V445 Pup was a peculiar nova having no hydrogen spectral lines in the outburst. The spectrum contained strong emission lines of carbon, oxygen, calcium, sodium and iron. We have performed digital processing of photographic images of the V445 Pup progenitor using astronomical plate archives. The brightness of the progenitor in the B band was 14.3mag. It was found to be a periodic variable star, its most probable period being 0d.650654+/-0.000011d. The light curve shape suggests that the progenitor was a common-envelope binary having a spot on the surface and variable surface brightness. The spectral energy distribution of the progenitor between 0.44 and 2.2um was similar to that of an A0V type star.