Adam West...

[rwsmith]

Adam West, who played 'Batman' in the 1960s serial is dead at 88. He gave us many a moment of hilarity with has straight play of really cornball lines. Gone to that Batcave in the sky.

 

[Marshwheeling]

Tha brings back memories (dim ones). In 1965 I was in LA on a road trip with some buddies. My pop, who was an entertainment reporter and columnist, arranged for us to visit the Batman set at, I'm gonna say Paramount, although I could be mistaken. I talked to Adam West ("interviewed" would be overstating it) and the kid who played Robin, whose name I completely forget. Even got to sit in the Batmobile.

My report back was pretty lame, and never made it into a column, but it was fun anyway.

 

[NYlakesider]

I still remember all the hipe when that show started. It kind of seemed like when Ford bought out the Mustang!

Just about every person I knew under age 21 was planning to see it. Myself and a few friends bought a few pizzas and soda/beer to our buddies house who had the biggest living room. Remember way back then no cable, rabbit ears antennas and small screen TVs.

RIP MR West!

 

[Watchdog]

It's sad that he's gone.

For those of us who grew up back then, there were no graphic novels, no daily cartoons, and no movies...so Adam West was Batman for us. We had the TV show and the comic books and that was it.

So Adam West, along with Burt Ward, broke new ground in their portrayals of super heroes. Even though their costumes looked like something any of us could have put together out of our closet, we loved them and the guys who wore them.

The show was genuine fun to watch...no real overt violence, no complicated plots, no profanity. A lot of that fun is missing today.

So, yes...R.I.P. Adam West, one of the Good Guys.

 

[PPS1980]

Thanks for posting the sad news. I really enjoyed him in the series growing up.

 

[the ringo kid]

Adam West IS Batman-none of the rest can compare. Rest in Peace Batman.

 

[LVSteve]

Sad news, indeed. RIP Bruce Wayne.

I'm darned sure that Adam West was a better actor than most folk gave him credit for. Of course, he got typecast because of Batman, but I think he turned it to his advantage.

 

[sheepdawg]

Even though their costumes looked like something any of us could have put together out of our closet, we loved them and the guys who wore them.

Just what's in your closet???

 

[STCM(SW)]

Adam West IS Batman-none of the rest can compare. Rest in Peace Batman.

That is RIGHT!

 

[Faulkner]

For a super hero he wasn't exactly a man of outstanding physical characteristics in those 1960's era tights

 

[yeti]

Sad news. Adam West was an icon of the era. We all used to watch Batman episodes after school. Just loved that campy show!

 

[shouldazagged]

Sad news, indeed. RIP Bruce Wayne.

I'm darned sure that Adam West was a better actor than most folk gave him credit for. Of course, he got typecast because of Batman, but I think he turned it to his advantage.

Agreed. He also had a long run as the strange Mayor West on "Family Guy".

I've wondered if Leslie Nielsen's Frank Drebin character and the doc from "Airplane" owed a debt to West's hilariously deadpan Batman. That silly pomposity was pretty irresistible.

 

[The Last Standing Knight]

There are some actors that perfectly nail the characters they portray. Christopher Reeve (and earlier George Reeves) as Superman; Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, and Adam West as Batman.

It is hard to play a fictional character that is legendary and that everyone has their own take on. While he was 'typecast" afterward, Mr. West...if he had been in physical shape to do so and played Batman as he was really designed to be, would have surpassed the standard. But even in the campy version, he demonstrated the character's potential on screen. Something to be proud of.

On Batman TAS in the 90's, he played the voice of Batman's childhood hero...the Gray Ghost. The portrayal there was not only biographical in many ways, but sad and chilling in others. Mr. West was underestimated, but was unmistakable in his talent. There are no more like him, I fear.

 

[labworm]

I was lucky enough to be young when the series was on the tube.

Watched and enjoyed it all, especially all the great actors who appeared in it in various roles.

To the Batmobile one last time.

RIP Bruce (The Real Batman)

 

[cmort666]

I think his best work was on "Family Guy".

He was far more entertaining as "himself" than as Batman.

 

[RobertJ.]

May he R.I.P.

His mother lived here in Seaside back in the 60's, and he would be spotted around town occasionally. My grandma followed him around the grocery store once, but she was too shy to say anything.

The house she owned is still referred to as "Batman's Mother's House" by some locals, including myself.

I stopped on my bike once, and asked the current owner, who was out in the yard, if she knew it once belonged to Batman's mother. She cracked up laughing and said she had heard that, so I told her the story.

 

[bricker]

Thank you Mr. West. You made growing up fun!

 

[timjake]

Yes, he is forever Batman...

But, he was also forever thought of that way and he had problems getting jobs after the series.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Had not heard this bad news.
RIP Adam.
A good guy and fun to watch.

 

[LVSteve]

Thank you Mr. West. You made growing up fun!

Reminds me of the time I finally got the gag. Of course, I watched Batman as a 6-8 year old and thought it was serious.

Fast forward to a visit to my nan's when I was about 16. My mum, nan and aunt were all yakking in the kitchen. Once the tea was made and cookies distributed, I asked nan if I could go into the front room and put on the TV. Off I went, got out the TV guide and saw Batman was on. Got comfy on the couch with the cat and began to watch.

Ten minutes later the three women poked their heads round the door because I am splitting my sides laughing as now I'm old enough to get the double entendres. The cat is giving me the "He's lost it" look. "You OK,Steve?" nan asked. I was laughing so hard all I could do was nod. More tea appeared shortly afterwards.

 

[whitestang]

RIP Batman. I watched the show when I was boy,it was must see TV back then.

 

[CajunBass]

I must have been the only kid who didn't care for the show. I was a big fan of Batman in the comic books, and I was so disapointed in the campy (although I don't suppose I knew that word then) way the characters were played, but the worst was the "BAM" and "POW" that flashed across the screen. And the intro music. Worse than fingernails on a blackboard. I suppose I watched it, after all there were only three channels back then, but it wasn't something I worried about seeing.

Still I did like Adam West when I saw him in something else later on. I seem to remember him in an episode of "Emergency."

RIP Mr. West.

 

[jimmyj]

Burt Ward (Robin) was a "Gun Guy" and shooter

 

[ladder13]

Batman, the Munsters, F Troop, the 3 Stooges, etc etc

Those were the days

 

[Qc Pistolero]

Yeah!Brings back good memories of my ''innocent''years.
May Mr West rest in ''Batpeace''.
Qc

 

[tlawler]

R.I.P. Adam West. You gave me some great memories from my childhood.

 

[Rustyt1953]

I once read an interview where he said he was a little bothered, at first, by being pigeonholed by Batman. He then realized what a gift horse he had been given to ride and ride it he would.

I believe he is one of the planet's most recognizable faces and voices.

I will truly miss Mayor West. Thank goodness for You Tube.

 

[les.b]

I agree with many of the above posters. Adam West was Batman to me also. Interestingly, when I first started teaching college classes, I had a student, big guy, played football, whose name was Adam West. Naturally, his classmates always referred to him as "Batman".

I remember watching those shows back in the 60s.

So we just lost James Bond last week, and now Batman.

Best Regards, Les

 

[DeathGrip]

I saw him yesterday on The Big Valley. He played a sicko pretty well but he was still Adam West to me. That's right Adam West.

I loved the Batman show as a kid and as LVSteve stated I thought it was funny as all on the reruns when I got a little older.

One of the OTA channels was playing the show a while back and I thought it would be good for a laugh but really couldn't get into it much.

RIP Adam West and thanks for the memories.

 

[OLDSTER]

The mayor of Quahog on Family Guy for years RIP--one of the good guys .