Eartha Kitt, the sultry singer of "Santa Baby," died on Christmas Day.

The stylish singer, dancer and actress, who was the self-proclaimed sex kitten with the famous catlike purr, passed away yesterday in a Connecticut hospital of colon cancer, her publicist said. She was 81.

Kitt, whose career spanned six decades, was one of most versatile stars, winning two Emmys and being nominated for three Tonys and two Grammys. Kitt, who’s perhaps most remembered for her role as the sexy Catwoman in the 1960s TV series "Batman," has a long list of achievements — sprinkled with its fair share of controversy.

Kitt was born on January 17, 1927, and raised in the cotton fields of South Carolina. As a biracial woman — her father was African American and her mom was Cherokee — life wasn’t easy for Kitt. She had been raped by a white owner of a plantation and, at age eight, given up by her mother. She lived with an aunt in Harlem, quit school at 15 and lived for a period of time in subways, reports Time magazine.

Kitt’s big break came when she was a dancer with the famed Katherine Dunham troupe. This led her to star in cabarets and act and sing on stage, television and in movies. Her first album in 1954, named "RCA Victor Presents Eartha Kitt," featured such hits as the seductive "Santa Baby," which is still played on airwaves throughout the holidays.

She made headlines in 1968 when she was invited to the White House by Lady Bird Johnson. When the First Lady asked her about the Vietnam War, she replied: "You send the best of this country off to be shot and maimed. No wonder the kids rebel and take pot." The remark reportedly caused Johnson to burst into tears and Kitt was exiled to Europe for almost a decade. She was invited back by President Carter and, when she returned, she earned her first Tony nomination in 1978 for her work in "Timbuktu!," a black remake of "Kismet." Kitt also acted in movies, playing opposite Nat King Cole in "St. Louis Blues" in 1958 and, more recently, in "Boomerang" and "Harriet the Spy."

Kitt was adored by many fans throughout her years and always maintained her elegance and sensuality. Never a victim of age, in 2001 she authored a guide book to staying physically active — and attractive — called Rejuvenate! It’s Never Too Late. She graced the cover in a hip-hugging black dress — flaunting the figure of a 20-something-year-old woman when she was nearing 80.

Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the world" and we couldn’t agree more.

In remembrance of Eartha Kitt, watch her perform "Santa Baby":