December 31, 2007 - Entertainment legend Eartha Kitt made it in Hollywood after a challenging childhood that included picking cotton in her native South Carolina.

Eartha Mae Kitt was ostracized at an early age because of her mixed-race heritage. At 8 years old, she was given away by her mother and sent from the South Carolina cotton fields to live with an aunt in Harlem. In New York the shy teen auditioned for the famed Katherine Dunham Dance Troupe. She won a spot as a featured dancer and vocalist and before the age of 20, toured worldwide with the company. During a performance in Paris, Kitt was spotted by a nightclub owner and booked as a featured singer at his club. Her unique persona earned her fans and fame quickly, including Orson Welles, who called her "the most exciting woman in the world."

At 80 she still enjoys performing and also goes to the gym regularly, but beyond that she's a homebody.

"I never have been fond of going out because I don't want to dress up unless you put me in Eartha Kitt paraphernalia and put me on stage — OK, I'm on duty now."

Kitt discusses her career with Renee Montagne.

source : http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17716269