Cohn changed his mind about Marilyn when he realized he needed a star to replace Rita Hayworth, who was more interested in marriage than stardom. She was sent to Cohn's office, where he announced that her screen name would be Kit Marlowe. She instantly rejected the name. Though Cohn was furious to be contradicted, the two finally reached a compromise and Kim Novak was born.
Though Kim would usually give in to Cohn's demands, she often frustrated him with an independent mind unusual for a starlet. She wasn't interested in stardom or a lavish lifestyle, and this greatly diminished his power over her.
That year, Kim appeared in three movies. In her first featured role, she played a femme fatale in Pushover (1954). She then played a girlfriend in Five Against the House. She nearly stole the show from stars Jack Lemmon and Judy Holliday in the comedy Phffft!.
Suddenly, Kim was famous. Reporters constantly demanded her attention and she received bags of fan mail. At first, Kim wanted to pursue a quiet life and marry her boyfriend, theater owner Mac Krim. That changed when she began to enjoy acting. She also liked being able to support herself and her family.
Kim's career reached another level when she was loaned to United Artists to star with Frank Sinatra in The Man With the Golden Arm (1955). With coaching from Sinatra and director Otto Preminger, she achieved her best performance to date. Her fledgling talent pleasantly surprised the critics.
In an attempt to fully exploit Kim's new popularity, her publicist coined her the Lavender Blonde; she claimed that the young star was obsessed with the color. Her clothes, apartment, and even her hair would be dyed lavender. Kim would come to hate the color and the Hollywood hype that inspired the story.
The newly lavender Kim was a pleasing addition to The Eddy Duchin Story (1956). After that, she starred in the movie that would seal her fame, Picnic (1955). Kim knew that she was not ready for the challenging lead role, but Cohn insisted that she accept it. Ultimately, despite her lack of experience, Kim held her own with costars William Holden and Rosalind Russell. The critics were pleased, but reserved. Her adoring public had no reservations.
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