Nancy Kovack

"Kovack" redirects here; not to be confused with Kovač or Kovak.

Nancy Kovack
Publicity still (1963)
Born	(1936-03-11) March 11, 1936 (age 89) Flint, Michigan, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Michigan
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1958–1976
Known for	Jason and the Argonauts Frankie and Johnny Star Trek Bewitched
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Spouse	Zubin Mehta ​ (m. 1969)​

Nancy Kovack (born March 11, 1936) ^{[1] [2]} is a retired American film and television actress. Intelligent, with an IQ of 152 and graduating early from school, she thought of acting as a business and planned accordingly, starting her acting career by modeling and entering beauty contests to raise her profile. Starting in Broadway, she gained roles in films with one of her notable early roles being the high priestess Medea in Jason and the Argonauts (1963). She continued with several film roles including in such films as Frankie and Johnny (1966) with Elvis Presley, but also appeared on many TV shows including as a femme fatale in one of the original Star Trek episodes, "A Private Little War" (1968). She was nominated for an Emmy Award for an appearance on Mannix and has been married once for over five decades to conductor Zubin Mehta.

Biography

In 1936, Nancy Kovack was born in Flint, Michigan. ^[3] Her father, Michael A. Kovack, was the manager of a General Motors plant. ^[4]

With an IQ of 152, the highly intelligent and driven Kovack graduated high school early, entering the University of Michigan at the age of 15 and graduating in 1955, when she was just 19. ^{[5] [6]}

Kovack began to proactively plan her career, starting to raise her profile by working as a model and beauty queen, ultimately becoming one of the Glee Girls for Jackie Gleason ^[6] and a hostess on the game show Beat the Clock . ^{[7] [8]}

In 1958, Kovack appeared in the original Broadway production of The Disenchanted . ^[9]

As her profile increased, Kovack began to gain roles in Hollywood films, such as Strangers When We Meet (1960) with Kirk Douglas and Kim Novak. ^[10]

One of Kovack's most notable early film roles was as the high priestess Medea in Jason and the Argonauts (1963).

Kovack as Medea in Jason and the Argonauts (1963).

Kovack continued to build her career with roles in Diary of a Madman (1963) with Vincent Price, The Outlaws Is Coming (1965) with The Three Stooges, Sylvia (1965) with Carroll Baker, The Great Sioux Massacre (1965), The Silencers (1966) with Dean Martin, Tarzan and the Valley of Gold (1966) with Mike Henry, Frankie and Johnny (1966) with Elvis Presley, and Carl Reiner's directorial debut, Enter Laughing (1967). ^{[11] [12] [13]}

Kovack spent 2+1⁄2 years in Iran, and starred in three films that were made there, returning to the United States in 1968. ^[14]

Kovack appeared on a number of television series including Bewitched (3 episodes, playing both Darrin Stephens' ex-girlfriend and Samantha Stephens' nemesis, Sheila Sommers and Darrin's Italian client Clio Vanita), Batman (episodes 5 and 6), I Dream of Jeannie , Get Smart , ^[15] Perry Mason , 12 O'Clock High , The Man from U.N.C.L.E. , The Invaders (episode "Task Force" (1967)), Burke's Law , Family Affair (episode "Family Plan" (1968)), The Name of the Game , and Hawaii Five-O (episode "Face of the Dragon" (1969)). ^[16]

Kovack notably appeared in a key role as a native medicine woman and femme fatale in one of the original Star Trek episodes, "A Private Little War" (1968). ^[17]

In 1969, Kovack was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for an appearance on Mannix . ^[18]

Kovack's last film role was in Marooned (1969), a science-fiction drama starring Gregory Peck and Gene Hackman. Credited as Nancy Mehta, she played the murder victim in the TV movie/series pilot Ellery Queen (also known as Too Many Suspects, 1975). ^[19]

In 1969, Kovack married Indian conductor Zubin Mehta, who was music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and later the music director of the New York Philharmonic. ^{[20] [21]} Until 2006, Kovack and Mehta spent some months of the year in residence in Munich, Germany, where Mehta was the music director of the Bavarian State Opera. ^[22]

Kovack left Hollywood primarily due to her marriage to Mehta. She chose to prioritize her marriage and focus on her life with him rather than pursue her acting career. ^[23]

As of 1978, Kovack was reportedly a Christian Scientist. ^[24]

In the early 1990s, Susan McDougal worked as Kovack's personal assistant. After her employment ended, Kovack took legal action against McDougal for alleged embezzlement. McDougal was acquitted in 1998 on all twelve charges. A suit by McDougal in 1999 for malicious prosecution ended in a settlement. ^[25]

Filmography

• Strangers When We Meet (1960) – Marcia
• Cry for Happy (1961) – Camille Cameron
• The Wild Westerners (1962) – Rose Sharon
• Diary of a Madman (1963) – Odette Mallotte
• Jason and the Argonauts (1963) – Medea
• The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1964 episode: "The Second Verdict") – Karen Osterman
• 12 O’Clock High (1964 series 1, episode 9, "Appointment at Liege") – Lt. Irene Cooper
• Bewitched (TV Series, 1964–1969) – Sheila Sommers, Clio Vanita
• The Outlaws Is Coming (1965) – Annie Oakley
• Sylvia (1965) – Big Shirley
• Honey West (1965 episode: "The Gray Lady") – Nicole
• The Great Sioux Massacre (1965) – Libbie Custer
• I Dream of Jeannie (Season 1 Episode 9: 1965) – Rita Mitchell
• The Silencers (1966) – Barbara
• Frankie and Johnny (1966) – Nellie Bly
• Tarzan and the Valley of Gold (1966) – Sophia Renault
• Diamond 33 (1966)
• Batman (episodes 5 and 6: 1966) – Queenie
• Town's Hero (1967)
• Enter Laughing (1967) – Linda aka Miss B
• Shab-e-fereshtegan, aka Night of the Angels (1968)
• Star Trek: The Original Series (1968 episode: "A Private Little War") - Nona
• Family Affair (Season 3 Episode 13, 1968: "Family Plan") - Michelle Reid
• Marooned (1969) – Teresa Stone
• Hawaii Five-O (1969 episode: "Face of the Dragon") - Dr. Alexandria Kemp
• Mannix (TV Series, 1973) – Barbara Sonderman
• The Invisible Man (1975 TV series) (Episode 9: "The Klae Dynasty") - Carolyn Klae
• Cannon (Season 5, Episode 23, 1976: "Blood Lines") -Charlotte Frawley

References

1. Film Fatales Women in Espionage Films and Television, 1962-1973. McFarland. 2002. p. 163. ISBN   9780786411948.
2. Duffin, Allan; Matheis, Paul (2005). The 12 O'Clock High Logbook Series. BearManor Media. p. 190. ISBN   9781593930332.
3. "Conductor To Wed Actress". News-Journal. Ohio, Mansfield. United Press International. June 2, 1969. p. 3.
4. Johnson, Erskine (1961-11-25). "Hollywood Today". The Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Texas, Corpus Christi. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 6. Retrieved 2017-08-05– via Newspapers.com.
5. "Nancy Kovack Becomes Bride of Zubin Mehia". The New York Times . No. 1969 page 51. The New York Times Company. July 20, 1969. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
6. Curtis, Olga (1963-07-23). "Actress Nancy Kovack Says Films Just Help Pay Rent". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Texas, Lubbock. WNS. p. 6B. Retrieved 2017-08-05– via Newspapers.com.
7. "The Girl with the Convertible Top!". Chicago Tribune. Illinois, Chicago. September 5, 1959. p. 23.
8. Armstrong, R. (November 18, 2019). "Seven Things to Know About Nancy Kovack". classicfilmtvcafe.com. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
9. "The Disenchanted Broadway Original Cast". broadwayworld.com. BroadwayWorld . Retrieved 7 February 2026.
10. "Strangers When We Meet - Full Cast & Crew". tvguide.com. TV Guide . Retrieved 9 February 2026.
11. "Films Starring Nancy Kovack". letterboxd.com. Letterboxd / Letterboxd Limited. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
12. "Nancy Kovack". tv.apple.com. Apple TV . Retrieved 9 February 2026.
13. "Nancy Kovack Biography". elcinema.com. ElCinema.com . Retrieved 9 February 2026.
14. Alpert, Don (August 22, 1968). "Actress Nancy Kovack Stars In 3 Iranian-Made Movies". The Salt Lake Tribune. Utah, Salt Lake City. Los Angeles Times. p. 9. Retrieved August 5, 2017– via Newspapers.com.
15. Get Smart, Episode 16, Season 4 ("The Day They Raided the Knights"), airdate January 11, 1969.
16. "Nancy Kovack Credits". tvguide.com. TV Guide . Retrieved 9 February 2026.
17. "Nancy Kovack in "A Private Little War" ("Star Trek" S2.19)". scvhistory.com. SCVTV (Santa Clarita Valley Television). Retrieved 7 February 2026.
18. "("Nancy Kovack" search results)". EMMYS. Television Academy. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017. Retrieved 2017-08-06.
19. "Ellery Queen: Too Many Suspects". letterboxd.com. Letterboxd . Retrieved 9 February 2026.
20. "Musical Matinee Idol to Wed Flint Beauty". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, MI. July 19, 1969. p. 12. Retrieved August 26, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
21. "Nancy Kovack Weds Symphony Conductor". The Flint Journal. Flint, MI. July 21, 1969. p. 17. Retrieved August 26, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
22. "Zubin Mehta Conductor Biography". operabase.com. Operabase / Arts Consolidated ApS. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
23. Williams, Michaela (November 7, 1978). "For Nancy Mehta, Wife of the Conductor, Life Is a Gilded Cage". nytimes.com. The New York Times . Retrieved 9 February 2026.
24. Williams, Michae la (1978-11-07). "For Nancy Mehta, Wife of the Conductor, Life is a Gilded Cage". The New York Times.
25. The Woman Who Wouldn't Talk; ISBN   0-7867-1302-X, Susan McDougal et al. 2003, p. 338.

External links

• Nancy Kovack at IMDb
• Nancy Kovack at the Internet Broadway Database
• Nancy Kovack at the TCM Movie Database
• Nancy Kovack at Rotten Tomatoes
• Nancy Kovack at TV Guide
• Nancy Kovack at Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen