Former American Actress
Nancy Kovack was nominated for the Emmysunder the category ‘Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in Supporting Role’ for the CBS show'Mannix' in 1969
Nancy got her first big break as an actor on television as Jackie Gleason’s'Glee Girls.' She rose to fame as a frequently appearing character on'The Dave Garroway Show'(1953),'Beat the Clock'(1950), and'Today'(1952). She worked in television for a few years before signing with the entertainment company Columbia Pictures. Soon, she amassed an impressive list of movie and TV credits.
- By Shruti Pokharel
- Original :
Nancy Kovack is a former American actress.
Who is Nancy Kovack?
Nancy Kovack is a former American actress best known for starring in TV showsToday(1952),The Dave Garrow Show(1953), andBeat the Clock(1950). She bid adieu to her acting career when she married the music maestro Zubin Mehta in 1969.
Early Life and Education
Nancy Kovack was born on 11 March 1935 in Flint, Michigan. She is 86 as of 2021.
Kovack went to the University of Michigan when she was 15 and graduated at 19. While doing her degree, she worked as a radio deejay. Kovack also participated in many beauty pageants during her teens and held eight beauty titles by 20.
Career
Nancy got her first big break as an actor on television as Jackie Gleason’sGlee Girls. She rose to fame as a frequently appearing character onThe Dave Garroway Show(1953),Beat the Clock(1950), andToday(1952). She worked in television for a few years before signing with the entertainment company Columbia Pictures. Soon, she amassed an impressive list of movie and TV credits.
Her notable movies wereMaroonedandJason and the Argonauts. To this day, she has been remembered for her character Medea she portrayed in 1963 in the movieJason and the Argonauts. The movie is about the mythical quest for the Golden Fleece.
Kovack was also part of some of the most successful TV shows of that time, includingStar Trek,The Man from the U.N.C.L.E,Batman,Mannix, andI Dream of Jeannie. Her frequent appearances in the TV show from the 1960s calledBewitchedcontributed more to her fame. She appeared on the show for five episodes as two different characters. In seasons 1 and 4, she portrayed Darrin’s ex-girlfriend Shiela Sommers. She came back in season 5 to play Clio Vanita.
In 1969,Kovack was nominated for Emmysunder the category ‘Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in Supporting Role’ for the CBS showMannix.
Nancy got married in 1969. She rarely appeared in front of the camera after the marriage. The credits after marriage include the movieToo Many Suspectsin 1975 and TV showsMannixin 1972 and 1973 andCannonin 1976.
Today
Kovack lives with her husband and music conductor, Zubin Mehta, in Los Angeles, where Mehta is working as Conductor Emeritus of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. No sources reveal what she is doing now.
Personal Life
Nancy has been married to Indian Orchestral Conductor and Music directorZubin Mehtafor more than 52 years.Zubin Mehtais of Indian Parsi descent. The couple married on 19 July 1969. Kovack is the stepmother to Mehta’s two children Mervon Mehta and Zarina Mehta. Mervon Mehta is an actor known for her roles inRomeo & Juliet(1993) andThe Wayne & Shuster Superspecial(1976).
Nancy’s husband is one of the most famed musicians of all time. He served as the musical director of the Montreal Symphony from 1961 to 1967. Simultaneously, he worked as the musical director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic during the same period. In 1964, Mehta debuted as an opera conductor in Montreal. He was also the conductor of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
Today, he is the chief conductor of the Maggio Musicale festival in Italy, the main conductor for Valencia’s opera house, and the Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Mehta was honored with the ‘Kennedy Center Honor’ for lifetime achievement in the arts in 2006 and the Praemium Imperiale in 2008.
In 2016, Mehta published a biography ‘Zubin Mehta: A Musical Journey.’ In this book, he mentioned the story behind pursuing music as his career and recalled the moments that made him the music maestro. Nancy Kovack accompanied Mehta in thebook launchat the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai.
Net Worth
Kovack’s net worth remains unknown. Her husband Zubin Mehta is said to have an estimatednet worthof $10 million.
Nancy Kovack Jason and the Argonauts Mannix Columbia Pictures
