• Home
    • About Hollywood Yesterday
    • Privacy
  • Old Hollywood Actresses
  • Old Hollywood Actors
  • Biography & Book Reviews

Hollywood Yesterday

Old Hollywood: Movies, Actresses, and Actors

You are here: Home / Archives for Jay Novello

Getting to Know Jay Novello

May 19, 2008 By Joi

Jay Novello

You may not recognize the name Jay Novello, but I’m certain you recognize his very expressive face – from more places than you may realize.

This delightful character actor was born in Chicago, Illinois on August 22, 1904 to Italian parents – explaining why he learned to speak Italian before English.  He died in 1982 from lung cancer, but we’re here to keep memories alive, and Jay Novello has provided us with some great material to draw from!

He has a very impressive filmography resume – having worked in just about every genre imaginable. He even played a Japanese spy in Adventures of Smilin’ Jack (1943).  He is, however, best known for his work on television. Many people remember him as the scheming Mayor Lugato in “McHale’s Navy” (1962). Since I’ve never seen a single episode of McHale’s Navy, I’m not at all familiar with his work on the show. He did, however, appear on two series that I haven’t gone a day without watching since I can’t remember when: I Love Lucy and Andy Griffith.

He had several very memorable roles on I Love Lucy:

“Mario” in the episode titled Visitor from Italy (1956)
“Mr. Beecher” in the episode titled The Sublease (1954) – He was hilarious as the extremely nervous tenant who Lucy tries to scare off after Fred and Ethel Mertz put a classified in the paper.
Mr. Merriweather in the episode titled The Seance (1951) – As a highly strung man trying to contact “Tillie” on the other side.

He also left his mark on Andy Griffith:

Jay Novello showed more of his straight man side to the one and only Don Knotts in two classic episodes of Andy Griffith. In Guest of Honor, He played a thief who tricked Barney into thinking he was a hotel detective. He even convinced Barney that the actual hotel detective was the crook.  In Otis Sues the County, he played the sleazy attorney, Neil Bentley.

You may also recognize him from Make Room for Daddy (1958), The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (as Carlos De La Marca in 2 episodes, 1957-1958), Zorro (5 episodes, 1958), The Donna Reed Show (1960), Wagon Train (1960), The Lucy Show (1962), Perry Mason (1962), The Untouchables (Gino Romaldi, 1963), My Three Sons (Vincenzo in an episode from 1966), Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. (2 episodes as Dr. Purdy, 1967-1969), Lassie (1968), Family Affair (3 episodes, 1969), Bonanza (2 episodes, 1965 and 1969), The Flying Nun (1969), Ironside (1971), The Mod Squad (2 episodes, 1969-1971), The Brady Bunch (as Mr. Martinelli in an episode from 1973), Kojak (1976), Chico and the Man (1976)…..

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to learn much about Jay Novello’s personal life.  His wife’s name was Paticia and they had one daughter, Yvonne.   One of my favorite ways to get a handle on someone is to read their quotes, but I haven’t been able to find even one.  I’m still on the hunt, though, so check back.

Mr. Novello may have something to say and you wouldn’t want to miss it!

Filed Under: Andy Griffith, Classic TV, I Love Lucy, Old Movies Tagged With: Andy Griffith, Classic TV, I Love Lucy, Jay Novello

Welcome to Hollywood Yesterday!

Ann Sheridan, It All Came True

Ann Sheridan
My name is Joi (“Joy”) and I created Hollywood Yesterday as my personal tribute to Old Hollywood. It’s my effort to help keep the stars from Old Hollywood, Classic Television, and Old Radio Shows alive and shining forever. Old Hollywood was positively magical and I see no reason for the magic to ever die.

Be warned, I am (by nature) overtly positive, I never take anything too seriously, I say extraordinary so often you’d think I invented the word, and I overuse exclamation points to distraction. I’m perpetually over-caffeinated.. we’ll blame that.

Read more about Hollywood Yesterday (and see my personal favorites) here!

Old Hollywood Actresses

Lena Horne, Meet Me in Las Vegas

See the Old Hollywood Actresses page for the index of Classic Hollywood Actresses and Classic TV Actresses.

Old Hollywood Actors

Henry Fonda, Behind the Scenes The Grapes of Wrath

See the Old Hollywood Actors page for the index of Old Hollywood and Classic TV actors.

Old Hollywood Book Reviews

Ann Dvorak: Hollywood's Forgotten Rebel by Christina Rice

I love reading old Hollywood biographies and memoirs as much as I love watching classic movies, and that’s truly saying something!

To see my Old Hollywood book reviews, please see the index listed here: Book Reviews.

Pictures of the Day

Maureen O'Hara, The Parent Trap

Maureen O’Hara

The Old Hollywood & Classic TV Pictures of the Day are published as regularly as possible. If I miss a few days, please just know that the husband, daughters, sons-in-law, grandbabies, and/or my cats were demanding my attention. I’ll be honest, nothing comes before any of them! Not even Maureen O’Hara or Henry Fonda.

Priorities, y’all.

Movie Collections on Amazon

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

  • A Great Katharine Hepburn Quote That (Like Her) Doesn’t Hold Back!
  • Happy Katharine Hepburn Day! The Iconic and Legendary Actress was BOTD in 1907
  • Dame Margaret Rutherford, BOTD in England in 1892
  • Gary Cooper and Joan Leslie, Sergeant York (1941)
  • Joan Fontaine in One of Her Finest Roles, Born to Be Bad (1950)
  • Juliet Mills, Maureen O’Hara, and James Stewart Behind the Scenes of The Rare Breed
  • The Awful Truth: Cary Grant, Irene Dunne, Mary Forbes, and Ralph Bellamy
  • Positivity, Fertilizer, Dolphins, and Katharine Hepburn… and it’s Just Monday!

Movie Night, ANY Night…

John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, and Arthur Hunnicutt in El Dorado
Have movie night ANY night with Prime Video on Amazon:  Prime Video (Amazon link)

Thank You for Visiting!

Paulette Goddard and Charlie Chaplin, Modern Times
Thank you so much for visiting Hollywood Yesterday! You truly HONOR me with your presence. ~ Joi (“Joy”)

Olivia de Havilland

Olivia de Havilland, The Adventures of Robin Hood

My main goal with Hollywood Yesterday is to keep the names, faces, and films of the stars that mean so much to me shining brightly. When I’m guilty of focusing more time on my personal favorites (such as Olivia de Havilland) than other stars, I hope you’ll forgive me. I am, by all indications, very human!

Also, please know that I try to keep my posts (except for book reviews) short and to the point, so you can enjoy the pictures, grab the information, and get back to your life. I don’t appreciate anything that’s overly wordy, so I don’t want to do that to others. For better or worse, I write as I talk, so if you ever feel like you’re reading the words of someone who’s a cross between Lucy Ricardo, Daisy Duck, and a Jerry Lewis character, that’s just because you are!

Wait. What did I just admit to?? 

Barbara Stanwyck Quotes

Another personal absolute favorite of mine is Barbara Stanwyck. Not only was she beautiful and outrageously talented, she was exceptionally bright, charismatic, and colorful. This growing collection of Barbara Stanwyck Quotes will give you an idea of just how colorful she was!

Old Hollywood Movies

Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire Top Hat Cheek to Cheek

There’s nothing quite like watching a movie from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Whether it’s a Musical, Western, Comedy, Romance, Film Noir, or Drama – if it’s on, I’m not too far away… with popcorn and raspberry tea in hand and a couple of cats nearby.

Below are a few Old Hollywood movie reviews I’ve done on the blog. There are, as you’d imagine, a lot more to come. – Joi (“Joy”)

We’re in the Money (Joan Blondell, Glenda Farrell)

The Naked Spur (James Stewart, Janet Leigh)

The Prince and the Showgirl (Marilyn Monroe, Laurence Olivier)

The White Sister (Helen Hayes, Clark Gable)

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Howard Keel, Jane Powell, Russ Tamblyn, Julie Newmar)

Rio Bravo (John Wayne, Dean Martin, Angie Dickinson, Ricky Nelson, Walter Brennan)

El Dorado (John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, James Caan, Charlene Holt, Michele Carey)

Rio Grande (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara)

Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein (What is it With Me and These Movies??)

The Stooge (Jerry Lewis’ favorite Lewis and Martin Movie… for good reason.)

Critic’s Choice (Hilarious movie starring Bob Hope and Lucille Ball)

To Please a Lady (Clark Gable and Barbara Stanwyck team up in a fast track movie)

Grand Hotel (Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore)

Hearts Divided (Marion Davies, Dick Powell)

The Quiet Man (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Barry Fitzgerald)

More Old Hollywood Movie Reviews

Classic Hollywood Books & Biographies (Reviews)

Maureen O'Hara's Autobiography 'Tis Herself

‘Tis Herself by Maureen O’Hara
I Know Where I'm Going (Katharine Hepburn Biography) and Princess

I Know Where I’m Going: Katharine Hepburn

 

Debbie Reynolds Unsinkable
Unsinkable: A Memoir by Debbie Reynolds

 

Ginger Rogers Autobiography - Ginger: My Story

Ginger by Ginger Rogers
Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball

Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball
Vitagraph by Andrew A. Erish
Vitagraph by Andrew A. Erish
More Old Hollywood Book Reviews!

Dorothy Dandridge

Dorothy Dandridge Carmen Jones Poster

Getting to Know the Gorgeous and Talented Dorothy Dandridge

My Lucy Obsession

Lucille Ball

Find out just how much I (truly) Love Lucy in the Lucille Ball category. I’m warning you, I call it an obsession for a very good reason…

Legalities…

Aside from pictures of books I review, I do not claim to have taken any of the pictures on this website, nor do I own the pictures – the ones of the stars or the affiliate (product) pictures.  Other, far more talented photographers than me have the credit for the beautiful photos you see. If you would like credit for a photograph or would like one removed, please e-mail me (joitsigers@gmail.com).

Movie posters and promotional photos are used in the belief that they qualify for the Fair Use law. Fair use is a doctrine in the law of the United States that permits limited use of copyrighted material without having to first acquire permission from the copyright holder. Fair use is one of the limitations to copyright intended to balance the interests of copyright holders with the public interest in the wider distribution and use of creative works by allowing as a defense to copyright infringement claims certain limited uses that might otherwise be considered infringement.

When you click through an affiliate (product, book, dvds..) link, I earn a small portion of the money you spend IF you purchase anything. This does not cost you any extra money, of course. This is how I am able to work from home and support my cats! – Joi (“Joy”)

Copyright © 2023 | Audrey Hepburn Posters | Ava Gardner Posters