Cabaret Singer Eartha Kitt Dies After Colon Cancer Battle

2008-12-29 19:19:48 (GMT) (WiredPRNews.com - Entertainment, News)

‘Catwoman’ star succumbs to colon cancer on Christmas Day.

Wired PR News.com – Acclaimed cabaret singer and actress Eartha Kitt has died. As reported by the Associated Press (AP), the ‘Catwoman’ star passed away Christmas Day after a battle with colon cancer. She was 81 years old.

Kitt was widely recognized as a “self-proclaimed sex kitten” who used her cat like qualities, including a sultry singing voice, in her entertainment acts. Throughout her more than 60-year career she has won two Emmys, two Grammys, and numerous Tony nominations for her work. She was also the first to release the holiday classic “Santa Baby” which has been re-recorded numerous times since its debut in 1954.

As mentioned in the AP report, highly regarded film director Orson Welles described Kitt as the “most exciting woman in the world.” Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson was also quoted as commenting “Eartha Kitt was a pioneer, whose talents were so immense and strong that the walls of segregation began to come down when people watched her perform.”

Photo Credit: Jyh-Lurn Chang