The Fabulous Feline Facts, and HOT HOT History of Catwoman
Catwoman is DC’s original femme fatale. She’s been friend and foe, lover and fighter, villain and anti-hero. She’s a greater mystery to Batman than any puzzle Riddler could ever dream up. In this article, we’ll take a look at some interesting and fun facts about the women who have brought this character to the silver and small screens in live action.
Batman (1966)
Julie Newmar (TV)
Considered by many to be the purr-fect Catwoman, Newmar gave us the look we are most familiar with, even though comic versions of the costumes evolved much more in the decades to come.
- Newmar is an eleventh-generation American, her family heritage dates back to the Mayflower.
- Her legs were once insured for $10 million dollars. Except in the event of theft.
- Newmar was an inventor, and has two patents, one for butt-boosting pantyhose and the other for a front-clasp bra.
- Newmar makes a cameo as herself in the movie “To Wong Foo: Thanks For Everything Julie Newmar. The movie is about three drag queens who take an autographed picture of Newmar with them as a good luck charm on a cross-country road trip, and it was recently adapted into a stage play.
The Funko Pop! version (Funko Pop! Catwoman #43) is pretty true to the Batman 1966 TV costume, especially the gold necklace, belt, and claw accents. This item has steadily appreciated, going for $24 on Covetly, with current Covetly Open Offers for $19 (sell it instantly if you have it!).
See more on Covetly: https://www.covetly.com/guide/funko/pop-heroes/catwoman-classic-1966-tv-43
Lee Meriwether (Film)
Meriwether starred as Catwoman in the Batman movie, which came out in the middle of Batman’s TV show run. Newmar had to film another movie, which kept her from reprising the role on film. Meriwether portrayed Catwoman as being ambitious and ruthless, and held her own side by side with film legends like Cesar Romero (The Joker), Frank Gorshin (The Riddler), and Burgess Meredith (The Penguin)
- The Catwoman outfit had threads of metal to give it the glistening look. Between the friction against her skin and the hot sun, she suffered second degree burns on her shoulders.
- Meriwether won the 1955 Miss America pageant.
- Meriwether played a number of strong female characters known for their brains and beauty, including housewife Lily Munster (The Munsters), detective Betty Jones (Barnaby Jones), and spy Tracey (Mission: Impossible).
The Funko Pop! version is the same Funko Pop! Catwoman #43 above:
https://www.covetly.com/guide/funko/pop-heroes/catwoman-classic-1966-tv-43
Link to Lily Munster’s Pop: https://www.covetly.com/guide/funko/pop-television/lily-munster-197
Eartha Kitt (TV)
Kitt was a famous jazz singer, and is best known her Christmas hit, “Santa Baby.” Her other hits include “Uska Dara,” I Want to be Evil,” and “C’est si bon.” Kitt is the definition of overcoming the odds. She grew up with a single mother in South Carolina and never knew her father’s identity. She was given away by her mother and sent to Harlem, then quit school at only 15 to work in a factory in Brooklyn, surviving by staying with her friends or sleeping on the subway. But her musical talent took her to fame and fortune.
- Orson Welles called her “The most exciting woman in the world.”
- Her true birthdate was unknown until 1998, when a group of students from her hometown found her birth certificate.
- Her many accolades include a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording and the only actress to win three Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Performer in Animated Program.
- Kitt died in her home in Weston, CT, on Christmas Day 2008.
The Funko Pop! version is the same Funko Pop! Catwoman #43 above:
https://www.covetly.com/guide/funko/pop-heroes/catwoman-classic-1966-tv-43
Batman Returns (1992)
Michelle Pfeiffer
Michelle Pfeiffer was considered for Vicki Vale, but the role was given to Kim Basinger. She was very upset after Annette Bening was cast to play Catwoman, but because Bening became pregnant, Pfeiffer was given the part after all. Tim Burton’s Catwoman had a supernatural ability to come back from the dead, a play on the old saying, “Cats have nine lives.”
- Pfeiffer attempted to compete in the Miss America pageant, but never won. She won the Miss Orange County beauty pageant in 1978, and participated in the Miss California contest the same year, finishing in sixth place.
- Her name is referenced in the Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars song “Uptown Funk.” Some think that this is a drug reference, as it is in the same verse as the words “white gold,” and the actress was in the movie Scarface.
- Her name was also referenced in the Vance Joy song “Riptide.” Pfeffer’s name is used as the ultimate example of a famous actress.
- In the game Australian Cricket, taking five wickets is a “five for,” which evolved into “getting a Michelle.”
This version of Catwoman can be found in Dorbz form here (Batman, Catwoman/The Penguin, Batman Returns, 3-Pack Funko Dorbz): https://www.covetly.com/guide/dorbz/dc-comics/batman-catwomanthe-penguin-batman-returns-3-pack
Catwoman (2004)
Halle Berry
The much-maligned Catwoman was directed by French director Pitof, who was better known in France for his special effects than directing, and unknown in America. He took a risk taking Catwoman in a new direction, and it didn’t pay off. Berry considers it a personal success because she met a number of new people, learned martial arts, and made a considerable payday.
- Halle Berry made Razzie history in 2005 as the first actress to accept a Golden Raspberry award holding her Academy Award for Monster’s Ball. Before her, seven male actors and directors had accepted their awards in person.
- She was the 1985 Miss Teen All American and 1986 Miss Ohio USA. (Note that this is a separate pageant organization from Miss America.) She was the first African-American Miss World contestant.
- She was named after the Halle Building in Cleveland, OH, where she was born.
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Anne Hathaway
Hathaway’s Catwoman showcased the duality of the character that had been evolving in the comics for years. Nolan’s costumer designer integrated the trademark cat ears into the night-vision goggles, which the comic version of Catwoman had been using for 15 years. Many film critics think she is the best Catwoman since Newmar.
- Hathaway stayed in fighting shape by eating 15,000-18,00 calories a day, which meant seven small meals, plus a soup or salad, then a sweet chocolate treat for dessert.
- As a teenager, she acted in the TV series Get Real.
- She is a board member of the Lollipop Theatre Network, an organization that brings films to sick children who patients are in hospitals
See Anne’s vinyl version (Catwoman, The Dark Knight Rises Funko Pop #21) on Covetly here: https://www.covetly.com/guide/funko/pop-heroes/catwoman-the-dark-knight-rises-21
Gotham (2014)
Camren Bicondova
Bicondova claims her Catwoman is misunderstood as a selfish character, but instead her Catwoman puts herself first so that she can give love to others. She is the youngest actress to portray Catwoman
- Bicondova first began performing as a dancer at only eleven years old.
- Bicondova has been in music videos for Ciara, Krewella, and Dana Vaughns.
- Her first film was the dance-themed movie Battlefield America.
See her vinyl form (Selina Kyle Gotham Funko Pop #79) on Covetly here: https://www.covetly.com/guide/funko/pop-heroes/selina-kyle-gotham-79
Honorable Mention: Birds of Prey, (2002)
This show explored an alternate continuity where Batman had either died or abandoned Gotham City, leaving his former partners in crime-fighting to fill the void he left. Selena Kyle only appears in flashbacks, and her daughter with Batman, Helena Kyle/Huntress, is one of the three leads.
Catwoman is a character of her times. She embodies what the ideal woman of strength and beauty of the time is. She’s evolved from a sexy seductress in the 1960s to self-reliant badass of the 2000s, and we can expect even future interpretations to be just as moving.
