Russ Meyer ‘Ultra-Vixen’ Kitten Natividad Dies at 74

Kitten Natividad, the busty adult-film actress who became a pop culture icon via her work with director Russ Meyer, reportedly died suddenly over the weekend.

She was 74.

Her friend, director Cody Jarrett, announced on Twitter, “It is with tremendous sadness we must announce the sudden passing of our dear friend and cast member, the beautiful, unforgettable Kitten Natividad.”

“We will love and miss you forever, Kitten,” he went on, “and may every immeasurable drop of the love, beauty and goodness you bestowed upon others accompany you into the next realm, for all of eternity. God bless you, Kitten.”

The Mexican-American exotic dancer was born February 13, 1948, moving from Mexico to the U.S. at age 10. She worked for actress Stella Stevens and at IBM before undergoing breast-implant surgery in 1969.

While her new figure made her career, it also made her sick — she later learned industrial-grade silicone, not appropriate for use in the human body, had been used in her surgery. She also eventually underwent a double mastectomy to fight breast cancer.

Upon being introduced to director Russ Meyer, Natividad appeared in his cult-classic films “Up!” (1976) and “Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens” (1979) — which was written by Meyer with film critic Roger Ebert. She went on to become his romantic partner for many years.

Along with working in adult films, Natividad was also noted for stripping at Sean Penn’s bachelor party in 1985 ahead of his wedding to Madonna, and for a variety of film credits that included “My Tutor” (1983), “Another 48 Hours” (1990).