Meet the Catwomen!

The newspaper reported that Eartha Kitt passed away on Christmas Day and I started wondering who this 81 year old dame was. And then of course, I am not Orson Welles. The latter who had given this American actress, singer and cabaret star who was best known for the Christmas song Santa Baby, her first starring role as Helen of Troy in his staging of Dr. Faustus, had even called Eartha the most exciting woman in the world. And boy, was this Eartha Kitt lady exciting indeed! Claimed to have conceived by rape by a father of German and French descent and a mother of Cherokee and American African descent, the late Eartha Kitt had both a colourful personal life and a glamorous career. Her career which began as a member of the Katherine Dunham Company seemed not to have stopped until her very last years! In the 60s, she was already playing Catwoman, the supervillainess created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, having taken over the role from Julie Newar in the then Batman television series. And I used to think that Michelle Pfeiffer and Halle Berry were the only Catwomen around! The Catwomen family actually started with Lee Meriweather, the 1955 Miss America and star of the 70s Barnaby Jones series... The entertainment world sure recycles old junks and make them new and shiny, don't you think?

Catwoman Lee Merriweather...

Catwoman Julie Newar...

Catwoman Eartha Kitt...


Catwoman Michelle Pfeiffer...

Catwoman Halle Berry...