Harry H. Novak was a pioneering figure in the world of independent film distribution and production, best known for his work in the exploitation and adult film industries from the 1950s through the 1970s. Born in 1923, Novak carved out a unique niche as a maverick entrepreneur who capitalized on changing social mores and censorship laws, bringing a wide array of low-budget, sensational, and often controversial films to audiences across the United States. His company, Boxoffice International Pictures, became synonymous with a brand of gritty, titillating cinema that pushed boundaries and reflected the underground currents of American pop culture.

Novak began his career in the entertainment business as a film salesman, traveling the country to book movies for independent theaters. He quickly recognized a growing demand for films that mainstream Hollywood would not touch, particularly those dealing with nudity, vice, and taboo subjects. In the late 1950s, he established his own distribution company and began acquiring and producing a steady stream of exploitation features. He worked with a stable of prolific directors, including David F. Friedman and Herschell Gordon Lewis, the latter of whom is often credited with creating the gore genre. Novak distributed many of Lewis's early shockers, such as Blood Feast and Two Thousand Maniacs!, helping to define the look and feel of American horror in the pre-ratings era.

Throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, Novak’s Boxoffice International produced and distributed hundreds of films, ranging from nudist camp comedies and "roughies" to women-in-prison dramas and sexploitation musicals. He was known for his shrewd business acumen, often shooting films on shoestring budgets and exploiting loopholes in local censorship codes to get his product into theaters. Novak also developed strong relationships with drive-in theater owners, who became his primary exhibitors. His films featured a rotating cast of cult actors and actresses, including John Carradine and Russ Meyer's early stars, and he was instrumental in launching the careers of several B-movie directors.

As the adult film industry evolved into hardcore pornography in the 1970s, Novak adapted, though he never fully embraced the explicit content that came to dominate the market. He continued to produce and distribute softcore and exploitation fare, maintaining a loyal audience until his retirement in the early 1980s. Despite the often-derided nature of his product, Novak was respected within the industry for his integrity and his role in championing free expression. He was also a generous supporter of film preservation, donating his archive of films and memorabilia to the University of Texas at Austin. Harry H. Novak passed away in 2012 at the age of 89, leaving behind a vast, controversial, and undeniably influential legacy as one of the kings of exploitation cinema.