Spotlight on Francesca "Kitten" Natividad

 

Courtesy of KittenKlub.com

 

It's been quite some time since I last updated this blog.  For the last fifteen months, I've been busy writing a memoir inspired by a six month teenage hitchhiking and youth hostelling trip I made with a friend across the west coast of Canada, down into Oregon, and California. The book, 1976: Tapes from California, slated for a 2015 release, will recreate characters and experiences encountered along our journey. 
     My goal is to begin work on a second edition of Golden Goddesses later this year. I hope to include a few new mini-profiles and photos in the updated version of the book.
     Today I am delighted to feature new excerpts from "Golden Goddesses" highlighting Kitten(Francesca) Natividad.  The excerpts are from chapter twelve titled "Sex 'Kitten' Natividad."
     From the very beginning of this project, Kitten has been supportive and enthusiastic, and since the book's release, Francesca's support and love have continued.
      In November 2012, I was honoured to meet Kitten for the first time when she made a special appearance at our book launch at the Hustler store in Hollywood.  It was almost two years after I had first interviewed her over the telephone.  Kitten was also a special guest the following evening at Larry Edmunds Bookshop, and was a part of our reunion evening last October when six of the ladies gathered together at Larry Edmunds for an unforgettable Q&A (covered by Peter Cook). 
     Strong, open, honest, brash and fun-loving, Francesca is a remarkable woman and human being.  She will always remain close to my heart.

Please enjoy the following excerpts from "Sex 'Kitten' Natividad":

Born in Mexico in 1948 to a teenage bride, Francesca Isabelle Natividad was three years old when her parents divorced.  Before the age of ten, Francesca and her mother immigrated to El Paso, Texas where they settled in with her new stepfather. While engaged in secondary school studies, a relative hooked the young teenager up to keep house for actor Stella Stevens (in Hollywood) for summer work where Natividad flourished. After graduating from grade twelve, Francesca was hired as a key punch operator, but quickly became unfulfilled by the monotony of her work. Later, at the advice of friend, she decided to auditon as a Go-Go dancer, and ultimately, became an exotic dancer, a profession she found to be gratifying ad profitable. During her early years as a stripper, Natividad adopted the stage name "Kitten."

"It was a normal childhood. My mother started working at the same time my father worked and went to college.  I came home from school, did homework and made the dinner -- there were no hobbies. I did like to put on the radio and dance around the house doing housework. 
     My childhood was definitely not the life that kids have today.  I was very responsible as a child.  I can't say anything terrible about my childhood.  I don't feel bad about my childhood because it taught me one thing: I didn't want any children when I grew up.  I remember those two a.m. feedings.
I am from the era of baby boomers and we are different from other generations.  We started doing things differently and we behaved differently."

"A friend of mine who lived across from where I lived had a sister who was a dancer.  She told me how much money she made, and I thought. 'Oh, my god, I've got to get that job!' and I did.  When I first started dancing I was single, and eventually, I gave it up because I got married.  When I met him, I was around nineteen and he was around sixty-four.  He told me if I went back to dancing it was over.  After nine months, we annulled it.  That was fine with me.

"My reason for getting into stripping and adult entertainment is that I really enjoyed the attention.  It was my decision to get into it, and into the dancing.  It was also for the money.  I have to tell you that money is at the top of my list -- and the men. You do meet a lot of guys, of course.  My heart, my everything belonged to dancing and stripping.  I was a stripper first.  The reason I intially got into porn is because it would reach out to more men.  I did the layouts to make a name for myself."

"[Russ Meyer] hired me as a narrator and that's how it started.  After that, he kept asking me out and I said, 'I can't go to dinner, I'm married,' and then finally, I don't know how it happen, it just happened. We started dating each other.  I eventually had to make a decison go leave my second husband, but I didn't have any regrets because he was too much of a control freak.  He has passed away already.  It's all very complicated."



"When I started with Russ -- those were not pornographic movies.  He was not a pornographer.  It was T&A, baby.  They were nude films, period.  Russ Meyer did not do porn films. 
     I love him to death.  He's dead now, but I have to come to his defense.  Later, I did some Triple-X films, but Russ would be rolling in his grave because he could not compete with porn."

"He's the one I should have married. We had our own residences, but Russ paid my rent and he lived with me at my place.  In other words, he had his own place but I wouldn't live there because it looked like a factory.  He worked out of there.  I didn't want to sleep there so we lived and ate at my house, an then he'd go to work at his house. 
     His work was tunnel vision.  He lived, breathed it, and slept it."

"When I went into porn I was in bad shape.  I was a lush by that time.  When I quit, I didn't miss it at all, and now, I don't drink either.  I went through a phase and now it's over.  When I stopped drinking, my life got back on track and I'm doing okay.  Sometimes my friends will ask me to have a drink and I think why should I get started again?  One might lead to two, and that might lead to more.  I don't want that.  I do go to AA to remind myself not to drink."

"I've always believed to be the best that you can, and be clever with your costumes and music and movement.  Enjoy, and you'll go far.  It shows when you're enjoying yourself, and if you're up on stage, everyone will enjoy your show.  When I was stripping, I could tell if someone wanted to be there or not."

 "I've enjoyed my life whether it was bad or good.  Sometimes, I didn't know it was bad!"


 Golden Goddesses: 25 Legendary Women of Classic Erotic Cinema,1968-1985 © 2012 Jill C. Nelson



Golden Goddesses coverage by What Up Hollywood

The following is an article posted at What Up Hollywood which includes one hour of video footage from our Golden Goddesses reunion event at Larry Edmunds bookshop last October. The evening featured appearances by Ginger Lynn, Kay Parker, Rhonda Jo Petty, Georgina Spelvin, Kitten Natividad, writer Raven Touchstone and adult film historian William Margold. Huge, heartfelt thanks to What Up Hollywood for covering and taping this event, and posting it on your website and youtube. :)

 

Sex Sirens of the Swinging Seventies Sign in at Famous Larry Edmunds Bookshop in Hollywood

Remember all those great adult movies of the 1970s, like “The Devil in Miss Jones”? If you didn’t ever watch movies “like that“, better skip this posting. But if you ever wondered whatever happened to those stunning ladies of yesteryear that you spent so much time watching in your miss-spent youth, then you should have been at Larry Edmunds Bookshop when a bevy of stars from adult film history came in to talk about their careers and their lives.

Ginger Lynn

A long discussion, led by author Jill Nelson, introduced 5 of what Jill calls “The Golden Goddesses”, the super stars of sex. Also on hand was Raven Touchstone who wrote screenplays for over 400 adult films. They all had actual stories, she insisted, although I have personally never met a guy who ever remembered much of the story line. The girls, yeah, they remember every luscious inch of them. Star Ginger Lynn remembers the hours she spent with Raven, creating the sex fantasies that made her films so appealing. Face it, you gotta have a script, a story that will tease, build tension, and then deliver the goods, just like any other movie. Raven Touchstone is the Queen of adult screenplay writers, with a boundless imagination.

Kitten Natividad

The ladies signing Jill Nelson’s book “Golden Goddesses“, included Rhonda Jo Petty, Kay Parker, Ginger Lynn, Kitten Natividad, and the legendary Georgina Spelvin. Also on hand to speak was Bill Margold who writes the great back page “Cinema Seen” for LA X…Press. Margold’s reviews of adult films are a hoot, he has covered the sex industry for decades, and he is one of the most entertaining chaps in Hollywood. He knows everyone, writers, producers, directors, all the girls, the guys, and most of all, the stories. As Nelson points out, behind the camera, when the filming is done, these guys and gals are mostly regular folks, with all the same drama, happiness, and challenges that we all face in life. Well, maybe a tad more drama.

A lively crowd listened to Nelson read some excerpts from her book, stories about each of the ladies who were present. Questions came from the audience, and memories and laughter from the film stars. Also on hand was Jim Dawson, local author, and national film reviewer for Velvet Magazine. He is also a spokesman for XRCO, the X-Rated Critics Organization. His great book on Bunker Hill is a must read for anyone who is interested in Los Angeles film history.

So you missed the event on October 16th? Couldn’t come up with a good enough excuse to slip away from the significant other for a couple hours? No problem, just strap yourself into the What Up Hollywood time machine, and watch the entire event. Larry Edmunds still has copies of “Golden Goddesses”, so get your copy before you go blind. At least you’ll have your memories….

Click Here to watch the event directly on youtube.

Click Here to go to Larry Edmunds website and blog.

"Favorite Stars and Star Favorites"

L-R Kay Parker, Rhonda Jo Petty, Kitten Natividad, Jill Nelson,
Jeff, Ginger Lynn, Georgina Spelvin and Raven Touchstone

Last Wednesday, October 16, the Goddesses made their triumphant return to Larry Edmunds Bookshop in Hollywood to wow fans and share serious and funny anecdotal accounts of their former lives as Golden ladies of erotic cinema. The six women regaled the crowd with personal reflections, beliefs, thoughts and philosophies, and when each one was asked to name her favourite mainstream movie and describe why, the audience was surprised and delighted. The querie was posed by Peter C., a film enthusiast and writer. Afterwards, Peter penned an essay, a wonderful summation of the evening and book titled "Favorite Stars and Star Favorites" which I have copied and pasted below with Peter's permission. Thank you, Peter, for coming out and for being so gracious.
     Once again, I'd also like to officially thank Ginger Lynn, Kay Parker, Rhonda Jo Petty, Kitten Natividad, Georgina Spelvin (who was unable to join in the festivities last year) and Raven Touchstone for helping to make our intimate reunion evening one of the most memorable and sparkling events since the book's release. I'd also like to thank Emcee Bill Margold, veteran film director Bob Chinn, photographer Kenji, writer/photographer Matthew Worley, Ashley and April from the New York based The Rialto Report, Tom from Cake and Art for designing another spectacular creation, Jeff at Larry Edmunds Bookshop, and all of our friends and fans who came out to support and partake of this celebration. Please follow this link for more photos: Emmnetwork
     Without further adieu, here is "Favorite Stars and Star Favorites" by Peter C.
     
     'Though I met her only briefly at a recent book signing of Golden Goddesses, it was no surprise to learn that Jill C. Nelson, the tender-hearted author of an extraordinarily well written tome and somehow lyrical ode to 25 Legendary Women of Classic Erotic Cinema lists The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter as her all-time favorite “main stream movie.” Nelson, as it turns out, is a lot like Carson McCullers, the novelist who penned the 1940 novel that the film was ultimately based upon. Hunter was the first in a string of books by McCullers to give voice to the rejected, the forgotten, the maligned and the oppressed. Nelson’s 25 (six of whom were at the book signing with her at Larry Edmunds Bookshop) would easily fall into those categories – though those classifications, like most labels, are ill-deserved. John Singer, the Alan Arkin character in the film, is not what he is perceived to be – deaf – and no more – and therefore somehow unworthy of love. In Nelson’s stories about her stars of erotic cinema – there is more there - a whole lot more - to each of her stars. More nuance, more dignity, and more intelligence  – than meets the wide eyed observer. 

     Asking, “What’s your favorite movie?” goes a long way as a kind of shorthand to learn what values resonate with individuals. Rhonda Joe Petty, a one-time look-alike for Farah Fawcett, and still gorgeous at 58, claimed Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto as her favorite – which, if one spends fifteen minutes in her presence, one understands why. “The movie,” Petty said, “is about facing your fears.” Petty is a woman I would not want to cross. She is almost stoic, extremely self-possessed, and when she shared with the audience that, “People who are not OK with my past, are simply not invited into my house,” her tone made it clear that her life has thus far been lived without apology. She is one strong lady, who has obviously faced her fears.
     Also in attendance was Ginger Lynn, who at 50 was the youngest star there. Ginger is a terrific raconteur, and one of her stories was about not being able to find a man who had all the qualities that she required in a male– so - along with a favorite screenwriter, she dreamed up a fantasy – in the form of nine men, and then lived out her fantasies with each before the camera. Her life, at the time, “was about fun. And that was fun!” Ginger is cheerful, exuberant, and decidedly funny – as is her favorite film Arsenic and Old Lace. If one were to look at the poster of the screwball comedy, there is Priscilla Lane bellowing from over the shoulder of Cary Grant – and she might well have been yelling, “This is fun!” For my money, Ginger Lynn would have slipped perfectly into the Lane part.
     The Grand Dame of erotic cinema, Georgina Spelvin, who made the film The Devil in Miss Jones, a remarkable four decades ago, explained that Fantasia is her favorite movie, “Because it has everything in it. It is sheer energy. I could do without Mickey Mouse, but everything else about it rises above animation and it lives in a fantasy of movement. It was totally cutting edge. Nothing else like it had been done before.” Take out the Mickey Mouse reference, and one has a pretty accurate review for The Devil in Miss Jones. Georgina’s favorite film fits.
     Raven Touchstone is an accomplished photographer. When she reflected on her career in the adult film industry, and told of watching Ginger Lynn and Barbara Dare running lines in rehearsal, whilst sipping wine in a hot-tub, she found the actresses in repose to be so incredibly beautiful that Touchstone decided that monumental beauty was beyond words – and in that silent moment of innocent insight, realized that the photographic image was the only way for her to do justice to beauty. The heroine of her favorite movie A Tree Grows in Brooklyn relies on her imagination to capture beauty in much the same way.
     Kitten Natividad recounted her bland experiences as a girl in a sort of unremarkable early life. Then came a time when she “fell down the rabbit hole” and due to excesses that seemed like a good idea at the time, she struggled with drugs and alcohol, but eventually rebounded. Today, she is clean and sober – owns apartment buildings and has made a success in all things considered. Is seems like the ups and downs of Natalie Wood in Splendor in the Grass – Kitten’s favorite movie – would make sense in a “been there, done that” kind of way.
     The last actress in attendance was Kay Parker. Kay Parker is an exquisitely sensual, wildly articulate and mesmerizingly sincere individual who marveled at the full circle nature of screen celebrity in recounting her love, as a girl, for movie actor Troy Donohue which, as it turned out, was not unrequited.  When she finally met the aging star and told him how much she loved his movies - much to her delight - he told her how much he loved hers. Kay Parker has put her film past into a unique perspective –one that asserts “It is all about love, because the opposite of that is shame. And shame is the condition of being unlovable. And I reject that.” The chapter in Nelson’s book devoted to Kay Parker is called The Conduit – and it describes Parker’s contemporary career as spiritual mentor and transcendence counselor – as one that only a “faith in love” stalwart could embrace. Field of Dreams is Kay’s favorite film, which seems to underscore perfectly her ethereal - part fantasy figure – part earth mother – all woman - essence.
     Willliam Margold acted as unofficial Emcee for the evening. Margold, a raucous individual who is known to industry insiders as “Papa Bear,” and is famous as an archivist and adult film historian (and perhaps less famous, alas, for his extensive and honorable charitable work for adult entertainment veterans who have not fared well) told great stories of on and off set mishaps, legal kerfuffles,  and courage – particularly of the women on the panel, and others like them who disdained “the hypocritical morality,” of those “who dreamed of these ladies, but who would not admit that in public.” Margold, a bear of a man, was a kind of sheriff that night, and apparently has been for his last forty years in and around the adult film industry.  He comes across as a “come and get me, I ain’t going anywhere” character, who, in fact, stood toe to toe against would be agents of the law, when adult films were illegal, and the badge boys were looking to lock up men and women who dared to turn cameras on and take clothes off. It’s no wonder that Papa Bear loves High Noon. He’s the Gary Cooper of “X.”
     At the end of the day, Jill C. Nelson has written a lovely and fascinating book about beautiful women, erotic adventurism, social mores, adult entertainment, the movie business, sex and sexuality.

And it has nothing at all to do with “Porn.”'

Peter C.

Hustler Hollywood Footage

Monday, Monday. I am pleased to share this terrific footage recently sent to me from screenwriter, Raven Touchstone, who is also profiled in the book. Her videographer friend shot it on the evening of the Hollywood Hustler Book Launch. Thank you, Penny!

Click on the link above the image to view.

Golden Goddesses Book Launch Footage

"Golden Goddesses" is now available for Kindle readers and other devices!

"Golden Goddesses" Cake at Hustler Launch

Great news! Just in time for the holidays: Golden Goddesses is now available for purchase through Amazon.com for all kindle devices at $14.95.  Readers can send Golden Goddesses directly to their kindle instruments or download the free kindle apps for kindle fire, iPad PCs, Android tablets, PC or Mac for access. Many readers have remarked how they appreciate the way the book is designed so that one can virtually open to any chapter without necessarily starting at the beginning. The kindle version presents the photos at the end of each chapter. Please follow this link for more information: Golden Goddesses in kindle format.

As I've done throughout the process of developing this book, I'd like to share a glimpse of my chapter on Kitten Natividad titled Sex "Kitten" Natividad. I was thrilled to finally met Kitten for the first time last month at our book launch in Los Angeles. She's a wonderful person, full of life, and kind. I'd also like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy, peaceful and safe holiday season. :)

     Brazen, buxom and brassy, “Kitten” Natividad, former burlesque queen, Pin-Up girl, and adult film actress, has delighted in arousing male sexual fantasies for four decades. 
     Born in Mexico in 1948 to a teenage bride, Francesca Isabelle Natividad was three years old when her parents divorced. Before the age of ten, Francesca and her mother immigrated to El Paso, Texas where they settled in with her new stepfather. Natividad adapted easily to her congenial surroundings and dutifully assisted with her younger siblings. While engaged in secondary school studies, a relative hooked the young teenager up to keep house for actor Stella Stevens in Hollywood for summer work where Natividad flourished. After graduating from grade twelve, Francesca was hired as a key punch operator but quickly became unfulfilled by the monotony of her work. At the advice of a friend, she decided to audition as a Go-Go dancer, and ultimately became an exotic dancer, a profession she found to be gratifying and profitable. During her early years as a stripper, Natividad adopted the stage name “Kitten”. While married to her second husband, Kitten was introduced to sexploitation director, Russ Meyer. She
became a star prodigy after her provocative debut as an orator in the cult classic Up! (1976). Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixons (1977) followed as did a lengthy relationship with Meyer, and subsequently, several breast augmentation surgeries that provided Kitten with a forty-four inch chest.

     “It was a normal childhood. My mother started working at the same time my father worked and went to college. I came home from school, did homework and made the dinner ─ there were no hobbies. I did like to put on the radio and dance around the house doing housework. My childhood was definitely not the life that kids have today. I was very responsible as a child. I can’t say anything terrible about my childhood. I don’t feel bad about my childhood because it taught me one thing: I didn’t want any children when I grew up. I remember those two a.m. feedings. My mother would go to work so she called on me – I’m the oldest one – to go get the baby and change his diaper; give him his bottle. I thought, “Is this what I have to look forward to?” Not for me. I’m from the era of baby boomers and we are different from other generations. We started doing things differently and we behaved differently.

     As a teenager, I loved the way Bridget Bardot looked. I wish I looked like her, and I loved Natalie Wood. Honestly, I get bored talking about the beginnings of my life because it’s so long ago and there aren’t any big highlights. I had no tits and I was a very skinny girl. I wasn’t boy crazy or anything, but I was into being the popular one – the clown. I enjoyed it a lot because I got attention.”

     “I was already married when I met Russ [Meyer] and I was working at the Classic Cat. At the time, he had the movie Supervixons (1975) out and the star of his movie, Shari Eubank, was working at the club. She was a beautiful girl, a very sweet girl from Illinois. They told him that he should come and check me out because I was the kind of woman he liked for his films. He came by while he was working on another film called UP! He said, ‘You’re so hot looking, I want to put you in that film no matter what.’” 

     “Russ Meyer did not do porn films. I love him to death. He’s dead now, but I have to come to his defense. Later, I did some Triple-X films, but Russ would be rolling in his grave because he could not compete with porn.”

    “When I went into porn, I was in bad shape. I was a lush by that time. When I quit, I didn’t miss it at all, and now, I don’t drink either. I went through a phase and now it’s over. When I stopped drinking my life got back on track and I’m doing okay. Sometimes my friends will ask me to have a drink and I think why should I get started again? One might lead to two, and that might lead to more. I don’t want that. I do go to AA to remind me not to drink. I’ve enjoyed my life whether it was bad or good. Sometimes I didn’t know it was bad!”

    “A lot of girls just don’t last in the business. They might be dysfunctional or they are just overnighters. On the other hand, some of them who did have a horrible life were able to make themselves stars. I am so proud, of Jenna Jameson. She’s worth forty-five million dollars or something and she’s very smart. You know, one of the strippers I danced with came from a wealthy family and she was given everything and people would say, ‘Why is she a stripper, she comes from a great family?’

      I’d turn around and say, ‘Hey! I come from a great family and I’m doing this!’ You get my drift.”