1960s "BATMAN" TV show

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Put on your Geek hats, folks and join me "MEANWHILE, BACK AT STATELY WAYNE MANOR...."

The 1966-68 "Batman" TV show starring Adam West as the caped crusader (and Burt Ward as his youthful ward, Dick Grayson/Robin, of course) is one of my all time favorite shows. I watched it religiously as a kid (it used to air in the afternoons with cartoons), I took it deadly seriously. I had no idea what "camp" was and didn't realize that the show was goofy on purpose... I really thought if I didn't tune in the next day, Batman and Robin were going to be swallowed up by a Giant Clam, or shredded in a Piano Rolling Machine, or whatever.

Years later I enjoy it on a whole 'nother level because it's so brilliantly silly. Plus, my son (he's 7) watches it with me and now HE thinks it's this deadly serious real deal. Haha.

I have had the pleasure of meeting Adam West twice during the 1990s (once at a book signing for his autobiography and once at a sci-fi/rock n roll collectible show) and he was by far the coolest "celebrity" I've ever come across. He's a cool mofo. Have his autograph on a nice 8x10 of Batman and Robin from the show (someday I hope to meet Burt Ward so I can get his sig on it too) and also on a copy of his autobiography "Back To The Batcave."

The "Batman" film that was made in between the second and third/final seasons of the show is a hoot all around as well (my only complaint is that Julie Newmar didn't play Catwoman in the movie, due to prior commitments; she was replaced by Lee Meriwether, who was no slouch either but she didn't have Julie's Purrrrrr....) ...

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Meeee-yow.

Anyway the movie is packed with classic moments like this one...



And besides... who can forget Batgirl? That tight purple outfit and high heel go-go boots used to make me feel funny. Like when I climbed the rope in gym class.

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Alicia Silverstone, eat your heart out.

Any other fans? Admit it, you all watched it. Some people can't STAND the Adam West version of the character, they blame the show for "softening" Batman up even in the comics (though the Batman comics themselves were pretty damned goofy at the time already), but I've always dug it. I do enjoy the other interpretations of the character (both live action and animated) that have come along since then (hell, I even dig the original 1940s' movie serial version!) but I guess since Adam was my first "Batman" as a young'un, he's still the best in my book.

They may be drinkers....but their also human beings Robin.


I never had the chance to see the actual television show but I used to own the VHS tape of that movie and I would watch it so much my parents hid the tape at one point...funny you should mention being ultra serious about the show. I held the film in that kind of regard too..haha! Reminds me of how serous I took the first mario brothers game for NES when I first got it....by my intelligence, I figured I ACTUALLY just killed a man by letting mario run into a goomba.

I think Lee Meriwether was hotter than Julie Newmar the more I think about it...

Stender wrote:

I think Lee Meriwether was hotter than Julie Newmar the more I think about it...

I wouldn't kick either one of 'em outta bed for eatin crackers. Hell, I wouldn't have minded Eartha Kitt, who also held the role for a few episodes, either...

For some unGodly reason the "Batman" show is one TV series that has yet to be released on DVD... the movie is out there, so why not the show? Get West, Ward and the rest of the surviving cast members to do commentary tracks for each episode, I betcha it would be a hoot. They oughta jump on that. Most of these people ain't getting any younger.

Stenda, I too have the movie on tape, I played it a while back for my older son and he thought it was the coolest thing since individually sliced process American cheese. He loved the opening when Batman is dangling from the Batcopter over the ocean and a shark is clinging to his leg... (*THUMP* *PUNCH* "QUICK ROBIN! THE BAT-SHARK REPELLENT!")

Robin: "Her legs, Batman...they kinda remind me of Catwoman's."
Batman: (puts hand on Robin's shoulder) "You're growing up, Robin. But you must always remember to keep your sights... forward."

Fat Freddy wrote:

Stender wrote:

I think Lee Meriwether was hotter than Julie Newmar the more I think about it...

I wouldn't kick either one of 'em outta bed for eatin crackers. Hell, I wouldn't have minded Eartha Kitt, who also held the role for a few episodes, either...

For some unGodly reason the "Batman" show is one TV series that has yet to be released on DVD... the movie is out there, so why not the show? Get West, Ward and the rest of the surviving cast members to do commentary tracks for each episode, I betcha it would be a hoot. They oughta jump on that. Most of these people ain't getting any younger.

Stenda, I too have the movie on tape, I played it a while back for my older son and he thought it was the coolest thing since individually sliced process American cheese. He loved the opening when Batman is dangling from the Batcopter over the ocean and a shark is clinging to his leg... (*THUMP* *PUNCH* "QUICK ROBIN! THE BAT-SHARK REPELLENT!")

Ha! I remember that part! The epic fight on the penquin sub at the end was great too. Rad movie, I think my parents took the tape to goodwill along time ago though...

Stender wrote:

Ha! I remember that part! The epic fight on the penquin sub at the end was great too. Rad movie, I think my parents took the tape to goodwill along time ago though...

My favorite bit in the whole movie takes place during the fight scene on the sub. At one point Catwoman throws the little black kitty cat that she's been carrying around at Batman. He catches the cat, tucks it under his arm and continues to fight off goons one-handed. Eventually he puts the cat in a lifeboat and sez with a totally straight face, "Bon Voyage, Pussy."

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That's frickin comedy gold!!!

I don't remember a whole hell of alot of the show, but I too own the movie and have seen it alot. Caeser Romero is one of my favorite jokers.

Loved the TV show as a kid, I used to think it was a serious show, like FF, years later I enjoy the campiness of it and Adam West was brillant.

I always wondered why it has never been released on DVD/Blu-Ray, I have the movie and shared it with my oldest son who thought it was the funniest movie he had ever seen.

Yvonne Craig is simply stellar. Highly yummy. She even got to play an, albeit criminally insane, Orion slave girl in "Whom Gods Destroy" from Star Trek.

I agree with Lee Meriwether as well. A few years back I saw her in a Broadway show... at one point she was in a dressing room scene with another woman character, and she kept changing her hairdo and looks while keeping a running commentary. She makes a snide comment about 'who would want to be a Ms. America anyway', which of course most of the audience got the joke and laughed... then next she does her hair up and different, then draws her hands and fingers into a 'mask' around her eyes and happily says "PURRRRRRRRR- Fect!". Sadly, not too many people got that one.

It's strange how things turned out... on the show, Adam West looked a bit out of shape, whereas Burt Ward was ripped and had a brown belt in karate... but you take a look at them now-a-days... Adam looks pretty much the same and good for his age and Burt really let himself go ala oompa loompa.

My fav exchange from the series, when they are getting into the batmovible, but are only going a few blocks down the street...

"Robin, I see you haven't fastened your bat safety belt!"

:But Batman, we are just going a couple of blocks..."

"... Robin, someday you will be old enough to drive the Batmobile, and you must always adbide by good safety practices..."

"Well, gosh darn it Batman... when you put it that way..."

I loved that show as a kid. I only saw it syndication, but still fun for a little kid that didn't get the campiness of it all. I even went as Batman for Halloween one year in a homemade coutume that was fashioned after the Adam West outfit.

I loved the series as a kid but I've never seen the movie, hell I didn't even know there was one! But all the banter about it makes me wanna go to the vid store and see if they got it.

If you check out the movie, you get to hear the classic-

Somedays, you just can't get rid of a bomb!!!

Akeldama wrote:

I loved the series as a kid but I've never seen the movie, hell I didn't even know there was one! But all the banter about it makes me wanna go to the vid store and see if they got it.

If I still had it, I would ship it to you just so you could expierience it bro.

Stender wrote:

Akeldama wrote:

I loved the series as a kid but I've never seen the movie, hell I didn't even know there was one! But all the banter about it makes me wanna go to the vid store and see if they got it.

If I still had it, I would ship it to you just so you could expierience it bro.

It's all good bro, a friend of mine just might have it now that I think of it. Antone has a lot of '60's stuff.

I loved this show as a kid...all reruns on Saturdays of course...if it was on, I was glued to the TV...it was the beginnings of my Batman obsession...

Reruns of the 60s "Batman" show are currently airing on a new (well, it's new to my cable system, anyway) kid/family oriented cable channel called "The Hub" -- check your local listings as the saying goes

Fat Freddy wrote:

Reruns of the 60s "Batman" show are currently airing on a new (well, it's new to my cable system, anyway) kid/family oriented cable channel called "The Hub" -- check your local listings as the saying goes

I discovered this a couple months ago, they also play Transformers and G.I. Joe

DeathCult wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

Reruns of the 60s "Batman" show are currently airing on a new (well, it's new to my cable system, anyway) kid/family oriented cable channel called "The Hub" -- check your local listings as the saying goes

I discovered this a couple months ago, they also play Transformers and G.I. Joe

And Fraggle Rock, and Family Ties, and Laverne & Shirley!! I turn on that channel and it's like 1982 all over again!!