Catwoman

I admit this freely -- when I was nine years old I fell in love with Julie Newmar, an actress who played Catwoman on the "Batman" TV show (1966-67). I found Catwoman irresistibly beautiful. When, on the show, she fell into a vat of acid and died, I sobbed. Real tears. Tears of inconsolable grief.

After her successful acting career Julie achieved additional heights in other fields. She invented several products -- for which she received three U.S. patents -- and brokered high-end real estate in California. She prospered from both endeavors.

Julie is still alive today. She's 93 years old and reasonably healthy. She has a neurological condition that limits her mobility so she uses a scooter but she's mentally sound. Julie lives with and cares for her adult son who is both deaf and has Downs Syndrome. They spend their days gardening and painting colorful pictures. She says they're very happy.

Six decades after "Batman" I'm still in love with Julie Newmar. :)

Believe it or not Julie has a new book coming out next month. It's called "More Than Catwoman: The Fearless Lives of Julie Newmar." In her memoir Julie "invites readers to live fearlessly at every age." You can pre-order a copy on Amazon. I did.