Eartha Kitt

I was sad to hear of the death of Eartha Kitt on Christmas Day. She was one of those 'names' that always seems to be there and her name will live on. Eartha is mentioned regularly in articles about Buffy Sainte-Marie as one of the select few who were blacklisted in America in the late 60s for their anti-war stance. Until the obituaries started to appear I'd forgotten her dance hits in the '80s but that shows her range and capacity for spanning the decades.

I have two specific memories of Eartha Kitt:

1. As Catwoman from the '60s Batman telly series. She purred her way into history as one of the first superbaddies.

2. Appearing on one of those late '60s early evening variety shows doing a piss-take of herself singing 'Inkley Moor', Eartha singing a Yorkshire dialect song with her inimitable pauses and purrings in her voice, moving elegantly around the stage in full-on cabaret mode. I'd love to find a clip of that somewhere.

Eartha will continue to be played every Christmas - at least by me - with her marvellous 'Santa Baby', later covered by Madonna. Gone but not forgotten, I hope she's slinking around on a cloud purring at passing angels.