"Holy Benedict Arnold! Suzie, the Chief cheerleader - a member of The Joker's criminal gang!" --Robin
Summary
Batman was a thirty-minute prime time, live action television series broadcast by the ABC Network between 1966 and 1968. Premiering on January 12th, the series featured actor Adam West as the perennial character of Batman, while Burt Ward donned nylon stockings and fairy boots for his portrayal of the erstwhile sidekick, Robin.
The series took the tradition of Batman into uncharted territory, oftentimes mocking the character's heritage with trite dialogue and overly campy plot devices. The show was noteworthy for its memorable use of onomatopoeia during climactic fight scenes. Despite the clumsy nature of the series however, the show proved popular to many fans, and transformed Adam and Burt into modern pop culture icons.
When not fighting crime as Batman and Robin, the Dynamic Duo were often found at Wayne manor in their respective identities as Bruce Wayne and his "youthful ward", Dick Grayson. Living alongside them in the vast mansion, was doddering old Aunt Harriet (a character exclusive to the television series), and their mild-mannered butler, Alfred. Alfred possessed the good fortune of being the only other person to know Batman and Robin's secret identities.
Unlike the earlier movie serials of the 1940s, this was the first Batman project to feature Batman's rouges gallery of villains. Cesar Romero made numerous appearances as the Joker, while Burgess Meredith reinvented the image of the Penguin, with his crooked smile and trademark "Squawk". Julie Newmar provided Catwoman's rolling "R"s, only to be replaced later by Lee Meriwether, and again by Eartha Kitt. Two men provided their talents to the role of the Riddler - Frank Gorshin and John Astin.
By season three, declining ratings prompted the introduction of a third partner to the Bat Family, Barbara Gordon – aka Batgirl (played by Yvonne Craig). Although Batgirl was an immensely popular character, her presence could not save the series, and it was cancelled in 1968.
Principal Cast
- Adam West as the Batman (Bruce Wayne)
- Burt Ward as Robin (Dick Grayson)
- Neil Hamilton as Commissioner James Gordon
- Stafford Rep as Police Chief O'Hara
- Madge Blake as Harriet Cooper
Episodes
List of Batman (1960s series) Episodes
Trivia
For the first two seasons, Batman episodes were aired as two-part storylines, with the title of the second episode often rhyming with the title of the first episode. The Batman series was famous for showcasing various celebrity talents including: Edward G. Robinson, Jerry Lewis, Art Linkletter, Roddy McDowell, Milton Berle, Dick Clark, Steve Allen, Sammy Davis Jr., and many others.