A Catwoman Story With A Strange Ending
Lee Meriwether beat out more than 200 actresses for one of the hottest roles in Hollywood. She got the costume, the movie and a place in Batman history.
Then, almost as quickly as she got the role, it was gone. But why?
Before Catwoman, She Was Miss America
Long before anyone associated Lee Meriwether with Gotham City, America knew her for something completely different. In 1954, the 19-year-old California beauty won the Miss America 1955 title during the first Miss America pageant televised nationally. Suddenly, Meriwether was famous across the country.
She Wasn't Content To Just Be A Beauty Queen
Meriwether used the opportunities that followed Miss America to build an actual entertainment career. She joined NBC's Today, studied acting with legendary teacher Lee Strasberg and began appearing on television, stage and film. By the mid-60s, she was already an experienced working actress.
Then Batman Took Over America
ABC's Batman premiered in January 1966 and became an immediate pop-culture sensation. Adam West was Batman, Burt Ward was Robin, and an outrageous parade of villains kept audiences coming back twice a week. Among the most memorable of them was Julie Newmar's slinky, mischievous Catwoman.
ABC Television, Wikimedia Commons
Suddenly, The Movie Idea Was Back
Producer William Dozier had actually wanted a Batman movie before the television series even premiered, partly as a way to introduce the characters to audiences. Fox initially passed on the idea. But once Batman became a sensation, the movie plan came roaring back, with filming beginning just months after the show's debut.
Greenway Productions-producer of both the television series and the 1966 film., Wikimedia Commons
Julie Newmar Couldn't Do It
Newmar hadn't been fired, and producers weren't looking to permanently replace her. She had already committed to another movie and couldn't make the Batman film. That meant the studio suddenly needed someone else to put on the Catwoman costume—and they apparently had plenty of choices.
ABC Television, Wikimedia Commons
Meriwether Was Up Against More Than 200 Actresses
Years later, Meriwether remembered the competition rather vividly. In one interview she explained, “I auditioned with 200 other actresses.” In other words, more than 200 women were apparently in contention when Meriwether walked through the door hoping to become the new Catwoman.
Even She Couldn't Believe She Was Auditioning
When Meriwether's agent first told her what the audition was for, she was stunned. Her immediate reaction was reportedly, “What?! That's Julie Newmar.” Her agent explained that Newmar had another commitment and told Meriwether to prepare. She had very little time to figure out how she could stand out.
MediaNews Group/Oakland Tribune via Getty Images, Getty Images
So She Did Something The Others Weren't Doing
Meriwether later recalled arriving and seeing a room packed with actresses. To make herself memorable, she changed her voice, curled herself up in a chair and borrowed mannerisms she'd seen in actual cats. It was unusual, slightly strange—and apparently exactly what the filmmakers needed.
CBS Television, Wikimedia Commons
She Got The Call
The gamble worked. Meriwether won the part and suddenly found herself playing Catwoman alongside some of the show's biggest villains. For an actress who had just competed against hundreds of women, it certainly looked like she had landed the kind of role that could change everything.
ABC Television, Wikimedia Commons
Her Catwoman Had A Second Identity
The movie gave Meriwether even more to do than simply hiss and purr at Batman. Catwoman disguised herself as Soviet journalist Miss Kitka and used the identity to get close to Bruce Wayne. Naturally, Bruce had no idea the woman charming him was one of his greatest enemies.
Greenway Productions, Wikimedia Commons
Things Got Surprisingly Steamy With Adam West
That disguise also meant Meriwether shared romantic scenes with Adam West as Bruce Wayne, including kisses between Bruce and Miss Kitka. Meriwether later spoke warmly about working with West and remembered their chemistry fondly. By all appearances, she had slipped comfortably into the role.
ABC Television, Wikimedia Commons
Then The Movie Ended
Batman arrived in theaters during the summer of 1966, with Meriwether now permanently part of the franchise's history. But the television series wasn't finished. Season 2 was coming, which meant Catwoman could return as well. And this is where Meriwether's story takes its odd turn.
ABC Television, Wikimedia Commons
Julie Newmar Simply Came Back
When Catwoman returned to the television series, Julie Newmar was once again wearing the costume. Meriwether hadn't bombed. She hadn't been fired. The simple truth was that Newmar had only been unavailable for the movie. Once she was free again, the television role remained hers.
And It Was Over
That's the strange part of Meriwether's Catwoman story. She had beaten more than 200 actresses for a hugely coveted role, but she had essentially been hired as a temporary replacement from the beginning. Once Newmar returned, Meriwether's run as Catwoman was over after a single movie.
Greenway Productions, Wikimedia Commons
But Batman Brought Her Back Anyway
Here is an especially fun wrinkle. Meriwether actually did appear on the Batman television series afterward—just not as Catwoman. In March 1967, she guest-starred as Lisa Carson in the two-part King Tut adventure “King Tut's Coup” and “Batman's Waterloo.”
Silver Screen Collection, Getty Images
Then Catwoman Changed Again
Newmar's return wasn't permanent either. When she became unavailable during the show's third season while working on Mackenna's Gold, producers recast Catwoman again. This time Eartha Kitt stepped into the role, becoming the third actress to play Catwoman during the brief 1960s Batman phenomenon.
Boris Carmi, Wikimedia Commons
Meriwether Didn't Exactly Need Catwoman
Fortunately, losing the catsuit didn't slow her career very much. In the same era, Meriwether starred as Dr. Ann MacGregor on The Time Tunnel. Bigger television success was still ahead, including the role that would keep her on American television for most of the 1970s.
ABC Television, Wikimedia Commons
Barnaby Jones Became Her Signature TV Role
Beginning in 1973, Meriwether starred opposite Buddy Ebsen as Betty Jones on Barnaby Jones. She remained with the series for eight years, earning two Golden Globe nominations and an Emmy nomination. For millions of viewers, Betty Jones—not Catwoman—became the role they associated with her most.
Silver Screen Collection, Getty Images
But One Movie Was Enough
Lee Meriwether may have only been Catwoman once, but more than half a century later, people still remember the costume, the purr, Miss Kitka and her chemistry with Adam West. She won the role over hundreds of actresses—and made one movie count for a lifetime.
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