To The Batpoles! Batman 1966

Now live on Patreon - part two of our look at the draft Bookworm script, featuring an overlong, over-complicated deathtrap scene! Join us on Patreon to hear our discussion and follow along with the script!

On the latest Bat Bits, we begin a multi-part look at an early draft of The Bookworm Turns! It contains some concepts seen in the broadcast version that may ring a bell, but there's no Big Benjamin bell in this script!  Join us on Patreon to hear about Rik Vollearts' early shot at Bookworm and follow along with a PDF of the script at patreon dot com slash decon comics. Part one is available now!

At last, we're back! This time we talk about a couple fantastic YouTube comments we received from people with close connections to two Bat-regulars, Stafford Repp and Madge Blake! Join us on Patreon for $2 a month to hear their revelations!

We're back for a look at the first two draft scripts for The Joker Trumps an Ace/Batman Sets the Pace. As usual, scripts bring to light connections that the filmed episode didn't quite make, lines we never heard clearly, abandoned bat-turns and wardrobe business, an absent moll, and much more. PLUS: we experience one of the better “surf rock” versions of the theme, read mail from listeners, and hear Adam West in 2014 discussing the newly-released Batman DVDs and BluRays! Read the scripts here Batman shooting dates! Scott Sebring and Ben Bentley have pieced together the best info available About the J.P. Patches Show Mick Beaulieu's surf-rock version of the Batman theme Adam West Previews New York Comic Con

For our final BAT BITS of the year, we return, after a two-year hiatus, to the BATMAN '66 comics series, digging into issue 12. It's certainly not the greatest issue of the series, but in its faults, it helps us identify aspects of how the TV show works. Listen for a clip from the show!

The New Adventures of Batman, Filmation's second Batman cartoon series, premiered February 12, 1977 on CBS. Tim and Paul, then 11 and 8 respectively, were thrilled at the idea of Adam West and Burt Ward voicing the Duo, but not so thrilled at the addition of Bat Mite to the cast. But… were we wrong about Bat Mite? This time we discuss this question, and the whole 16-episode series, with BAT 77 host J.B. Anderton! Plus, Burt Ward as Robin in 1976, the Japanese theme for this cartoon, and we read your comments on episodes 218 and 219! Support us on Patreon to hear this show ad free, plus bonus content! Batman theme played by the LCIS Orchestra JB shows us his Bat-merch collection Burt Ward on The Clown Show Opening and Ending for The New Adventures in Japan Full version of the opening theme, "BAT MAN ~crescent night story~"

Holy continuation! In the latest edition of Bat Bits, we attempt to come up with some guidelines for what makes a good “holy”. Also: Just because a holy was used on Batman 66, does that make it a “good” one? Join us on Patron for at least $2 a month to hear Bat Bits, as well as ad-free versions of future TO THE BATPOLES episodes! Go to Patreon dot com slash decon comics! Also in this promo, an announcement concerning TO THE BATPOLES!

Holy exclamation! On Batman 66, Robin used a lot of Holys. We have a sense of what formulations of holys work best, but can we put those formulations into words? Why do some holys from other sources, such as the 1966 album Jan and Dean meet Batman make us say “holy wrong note”? In this first installment of a two-part edition of “Bat Bits”, we analyze some of the holys from that record. Which ones work, and which don't? Holy idiomatic expression!  Support us on Patreon now!

JOIN US ON PATREON to hear BAT BITS, morsels we find as we research the show for our book! Why was the world premiere of Batman, the Movie held in Austin, Texas? And just what went on at (and around) this July 30, 1966, event? This time, a deep dive on the movie premiere!

On the latest BAT BITS podcast, we discuss another anti-Batman article from 1966! Is it possible to hate Batman comics, but think they're great compared to the TV show??

A 1966 article by journalist Paul Molloy takes down NY Congressman Frank Horton for praising "Batman" for its heroes "heroic power for good", saying it was inspirational and a good message for kids. Molloy, on the other hand, sees the GCPD's reliance on Batman as swipe at all police. Do either one of these guys really understand the show!? Tim and Paul discuss the article, kindly provided by the Message Board's "Mr. Glee". Available only on Patreon!

Famously, Burt Ward has said that, in the episode BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME, he was placed above a pit of tigers, with meat hanging above him that encouraged the tigers to jump. Meanwhile, in THE OFFICIAL BATMAN BATBOOK, Joel Eisner says there were no live tigers, just a clip from an old movie. Who's right? The answer may surprise you! Scott Sebring has shared his interesting research on this topic with us, and we share it in this episode - available only on Patreon!

The first episode of our book-writing-hiatus Patreon podcast is now live! We discuss memos among the Greenway and Fox teams about Adam West's chronic lateness on the set, and answer the question: How is Bill Clinton separated by three degrees from Batman '66?? Support us for two dollars a month and get BAT BITS every two weeks!

All the supporting players on Batman had many years of acting experience — considerably more than the stars of the show did! That also goes for Stafford Repp, playing stereotypical Irish cop Chief O'Hara. But what was his background? When did he get into acting? What are some of his other roles, pre- and post-Batman? This time we take a closer look at Repp. Also: Bat-Audio of Adam and Burt on Entertainment Tonight in 1987, your response to several recent episodes, and a special announcement! Bat-Message Board: #215 Women in Season Three, pt 1 Bat-Message Board: #217 Wil Shriner Show Bat-reunion All-Soldier Musical Show Here Tuesday, Wednesday (4/11/43) TV Face, Not Name, Rings Bell (8/24/63) Character Actor's Big TV Try (10/19/63) Holy Palpitatin' Policemen: This is Police Chief O'Hara (5/21/66) Adam West and Burt Ward on Entertainment Tonight, 1987 The Frito Bandito Meets Chief O'Hara Batman Stop-Motion Intro

Sorry! We're going to have to delay the next episode by a week or two.

Six months after Batman's final broadcast on ABC, CBS premiered The Adventures of Batman, the character's first animated show, produced by Filmation. While the look of the show is totally divorced from the Adam West version, relying mainly on the comics, the influence of the live action show can definitely be felt in the writing; just ask “millionaire Bruce Wayne” at “Stately Wayne Manor.”  This is a show we never saw as kids, or really at all until now, so this time we take a look at the cartoon, without any nostalgic rose-colored glasses. And we have a blast doing it! ALSO: The Dynamic Duo's version of the theme (who ARE they behind those masks?), the conclusion of the 1989 Bat-reunion on CBS This Morning, and the message board weighs in on the reasons for 1988 Batmania!

There have been many Batman cast reunions on talk shows over the years, particularly as the 1989 Batman movie's release approached. Previously we talked about the 1988 reunion on The Late Show with Ross Shafer, an overbooked, poorly stage-managed affair. This time we look at another reunion in 1988, on The Wil Shriner show. Shriner's show kept the number of guests to a manageable number, and Shriner was more knowledgeable about the show than Shafer, making this reunion about the best you could hope for on a talk show for a general audience. This time we discuss this Wil Shriner episode. Plus, the Silverwood Clarinet Choir plays an interesting arrangement of Hefti's Batman theme, and we get a look at a particularly sexist take on Batgirl from Detective Comics 371.  Watch the Wil Shriner Batman reunion episode

The Clock King's Crazy Crimes/The Clock King Gets Crowned is the one Batman '66 arc written by Bill Finger, now credited as a co-creator of the character, and Charles Sinclair. Unsurprisingly, the first draft of the script reveals a writer not well versed in the rules of Hollywood, such as that an actor who says one word on screen is more expensive than one in a non-speaking role. This time we look at the first draft, final, and revised final scripts of the Clock King story, finding bits that changed significantly as shot, and answer some of our questions about odd parts of the story. ALSO: The London Music Works version of the Batman theme, Burgess Meredith on the origin of the Penguin's quack, and your mail! Message board comments on the scripts Message board comments on our Mr. Terrific discussion

One of the most striking things — in a good way, for once! — about Batman's third season is the number of villains who are women. Also, of course, this is the season of Batgirl, who is more aggressively “feminized” than any other woman on the show, perhaps because she's doing “a man's job.” This time we begin a look at how the show presents women in season three by looking at the season's first five episodes, and we're joined again by novelist Nancy Northcott. PLUS: What if King Crimson performed the Batman theme? A Batman writer turns out to be a war hero! And, Bat Audio from another Batman reunion in 1989. Read the Clock King scripts we'll discuss next month: First draft Final draft Revised final Comment on the script on the message board Panel discussions on Nancy's ConTinual channel If King Crimson performed the Batman theme (from JB Anderton!) A Marine's-eye View of the Battle of Iwo Jima (yes, it's bat-relevant!) More about the Iwo Jima video project, including our Bat-writer bravery medal recipient Frank Cockrell on OldTimeRadioDownloads.com 1989 Batman reunion on CBS This Morning  

Mr. Terrific was cancelled after half a season, but… was it really a terrible show? Is star Stephen Strimpell partly to blame? This time, we push back on Thirteen Week Theatre's take on Strimpell, consider why pill popping was such a common way to get superpowers in the Sixties, and the show's …. agressive … laugh track. Also, were the network execs commissioning superhero sitcoms really trying to imitate Batman, or just cash in? Plus, The Music Within's bass guitar cover of the Batman theme, more from Adam and Burt on Hour Magazine, and e-mail from our listeners! Excerpt from Outré magazine's Stephen Strimpell interview (ilovegetsmart.com)

This time we look at the other sitcom that tried to cash in on Batman, CBS's Mr. Terrific. It's goofier than Captain Nice and not as funny (although the laugh track clearly doesn't think that!), but with a surprisingly good cast. We discuss the unaired pilot, and the first 8 episodes of the 17-episode series, which is quite different from the pilot, with an utterly different cast and different situation for Mr. T's alter ego, Stanley Beamish.  Plus: Max Diaz Music's “punk” version of the theme, Adam and Burt appearing on Hour Magazine in 1984, and your response to our discussion of the Batman cast reunion on Fox's Late Night with Ross Shafer, in episode 211! 

When Batman hit in early 1966, it set a trend of superheroes in pop culture that many rushed to emulate. By the time many of these bat-mimics were ready for public consumption, the trend was on its way out. One such wave-rider was Captain Nice, created by Buck Henry, and repeating some gags from Henry's hit Get Smart. While Captain Nice brought some really funny moments, it failed to catch on with audiences. Was this simply because the bat-bubble had burst? Or was it that Henry wasn't the right person to grab the lightning in a bottle that Lorenzo Semple, Jr., had captured? We look at the strengths and weaknesses of the show, the possible reasons for its failure, and whether Captain Nice was meant to be a bat-clone, or a conventional sitcom starring a superhero. Plus, the Solid Ghost Band theme version, MTV looks at a party commemorating 20 years since the last Batman primetime episode, and ChrisBCritter explains how Dr. Somnambula's stethescope worked! Watch Captain Nice on Archive.org Batman Reunion Party, 1988 Sold Ghost Band theme version  

On April 28, 1988, the then-fledgling Fox Network's The Late Show with Ross Shafer hosted a Batman reunion. However, due to poor time management and a second-rate host, among other problems, the reunion can be a bit of a tough watch - especially they way Alan Napier was shortchanged on airtime at the end as he and Shafer struggled to communicate with each other. Video of the episode, unavailable when we looked for it years ago, surfaced last year, and this time we discuss the problem as well as the interesting bits that we did pick up from the bat-cast. ALSO: The WDR Big Band version of the theme, and we read your mail on episodes 208 and 209. WDR Big Band   The Late Show with Ross Shafer's Batman reunion  

We conclude our look at Ellis St. Joseph's original Sandman script with the sleepwalker-filled second part of the arc, originally titled “A Stitch in Time.” We discuss our impressions of the script, the episode we got instead, and which one we might have preferred. We also share more impressions of the script from the denizens of the '66 Batman message board, and listen to the world's most enthusiastic kid, “The Colour Boo”, sing a mostly original song about the Caped Crusader. The Sandman Cometh, First Draft, Final Draft Joel Eisner talks with Ellis St. Joseph Message Board thread on this script

Midway through Season Two, Julie Newmar appeared along with Michael Rennie as guest villains Catwoman and Sandman in The Sandman Cometh. But originally, this script by Ellis St. Joseph featured only the Sandman, with Robert Morely picked to play the role. This time, we get into how the teamup came about as we begin a look at St. Joseph's original draft script. Also, Below the Staff Music takes a stab at a jazz version of Hefti's Batman theme, Adam West and Burt Ward cameo on the SImpsons, and we read your mail on the Bat Bible and Buck Henry's rejection of camp! The Sandman Cometh, First Draft, Final Draft Joel Eisner talks with Ellis St. Joseph Message Board thread on this script | On episode #207 (Bat Bible and Buck Henry) "1966 Batman Theme - But It's Jazz," by Below the Staff Music Adam and Burt on The Simpsons

Even after Batman made ABC's “second season” schedule, to start in January 1966, there was still concern about how audiences would react. Will they get the joke? Should a laugh track be used? In a memo dated January 14, 1966 - the day after the second episode, Smack in the Middle, was first broadcast — Joseph Schrier, Director of Program Development at ABC, reports on audience testing on the pilot. While some adults got the joke, others weren't quite sure if the show was meant to be funny. Audience reaction to Batman and Robin was mixed, as well, with some noticing that Robin was solving all the Riddler's riddles while Batman seemed to be flailing. This time, we look at that report, discuss why Batman could be perceived as rather dense in the pilot, and how well the report's recommendations were followed. PLUS: Musician Noiselund shows creativity and voluminous Bat-knowledge with his music video “Buttercup”; a 1989 report about Michael Keaton's casting as Batman, and Adam West's reaction to it; and we read your mail about our episode on the life of Neil Hamilton. Read the draft of The Sandman Cometh, and comment on it for our next episode!  

What will we cover in our next episode? Also, what will be the topic of the next patrons-only podcast? Listen to hear how you can help to decide the answer to the latter question, and to hear the answer to the former!

In television, a show's “bible” is a collection of the rules for the world of a particular show, to keep writers on track with their scripts. The makeshift bible that Lorenzo Semple, Jr., wrote for Batman is lost to history, but what might have been in it? What are the rules that we can see the show following? Tim has compiled some and presents them here — and asks for your suggestions. In a recent Bat Inbox, we discussed some comments writer Buck Henry made about Batman and camp shortly after the show premiered. The comments struck Paul as being off-target and showing a poor understanding of what camp is. Is camp not comedy? Was Henry's co-creation Get Smart not a campy show? Paul's given it some more thought and research, and furthers that discussion in this episode. Plus, the Kydoniai Orchestra version of the theme, the conclusion of Adam West's Cinefix interview from 2014, and your response to our second Batman/Star Trek act-off. "Gilligan and Captain Kirk have more in common than you think: 1960s Camp TV as an alternative geneology for cult TV" by W.D. Phillips and Isabel Pinedo

He's best remembered as the Gotham City Police Department's Commissioner Gordon, the Dynamic Duo's #1 cheerleader. But Neil Hamilton had a long Hollywood career decades before Batman, dating back to the silent film era. This time, we talk about the hills and valleys of his decades in film and television, capped off with the Batman role that earned him the funds to retire. PLUS: More of Adam West's 2014 appearance on the YouTube channel Cinefix, the Scott Community High School Band version of the theme, and your response to our discussion of the Rembrandt III treatment!   Hamilton as model for a J.C. Leyendecker cover for Saturday Evening Post (scroll about halfway down the page) Robert S. Ray commentary on Hamilton Hamilton-related documents (including TV Guide article), courtesy of High C A clip from Dawn Patrol The life-size FAB1 car

We're joined again by our childhood friend Kyle for the second installment of our comparison of actors who appeared on both Batman and Star Trek. On which show did Grace Lee Whitney (King Tut moll Neila vs. Yeoman Janice Rand), Lee Meriwether (Tut kidnapee Lisa Carson vs. planetary security system Losira), Frank Gorshin (the Riddler vs. traitor-tracker Bele), and Sherry Jackson (Riddler moll Pauline vs. improbably sexy android Andrea) turn in the better performance? Then, having pitted two of the same actor's roles against each other, we compare that actor's better performance to that of one of the other actors. Just call us “The Gamesters of Gotham”! Plus, Adam West answers questions from YouTube channel Cinefix in 2014, Bryan Daste's banjo/upright bass/theramin version of the Batman theme, and your mail on the 1966 snarky Saturday Evening Post bat-article! Our complete (?) list of every actor who appeared on both Batman and Star Trek TOS

As the broadcast of Batman season one drew to a close, a treatment called Rembrandt the Third Meets his Master was submitted by 31-year-old Yale M. Udoff, who would go on to some success, but was just getting started as a screenwriter. Udoff's inexperience may account for many of the problems with this treatment: A villain, Rembrandt III, whose crimes and motivations are too creaky for a TV show, and who engages many elements that don't fit the theme of “painting”; many bat-no-nos, including an armed-to-the-teeth Alfred and a somewhat vain, goofy Batman; and set pieces that were unfilmable in the pre-CGI days, at least on Greenway Productions' budget. And a lot of elements that just don't seem that interesting. But here and there, he gets it right. This time, we examine this treatment. ALSO: The Marcus Hedges Trend Orchestra version of the theme, the final installment of Adam West talking with Conan O'Brien in 1997, and your mail on episode 202's look at Batman '66 in the UK.     Tim and Paul in The Comics Lair Episode 46: Comics & Nostalgia    Benny Hill "Batman" sketch

At the height of Batmania in the first half of 1966, nearly every press outlet found it necessary to do a feature story on the phenomenon. But many in the media were not terribly impressed by Batman, so these articles tend to look down their noses at the show. One such example is “Has TV Gone Batty?”, an article by John Skow in the May 7, 1966, issue of The Saturday Evening Post. Aside from the snark, and misinformed discussion of camp, the article gives us some interesting insights into the shooting of the show and the thoughts of Adam West, William Dozier, Lorenzo Semple Jr, and others involved in making it. This time, we dig into this article. PLUS: the Guy with an Amazing Hat version of the theme, more from Adam West's July 24, 1997, appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and your mail responding to several of our recent episodes! #200: "Batman: The Movie": The Novel #201: Chip Kidd's Book of Bat-Merch

We Americans know that Batman was also popular in the United Kingdom (and many other countries), but there are differences in the level of popularity that was reached and how long it lasted, and also in terms of when “first run” of the show was there. 66 Batman Message Board co-admin Ben Bentley is, in fact, British, so we asked for his assistance in tackling this topic. Our discussion touches on the show's second wind in the ‘70s, Batman references in The Avengers (as in Steed and Peel) and other British TV shows and commercials (on into the '80s!), Adam West's “Kerb Drill” traffic safety PSA, the Carpet King, whether British kids actually jumped from roofs because of Batman, and more. Plus, the Piano AccoMan version of the theme, more of Adam talking with Conan O'Brien, and your reaction to Episode 199's discussion of the Nora Clavicle script!   "Batman: The Super-Sell" (The Tatler, July 16, 1966)   Batmobile-adjacent car on Rentaghost (1983)       Adam's "Batman and Robin" single from 1976   Adam's "Kerb Drill" PSA (1967)   Adam on the Danny Baker Show (1994)   What the Pope admitted about meeting Adam West   Fight scene from The Avengers "The Winged Avenger"   Only Fools and Horses Bat-ref   Austin Rover ad (1987)   Cyril Lord carpets commercial (History of Advertising Trust)Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band's "I'm Bored" - reference to Carpet King ad 2 minutes in

When the Batman TV show set off Batmania in 1966, a wide variety of toys and other tie-in items, not all of them licensed, hit the market. Since licensers seldom made style guides in the ‘60s, rights to the actors likenesses weren't available, and some of the onslaught of Bat-crap came from overseas makers who thought Batman's costume would look better in orange, the results are highly entertaining. This time we look at Chip Kidd's 1996 book Batman Collected, a history of Bat-merch from 1938 to 1996. Y'know, we STILL want that Mego Batcave Playset. Plus, the Sheet Music Boss piano tutorial version of the Batman theme, Adam West's reaction to the film Batman and Robin, and your response to our “Women in Season Two” wrapup!   The fruitless search for a guest (see page two for Ben Bentley's explanation of why the rights to Adam and Burt's likenesses weren't available)  

Former Batman comics writer Winston Lyon, fresh off his novel Batman vs. Three Villains of Doom, a few months later produced the novelization of Batman: The Movie, a book called Batman vs. the Fearsome Foursome. This time, for our 200th episode, we discuss the book: though based on Lorenzo Semple, Jr.'s screenplay, it betrays a different attitude toward Batman than Semple, and the Batman show in general, held. Plus, one of our favorite versions of the Batman theme, Cesar Romero interviewed by Jean Boone at the premiere of Batman: The Movie, and more of your reaction to our discussion of West and Gorshin's Shea Stadium show! Screenplay of Batman: The Movie

The three versions of the script for Nora Clavicle and the Ladies' Crime Club raise some interesting questions about season three. Why did the Duo and Batgirl never have a way to easily contact each other? Why do our heroes' early suspicions that Nora is crooked all get cut from the script? What are the types of female characters that the show keeps coming back to? Plus we look at lines and events that were cut — or added — at late stages in a very hurried process. PLUS, Chad Vermillion's “hey look, cool musical hardware!” version of the Batman theme, Lee Meriwether interviewed at the premiere of Batman the Movie, and we read some of your reaction to our look at the West/Gorshin Shea Stadium show! Nora Clavicle scripts First draft Revised draft Final Teaser for Penguin's Clean Sweep Discussion on the '66 Batman message board

It's here! The Internet's most complete list of actors who appeared on both Batman and Star Trek: The Original Series! But... is it totally complete? Look it over and see if there's a relevant actor who isn't listed - then post about him or her in the comments! Some are famous actors in big roles on both, some are extras and uncredited actors, some fall somewhere in between - or had a big role in one show and a bit part in the other. See the entire list at the link below.       Batman Star Trek Stanley Adams Captain Courageous in CATWOMAN GOES TO COLLEGE/BATMAN DISPLAYS HIS KNOWLEDGE Cyrano Jones in THE TROUBLE WITH TRIBBLES Alyce and Rhae Andrece 2nd and 3rd Policewoman in NORA CLAVICLE AND THE LADIES' CRIME CLUB Multiple Alices in I, MUDD Roger C Carmel Colonel Gumm in A PIECE OF THE ACTION/BATMAN'S SATISFACTION Harry Mudd in I, MUDD and MUDD'S WOMEN Ted Cassidy Lurch (window cameo) in THE PENGUIN'S NEST Ruk in WHAT ARE LITTLE GIRLS MADE OF Gorn (voice) in ARENA Balok's puppet (voice) in THE CARBOMITE MANEUVER Elisha Cook Professor Isaacson in ICE SPY/THE DUO DEFY Samuel T. Cogley in COURT MARTIAL Joan Collins The Siren in RING AROUND THE RIDDLER/THE WAIL OF THE SIREN Edith Keeler in THE CITY ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER Yvonne Craig Batgirl in season 3 Marta in WHOM GODS DESTROY John Crawford Printer's Devil in THE BOOKWORM TURNS/WHILE GOTHAM CITY BURNS Commissioner Ferris in THE GALILEO SEVEN Charles Dierkop Dustbag in PENGUIN'S CLEAN SWEEP Morla in WOLF IN THE FOLD Phyllis Douglas Josie Miller in THE JOKER'S LAST LAUGH/THE JOKER'S EPITAPH Yeoman Mears in THE GALILEO SEVEN (shown) Girl #2 in THE WAY TO EDEN Gene Dynarski Benedict in AN EGG GROWS IN GOTHAM/THE YEGG FOES IN GOTHAM Ben in MUDD'S WOMEN Krodak in THE MARK OF GIDEON (shown) Teri Garr Girl outside skating rink in INSTANT FREEZE Roberta Lincoln in ASSIGNMENT: EARTH Frank Gorshin The Riddler in seasons 1 and 3 Commander Belen in LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD Lloyd Haynes Lord Chancellor in KING TUT'S COUP/BATMAN'S WATERLOO Lt. Alden in WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE Marianna Hill Cleo Patrick THE SPELL OF TUT Helen Noel in DAGGER OF THE MIND Sherry Jackson Pauline in DEATH IN SLOW MOTION/THE RIDDLER'S FALSE NOTION Andrea in WHAT ARE LITTLE GIRLS MADE OF? Jon Lormer Professor Dactyl in HOW TO HATCH A DINOSAUR Dr. Theodore Haskins in THE CAGE Tamar in THE RETURN OF THE ARCHONS Old Man in FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY (shown) Lee Meriwether Lisa Carson in KING TUT'S COUP/BATMAN'S WATERLOO (shown); Catwoman in BATMAN: THE MOVIE Losira in THAT WHICH SURVIVES Lawrence Montaigne Mr. Glee in THE JOKER'S LAST LAUGH/THE JOKER'S EPITAPH Decius in BALANCE OF TERROR Stonn in AMOK TIME (shown) Julie Newmar Catwoman in seasons one and two Eleen in FRIDAY'S CHILD Leslie Parrish Dawn Robbins in THE PENGUIN'S A JINX Glacia Glaze in ICE SPY/THE DUO DEFY (shown) Lt. Carolyn Palamas in WHO MOURNS FOR ADONIS? Gil Perkins Henchman in THE JOKER IS WILD, Dicer in THE THIRTEENTH HAT/BATMAN STANDS PAT Cauliflower in RING AROUND THE RIDDLER Jury Foreman in THE JOKE'S ON CATWOMAN (shown) Bluebeard in BATMAN THE MOVIE Slave #3 in BREAD AND CIRCUSES Angelique Pettyjohn 1st Model in A PIECE OF THE ACTION Shahna in THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION Malachai Throne False Face in TRUE OR FALSE FACE/HOLY RAT RACE Commodore Jose Mendez in THE MENAGERIE voice of The Keeper in THE CAGE Grace Lee Whitney Neila in KING TUT'S COUP/BATMAN'S WATERLOO Janice Rand in eight Season One episodes and in the movies Meg Wyllie Grandma in BLACK WIDOW STRIKES AGAIN The Keeper in THE CAGE/THE MENAGERIE Honorable mention: Jan Shutan DOZIERVERSE: Lizz in the DICK TRACY pilot Lt. Mira Romaine in THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR Stephen Kandel (writer) BATMAN: TRUE OR FALSE FACE/HOLY RAT RACE, ZODIAC CRIMES 3-parter STAR TREK: I, MUDD and MUDD'S WOMEN INANIMATE OBJECTS Feather robe Worn by Victor Buono as King Tut Worn by William Shatner as Kirk in THE PARADISE SYNDROME The Reactor Catwoman's Cat-Car in THE FUNNY FELINE FELONIES The Jupiter 8 in BREAD AND CIRCUSES

In 2009, writers Nunzio DeFillipis and Christina Weir brought King Tut to the DC Universe in three issues of Batman Confidential (issues 26-28), with art by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez and Kevin Nowlan. Tim and Paul discuss the story, and a few '66 Easter eggs embedded therein. (Originally published on Patreon March 19, 2022.)

We're going away for a bit. Here's the scoop on what's going on and when we'll be back!

As the show hit its first anniversary and the second season neared its end, we see Batman's characterization of women subtly changing, particularly Lee Meriwether's strong Lisa Carson character, and some examples of actual (gasp) interaction between women! Why did the “poor, deluded girls” fade away? Was it changing social mores, or just the show trying not to repeat itself? Nancy Northcott joins us once again to discuss women on the show, this time in the final third of Season Two, which includes the preface to the introduction of the most prominent woman of Season Three — Batgirl! PLUS, Colie Brice's version of the Batman theme, a bat-interview from the movie premiere in Austin, TX, and your mail on episode 195's discussion of the script for A Piece of the Action! Green Hornet, How Sweet the Sting by Jim Beard and Joel Naprstek Nora Clavicle scripts First draft Revised draft Final Teaser for Penguin's Clean Sweep Discussion on the '66 Batman message board

In early 1966, Batmania was everywhere. This caused a certain (convicted tax evader) concert promoter to ask the question: Can Batman fill Shea Stadium? Adam West and Frank Gorshin were recruited to play their characters as part of a show that also included such musical luminaries as the Young Rascals and the Temptations. However, on June 25, 1966, the answer to the concert promoter's question turned out to be a resounding "No!" The Shea Stadium show has lingered as an oddity on the edges of our podcast's consciousness for some time, and now it's time to do a deep dive on it. Armed with the script for West and Gorshin's borscht-belt skit, and accounts of the show from several different sources, we look at what the show was meant to be, what it ended up being, and whether anyone who attended would have been particularly pleased with the result. Theme version from KLABEC Drummer Read the Script The New York Times looks back on the show Holy Shea Stadium! The Batman, Beatles, and Bob Dylan Connection, by Frank Bals (Medium.com) Batman 66 Shea Stadium, NYC Concert Poster auction (66batman.com message board) Batmania issue 12 (review of the show starts on page 2) Adam West sings "Orange Colored Sky" on Hollywood Palace Mrs. Miller on The Merv Griffin Show Adam West & Frank Gorshin - Interview with the Vampire

The 11th issue of the Batman '66 comics series gives us an unusual full-issue story in which the Joker teams up with a very Newmaresque Catwoman to break from prison and try to crack up all of Gotham! But how do we feel about these modern Batman elements, such as Arkham, showing up in this context? Is the series fan service going in too many different directions? PLUS: The iPhonedo Garage Band version of the Batman theme, more from Adam and Burt on The Merv Griffin Show, mail on the Batman/Star Trek Act-Off, and one of our listeners “draws” a lot of attention! 13 Groovy BATMAN '66 Villains That Should Have Been — RANKED - by Ken Holtzhouser

It's time for another script! This time it's the first draft of the Green Hornet guest shot arc A Piece of the Action/Batman's Satisfaction, featuring a much more assertive Robin than perhaps we ever saw Burt Ward play, and a greater focus on the secret identities of Batman and the Hornet! Plus, more of Adam and Burt's Sept 1, 1966, Merv Griffin appearance, the L'Orchestra Cinematique "EPIC" version of the theme, and your mail on our Madge Blake episode! Links from Chris Cavanaugh Detective Comics 356 Madge Blake SEES Superman, or is it Batman and Robin? Climax of I Love Lucy's Superman episode Who was MADGE BLAKE? Larry Mondello's mom from LEAVE IT TO BEAVER.

You know her as Mousey in A Riddle a Day Keeps the Riddler Away, but did you know that Susan Silo has been a sought-after character voice actor for cartoons since the ‘70s? Or that she had a hit single in 1956 ("Dear Diary") and performed on American Bandstand? Or that she's performed on Broadway? Or that her high school English teacher became a huge TV star in the ‘70s? This time we chat with Susan herself about all this and more! Plus, the Villains' version of the Batman theme, more of Adam and Burt on Merv Griffin, and Holy Deja Vu visits Stalag 13! NOTE: The production error in this episode has been fixed. Sorry about that!

Two of the most iconic American TV shows of the 1960s are Batman and Star Trek. A surprising number of actors pulled double duty, appearing on both shows, either as regulars, recurring characters, or one-shot roles. This crossover of actors sounds like an interesting topic, but how do we get it into our show? What we settled on was to put these actors in March Madness-type brackets and pit them against each other. On which show did a given actor give the better performance? And how does their performance stack up against one of the other actors'? For part one of this exercise, we compare Stanley Adams (Cyrano Jones on Trek, Captain Courageous on Batman) to Julie Newmar (Eleen on Trek, Catwoman on Batman), and Joan Collins (Edith Keeler on Trek, the Siren on Batman) to Yvonne Craig (Marta on Trek, Batgirl on Batman). We're joined in this exercise by our childhood friend Kyle, who grew up a Trek fan. PLUS: the Chuck Cirino version of the theme, Adam and Burt on the Merv Griffin Show in 1966, and we read your mail! In four weeks, we'll talk about the draft script of "A Piece of the Action"! Comment about the script on the Bat Message Board

When talking about Batman, discussion tends to focus on Adam West, Burt Ward, and those who played villains who the Dynamic Duo brought to justice. But here we've done nearly 200 episodes and mostly missed someone whose name is in the opening credits for the first two seasons: Madge Blake. So this time we've dug in to see what we could learn about this woman who started acting late in life, charmed fellow actors but frustrated some directors, and worked with Jack Benny, Vincente Minnelli, Gene Kelly, and more. We also take a look at her Batman character, Aunt Harriet: her origins in the comics, how the TV and comics versions differed, and what we can tell about the TV version based on her scenes; there's more to know there than you might think! ALSO: the Mr. Tabs guitar tutorial version of the Batman theme, Vincent Price and Adam watch themselves in a Batman clip on the Mike Douglas Show, Holy Deja Vu asks “Who was Milton Stark?”, and we once again visit the Bat Inbox. Madge Blake articles in Today's Health Magazine from March 1960 Madge on the Jack Benny Show ;

As season two rolls on, women are still filling familiar roles: OK with crime, but killing the Dynamic Duo is going "too far"; ditzy moll who dreams of diamonds and Hollywood; "team-up" baddie who's completely superfluous to the male partner's plans. We also get a season one throwback of a moll who crushes on Batman, and a Catwoman assistant (and Batman producer's niece) who wants to be a singer. We're once again joined by novelist Nancy Northcott to discuss women in the middle of season two! Plus, a high school (apparently) orchestral version of the theme, more of Adam West on the Mike Douglas Show, and a look back at High C's one appearance on our podcast.

The cultural impact of Batman '66 was felt for decades after, and still reverberates. This time we discuss a couple more late-20th-century cartoons that showed evidence of that impact: Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures, which in 1987 gave us Night of the Bat-Bat, featuring Bat-Bat, a hero with the powers of a bat and a penchant for corny one-liners; and numerous episodes of The Simpsons, including 1992's Mr. Plow, in which Adam West makes a couple of heavily-Bat-referencing appearances; and 1995's Radioactive Man, which gives us the "campy '70s version" of that hero. Holy stand-in! ALSO: Niall Stenson's take on Neal Hefti's Batman theme; Adam on the Mike Douglas Show; your response to our episode on It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman; and we eulogize a committed Bat-fan and regular correspondent to our show, High C. Batman Movie Themes (1966 - 2016) on Guitar Mighty Mouse The New Adventures - Night of the Bat-Bat Night of Bat-Bat - Audio Commentary by John Kricfalusi and Tom Minton

Why does False Face impersonate Chief O'Hara? Where is FF's hideout? Since when does Aunt Harriet drops censor-tempting puns? Why does Blaze tell the Duo “It's faster on foot”? These questions and more are up for discussion as we look at the Outline, First Draft, and Revised Draft of True or False Face/Holy Rat Race! Also, Merv Griffin's 7-year-old son Tony asks Adam West some burning questions, Mina Pang and her dad jam out with the Batman theme, and we read your mail about our Joker Jury episode. OUTLINE First Draft Revised Draft Script discussion thread

Mr. Freeze is back - WILD! He's gone all Steve Jobs and put a device in everyone's pocket — one that will plunge Gotham City into year-round winter! Can Batman turn the tables? Meanwhile, Batgirl is going up against a “villain” who, well, very nicely offered Bruce “milk and cookies” in the TV series itself. Yup, it's Lisa Carson! Did anyone ask for this Egyptian heel turn? Tim and Paul discuss the 10th issue of the Batman '66 comics series. ALSO: Adam talks with Merv about whether being Batman is going to his head; Holy Deja Vu spotlights actor Dan Tobin; and we read your response to our discussion of Batman '66 issue 9 in episode 185! See the False Face scripts and comment on them BCV performs the Batman theme

Just a couple of months after Batman hit the airwaves in 1966, another superhero emerged from the comics, as Superman arrived at the Alvin Theater on Broadway in It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman. How did the musical's creators approach the same question William Dozier and Lorenzo Semple, Jr., dealt with in 1965: how to make a "children's character" appealing to adults? We compare and contrast the two shows' approaches. After a good start, the musical closed in less than four months; was Batman to blame? And, what's the deal with that late-night 1975 TV version? All this, plus Adam's story of meeting the pope, and your response to our Hizzoner the Penguin script episode! Concord Theatricals offers two weeks with the musical's libretto at no charge