Tall, leggy and dimpled, Newmar has been a performer of stage, screen and TV who has been saved from bimbo status by her intelligent, sardonic persona. The daughter of a football coach and a Ziegfeld Follies girl, Newmar was a staff choreographer for Universal by the age of 18 and made her film debut in the 1952 Bing Crosby musical "Just for You" (she can also be spotted in "The Band Wagon," 1953). Billed as Julie Newmeyer, she made her full-fledged feature acting debut as one of the "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" (1954). Her career then switched to the East Coast where, now billed as Julie Newmar, she performed in a string of stage hits including the 1956 musical "Li'l Abner", as Stupefyin' Jones, and 1958's "The Marriage- Go-Round", for which she received a Tony for Best Supporting Actress. She headlined the national tours of "Damn Yankees", as Lola, "Guys and Dolls", "Irma La Douce" and "Stop the World--I Want to Get Off".

Newmar returned to Hollywood in 1959 to recreate her stage roles in the film versions of both "Li'l Abner" (1959) and "The Marriage-Go-Round" (1960). Always appreciated more for her physical attributes than her acting ability, she adorned such big-screen romantic comedies as "The Rookie" (1959), playing a 1940s movie starlet, and "For Love or Money" (1963), as one of a Thelma Ritter's three marriageable daughters. She also portrayed an Apache murderess in the western "MacKenna's Gold" (1969).

Newmar had more success on the small screen, making her TV debut as 'Stacked' Suzy, a sexy diner waitress on "The Phil Silvers Show" (CBS, 1958-59) and co-starring, as a female robot, with Robert Cummings on the bizarre male-fantasy sitcom "My Living Doll" (CBS, 1964-65). She also appeared in a number of guest spots on such series as "The Twilight Zone" (as a time-travel agent), "Get Smart", "Route 66", "Love, American Style" and "The Monkees". But Newmar is best-remembered today for her deliciously sly 1966 appearances on the high-camp "Batman" (ABC) as the original Catwoman. Although Eartha Kitt and Lee Meriwether also played the role, Newmar's purring, witty and very sexual take on the villainess (as well as her onscreen chemistry with star Adam West) was a high point of the series.

Newmar was never able to find a suitable follow-up role. She has made guest appearances on numerous shows (including the NBC sitcom "Hope and Gloria" in 1995) and appeared in a handful of forgettable TV-movies like "The Feminist and the Fuzz" (ABC, 1971) and "High School, USA" (NBC, 1984). Her feature film career never picked up, either. After making "Up Your Teddy Bear" (1970), with Wally Cox, Newmar did not make another film until the horror comedy "Hysterical" (1983), which was the first of several similar low-budget thrillers (e.g., 1985's "Streetwalkin'" and "Evils of the Night" and "Deep Space" 1988). She starred in the comedies "Body Beat" and "Nudity Required" (both 1988), and had supporting roles in "Ghosts Can't Do It", "Robo-C.H.I.C." (both 1990) and the sci-fi western "Oblivion" (1993).

Somehow, Newmar herself has managed to avoid oblivion. Still astonishingly lovely, she has maintained a sense of humor and her Catwoman stint has made her a cultural icon. It seemed almost inevitable that she would make a cameo appearance as herself in Beeban Kidron's drag comedy, "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar" (1995). Since the 1980s, Newmar has been active as a real estate developer and also occasionally models for designer Thierry Mugler. "I'll only work if something delicious comes along, or if a darling friend asks me to flutter my wings", she said in 1995.