Roger Neilsons Towel Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 Adam West, the star of the classic 1960s Batman television series, has died at the age of 88 after a short battle with leukemia. “Our dad always saw himself as The Bright Knight,and aspired to make a positive impact on his fans’ lives. He was and always will be our hero,” his family said in a statement. West became an icon by playing the Caped Crusader on ABC's Batman television show, which became a surprise hit when it premiered in 1966. West's Batman is known for its campy humor and though the character has taken a darker and more serious tone over the decades, the television series remains a fan favorite. West celebrated the 50th anniversary of Batmanwith a guest appearance on the 200th episode of The Big Bang Theory. West reprised his role as the Dark Knight by voicing Batman, alongside his co-star Burt Ward as Robin, the 2016 animated movie Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders. The Batman television series has waxed and waned in its popularity with fans. It was beloved by children and adults when it first aired but was unloved by fans of Batman comics because they felt the series treated the material as kid stuff. However, the stylized, kitschy take on Batman has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years as Warner Bros. has begun releasing new merchandise based on West's Batman and a digital Batman '66 comic book featuring new adventures of television's Dynamic Duo, even crossing over with The Green Hornet and Lynda Carter-inspired Wonder Woman'77 comic book. West's interpretation of Batman also heavily inspired the Batman animated series The Brave and the Bold, which featured a bright and humorous Batman. West had a guest role on the series as Batman's father, Thomas Wayne, in the episode titled "Chill of the Night!" West made his feature film debut in The Young Philadelphians in 1959 acting alongside Paul Newman. He also appeared in the Three Stooges movie The Outlaws Is Coming. More recent roles included a recurring voice acting job playing himself as the mayor of Quahog on Family Guy and roles in The Happy Hooker, Hooper, The Rapture, and The New Age. In the 1990s, West wrote the memoir Back to the Batcave which recounted his years playing Batman on television and how he was disappointed that he wasn’t offered the opportunity to reprise his role when Batman was brought to the big screen by director Tim Burton in 1989. Adam West was born William West Anderson in Walla Walla, Washington in 1928. He took the stage name Adam West when he began his entertainment career in Hawaii in the 1950s, starring in local kids shows. West is survived by his wife, Marcelle, six children, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Source: Variety http://comicbook.com/dc/2017/06/10/adam-west-death/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliboy Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 Thank you Adam!! Batman and Lost in Space were my favorite shows as a kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostsof1915 Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 Thanks Adam. As a kid you didn't realize just how cheesy the dialog was. But the over the top simplicity and goodness, combined with the "Pow!" "Sock!" fight scenes meant I always wanted to watch it. As an adult, you admire it for what it is. I'm glad he found regular work in animation as a voice actor later in life. A Batman well lived. To think they could have cast: Lyle Waggoner!?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mackcanuck Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostsof1915 Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canada Hockey Place Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 Robin: "Where'd you get a live fish, Batman?" Batman: "The true crimefighter always carries everything he needs in his utility belt, Robin." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theminister Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toni Zamboni Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 the OG Batman....greatest Batman of all time! RIP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostsof1915 Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Building Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 I'm too young to have watched the original Batman, but everybody knows who Adam West is: I don't want to share a beer with anyone who doesn't chuckle a minimum of 4 times while watching that video. Minute ~ 1:20 hits the nail pretty close to the head; Adam West would probably have chuckled at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g_bassi13 Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 That really sucks to hear. I still watch the reruns of this show every Saturday on TV. Will continue to do so, but it'll be a little weirder doing so now. Like watching the episodes with Batgirl in them, who also passed away fairly recently. He did recently voice himself in an animated movie adaptation of his old show. Will have to track a copy of that down now. Thanks for the memories, old chum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twilight Sparkle Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 OMG NO! T__T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Shotgun Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 Batman was a classic 60's tv series. Adam West was perfect in that Batman role. Watched a good documentary on his career about a year ago on Netflix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyBoy44 Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 I don't get sentimental at celebrity deaths but I grew up idolizing Adam. RIP Bro! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostsof1915 Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 #FarewellOldChum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SabreFan1 Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 48 minutes ago, Green Building said: I'm too young to have watched the original Batman, but everybody knows who Adam West is: I don't want to share a beer with anyone who doesn't chuckle a minimum of 4 times while watching that video. Minute ~ 1:20 hits the nail pretty close to the head; Adam West would probably have chuckled at it. That's Adam West voicing himself so I'm sure he did get a kick out of it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayor_West Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Building Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 7 minutes ago, SabreFan1 said: That's Adam West voicing himself so I'm sure he did get a kick out of it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayor_West I know. That's one of the reasons I laughed at it, then mentioned it, then posted the clips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SabreFan1 Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 1 minute ago, Green Building said: I know. That's one of the reasons I laughed at it, then mentioned it, then posted the clips. I must have misunderstood your meaning of, "Adam West would probably have chuckled at it". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Building Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 Just now, SabreFan1 said: I must have misunderstood your meaning of, "Adam West would probably have chuckled at it". Fair enough, I can understand that. I hesitated at bluntly positing that he would have found amusement in his cartoon toxic waste cancer only to then contract and pass from leukemia, even though that was the very thing I was alluding to. I still think we're both right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SabreFan1 Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 4 minutes ago, Green Building said: Fair enough, I can understand that. I hesitated at bluntly positing that he would have found amusement in his cartoon toxic waste cancer only to then contract and pass from leukemia, even though that was the very thing I was alluding to. I still think we're both right. Okie dokey... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.