As a kid, the 1966 “Batman” TV series was one of my favorites; as an adult, its appeal has only increased as I now appreciate even more the nuanced performances by Adam West and Burt Ward. Amidst the absurdity of the guest stars, the scripts, and the costumes, those two played the characters as if they were grounded in reality. Brilliant! It was a no-brainer during my recent illness that while relegated to the couch I would pull out my “Batman” blu-ray set and indulge in a little nostalgia. While doing so I noticed a few interesting details in the episode that originally aired on January 20, 1965 titled “The Penguin’s a Jinx.” Leslie Parrish has a bit role as a bored movie star, Dawn Robbins, who wishes something exciting would happen in her dull life.
Where is she staying while in Gotham City? Naturally at the Pelican Arms Hotel!
Batman & Robin race to save her from being kidnapped by the Penguin. As they pull up in the Batmobile, you can see a large billboard in the background.
What’s this? Holy Governess, Batman! It’s a poster for “The Sound of Music!”
Much of the 1966 TV series was shot on the 20th Century-Fox backlot. The studio owed a lot to that blockbuster musical; even a few years back when I visited Fox, they were still paying homage to the Julie Andrews movie with this mural on the side of one of their parking lots:
Back to Batman…as the camera shows an exterior shot of the Pelican Arms Hotel and Dawn’s penthouse apartment, viewers see...what’s this? Holy Hollywood, Batman, it’s the Chateau Marmont!
Who knew there was a Gotham City connection to my favorite hotel?
This was my third collaboration with Vince Ramos, who wanted to get some shots of his new shades near the Hollywood sign. We began our semi-early morning near the James Dean statue by the late artist Kenneth Kendall.
Just in case we couldn't get close to the sign, I took my "insurance" shot of Vince from semi-far away.
With a 600mm lens, everything looks close.
And then after a bit of a journey, we made it. Backpacks and all.
It was a lot easier back in 2004.
Our next destination was Bronson Cave, where the Batmobile from the 1966 TV series roared out every Wednesday and Thursday night. Along the way we discovered the Giving Tree, which was one of those unexpected treasures along the way.
This park map was zero help. The water fountain a little further down...that was LOTS of help!
Finally made it.
Inside the cave. Unfortunately, neither Batman or Robin were here at the time.
Last one is a composite shot I got of Vince nearby.
Growing up, I used to love to watch the 1960's TV classic, "Batman," starring Adam West and Burt Ward as the Caped Crusaders. The powers that be decided that Season 3 of the wildly popular show needed a jolt of estrogen; dancer and actress Yvonne Craig fit the bill perfectly. As mild-mannered librarian Barbara Gordon, she was privy to all of the Caped Crusader's activities, thanks to her father being the Police Commissioner. In this first photo, we see some serious goings on with Neil Hamilton on the left (Commissioner Gordon), Stafford Repp (as Chief O'Hara), and Craig. Barbara was a smart cookie who somehow was able to afford a very chic apartment in Gotham; was daddy subsidizing the rent for her?
As this photo shows, there was no denying that Craig as Barbara Gordon had appeal.
But when she transformed into the ginger-wigged Batgirl, sporting a very form-fitting purple lycra costume, she was a literal knockout. Craig's training as a ballet dancer served her well when fighting criminals. Her high-kicks were legendary.
Sadly, the powers-that-be decided to stick with a decidedly 1960's chauvinist approach to the Batgirl character. Inevitably, Batgirl got captured by the criminals (in this case, Cliff Robertson as Shame) and it was Batman and Robin that had to save her. Still, Craig did her best to play Batgirl as a very liberated yet sexually flirtatious heroine.
If only the writers had been allowed to have Craig be the rescuer; maybe the show would have lasted a bit longer.
Holy Toledo! Want more Batgirl photos? Ride your Bat Cycle on over to my main website.
1940's matinee idol Cesar Julio Romero, Jr. was born in NYC, February 15, 1907. Despite playing a latin lover in numerous musicals and romantic comedies opposite Carmen Miranda and Betty Grable, he is probably best remembered as the Joker in the campy "Batman" 1960's TV series, a role which put him on TV Guide's 2013 list of "The 60 Nastiest Villains of All Time."
In this photo, Romero plays Khoda Khan opposite Shirley Temple in the 1937 John Ford classic, "Wee Willie Winkie."
Romero was never married; according to the Hollywood gossip rags, he was a "confirmed bachelor" (secret code word of the day). He was never at a loss for "dates" though when it came to parties and premieres, as he was frequently photographed with Joan Crawford (who dubbed him "Uncle Butch"), Barbara Stanwyck, Lucille Ball, Jane Wyman, and Ginger Rogers.
Romero was teamed with Shirley Temple again in 1939, portraying Ram Dass (someone's idea of a bad pun?) in "The Little Princess."
As The Joker in the hit TV series Batman, Romero refused to shave his trademark mustache for the role, which is why viewers can see his trademark mustache poking through the white clown makeup he wore. Sure, Jack Nicholson did a great job on the silver screen as The Joker, but Romero's crazy interpretation will always be tops in my book. Recalling how he got the part:
"I was very surprised when [producer William Dozier] called me and said he was doing a series called Batman (1966) and the important characters were the villains. They had done the first two with the Riddler and the Penguin with Frank Gorshin and Burgess Meredith, and now they were ready to do the third, and the villain was the Joker. He said, 'I would like you to play the part.' So I said I would like to read the script and know what it is all about. He said, "Come on over to the studio, and I will show you the film of the first episode.' Of course, it was great. I said, 'Let me read this Joker part, and if it is as good as the first one, hell yes, I will do it.' So I read the script, and I thought it was a gas, and I said, 'Sure, I'll do it.' Why Dozier wanted me for Batman, I'll never know, because I asked his wife, Ann Rutherford, 'Why did Bill think of me for this part?' She said, 'I don't know, Butch. He said he saw you in something, and he said, 'He's the one I want to play the Joker'.' I haven't the slightest idea what it was he saw me in, because I had never done anything like it before."
Here he is with Eartha Kitt as Catwoman. They were puuuuuurfect together.
"I had enormous fun playing the Joker on 'Batman.' I ended up doing something like 20 episodes of it, as well as the full-length feature film version, 'Batman: The Movie.' There was certainly nothing hard about that assignment! Even the make-up sessions weren't too bad. It took about an hour-and-a-half to put the full make-up on, including the green wig. I didn't mind it at all."
According to Dozier: "Jose Ferrer was my first choice for the Joker. He either didn't want to do it or couldn't. He has kicked himself ever since. 'Butch' Romero, who I had known forever, was the second choice for the Joker, and I am not sure he did not turn out better than Jose. I am not sure that Jose would have captured the frivolity and the ludicrousness of the character. I think he may have taken himself a little too seriously as an actor to do that."
Burt Ward, who played Robin, recalled: "Cesar was Mr. Professionalism and never missed a line or made a mistake…not even once! His Joker laugh became world famous. I can't tell you how many kids (and I am embarrassed to say how many adults) came up to me at personal appearances and taunted me by impersonating Cesar's laugh! Cesar was a great asset to our show."
Yvonne Craig, who would later work with Cesar in Batman, also worked with him in 1961's "Seven Women from Hell." As she tells it: "I was suddenly overwhelmed by the cloyingly sweet smell of gardenias. Without turning around I said, 'Ugh, can you believe we're going to spend three weeks surrounded by the odor of rotting gardenias?' I turned around to meet Cesar Romero whose 'signature' cologne was something called Jungle Gardenia! If he made the connection between this fact and my comment, he never let on."
In the "Batman" movie, former Miss America Lee Meriwether won the role of Catwoman. "Cesar was the one who took me under his wing when I came on the set," she recalled. "He welcomed me, and he said, 'Don't worry, you'll do fine. Let me help you, and if there is anything I could do to help you, just let me kow.' So, in the actual filming, he would position me into place, because I was wearing a mask. My field of vision was almost tunnel. So, I missed my mark a couple of times, and he just eased me and pushed me right to theplace where we were supposed to end up. He was right there and always wonderful."
At the age of 78, Romero was cast as Jane Wyman's love interest in the top-rated prime-time soap opera Falcon Crest, playing Peter Stavros from 1985—1987.
Romero died on New Year's Day 1994 from bronchitis and pneumonia. Yvonne Craig recalled being surprised at his death. "He had been out and about town dancing the night away only the week before. He loved life and got the most out of it!"
His laugh will eternally remain in the ears of those who caught his portrayal of the Joker. You are missed, Uncle Butch!
See more vintage Hollywood Movie and TV photos on my main website.
For a day after entry into the April Fool’s Day festivities, I will submit this photo of actor Cesar Romero as The Joker. He went from a swarthy Latin Lover to crazy comic villain, nailing the characterization of The Joker in the campy 1960’s “Batman” television series—still a joy to watch. Cesar is shown here with Eartha Kitt, definitely one of the most puuuuuurfect actresses to play Catwoman.
Here’s a mug shot from “Batman” of Romero, also known as “Uncle Butch” to Joan Crawford’s children.
Romero was one of Crawford’s friends who stood up for her after Christina put out her acidic “memoir” entitled “Mommie Dearest,” which was published AFTER Joan’s death and the reading of the will. Romero did admit that Joan was strict with her kids; once he even suggested to her that she should “ease up” with them as they were only children. This advice was met with an icy reply and a recounting of her tough childhood.
Every now and then, a certain TV show or film is looked upon favorably by the Gods and allowed to have absolute perfection. The 1966 “Batman” TV series is one of those programs. Perfect casting, music, crew, and just the right amount of cheese. Cheese? Yup...that perfect amount of camp humor that lets you know that they know that it’s every bit as cheesey as you think it is. Adam West gives a pitch-perfect performance as Batman; every line uttered as if it were Shakespeare, giving the camp lines the deadpan humor that they deserve. Burt Ward’s enthusiasm as The Boy Wonder is genuine; every “holy [fill-in-the-blank]" line bubbles over with his youthful zest. Together, they are one of the greatest duos in TV history. Yvonne Craig added a much needed element of female sexuality; who doesn’t remember her startling transformation into the skin-tight purple glitter costume and red wig? Hot damn! And just about every celebrity in Hollywood wanted to play a villain on Batman. Check out a few of them: Talullah Bankhead, Cesar Romero, Van Johnson, Eartha Kitt, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Liberace, Milton Berle, Shelley Winters....need I go on?
Here are photos of Adam West (Batman) and Van Williams (The Green Hornet) posing by their famous cars, The Batmobile and The Black Beauty. Bruce Lee (Kato) & Burt Ward (Robin) are visible in the 2nd shot.
Living near LA & Hollywood, it’s always fun to scout out the original locations used in movies and television. The Batcave from 1966’s “Batman” is naturally one I sought out. How many kids were thrilled each week to see the Batmobile roaring out of the cave, getting ready to do battle with a super villain! Here’s how the cave looks in “the real world”:
This cave, located in Bronson Canyon, has also been used in “Star Trek,” “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” and “Wonder Woman.” And yes, I am referring to the original versions!
Anyone aware of the decades-long attempt to restore Judy Garland's butchered classic, “A Star is Born” (1954) back to its original length will be excited to hear that a complete print is apparently in the hands of a private collector.
A petition is circulating to encourage the owner to release his print so that others can finally see this movie as it was meant to be seen. (UPDATE: link has been removed since petition has been closed)
To see more “Batman” photos, visit my main website.
