Eartha Kitt Dies Of Cancer At 81

Eartha Kitt, who was known for her famous trademark seductive purring voice, has died of colon cancer at the age of 81.

From Reuters:

"Actor-director Orson Welles once called Kitt "the most exciting woman alive" and, along with Lena Horne, she was one of the first African-American sex symbols.
Kitt picked up a string of awards during her long career, winning two Emmys and being nominated for a third, as well as a Grammy. She also had two Tony nominations.

Her hit songs included "C'est Si Bon," "Let's Do It", "My Heart Belongs To Daddy" and "Just an Old Fashioned Girl." She also was widely associated with Christmas because of her hit "Santa Baby." The song, recorded in 1953, went gold this year and she received the gold record before she died, Freedman said.' Kitt was blackballed in America for speaking out against the Vietnam War in the 1960s -- most notoriously at a White House luncheon in the company of first lady Lady Bird Johnson. Kitt then began performing in Europe, where she had been popular early in her career, and eventually returned to the United States to great acclaim.

"She was never one to look back on her life," Freedman said. "She was a true individual who believed that if you had a true belief in yourself, your talent was authentic."





Controversy aside, she was also known as the original Catwoman on the 1966 TV series Batman. It's bittersweet that Ms. Kitt has passed on the day when her trademark song is in heavy rotation all over the world. Here's to The Cat.