Thu Dec 25, 2008 — by Glenn Hauman

Eartha Kitt Dies

Eartha Kitt died today at the age of 81 from colon cancer.

Known worldwide as a self-proclaimed "sex kitten", famous for her catlike purr, Kitt was an incredibly versatile performer, winning two Emmys and nabbing a third nomination, as well as Tony and Grammy nominations, but probably best known for her role as Catwoman on the 1960's Batman TV series, replacing Julie Newmar in 1967; and for singing the song "Santa Baby". She was once dubbed the "most exciting woman in the world" by Orson Welles-- an assessment that's hard to dispute.

She said in an interview for Harper's Bazaar that "a gentleman who wrote [the late 1960s TV series] Batman said he wrote that character especially for me. He said, 'You are a cat, you look like a cat, you act like a cat.' "

If only she had eight more lives...

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