Batman (TV Series)

From Iwe

Batman
Genre Action
Adventure
Comedy
Superhero fiction
Created by William Dozier
Based on Batman 
by Bob Kane and
Bill Finger (uncredited)
Developed by Lorenzo Semple, Jr.
Starring Adam West
Burt Ward
Alan Napier
Neil Hamilton
Stafford Repp
Madge Blake
Yvonne Craig
Narrated by William Dozier
Opening theme "Batman Theme" by
Neal Hefti
Ending theme "Batman Theme" by
Neal Hefti
Composer(s) Nelson Riddle
Billy May
(incidental music)
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 3
No. of episodes 120 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive
producer(s) 		William Dozier
Producer(s) Howie Horwitz
Running time 25 minutes
Production
company(s) 		Greenway Productions
20th Century Fox
Television
Distributor 20th Television
Warner Bros. (home
media)
Broadcast
Original network ABC
Audio format Monaural
Original release January 12, 1966 – March 14, 1968
Chronology
Related shows Batman (1966 film) (spin-off)
The Green Hornet

Batman is a 1960s American live action television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City from a variety of villains and their henchmen. It is known for its camp style, upbeat theme music and relatively simplistic youth-aimed moral lessons, including championing the importance of using seat belts, doing homework, eating vegetables and drinking milk. One hundred and twenty episodes aired on the ABC network for three seasons from January 12, 1966, to March 14, 1968, twice weekly for the first two and weekly for the third.

Contents

[edit] Format

[edit] Typical episode format and elements

[edit] Teaser and exposition

[edit] Investigation

[edit] After the cliffhanger

[edit] Other recurring elements

[edit] Cast

See also: List of Batman television series characters

[edit] Regular cast

  • Adam West as Bruce Wayne / Batman: a millionaire whose parents were murdered by criminals, he now secretly uses his vast fortune to fight crime as Batman. Producer William Dozier cast Adam West in the role after seeing him perform as the James Bond-like spy Captain Q in a Nestlé Quik television ad. Lyle Waggoner had screen tested for the role, though West ultimately won the role because, it was said, he was the only person who could deliver the lines with a straight face. West later voiced an animated version of the title character on The New Adventures of Batman and well as Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show and The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians.
  • Burt Ward as Dick Grayson / Robin: Batman's faithful partner and "boy wonder", noted for his recurring interjections in the form of "Holy ________, Batman!" (The series avoided referencing Robin's origins as Bruce Wayne's fellow "crime orphan", as whose legal guardian the courts appoint Bruce.) Ward voiced an animated version of this character on The New Adventures of Batman.
  • Alan Napier as Alfred: Batman's loyal butler and Batgirl's discreet confidant.
  • Neil Hamilton as Commissioner Gordon: The Commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department and one of Batman's two major police contacts.
  • Stafford Repp as Chief O'Hara: Gotham City's Chief of Police, and Batman's other major police contact. (The character was created by Semple for the series, as someone for Gordon to talk to, and later briefly added to the comics.)
  • Madge Blake as Harriet Cooper: Dick Grayson's maternal aunt. (She first appeared in the comics, two years before the series premiered, to give Bruce and Dick a reason to be secretive about their dual identities).
  • Yvonne Craig as Barbara Gordon / Batgirl: Commissioner Gordon's daughter and crime fighting partner for Batman and Robin for the third season. Occasionally this threesome was nicknamed the "Terrific Trio" (or the "Troublesome Trio" by Catwoman and the "Tiresome Trio" by Dr. Cassandra).
  • William Dozier - executive producer, creator, and narrator (uncredited).

According to Adam West's memoir, Back to the Batcave, his first exposure to the series concept was through reading a sample script in which Batman enters a nightclub in his complete costume and requests a booth near the wall, as he "shouldn't wish to attract attention"; it was the scrupulously formal dialogue, and the way that Batman appeared to earnestly believe he could somehow avoid attracting attention while wearing a skintight blue-and-grey costume, that convinced West of the character's comic potential.

[edit] Recurring villains

File:Batman villains The Penguin The Riddler The Joker 1967.JPG
Frequent "special guest villains" (clockwise from left) Burgess Meredith as the Penguin, Cesar Romero as the Joker, and Frank Gorshin as the Riddler

[edit] Production

[edit] Film version and season 2

Main article: Batman (1966 film)

[edit] Season 3

[edit] Cancellation

[edit] Tie-in music

[edit] Episodes

Main article: List of Batman television episodes

[edit] Adaptations

[edit] Crossover with The Green Hornet TV series

Main article: The Green Hornet (TV series)

[edit] The Green Hornet and Kato on Batman

[edit] Batman and Robin on The Green Hornet

[edit] Reception

[edit] After the series run

[edit] Reunions

[edit] Legacy

[edit] References In Animation

[edit] Batmobile

[edit] Batman Forever

[edit] Batman '66 comic

Main article: Batman '66

[edit] Other comics

[edit] Batman: Arkham

[edit] Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham

[edit] Robot Chicken

[edit] Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders

Main article: Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders

[edit] DVD, digital media and Blu-ray release

DVD/Blu-ray name Region 1 Region 2 Region 4

[edit] Collectibles

[edit] Notes

[edit] Broadcast history

[edit] USA broadcasting

    • ABC (January 12, 1966 – March 14, 1968)

[edit] International: UK broadcasting

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Template:1966-1968 Batman Television Series Template:Batman in Popular Media Template:DC Comics TV Template:The Green Hornet

Retrieved from "http://editthis.info/iwe/Batman_(TV_Series)"
Personal tools