Veteran actor Mel Novak, who was best known for starring alongside Bruce Lee in Game Of Death, has died at the age of 90.
Novak was notable for his work in a string of martial arts movies, in which he impressively performed all of his own stunts.
Along with Game Of Death, his pictures included the blaxploitation film Black Belt Jones and the Chuck Norris classics A Force Of One and An Eye For An Eye.
Novak’s daughter Nikol Conant confirmed this Wednesday that her father had succumbed to natural causes that morning, via TMZ.
Nikol, who is one of his two daughters, shared that her father died at a board and care facility located in Southern California.
He had suffered physical pain every day, particularly in his final years, as a result of injuries he sustained during his Hollywood career, said Nikol.
Veteran actor Mel Novak, who was best known for starring alongside Bruce Lee in Game Of Death, has died at the age of 90
Game Of Death was released in 1978, combining newly filmed material with footage of Bruce shot before his mysterious death in 1973.
In his most enduring and beloved role, Novak featured as the villainous hitman Stick, whose nickname derives from the matchstick he always twiddles between his teeth.
Born Milan Mrdjenovich to Serbian parents in small-town Pennsylvania, Novak grew up near Pittsburgh dreaming of playing professional baseball.
Although he signed a pro contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, a shoulder injury and the resultant surgery left him ‘crippled’ for seven years, dashing his hopes of a career in sports when he was just 19, he told the fan website Nanarland.
He recovered thanks to years of extensive gym training and then struck out to Los Angeles, where he worked as a model his agent recommended he act.
Novak quickly found his niche playing action villains, particularly hit men, which he portrayed on both his acting debut – the popular detective show Mannix – and his big break on the big screen, the blaxploitation film Black Belt Jones.
