Eartha Kitt

A globally recognized civil rights pioneer, Eartha Kitt was a legendary actress and singer whose career spanned more than six decades.

∙ In 1950, famed director Orson Welles cast Kitt in the starring role of his stage production of Time Runs, and he later called her “the most exciting woman in the world.” ∙ Her 1953 breakout hit, “Santa Baby,” was the top-selling Christmas song of that year, and it’s still a perennial holiday favorite that entered the Billboard Global 200 in 2021.

∙ With appearances in more than 70 films and TV shows, Kitt made history in 1967 with her iconic role as the first Black Catwoman in the Batman TV series.