Mel Novak, born on June 16, 1934, American actor Milan Mrdjenovich (full name: Milan Mrđenović) was most known for his villainous roles in Black Belt Jones, Game of Death, and An Eye for an Eye. He became recognized for doing every stunt and battle scene alone.
Mel Novak Biography: His Life and Legal Legacy
Mel Novak’s Professional Life, 1970s–1980s
Novak starred alongside Yul Brynner in Robert Clouse’s 1975 film The Ultimate Warrior after first appearing in two blaxploitation films, Truck Turner and Black Belt Jones, produced by Clouse in 1974. A Serbian mother gave birth to Novak in Pittsburgh. First of numerous Sybil Danning films was Cat in the Cage (1978).
He played hitman Stick in Robert Clouse’s 1978 film Game of Death, one of his most notable 1970s performances. Novak has small roles in the Chuck Norris flicks An Eye for an Eye (1981) and A Force of One (1979). Novak teamed with David Sheldon in Lovely But Deadly (1981), starring B-movie queen Lucinda Dooling. After the 1980s, Novak mostly appeared in indie films.
Novak Year 1990–2000
Novak appeared in two Garry Marshall films in the 1990s: Dear God (1996) and Exit to Eden (1994), based on Anne Rice’s novel.
In the 2005 action/horror film Vampire Assassin, Novak featured with Gerald Okamura and Rudy Ray Moore. Novak was inducted into the 2008 London Martial Arts Hall of Fame. Novak shined out in 2015’s action film Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance.
Mel Novak My life
Licensed preacher Novak performed funerals and memorial ceremonies for celebrities including Tim Burton’s father, Bill Burton, and Chuck Connors’ son, Jeffrey Alan Connors. He worked in prison ministry and skid row for almost 30 years. He has three grandkids through his daughter, Lea, and son, Nikol.
Mel Novak’s Death
He died April 9, 2025.
Honoring Mel Novak
In moments like these, we feel the loss deeply. Mel Novak left a lasting impact on many lives.
If you have any memories or thoughts to share, please feel free to leave a comment below. Let’s come together to remember and celebrate his life.
R.I.P. Mel Novak, we did this talk on June 12,2020 on a cold, rainy, stormy June day! I remember unrecorded the week before he said to me "I've never done a Horror film but i've done plenty of films with Splats" lol www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDSc…
— Tommy "Throwback" Kovac (@tommykomic93.bsky.social) 2025-04-10T00:45:26.891Z
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