Date of Birth
16 August 1933, Los Angeles, California, USABirth Name
Julia Chalene NewmeyerHeight
5' 11" (1.80 m)Mini Biography
Beauty, brains and a fantastic sense of humor. Julia Chalene Newmeyer (Chalane was her mother's maiden name) was born on August 16, 1933, in Los Angeles. Her father was a one-time professional football player (LA Buccaneers, 1926), her mother was a star of the Follies of 1920. From an early age, Julie studied piano, dance and classical ballet. She graduated from high school at the age of 15, and spent a year touring Europe with her mother and brother. Julie became prima ballerina for the Los Angeles Opera. She attended UCLA studying classical piano, philosophy and French. Julie went to New York and tried out for Broadway musicals; in 1955 Julie made her Broadway debut as the ballerina in "Silk Stockings." Julie won acclaim for her role as Stupefyin' Jones in "Li'l Abner." Though audiences and critics alike where stupefied by her good looks, that is not the compliment Julie wanted. Julie wanted to be known for her comedy, as she told the New York Times: "Tell me I'm funny, and it's the greatest compliment in the world." Promoting her various Broadway and off-Broadway show appearances, Julie often posed as a pinup girl. Making the transition to TV, Julie appeared in Rod Serling's science fiction series the "Twilight Zone" in 1963, playing Miss Devlin (devil). As physical perfection, Julie was perfect to play Rhoda the Robot in "My Living Doll, " the sitcom had an enthusiastic cult following. In 1966, urged on by her friends, she would try out for and be cast as Catwoman (a character she had never heard of) in the wildly popular TV series "Batman." Due to a movie commitment, Julie was unavailable to play TV's Catwoman in the 3rd season (her part was taken by Eartha Kitt). Julie was very busy in the 1960s and 1970s, making guest appearances in many TV shows and several TV-movies. Because of her love of the stage and live performances, Julie toured the country in stage productions of "Damn Yankees" and "Dames at Sea" and others. Becoming an entrepreneur, in 1977 Julie turned up in People Magazine wearing her new invention "Nudemar" pantyhose (due to an elastic back seam it provided fanny support). In the 1980s, Julie appeared in 9 films while she was busy raising her son and working in the real estate business. Julie went back to UCLA to take a few real estate courses. In 1991 Julie toured in a stage production of "The Women." Still very active, and very beautiful, Julie will appear at fan conventions occasionally.Spouse
| J. Holt Smith | (5 August 1977 - 1983) (divorced) 1 child |
Trivia
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 & 1980s
Gave birth to her only child, a son, while she was in her late 40s.
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."
Measurements: 37-23-37 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)
Has 37" legs (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)
Graduated from John Marshall High School in Los Angeles in 1951
Has her name mentioned in the title of the comedy To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (1995), while the plot revolves, partly, around an autographed publicity photograph of her.
In November 2004, the former "Catwoman" had a different type of cat fight on her hands. Her next-door neighbor, actor James Belushi, sued her for $4 million alleging harassment and defamation of character. Their openly hostile neighborhood feud has been supposedly going on for years. Newmar, an avid community advocate who once fought restrictions against noisy leaf-blowers, once threw an egg at Belushi's house in retaliation for a noisy air conditioner. The suit includes vandalism and spying.
Her son John is deaf and has Downs Syndrome.
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.
Won the 1959 Tony Award (New York City) for Supporting or Features Actress in a Drama for "The Marriage-Go-Round".
Julie Newmar played in New York City with Hildegarde Neff in the Musical: "Silk Stockings".
Personal Quotes
I'm magnificent! I'm 5'11" and I weigh 135 pounds, and I look like a racehorse.Tell me I'm beautiful, it's nothing. Tell me I'm intellectual - I know it. Tell me I'm funny and it's the greatest compliment in the world anyone could give me.
[on how she got her most famous role, Catwoman on "Batman" (1966)] I had lived in New York at the time on Beekman Place. I remember it was a weekend, Friday or Saturday, and my brother had come down from Harvard with five or six of his friends, and we were all sitting around the sofa, just chatting away, when the phone rang. I got up and answered it, and it was this agent or someone in Hollywood, who said, "Miss Newmar, would you like to play Catwoman on the 'Batman' series? They are casting it out here." I was insulted because he said, "It starts Monday." I said, "What is this?" That's how television is done: they never know what they are doing until yesterday. Well, my brother leaped off the sofa. I mean he physically levitated and said, " 'Batman'! That's the favorite show at Harvard. We all quit our classes and quit our studies and run into the TV room and watch this show." I said, "They want me to play Catwoman." He said, "Do it!" So, I said, "OK, I'll do it."
It was so wonderful being on "Batman" (1966) because you could be nasty and mean, and in the '50S women could never--unless you were some 'B' picture actress--be mean, bad, and nasty. It was so satisfying; I can't tell you how satisfying it was.
[interview in Star Trek Magaazine, #1, Sept./Oct. 2006] "Star Trek" (1966)--oh my goodness, what a following that show has! I get asked about it all the time, and I receive lots of fan mail from it, even though I only did one episode.
(July 2008) Today, I walk - but very slowly. My balance is also affected. People might think I've had too much to drink, but I never drank, smoked or took drugs my entire life. If I'm out in public, I grab on to some charming, darling fellow who can steady me. I've been encouraged by the many men who have offered me their shoulders.
On Catwoman fans: It's an honor --- it really is -- that something stays for so long with people in the sweet depths of their feelings.
On seeing a Catwoman tattoo: I've seen some interesting flesh...It wasn't just the Catwoman. It was me.
Whenever I'm stopped on the street, men tell, 'Ms Newmar, did you know that you were my first turn-on?...How old were you?
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