top directors such as Richard Donner. [3]

Set

The school seen in Mr. Novak duplicated Los Angeles' John Marshall High School "complete to walks, shrubs, and parking." [4] 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." [4] The complete set filled an acre at the studio. Other construction on the MGM sound stages included duplicates of corridors and classrooms. [4] Exteriors for the fictional Jefferson High School were filmed at both John Marshall High School and Hamilton High School near Culver City. [3]

Home media

The Warner Archive Collection released Season 1 of the series on DVD on November 6, 2018. Prints were made from the original 35mm camera negatives.

A soundtrack music album was released on MGM Records (E/SE-4222) in 1964, under the direction if Nick Venet.

Book Release

“Mr. Novak An Acclaimed Television Series” by Chuck Harter was published by bearmanormedia.com in October 2017 and is a comprehensive examination of the show.

See also

Room 222

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References

  1. "The Peabody Awards - Mr. Novak (NBC)". peabodyawards.com. Peabody Awards . Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  2. Harter, Chuck (April 2018). "Mr. Novak: A Landmark of Dramatic Television". Classic Images (514): 62–68.
  3. 1 2 3 Harter, Chuck. Mr. Novak an Acclaimed Television Series. Bear Manor Media, 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 "Dillar a dollar, an NBC Scholar" (PDF). Sponsor. 17 (24): 59. June 17, 1963. Retrieved February 27, 2015.