Eartha Kitt
Sultry singer of the seasonal hit “Santa Baby”
1927-2008
Eartha Kitt, the sultry singer, dancer and actress who rose from South Carolina cotton fields to become an international symbol of elegance and sensuality, passed away on Christmas Day, 2008. She was 81.
Kitt, a self-proclaimed “sex kitten” famous for her catlike purr, was one of America’s most versatile performers, winning two Emmys and nabbing a third nomination. She also was nominated for several Tonys and two Grammys.
Her career spanned six decades, from her start as a dancer with the famed Katherine Dunham troupe to cabarets and acting and singing on stage, in movies and on television.
She scored her biggest hit in 1953 with the seasonal song “Santa Baby.” Baby Boomers will recognize her as one of the women to portray “Catwoman” on the “Batman” TV series in the late 1960s. Disney film buffs will recognize her as the voice of “Ezma” from “The Emperor’s New Groove”.
