Cygnet Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 (edited) The Bat Signal's light has dimmed. Adam West, best known as "Batman" in the 1960s TV series has died at the age of 88. He found that he was typecast after the series ended. However, he was able to make the transition to voiceover work. His most recent voiceover character was the Mayor of Quahog in "Family Guy." Caped Crusader, RIP. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/adam-west-dead-batman-star-832264 Edited June 11, 2017 by Cygnet Link to comment
miliosr Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 Adam West went through a very hard time finding work after the show ended in 1967. He spent many years having to put on his Bat costume from the show and go to comic book conventions to make ends meet. (This was long before the comic book convention circuit became very lucrative for participants.) But he lived long enough to see fortune swing his way. The members of Generation X loved the show (which they had watched in reruns) and, as they started to assume positions of prominence in the entertainment industry, West's fortunes rebounded both in terms of job opportunities and public acclaim. He died knowing that he was beloved by several generations of TV viewers. He also lived long enough to see the show appreciated as the absurdist, Pop Art masterpiece it always was. Link to comment
pherank Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 For all its kitschy, goofy aspect, Batman - and also Linda Carter's Wonder Woman - worked simply because Adam West (and Linda Carter) always played it straight. The super hero was never a tongue-in-cheek character in those days. Rest in peace, Adam. Link to comment
sandik Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Super straight -- I watched a bunch of those wall-walking clips and was reminded again how very dry his delivery was. And how willing the show was, like Laugh-In, to break viewing conventions. Link to comment
pherank Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 On 6/14/2017 at 11:15 AM, sandik said: Super straight -- I watched a bunch of those wall-walking clips and was reminded again how very dry his delivery was. And how willing the show was, like Laugh-In, to break viewing conventions. Ah, the "wall walking". ;) That's where the audience gets to see various celebrities "drop" in" to utter some quip - much like the comedians popping in and out of the "Joke Wall" trapdoors on Laugh-In. I especially remember Sammy Davis Jr. popping his head out of a window as Batman and Robin crawled by. But didn't that routine pre-date Laugh-In? The two shows only overlapped for a couple of months. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE_CM3tvkys Link to comment
sandik Posted June 17, 2017 Share Posted June 17, 2017 I'm not sure about the timing -- I remember watching Batman before I saw Laugh-In, but that could just be a coincidence. It's such a similar trick, though, that now I'm wondering where it came from initially. Link to comment
Helene Posted June 17, 2017 Share Posted June 17, 2017 For some reason I thought Batman was third grade and Laugh-In fifth grade, but I don't trust my memory on this Link to comment
sandik Posted June 17, 2017 Share Posted June 17, 2017 And in my family, Batman originally was in black and white, and Laugh-In was in color... Link to comment
Helene Posted June 17, 2017 Share Posted June 17, 2017 That's the way I remember it, too! So I looked it up on my phone, and per Wikipedia: Batman: January 12, 1966, to March 14, 1968 Laugh-In: January 22, 1968, to March 12, 1973, Seven weeks of overlap in 1968. Link to comment
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