12/26/2008

EARTHA KITT Dies At 81


We have lost another of our great American treasures in yet another Christmas season. EARTHA KITT known and regarded by many as having portrayed the best incarnation of Catwoman from the 1960's Batman TV series. Eartha was much more than that. Eartha Kitt's sultry singing voice and catlike, purring growl of her speaking voice, never masked her assertive and confident sensuality. Every Christmas season her song "Santa Baby" has been a staple of the holidays on radio and countless CD collections. Ms. Kitt had a long and varied career on the stage, screen and film. She was known to have a fiery temper and feline demeanor that played into her mystique. Her outspoken, independent character caused her to be blacklisted by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968. From this excerpt from an article at TELEGRAPH.CO.UK, "Standing on a chair, and addressing an embarrassed audience of silent guests, Eartha Kitt made an impassioned and invective-ridden speech against President Johnson's policy in Vietnam and other aspects of American life. She was promptly blacklisted by Johnson and investigated by the CIA, which compiled a dossier suggesting she was "a sadistic nymphomaniac whose escapades and loose morals were the talk of Paris". Afterwards, she was effectively forced to work in exile, particularly in Europe, though she eventually toured in over 100 countries and sang in a dozen languages."



Eartha Kitt's tumultuous love life spanned many affairs with wealthy and successful men and married only once bearing a daughter, Kitt. Her film credits include "Saint Louis Blues " (1958), "Anna Lucasta" (1958) with Sammy Davis Jnr, "Up The Chastity Belt" (1971), with Frankie Howerd, "Friday Foster" (1975), "The Last Resort" (1979), "All By Myself" (1982) and "Boomerang" (1992) with Eddie Murphy. Ms. Kitt felt more at home in the theater and cabaret stage touring most of her life in smaller, intimate venues. Below is a video of her performing live one of her classics "I Want To Be Evil" from 1962-



Here is a scene from "St. Louis Blues" (1958) with Nat King Cole singing "Careless Love"-



AINTITCOOLNEWS has posted a great post with many more clips and you can read the full article from the TELEGRAPH here..We will miss you Eartha!

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