David-Novek_westmountmag

David Novek leads
Cummings film classes

Movies, Music And Memories series features major Hollywood personalities

By Byron Toben

The Cummings Centre, perhaps best known for its physical rehabilitation classes, also hosts a number of lectures, programs and classes, including some on art, music and film.

Viewers may recall our three-part series Momedy Comedy, hosted by Montreal documentary filmmaker Irene Angelico, on Jewish female comics, as well as her moderating Shalom, Bollywood, about Jewish women actors and dancers crucial to the early days of the Indian film industry.

Recently, legendary film publicist David Novek was also enlisted by Cummings to host Movies, Music And Memories, a monthly four-part series dealing with major Hollywood personalities.

David Novek, who began his career at the National Film Board, represented many leading Canadian producers and distributors, becoming active in both Hollywood and Cannes.

We were pleased to watch the first, about the long popular singer/actor Doris Day who sadly passed away last May at 97.

Mr Novek interspersed his comments with many filmed excerpts of her career.

Born in Cincinnati in 1922 as Doris May Kappelhoff, she began her singing career at 17, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two number one recordings, Sentimental Journey and My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time. This was mostly with Les Brown and his Band of Renown.

Leaving that band in 1947, she recorded some 650 songs by 1967.

Hollywood beckoned for this cheerful “all American” beauty and by 1967 she had appeared opposite such stars as Lauren Bacall, James Cagney, Kirk Douglas, Clark Gable, Cary Grant, Jack Lemmon, David Niven, Frank Sinatra and Jimmy Stewart.

She was nominated for Best Actress in 1959’s Pillow Talk opposite Rock Hudson. In 1956’s Alfred Hitchcock film, The Man Who Knew Too Much, she performed what became her signature song, Que Sera, Sera.

Doris Day - WestmountMag.ca

Doris Day – Image: Public Domain

Leaving films in 1968, she hosted her own sitcom The Doris Day Show until 1973.

Despite her ebullient screen image, her personal life was marred. She divorced her first, second and fourth husbands. Her third died, leaving her with large debts.

So, like Leonard Cohen, she had to return to work to renew her fortune. Her latter years were spent on her love of dogs and the establishment of The Doris Day Animal Foundation.

David Novek, who began his career at the National Film Board, represented many leading Canadian producers and distributors, becoming active in both Hollywood and Cannes.

His next 1:30 pm Thursday presentations are:

October 24: Oscar Winner Ben Hecht: Screenwriting To Aid The Fight For Israel
November 7: Astaire Versus Kelly: You Be The Judge
November 21: And Let’s Not Forget The Other Hoofers
December 5: Running With The Ratpack

514 342-1234
cummingscentre.org

Feature image: David Novek, courtesy of David Novek

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Read more articles from Byron Toben


Byron Toben, a past president of The Montreal Press Club, has been WestmountMag.ca’s theatre reviewer since July 2015. Previously, he wrote for since terminated web sites Rover Arts and Charlebois Post, print weekly The Downtowner and print monthly The Senior Times. He also is an expert consultant on U.S. work permits for Canadians.

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