Eartha Mae Kitt (January 17, 1927 – December 25, 2008) was an American singer, actress, dancer, activist and comedian, known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the enduring Christmas novelty smash "Santa Baby", which were both US Top 10 hits. Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the world". Kitt began her career in 1942 and appeared in the 1945 original Broadway theatre production of the musical Carib Song.
