Thursday, December 25, 2008

Eartha Kitt: 1927-2008

Eartha Kitt, legendary performer of stage and screen, died today at the age of 81.

Known for her distinctive voice and catlike purr, Kitt became famous in the 1950's with such recordings as "C'est Si Bon" and the holiday standard "Santa Baby", and even more so as the ultimate "sex kitten", Catwoman, on the 60's camp classic Batman. A fixture on the international cabaret scene for decades, she also made a name for herself on Broadway, earning Tony Award nominations for Timbuktu! and The Wild Party.

In more recent years, Kitt could be seen in such films as Boomerang, Harriet the Spy and Holes, and memorably voiced the villainous Yzma in Disney's The Emperor's New Groove. She won an Annie Award for her performance and reprised it in the movie's video and television spin-offs, winning two more Annies as well as two Emmys.

No comments: