"Batman" (1966) TV series 1966-1968

Creator:

Bob Kane
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

12 January 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Family | Fantasy | Mystery | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The ludicrously straightlaced Caped Crusader battles evil in this parody of the comics.

Plot Keywords:

Police Commissioner | Mansion | Fighting | Thug | Black Comedy

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Adam West	...	Batman / ... (120 episodes, 1966-1968)
Burt Ward	...	Dick Grayson / ... (120 episodes, 1966-1968)
Alan Napier	...	Alfred / ... (120 episodes, 1966-1968)
Neil Hamilton	...	Commissioner Gordon (120 episodes, 1966-1968)
Stafford Repp	...	Chief O'Hara (120 episodes, 1966-1968)
William Dozier	...	Narrator / ... (118 episodes, 1966-1968)
Madge Blake	...	Aunt Harriet Cooper / ... (96 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Directed by
Oscar Rudolph		(37 episodes, 1966-1968)
James B. Clark		(15 episodes, 1966-1967)
George Waggner		(10 episodes, 1966-1967)
Sam Strangis		(8 episodes, 1967-1968)
Robert Butler		(6 episodes, 1966)
Murray Golden		(6 episodes, 1966)
Larry Peerce		(6 episodes, 1966)
Norman Foster		(4 episodes, 1966)
Tom Gries		(4 episodes, 1966)
Charles R. Rondeau		(4 episodes, 1966)
Don Weis		(4 episodes, 1966)
William A. Graham		(2 episodes, 1966)
Jeffrey Hayden		(2 episodes, 1966)
Sherman Marks		(2 episodes, 1966)
Leslie H. Martinson		(2 episodes, 1966)
James Neilson		(2 episodes, 1966)
Richard C. Sarafian		(2 episodes, 1966)
James Sheldon		(2 episodes, 1966)
Robert Sparr		(2 episodes, 1967)

Series Writing credits
Bob Kane		(109 episodes, 1966-1968)
Stanley Ralph Ross		(27 episodes, 1966-1968)
Charles Hoffman		(22 episodes, 1966-1968)
Stanford Sherman		(18 episodes, 1966-1968)
Lorenzo Semple Jr.		(16 episodes, 1966-1967)
Jerry Robinson		(11 episodes, 1966-1967)
Stephen Kandel		(5 episodes, 1966-1967)
Earl Barret		(4 episodes, 1966)
Francis M. Cockrell		(4 episodes, 1966)
Marian B. Cockrell		(4 episodes, 1966)
Fred De Gorter		(4 episodes, 1966)
Robert C. Dennis		(4 episodes, 1966)
Max Hodge		(4 episodes, 1966)
Elkan Allan		(3 episodes, 1967)
John Cardwell		(2 episodes, 1966)
Richard Carr		(2 episodes, 1966)
Robert Dozier		(2 episodes, 1966)
Bill Finger		(2 episodes, 1966)
Lee Orgel		(2 episodes, 1966)
Jack Paritz		(2 episodes, 1966)
Bob Rodgers		(2 episodes, 1966)
Edwin Self		(2 episodes, 1966)
Charles Sinclair		(2 episodes, 1966)
Henry Slesar		(2 episodes, 1966)
Ellis St. Joseph		(2 episodes, 1966)
Sheldon Stark		(2 episodes, 1966)
Jay Thompson		(2 episodes, 1966)
Hendrik Vollaerts		(2 episodes, 1966)
William P. D'Angelo		(2 episodes, 1967)
Robert Mintz		(2 episodes, 1967)
Peter Rabe		(2 episodes, 1967)
Leo Townsend		(2 episodes, 1967)
Pauline Townsend		(2 episodes, 1967)

Series Produced by
William P. D'Angelo	....	associate producer (106 episodes, 1966-1968)
Howie Horwitz	....	producer (106 episodes, 1966-1968)
William Dozier	....	executive producer / producer (100 episodes, 1966-1968)

Series Original Music by
Nelson Riddle		(87 episodes, 1966-1967)
Billy May		(15 episodes, 1967-1968)
Neal Hefti		(3 episodes, 1967-1968)
Warren Barker		(2 episodes, 1966)

Series Cinematography by
Howard Schwartz		(54 episodes, 1966-1967)
Meredith M. Nicholson		(30 episodes, 1966-1967)
Ralph Woolsey		(10 episodes, 1966)
Jack A. Marta		(7 episodes, 1966)
Charles Straumer		(5 episodes, 1967-1968)
Sam Leavitt		(2 episodes, 1966)

Series Film Editing by
Hugh Chaloupka		(26 episodes, 1966-1968)
Homer Powell		(25 episodes, 1966-1967)
J. Frank O'Neill		(15 episodes, 1966-1967)
Ronald J. Fagan		(10 episodes, 1966)
James Blakeley		(10 episodes, 1967-1968)
Bill Murphy		(7 episodes, 1966-1967)
Byron Chudnow		(5 episodes, 1966)
Harry Coswick		(3 episodes, 1966)
Newell P. Kimlin		(2 episodes, 1966)
Leon Selditz		(2 episodes, 1966)
Robert Phillips		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Jack Martin Smith		(104 episodes, 1966-1968)
Serge Krizman		(79 episodes, 1966-1967)
Jack T. Collis		(10 episodes, 1966)
Russell C. Menzer		(8 episodes, 1966)
Frank T. Smith		(5 episodes, 1967-1968)
Franz Bachelin		(2 episodes, 1966)
Ed Graves		(2 episodes, 1966)

Series Set Decoration by
Walter M. Scott		(104 episodes, 1966-1968)
Chester L. Bayhi		(76 episodes, 1966-1967)
Warren Welch		(14 episodes, 1966)
Bert Allen		(12 episodes, 1967)
Robert De Vestel		(6 episodes, 1967-1968)
Joseph Reith		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Andrew Pallack		(4 episodes, 1966-1968)
Jan Kemp		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Margaret Donovan	....	hair stylist supervisor (88 episodes, 1966-1967)
Ben Nye	....	makeup supervisor (88 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Production Management
Jack Sonntag	....	production supervisor (103 episodes, 1966-1968)
William Self	....	in charge of production: Twentieth Century Fox Television Inc. (102 episodes, 1966-1968)
Sam Strangis	....	unit production manager (99 episodes, 1966-1968)
James Blakeley	....	post-production supervisor (88 episodes, 1966-1967)
Gaston Glass	....	production manager (2 episodes, 1966)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bill Derwin	....	assistant director (39 episodes, 1966-1967)
David Whorf	....	assistant director (27 episodes, 1966-1968)
Maxwell O. Henry	....	assistant director (17 episodes, 1967-1968)
Jack Barry	....	assistant director (14 episodes, 1966)
Mark Sandrich Jr.	....	assistant director (6 episodes, 1966-1968)
Norman August	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1966)
Robert G. Stone	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1966)
Sam Strangis	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1966)
Steven Bernhardt	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1967)

Series Art Department
Don B. Greenwood	....	property master (6 episodes, 1966)

Series Sound Department
Ralph Hickey	....	supervising sound effects editor (88 episodes, 1966-1967)
Harold E. Wooley	....	sound effects editor (88 episodes, 1966-1967)
Erick Jolley	....	audio restoration (34 episodes, 1966)
Dan Finnerty	....	sound effects editor (12 episodes, 1967-1968)
Dick Le Grand	....	sound effects editor (3 episodes, 1967)
Richard LeGrand Jr.	....	sound effects editor (2 episodes, 1967)

Series Special Effects by
Greg C. Jensen	....	special effects (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
L.B. Abbott	....	special photographic effects (52 episodes, 1967-1968)

Series Stunts
Victor Paul	....	stunt coordinator (120 episodes, 1966-1968)
Jesse Wayne	....	stunt double / stunt double: Walter Burke (28 episodes, 1966-1967)
Charlie Picerni	....	stunt double: Cliff Robertson (4 episodes, 1966-1968)
Ron Burke	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Angelo De Meo	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Vince Deadrick Sr.	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Louie Elias	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Tony Epper	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Lee Faulkner	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Johnny Hagner	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Eddie Hice	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Hubie Kerns	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Troy Melton	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Gil Perkins	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
George Sawaya	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Alex Sharp	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Roy N. Sickner	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Al Wyatt Sr.	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Thomas Del Ruth	....	assistant camera (unknown episodes, 1966)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Andrew Pallack	....	wardrobe: men / wardrobe furnisher / ... (59 episodes, 1966-1968)

Series Editorial Department
Robert Mintz	....	post-production coordinator (104 episodes, 1966-1968)

Series Music Department
Leonard A. Engel	....	supervising music editor (104 episodes, 1966-1968)
Sam Horta	....	music editor (104 episodes, 1966-1968)
Neal Hefti	....	composer: theme music / composer: Batman Theme (103 episodes, 1966-1968)
Lionel Newman	....	music supervisor / music supervision (103 episodes, 1966-1968)
Billy May	....	composer: Batgirl theme / composer: theme music (26 episodes, 1967-1968)
Willy Mack	....	lyricist: Batgirl theme / composer: Batgirl theme (25 episodes, 1967-1968)

Series Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver (4 episodes, 1967-1968)
Frank Khoury	....	driver (3 episodes, 1966)

Series Other crew
Lorenzo Semple Jr.	....	script consultant / executive script consultant / ... (105 episodes, 1966-1968)
Charles B. Fitzsimons	....	assistant to executive producer / assistant to producer (73 episodes, 1966-1968)
Charles Hoffman	....	script editor / story editor (71 episodes, 1966-1968)
Robert Mintz	....	post production coordinator (3 episodes, 1967-1968)
Bob Kane	....	creator: characters (2 episodes, 1967-1968)
George Barris	....	car designer (unknown episodes)
Dean Jeffries	....	car designer (unknown episodes)
Robert Sonntag	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Milton Stark	....	dialogue coach (unknown episodes)
Shirley Ulmer	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• 20th Century Fox Television
• Greenway Productions

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox Television (1966-) (worldwide) (all media)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1966-1968) (USA) (TV)
• Katholieke Radio Omroep (KRO) (1966-1967) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Sat.1 (1989-1990) (West Germany) (TV)
• Verenigde Arbeiders Radio Amateurs (VARA) (1980) (Netherlands) (TV)

Other Companies

• National Periodical Publications  batman and detective comics magazines

Also Known As:

Runtime:

30 min (120 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Italy:T | UK:U | Canada:PG | USA:TV-G

Filming Locations:

380 South San Rafael Avenue, Pasadena, California, USA

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

Of all the villains, the Penguin appeared the most. He made 26 appearances during the show's run.

Goofs:

Continuity: In episode 7, Alfred refers to Robin as Mr. Ward, and not Mr. Grayson.

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Batman:Precisely, Robin!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Adam West Naked! (2009) (V)

Soundtrack:

Batgirl Theme

Holy Bat ratings! We're in IMDB!

I watched this tv show as a child, and every Halloween from the age of 5 to 8, I wanted to dress in a costume just like Batman's. Of course, my parents didn't have the resources to hire an entire corps of costumers and props masters, so I had to make do with a jumpsuit from Sears that had the Batman symbol printed on it. Such is Life. Still, I always thought Batman was the best of the legion of super-heroes to come around (except for perhaps Spiderman, whom I discovered later on).

Watching the tv show now as an adult, I realize just how campy and ridiculous it was, but where as a child I interpreted the action sequences as dynamic and exciting, now I see these same scenes as well-staged comedy, which is how the original producers intended it to be seen. Who can forget the big cartoon graphics such as "BAM!" and "POW!" and "Crrr-Rash!" which flashed up just before Batman slugged a villain or knocked over a prop? I beat up the sofa cushions with just as much enthusiasm. And don't even get me started on the car (Batmobile), the boat (Batboat), and helicopter (Batcopter) which I absolutely had to have in Corgi miniatures (still have mine in a box in the garage, along with James Bond's Aston Martin and the Monkeemobile). And all the kids knew the Batman song. NaNa NaNa NaNa NaNa Batman!

Looking back at it now, I see that even though Adam West and Burt Ward, two relative unknowns at the time, never really recovered from being typecast, just about all of the supporting actors were accomplished in either films, tv, or the stage, such as Cesar Romero and Victor Buono (check him out in "What Ever Happened To Baby Jane"), and they managed to continue their careers. A few, such as Eartha Kitt, used the "Batman" series as a springboard to other things (I saw Kitt's performance as the Wicked Witch in "Wizard of Oz" on stage and she was fantastic). But whatever their future careers became, they turned in quality performances on the show.

I always had a thing for both Cat Woman (all 3 of them) and Batgirl. The costume designers really knew how to show off a woman's curves in those tight-fitting catsuits with big metallic utility belts and high-heeled shoes, but I suppose that was the fashion back in the late-60's. They probably fit right in with the mini-dresses and go-go boots the other girls were wearing.

Your kids will love the show and will watch it again and again. You'll enjoy it the first two times you see it, but then it'll get stale and boring. But just remember, no matter how grim things get when the Riddler and Joker have Batman and the Boy Wonder hanging over a vat of acid or encased in a gas chamber, the Dynamic Duo always manage to pull out a can of Bat Rope Dissolver or Bat Gas Begone and show up to defeat the villains each week at the same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.

To the Batcave!