Celebrity Nooz: Julie Newmar

Julie Newmar (Actress) as Catwoman

Updated: 7/23/09

Name: Julie Newmar

Birth Name: Julia Chalene Newmeyer

Born: August 16, 1933, Los Angeles, California

Claim To Fame: Her most famous role is Catwoman in the Batman television series.

Family Life: Newmar married J. Holt Smith, a lawyer, on August 5, 1977. The marriage was dissolved in 1984. They had one child, John Jewl Smith, who is deaf and has Down Syndrome.

Info: Before she changed her name, she was a "dancer-assassin" in Slaves of Babylon (1953) and the "gilded girl" in Serpent of the Nile (1953) in which she wore only gold paint. Her first major role was as one of the brides in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954). She appeared both in the Broadway and film version of the musical Li'l Abner in 1956, and was the female lead in the 1959 comedy The Rookie.

Newmar first appeared on Broadway in 1955 in Silk Stockings, and again in the 1961 play, the Marriage-Go-Round. Later she appeared on stage with Joel Grey in the national tour of Stop the World - I Want to Get Off and as "Lola" in Damn Yankees! and "Irma" in Irma La Douce.

Her television career began with a role in the short-lived TV series My Living Doll. She is best known for her 12-episode recurring role in the 1966-67 TV series Batman as the villainess, Catwoman. She has made a number of guest appearances on shows like Route 66, The Twilight Zone, F Troop, The Beverly Hillbillies and Get Smart. In 1967, she guest-starred as April Conquest in the most popular episode of The Monkees.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, Newmar appeared in several low-budget films. She also guest-starred on TV shows including The Love Boat, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Hart to Hart, CHiPs and Fantasy Island. She was seen in George Michael's video clip Too Funky in 1992 as well as appearing as herself in a 1996 episode of Melrose Place.

Trivia: Has an I.Q. of 135. Graduated high school (Los Angeles' John Marshall High School) at age 15.

Invented and marketed her own brand of pantyhose in the 1970s and 1980s.

Was a friend of New York Mets pitcher Tracy Stallard, the man who as a member of the Boston Red Sox gave up Roger Maris' record-breaking 61st home run in 1961.

Accepted Worst Picture for Catwoman (2004) at the 25th Annual RAZZIE Awards.

Was the first actress to portray the DC comics character Catwoman in a live action adaptation of the Batman series.

Her father, Don Newmeyer, was head of the Physical Education Department and Head Football Coach at LACC. He played American football professionally for the Los Angeles Buccaneers.

Mother, Helen Jesmer, was a Ziegfeld Follies girl.

Brother, John Newmeyer, Harvard PhD, is a San Francisco epidemiologist, author, and Napa Valley winemaker.

Makes a cameo appearance in the 1995 film To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, which pays homage to the actress.

Initiated at least a temporary ban on leaf blowers with the Los Angeles City Council.

A legal altercation with her neighbor, Jim Belushi, ended amicably with an invitation to co-star with him on his sitcom According to Jim in an episode ("The Grumpy Guy") that poked fun at the feud.

Appeared in Playboy twice in the 1970's.

Is an avid bridge player.

Where Are They Now: Early in 2008, she was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, which inspired her to become a writer. She is currently working on three books, and also runs a website: http://www.julienewmarwrites.com/, which focuses on her essays and observations.

She also holds three U.S. patents: 3,914,799 and 4,003,094 for "Pantyhose with shaping band for Cheeky derriere relief" and 3,935,865 for "Brassiere."

Write To Julie Newmar:
Julie Newmar
204 S. Carmelina Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90049

Official Website: http://www.julienewmar.com/

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