Kim Novak was one of the most glamorous stars of the 1950s, with the actress having leading roles in the likes of Picnic, The Man with the Golden Arm and Vertigo, the latter of which is considered one of the best films of all time.
However, despite her string of major works, the star eventually grew disillusioned with the life of a Hollywood star, turning her back on Tinsel Town in the 1960s. Although she continued to act sporadically, she didn't have the same career as she had previously.
During this time, Kim started focusing on other creative endeavours, including creating paintings and even writing songs, some of which were recorded by Harry Belafonte and the Kingston Trio.
Following a bad experience when filming 1991's Liebestraum, she decided to call it quits on her Hollywood career, and she has never looked back.
But what has Kim been up to since then? Read on to find out…
Kim Novak's early retirement
Kim first left Hollywood in 1966, after her career started to dwindle. Despite hits like Strangers When We Meet and The Notorious Landlady, critics became unimpressed with the films that she was pursuing, leaving her to become disillusioned.
The final straw came in 1966 when the star's Bel Air home was destroyed in a landslide, alongside most of her belongings. Kim left Hollywood for Big Sur, California, although she continued to make the occasional film appearance.
© Getty ImagesDuring this time, the star appeared in films like The Legend of Lylah Clare, The Great Bank Robbery and The Mirror Crack'd. Kim didn't look back on many of her performances with joy, stating she regretted taking her role in The Legend of Lylah Clare, which drew negative reviews.
Retirement from acting
Kim started to drift from Hollywood again, although she appeared in the soap opera Falcon Crest, but in 1991, she starred in Liebestraum, which was directed by Mike Figgis. The pair clashed several times while filming the thriller, with Kim saying that she "went crazy".
Following her time on the film, Kim called it quits on her Hollywood career, and she hasn't appeared in a film since. Speaking to the Associated Press in 2004, she confessed: "I got so burned out on that picture that I wanted to leave the business, but then if you wait long enough you think, 'Oh, I miss certain things.'
© Alamy Stock Photo"The making of a movie is wonderful. What's difficult is afterward when you have to go around and try to sell it. The actual filming, when you have a good script—which isn't often—nothing beats it."
Although she was no longer acting, Kim would still make appearances, including at TCM Classic Film Festival, the Cannes Film Festival and the 86th Academy Awards, where she made an appearance as a presenter.
Kim's work since retirement
Kim is now a professional artist, and her biography on her website reads: "I hope that you will take the time to get to know me by the paintings I paint and the verses I share on my website. They come from my heart and soul – revealing truth as I know it and exposing my deepest feelings.
"I invite you to discover, symbolically, my inner and underworld triggered by mental health issues, the humans and other beings with whom I've shared my life, fantasies, and the world of 'make believe' where I spent so many years.
© WireImage"My style is the result of striving for a harmonious union of impressionism, expressionism and surrealism. I have found a way to live through the overwhelming feelings of frustration and depression to experience the freedom of self-expression. This is the ultimate reward that comes to the visual artist!"
In 2021, less than two months after the death of her second husband, Bob Malloy, she told The Guardian about her art: "Painting’s always been there to rescue me. Since Bob passed, I’ve done his portrait so I could communicate with him."
© AFP via Getty ImagesShe added: "All those rages and feelings of depression, they leave you when you let them out. And that’s what painting is all about."
Kim's relationships and health
During her life, Kim has had major relationships with the likes of Sammy Davis Jr., Michael Brandon, Wilt Chamberlain and David Hemmings. In 1965, she married actor Richard Johnson, with whom she worked with on The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders; however, they divorced the following year.
© Getty ImagesDuring her life, Kim was a keen horse rider, and when one of her mares suffered from colic, vet Bob Malloy conducted a house visit. The pair later started a relationship, and they married in 1976, with Kim becoming the stepmother to his two daughters. They remained together until Bob died in 2020.
Kim has had several health issues throughout her life, and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2000, something she partially attributes to why she decided to turn her back on Hollywood. In 2010, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, but thankfully she made a full recovery.
