Francesca Isabel Natividad (February 13, 1948 – September 24, 2022), known professionally as Kitten Natividad, was a Mexican-American film actress and

exotic dancer A stripper or exotic dancer is a person whose occupation involves performing striptease in a public adult entertainment venue such as a strip club. At times, a stripper may be hired to perform at a bachelor party or other private event. M ...

. She was noted for her 44-inch (112 cm) bust, and appearances in

cult film A cult film or cult movie, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase which forms an elaborate subculture, members of which engage ...

s made by her ex-partner, director

Russ Meyer Russell Albion Meyer (March 21, 1922 – September 18, 2004) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor. He is known primarily for writing and directing a series of successful sexploitation films that fea ...

Early years

Natividad was born on February 13, 1948, in

Ciudad Juárez Ciudad Juárez ( ; ''Juarez City''. ) is the most populous city in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It is commonly referred to as Juárez and was known as El Paso del Norte (''The Pass of the North'') until 1888. Juárez is the seat of the Ju� ...

Chihuahua State Chihuahua (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Chihuahua ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Chihuahua), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is located in northwestern Mex ...

, Mexico. She was the eldest of nine children. Natividad did not speak English until she was 10 years old. At that time, her mother married a U.S. citizen and they moved to

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

. Natividad attended Ysleta High School in

El Paso El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the seat of El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the 23rd-largest city in the U.S., the s ...

, where she was her senior class president. After moving to

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

, Natividad worked as both a maid and a cook for

Stella Stevens Stella Stevens (born Estelle Eggleston; October 1, 1938) is a American former actress. She began her acting career in 1959 and starred in such popular films as '' Girls! Girls! Girls!'' (1962), '' The Nutty Professor'' (1963), ''The Courtship of ...

, and then as a key-punch operator for IBM, before eventually turning to

go-go dancing Go-go dancers are dancers who are employed to entertain crowds at nightclubs or other venues where music is played. Go-go dancing originated in the early 1960s at the French bar Whisky a Gogo located in Juan-les-Pins. The bar's name was take ...

to make ends meet. At this time, she adopted the stage name of "Kitten" Natividad, which came from her shyness. In 1969, at the age of 21 years, she had her first breast implant surgery in

Tijuana Tijuana ( ,"Tijuana"
(US) and < ...

(where it was legal) on the advice of her agent.

Career

Natividad, by then known mainly as Kitten, was introduced to

by fellow dancer

Shari Eubank Shari Eubank (born June 12, 1947) is a retired American actress, best known for her starring role in the Russ Meyer film ''Supervixens''. Biography Eubank was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico on June 12, 1947. The following year, her family move ...

, a performer in Meyer's 1975 film ''

Supervixens ''Supervixens'' is a 1975 American film directed by American filmmaker Russ Meyer. The cast features Meyer regulars Charles Napier, Uschi Digard, and Haji. The film also features Shari Eubank (in a dual role) in one of her only two film roles a ...

.'' Meyer hired her to narrate his movie '' Up!'' In it, she was shown sitting nude in a tree, quoting the poetry of

Hilda Doolittle Hilda Doolittle (September 10, 1886 – September 27, 1961) was an American modernist poet, novelist, and memoirist who wrote under the name H.D. throughout her life. Her career began in 1911 after she moved to London and co-founded the ...

, and acting as a

Greek chorus A Greek chorus, or simply chorus ( grc-gre, χορός, chorós), in the context of ancient Greek tragedy, comedy, satyr plays, and modern works inspired by them, is a homogeneous, non-individualised group of performers, who comment with a collect ...

to the nonsensical action. Meyer was so impressed he wanted her to star in his next feature, ''

Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens ''Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens'' is a 1979 satirical sexploitation film directed by American film-maker Russ Meyer and written by Roger Ebert and Meyer. It stars Kitten Natividad and Ann Marie with a cameo by Uschi Digard. Plot The mo ...

,'' one of several collaborations between Meyer and film critic

Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...

. Meyer paid for a second breast enhancement and voice lessons to eliminate her accent. Due to the tragic results of her breast enhancement surgeries she deeply regretted what she was talked into doing. She left her husband for Meyer during the filming, and they lived together as a couple for most of the next 15 years. After this, Natividad moved into pornographic modeling, mainly doing glamour or girl-girl shoots with the likes of Candy Samples,

Uschi Digard Uschi Digard (born 15 August 1948) is a Swedish former softcore porn star and model mostly known for her roles in Russ Meyer films. Early years When asked of her childhood, she has said, She had a convent education and learned various lan ...

, and Patty Plenty. The appearances increased her dancing income many times over. She incorporated a giant

champagne Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, spe ...

glass into her act, similar to such as Lili St. Cyr had used, accompanied by the

Bobby Darin Bobby Darin (born Walden Robert Cassotto; May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973) was an American musician and actor. He performed jazz, Pop music, pop, rock and roll, Folk music, folk, Swing music, swing, and country music. He started his car ...

hit " Splish Splash". She appeared as a guest on ''

The Dating Game ''The Dating Game'' is an American television game show that first aired on December 20, 1965, and was the first of many shows created and packaged by Chuck Barris from the 1960s through the 1980s. ABC dropped the show on July 6, 1973, but it c ...

,'' one of a number of game shows that

Chuck Barris Charles Hirsch Barris (June 3, 1929 – March 21, 2017) was an American game show creator, producer, and host. Barris was known for hosting ''The Gong Show'' and creating ''The Dating Game'' and ''The Newlywed Game''. He was also a songwrite ...

produced. During the 1980s, Natividad began appearing in pornographic productions, initially limiting her performances to appearing topless. Eventually, however, she graduated to engaging in hardcore performances, usually with younger men and women. She has had backlash from burlesque performers because she did hardcore videos. She also founded the private photo and video studio called "The Kitten Klub". Her website later closed. She famously appeared as a stripper at the

bachelor party A bachelor party (in the United States and sometimes in Canada), also known as a stag weekend, stag do or stag party (in the United Kingdom, Commonwealth countries, and Ireland), or a buck's night (in Australia), is a party held/arranged by th ...

held by

Sean Penn Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He has won two Academy Awards, for his roles in the mystery drama ''Mystic River'' (2003) and the biopic ''Milk'' (2008). Penn began his acting career in televisi ...

to celebrate his 1985 marriage to

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...

, having portrayed a stripper the year before in ''The Wild Life'', a movie starring Sean’s brother Christopher. In 2001, Natividad starred in the cult film comedy ''

The Double-D Avenger ''The Double-D Avenger'' is a 2001 American comedy film by William Winckler. This film, first released in fall 2001, written, produced and directed by cult filmmaker William Winckler, is a campy spoof of "Wonder Woman" about a costumed superwoma ...

,'' directed by

William Winckler William Winckler (born October 3, 1964 in California) is an American actor and independent filmmaker best known for writing, producing and directing cult movies, horror films and English dubbed animation. He is the son of child actor Robert ...

, and in it, she was reunited with fellow

"repertory" stars

Haji Hajji ( ar, الحجّي; sometimes spelled Hadji, Haji, Alhaji, Al-Hadj, Al-Haj or El-Hajj) is an honorific title which is given to a Muslim who has successfully completed the Hajj to Mecca. It is also often used to refer to an elder, since it ...

(from Meyer's '' Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!'') and Raven De La Croix from Meyer's film '' Up!'' In ''

,'' Kitten Natividad played Chastity Knott, a woman who becomes a busty costumed crime fighter. The pornographic website

Brazzers Brazzers (, company name: MG Premium Ltd.) is a Canadian pornographic video production company with headquarters in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and legal domicile in Nicosia, Cyprus. With an online network consisting of thirty-one hardcore pornog ...

was negotiating her return to hardcore performances.

In pop culture

* Natividad appeared on ''

The Gong Show ''The Gong Show'' is an American amateur talent contest franchised by Sony Pictures Television to many countries. It was broadcast on NBC's daytime schedule from June 14, 1976, through July 21, 1978, and in first-run syndication from 1976 to 1 ...

'' in the late 1970s and on ''

The $1.98 Beauty Show ''The $1.98 Beauty Show'' is an American game show that aired in Broadcast syndication, syndication from September 1978 to September 1980. Hosted by Rip Taylor, the series is a parody of beauty contests, and featured six female contestants (inc ...

,'' both of which, like ''

,'' were produced by

. (Barris hosted ''The Gong Show'';

Rip Taylor Charles Elmer "Rip" Taylor Jr. (January 13, 1931 – October 6, 2019) was an American actor and comedian, known for his exuberance and flamboyant personality, including his wild moustache, toupee, and his habit of showering himself (and others ...

hosted ''The $1.98 Beauty Show''; and

Jim Lange James John Lange (; August 15, 1932 – February 25, 2014) was an American game show host and disc jockey. He was known to listeners in the San Francisco and Los Angeles radio markets with stints at several stations in both markets, racking u ...

hosted ''The Dating Game.'') * She appeared in a 1980s music video for

Mitch Ryder Mitch Ryder (born William Sherille Levise, Jr.; February 26, 1945) is an American musician who has recorded more than 25 albums over more than four decades. Career Ryder formed his first band, Tempest, when he was at Warren High School, and th ...

's version of the song " When You Were Mine", which was written and composed by

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...

. * In August 2006, Natividad appeared in a ''

Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...

'' layout, "The History of Bikinis". KittenNatividad2000Crop

Personal life

In October 1999, Natividad underwent double-

mastectomy Mastectomy is the medical term for the surgical removal of one or both breasts, partially or completely. A mastectomy is usually carried out to treat breast cancer. In some cases, women believed to be at high risk of breast cancer have the operat ...

surgery for treatment of

breast cancer Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or a re ...

. After her breasts were removed, it was discovered that the

silicone A silicone or polysiloxane is a polymer made up of siloxane (−R2Si−O−SiR2−, where R = organic group). They are typically colorless oils or rubber-like substances. Silicones are used in sealants, adhesives, lubricants, medicine, cooking ...

that had been used in her implants when she had undergone her 1969 surgery was of an industrial grade rather than a surgical grade. She subsequently underwent corrective surgery, and this brought her closer to the size that her fans remembered her having been. As of early August 2016, she was living alone with a

pit bull Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...

and three cats, all of which were featured in the 2005 documentary movie ''Pornstar Pets,'' and she continued to support herself with sales of her porn videos and phone sex. She appeared in the

Adam Rifkin Adam Rifkin (born December 31, 1966), sometimes credited as Rif Coogan, is an American filmmaker, and actor. His career ranges from broad family comedies to dark and gritty urban dramas. He is best known for writing family-friendly comedies lik ...

independent feature '' A Night at the Golden Eagle;'' according to her, Rifkin remembered recognizing her when their cars were both stopped at the same stoplight 25 years earlier.

Death

Natividad died from kidney failure at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles on September 24, 2022, aged 74. She was survived by her sister Eva, her mother, four nephews and a niece.Obituary
variety.com. Accessed September 28, 2022.

Selected filmography

Kitten Natividad has appeared in more than 65 films and video productions. Career highlights and major studio features include: * 1972: ''

The New Centurions ''The New Centurions'' is a 1972 American Panavision neo-noir action crime film based on the 1971 novel of the same name by policeman turned author Joseph Wambaugh. It stars George C. Scott, Stacy Keach, Scott Wilson, Jane Alexander, Rosal ...

'' * 1976: '' Up!'' * 1979: ''

'' * 1976: ''Deep Jaws'' * 1980: ''

Airplane! ''Airplane!'' (alternatively titled ''Flying High!'') is a 1980 American parody film written and directed by the brothers David Zucker, David and Jerry Zucker, and Jim Abrahams in their directorial debuts, and produced by Jon Davison (film prod ...

'' (uncredited) * 1982: '' Airplane II: The Sequel'' (uncredited) * 1982: ''

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas ''The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas'' is a musical with a book by Texas author Larry L. King and Peter Masterson and music and lyrics by Carol Hall. It is based on a story by King that was inspired by the real-life Chicken Ranch in La Grang ...

'' (uncredited) * 1983: ''

My Tutor ''My Tutor'' is a 1983 American sex comedy film directed by George Bowers. The film focuses on high school graduates (including Matt Lattanzi and Crispin Glover) as they attempt to lose their virginity during the summer vacation before college, ...

'' * 1984: ''

Night Patrol Night (also described as night time, unconventionally spelled as "nite") is the period of ambient darkness from sunset to sunrise during each 24-hour day, when the Sun is below the horizon. The exact time when night begins and ends depends o ...

'' * 1984: '' The Wild Life'' * 1985: ''Takin' It Off'' * 1985: ''Bodacious Ta Tas'' * 1985: ''An Evening with Kitten'' * 1986: '' The Tomb'' * 1987: '' Takin' It All Off'' * 1990: ''

Another 48 Hrs. ''Another 48 Hrs.'' is a 1990 American buddy cop film directed by Walter Hill (director), Walter Hill and starring Eddie Murphy, Nick Nolte, Brion James, Andrew Divoff, and Ed O'Ross. It is the sequel to the 1982 film ''48 Hrs.'' Nolte reprises h ...

'' * 1990: ''40 The Hard Way'' * 1993: ''Titillation 3'' * 1993: '' Buford's Beach Bunnies'' * 1996: ''United Trash'' * 1997: ''The 120 Days of Bottrop'' * 2001: ''

'' * 2001: ''

Night at the Golden Eagle ''Night at the Golden Eagle'' is a 2001 American crime drama film written and directed by Adam Rifkin. The low-budget film was a box office bomb, earning about $18,000 against a budget of $1 million. Plot Two elderly criminals spend their fina ...

'' * 2009: ''Nightbeats'' * 2017: '' Fags in the Fast Lane'' * 2019: ''70 the Hard Way''

References

External links

Official site
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Natividad, Kitten 1948 births 2022 deaths American female erotic dancers American erotic dancers American female adult models American pornographic film actresses American film actresses Mexican emigrants to the United States American burlesque performers American vedettes Hispanic and Latino American female models Hispanic and Latino American pornographic film actors Mexican female adult models Mexican erotic dancers Mexican pornographic film actresses Mexican film actresses People from Ciudad Juárez 20th-century Mexican dancers 21st-century Mexican dancers 20th-century Mexican actresses 21st-century Mexican actresses 20th-century American dancers 21st-century American dancers 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses