1960's Batman actors and connections in The Batman cartoon

[LuckyLadybug]

I hope this is the right board. It said 1960's actors TV and movie appearances, so it would fit.

Does anyone watch the 2004 cartoon The Batman? I know it's generally hated throughout the general Batman fandom, but I love it and I can think of several reasons why 1960's Batman fans might be interested!

1 - Adam West has a recurring role as Mayor Grange, at least for the first three seasons. I can't recall hearing him in season 4.

2 - Frank Gorshin was the first voice for Hugo Strange. Sadly, he died after his third episode. No one else voiced Hugo Strange as well as he did.

3 - Tom Kenny, the voice actor for The Penguin, was clearly inspired by Burgess Meredith's portrayal of the character. He does a more cartoony/exaggerated version of the 1960's Penguin's voice and laugh. (I think this was one reason why I fell in love with the 1960's Batman six years ago; coming from The Batman cartoon, I found the 1960's Penguin to be very familiar! I was tickled that Tom Kenny decided to pay tribute to that iconic version of the character.)

4 - Every now and then, there's some hilarious nods to the 1960's show within the context of the episodes. In the season 2 episode JTV, The Joker creates his own pirate TV channel and at one point exclaims, "Tune in tomorrow: same Joker crime, same Joker channel!" LOL. And then there's a fight with Batman later and they do the fight sound balloons on the screen. I remember watching that when it originally aired and laughing so hard at the nods to the 1960's show.

[scottmandew]

I hated The Batman when it first aired, I think more due to it being released so soon after Batman: the Animated Series. But some years later I found myself wanting a new Batman to watch, so I ordered the dvds and absolutely loved it. I didn't realize Gorshin voiced Hugo Strange, but I remember hearing Adam's voice as the mayor. I don't specifically remember that Joker episode you're talking about, so I think I'll get the dvds out tonight and take another look. Great post!

[seanrt]

I came to enjoy the show quite a bit, but also haven't watched it in a while. the colors they used for Batgirl seemed to me inspired by the 60s Batgirl.

[LuckyLadybug]

Glad to see some interest for this fun cartoon.

Seanrt, that's true, I was thinking about that just recently! I don't recall seeing any other purple-themed Batgirls aside from the 1960's and The Batman versions.

[John Mack]

I will have to look into this now. I believed all the negative talk and as such, never watched it. I did however, watch the Brave and the Bold which we all know had many 66 related things appearing.

Thanks! Wonderful post!

John

[LuckyLadybug]

Another for the list: Mr. Freeze on The Batman has more in common with the 1960's Freeze than with The Animated Series Freeze.

Both were indirectly created due to fights with Batman. (Both Batmans also feel responsible for this.) Both can flash-freeze people and things and also use a heat weapon to explode frozen things. And both have a fascination with diamonds, albeit The Batman Freeze just likes all diamonds everywhere instead of only going after specific ones.

[noman]

There was A Batman Animcated Series {2nd one} in which three boys discuss different versions of Batman fighting Joker--one of them is a tribute to the 1960's version-even has the old FIGHT Balloons {POW} {ZONK}

[LuckyLadybug]

LOL. That sounds funny!

I didn't expect to find any similarities between the 1960's Riddler and The Batman Riddler, since they are polar opposites in personality (1960's Riddler is a giggler, The Batman Riddler is serious), but after rewatching the two 1960's Riddler arcs I'd seen before and watching the other two season 1 arcs, I actually found some parallels.

- The Batman's Riddler wears a green jumpsuit with one large question mark on the chest, instead of little question marks all over. I think the 1960's Riddler is the only other one I've seen with the one big question mark (albeit he also has one on the back). (... Although now I think I remember the Riddler on The New Batman Adventures in the late nineties also had this. Ooops.)

- A Riddle a Day Keeps the Riddler Away. The Batman's Riddler also will give riddles until it's time for him to get down to brass tacks.

- Robin says to the Riddler in the 1960's show, "You're not a nickel murderer!" At least twice, the 1960's Riddler acts like he's going to do something really grotesquely horrible to Robin (squeezing his head in the first arc, using a buzz saw on him in the last season 1 arc), but doesn't actually do it. The Batman's Riddler isn't big on murder, either. He makes everyone think he has bombs all over the city, but they're actually a distraction and not even real; they're filled with lime gelatin. He does appear to trap someone he thinks deliberately ruined him in an obstacle course deathtrap, but I question whether he was actually trying to kill the guy or if that was a psyche just like the fake bombs. (I also question whether he was planning to kill the guy later on, when he sets some crates to blow up on the ship, but that time I think he probably really was going to kill the guy. Either that or he wanted the guy alive to experience the same sort of ruination that had been dealt to him.) Naturally, both Riddlers try to eliminate Batman, albeit The Batman's Riddler seems to only do it in an emotional burst (as he also tried to do to his betrayer when he learned that the real person responsible for ruining him was someone he loved) and he doesn't ever deliberately plan it out.

[marvelbloodhound]

The key to the Riddler's mind is his need to outwit people. Like he so eloquently phrased it to Moth about riddles, "that's the MAIN reason I took up this crime game." If he could pass on leaving riddles, he would've KILLED Batman by now...

[noman]

They even had a 1960's comic story in which Riddler tries not to give out Riddle Clues...but fails!!

By the way I always thought that the Riddle Suit he had in the first epsiode-was so much more suited to his persona than the Leotard

Of Course who ever forget his calcaling laugh