THE HAT SQUAD: EARTHA KITT

Eartha Kitt, know for (among other things) originating "Santa Baby", passed away at the age of 81 on Christmas Day. Her participation in the 'Batman' craze during the sixties is of importance to Toobworld, because I can argue the hypothesis that her character links 'Batman' to 'Mission: Impossible' as well as to 'The Famous Jett Jackson'.

But it was also important as a step forward with regards to Television and the topic of race in America. When the producers of 'Batman' needed another actress to take on the role of Catwoman after Julie Newmar, they could have gone with someone who resembled Miss Newmar somewhat - as they did with Lee Meriweather in the theatrical movie. Instead, they went completely in the opposite direction - not only with someone of color, but also a woman of diminutive stature, unlike the statuesque Miss Newmar.
Eartha Kitt appeared on many other TV shows, not only in dramatic roles but also as herself as a singer. One of these appearances happened in 1998 when she showed up on Roseanne's talk show for Halloween. At the time she was appearing at Madison Square Garden in 'The Wizard Of Oz' as the Wicked Witch, and "The Jitterbug" was returned to the score for her to sing.

So she appeared on 'Roseanne' in full Wicked Witch of the West garb, with Roseanne decked out in the same get-up as well. It made for a great Oz-Bit double vision!

I paid a small compliment to Ms. Kitt in my Toobworld novel with the naming of one of my government agents. In recreating the sense of TV in-jokes, one theme has all of the government agents, no matter the agency they work for, bearing names of actors who played the same role in a TV series: Reed BelGeddes, Brooke Oppenheimer, Foster Gless, Hunter Bruns, and in this instance, Kitt Newmar.

As for her version of Catwoman, I'll have more on that later....

May God Bless.....

BCnU!
Toby O'B