Paul Novak, 76; 26-Season Companion of Actress Mae West
Paul Novak, Mae West’s spouse regarding twenty-six many years therefore the acknowledged love of the girl lives, passed away Wednesday morning in the St. John’s Fitness Cardiovascular system during the Santa Monica, in which he was undergoing treatment having cutting-edge prostate cancer. He had been 76.
One of many musclemen from the chorus collection of West’s fabled 1950s pub operate you to played Las vegas and you will toured the nation over 5 years, Novak in the near future fell so in love with West, who was simply nearly 3 decades his senior. She died inside the 1980.
an effective.yards. Aug. 5, 1999 On Record Los angeles Moments Thursday August 5, 1999 Home Release Area A page 18 Town Desk dos in; 47 words Brand of Procedure: Modification Paul Novak—The new Times’ July 15 obituary to your Paul Novak, Mae West’s lover out-of twenty-six many years, misspelled their fresh surname. e lawfully so you’re able to Charles H. (Chuck) Krauser as he became a specialist wrestler. While you are appearing that have Western within her 1950s nightclub act, he grabbed title Paul Novak.
The brand new epitome of your own strong, quiet particular and you will an intensely private man to the stop, Novak experimented with constantly to remain in the back ground, blogs to allow anyone trust he was only West’s bodyguard, when in truth the guy turned into the lady husband within the what you but identity.
They appreciated folksy, brief events where West loved in order to captivate her nearest and dearest with music and you may outrageous tales
The only big date Novak found himself on headlines try whenever the guy punched out some other person in West’s chicken trust, Mickey Hargitay, the newest Hungarian-produced Mr. World who had end up being romantically a part of Jayne Mansfield. Mansfield got made specific unkind remarks towards sixty-along with West, who nevertheless made it look regarding the force you to the two boys had been attacking more than her.
It actually was that it experience you to definitely inspired Western to switch title out of Charles Krauser—The second world war Navy gunner, person in the retailer , elite wrestler, circus roustabout and you can Strength Seashore denizen—in order to Paul Novak.
Indeed, Krauser had been produced Chester Ribonsky inside Baltimore. Their pal in excess of 50 years, Joe Gold, founder out of Gold’s Gyms and soon after Industry Gyms plus one associate regarding West’s chorus line, recalled you to Ribonsky altered his identity legally in the The new Orleans to help you Krauser, considering it had been a great moniker having a great wrestler.
West, a little, voluptuous lady with an attractive skin tone and you will a sparkling look, and you can Novak, with an effective bodybuilder’s broad shoulders and you may enormous bust, produced a striking partners. Their black locks and you will caters to in comparison greatly together blondness and you will fondness for light colors. Their solid, craggy possess and her enduring superstar mood blurred the real difference in the years.
In private, Western and you may Novak was indeed an impressively suitable, easygoing partners. She never ever tried to control the fresh conversation, however, are blogs to sit down as well as pay attention to Novak and you may others hold onward with the latest events.
Its common determination became into the passing many years and you will is actually pressing in order to behold, but really its very first love is tempestuous and you will took ages to settle off. They certainly were in a manner one another strong-willed loners exactly who appreciated its freedom. After, when West’s cousin Jack and you can sister Beverly, who she supported, had been offering Novak a tough time, he entitled Silver to drive your to The latest Orleans thus he you are going to create some other journey away from responsibility toward merchant marine.
Novak appreciated in order to make fun of as much as she did and you can try an click for more info excellent, comedy storyteller inside the individual proper
“It just happened from inside the 1964,” Dolly Dempsey, long time confidant of your partners, told you off Novak’s deviation out-of West’s Santa Monica seashore household. “It was the first occasion We ever heard Mae most talk for example Diamond Lil. Given that Paul is actually making, she advised him, ‘Remember, there is not no swingin’ doorways within put!’ ”
But Silver mentioned that when Novak involved so you can board motorboat in The brand new Orleans, he eliminated and make a phone call. Coming back, the guy informed Silver, “You will find have got to hook a plane,” and you can travelled home to Western, making Silver to-drive back to Los angeles alone.
Novak’s unstinting commitment offered Western a classic age of desirable glee and you can safety. With his ongoing safeguards, his matter on her behalf exercise and diet, West was able to live the girl existence nearly while the she usually had up to she sustained the group of shots one to advertised their life during the period of 87. She died on the girl tend to-demonstrated light and you can silver apartment during the Ravenswood building within the Hollywood, the lady dominant home regarding forty-eight decades, which have Novak and you will Dempsey handling their into stop.
A good dignified guy off concept and commitment, Novak is stunned because of the the woman dying, though it couldn’t came given that a shock to your. Actually ever the brand new realist, West inside her last ages continually expected Novak in order to line-up an attorney thus she you will changes this lady will inside the prefer, however, he procrastinated.
“I said to their, ‘Today, today, dear, there can be enough time to do this,’ ” the guy shortly after told you. “I suppose I thought she would live-forever.”
Western consequently would say you to Novak try “a great kid,” including when she was a student in the woman middle-80s: “ ‘Way, there’s forty people dyin’ to own their work!”
Silver said Novak, just who actually leaves two brothers when you look at the Maryland, need no qualities and additionally be cremated, along with his ashes thrown about sea he adored.