Catwomen: Julie Newmar

Ranking my top five Catwoman performances in film and television.

Click here for the previous entry in the Catwomen rankings.

2. Julie Newmar, Batman (1966–1968)

The gold standard.

Let's get this straight, right from the start: Julie Newmar's performance as Catwoman in the 1960s Batman television series set the gold standard against which all other Catwomen would be judged.

She was the first actress ever to play Catwoman in live action. She left such an indelible mark on audiences, that even today, more than fifty years after she played the part, she's still the Catwoman for many fans.

She's right though.

Newmar is absolutely electrifying. She brought a dancer's elegance and grace to Catwoman's movements, masterfully using her physicality to express the character's innate playfulness. Every time she slinks into frame in the Cat-suit, you can practically feel the heat radiating right through your screen.

Cat scratch fever.

Her sexual chemistry with Adam West's Batman was off the charts, and their shared scenes were the highlight of any given episode. Both actors understood the series' camp overtones and leaned into them, hard. It's joyous to watch them masterfully deliver innuendo-laden lines with a wink and a nod.

Newmar brought a graceful, cat-like physicality to the role.

Newmar could easily rank #1 on my list, had a certain blonde bombshell not come along and stolen my heart on her way to the top spot (Gee, who could that be??). So, for me, the top two Catwoman performers are so closely ranked that it's almost a tie. Newmar raised the bar impossibly high, and only one actress since has been able to match or even surpass it. That's impressive. Newmar's legacy is unimpeachable. She did it first, and she did it with such charisma and flare, that we've all been living in the shadow of her greatness ever since.

Purr-fect, in every way.

Eighty-five years ago today, August 16, 1933, Julie Newmar graced the world with her presence for the first time. Happy birthday, thanks for everything, Julie Newmar.

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Paul SAugust 27, 2018 at 8:01 AM
Meeow. “Thanks for everything, Julie Newmar.”
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