# Eartha Kitt: Hollywood’s Most Dangerous Woman – An Untold Story

Eartha Kitt, born on January 17, 1927, in the oppressive heat of a South Carolina cotton plantation, emerged from a childhood of poverty and rejection to become one of Hollywood’s most captivating and controversial figures.

Her life, marked by a voice that seduced in multiple languages and a presence that commanded stages worldwide, reads like a dramatic script—except every shocking moment was real. Known for hits like “Santa Baby” and her iconic role as Catwoman, Kitt’s journey was defined by defiance, earning her the label of Hollywood’s most dangerous woman.

Kitt’s early years were brutal. Born to an African-American mother and a white father whose identity remained a lifelong mystery, she faced rejection from the plantation owner’s wife and was sent to Harlem at eight with just a cardboard suitcase. This abandonment fueled her resilience.

Working multiple jobs through high school, Kitt discovered her vocal talent, a gift that landed her a contract with the Katherine Dunham Dance Company in 1950. Overnight, she transformed from an unwanted child to an international artist, dazzling Parisian salons and refining her dangerous edge.

By 1955, Kitt was a force on American stages, stunning audiences on the Ed Sullivan Show with performances like “C’est Si Bon.” Her ability to shapeshift—from innocent kitten to sultry huntress in songs like “I Want to Be Evil”—wasn’t just entertainment; it was hypnosis. Yet, success made her a target.

As an outspoken Black woman in 1960s America, supporting civil rights and dating white men openly, she was already under FBI surveillance. Her torrid affair with Revlon heir Charles Revson scandalized society, intensifying scrutiny.

The defining moment came on January 18, 1968, at a White House luncheon with Lady Bird Johnson. Asked about youth rebellion, Kitt unleashed a scathing critique of the Vietnam War and delinquent parenting, declaring, “You send the best of this country off to be shot and maimed.”

The room erupted; Johnson wept, and within hours, President Johnson ordered her blacklisting, banning her from American airwaves. The CIA and FBI expanded her file, treating her as a national security threat. Nightclub bookings vanished through subtle government pressure, crushing her career and personal life, including her marriage to William McDonald.

Exiled, Kitt rebuilt herself in European cabarets as a single mother, vowing her daughter would never feel unwanted. Despite rumored affairs with icons like Orson Welles, she clawed back into American consciousness with roles like Catwoman in *Batman* (1967), embodying a predator who mirrored her own prowling spirit.

Her villainous charm captivated new generations unaware of her political battles. When she passed, her $4 million estate was modest, but her legacy—honored with Hollywood Walk of Fame stars—was immense. Kitt, once deemed too dangerous for American stages, proved courage has a price, rewriting her ending as a pioneering artist who refused to be silenced.