by Nathaniel R
Adam West at Comic Con last year
Holy Longevity, Robin. Our first Batman, actor Adam West passed away yesterday from leukemia but what a long life. He nearly made it to 89 and kept his great sense of humor throughout his life. He achieved pop culture immortality with the starring role on the kitsch classic Batman series in the 1960s. Some actors feel uncomfortable about the role that made them famous or the one they become too associated with but the smart ones embrace it. West did just that with gusto, and wasn't above poking fun of himself, either...
He played variations of himself multiple times and he even played a washed up TV actor who had once played a superhero in a 1992 episode of Batman's animated series!
West in the 1950sThough he was famous for my entire life he wasn't always a household name. Everyone has to start somewhere. After an uncredited bit in a Boris Karloff horror picture, West made his official feature debut in Paul Newman's lawyer picture The Young Philadelphians (1959). But the small screen was where he was destined to make his mark. He first came to prominence as one of multiple recurring detective sergeants on the procedural drama The Detectives (1959-1962) before landing the title role in Batman (1966-1968) which made him famous through the end of his life.
Curiously in an interesting trivia note, he'd already played on TV character without being a series regular multiple times before Batman or The Detectives; He played the famous Doc Holliday (a role later popularized for a new generation by Val Kilmer in Tombstone) in not one but three different Western series of the late 1950s! How strange.
Julie Newmar & West as hot for each other Catwoman and Batman on TV
Adam set the bar so high for portraying the role of Batman. He was wonderful, spot on, with a twinkle in his eye. He had it all -- looks, charm, intelligence, I could go on and on."
- Statement from his Catwoman, Julie Newmar.
Given his instantly recognizable voice, it's no surprise that he had a substantial career in voice acting after his live action heyday, most recently as "Mayor Adam West" on Family Guy. He will be missed.
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