Are you a fan of the 1960s Batman?
While we love the spinoffs whether it was Tim Burton’s Batman, Christopher Nolan’s
series, or the new Joker series this is one of the greatest franchises of all time.
But without a doubt, the 1960s Batman still remains a classic to this day.
But even if you’re a fan, there are probably many fascinating facts and even secrets about
the show that you didn’t know about.
One of the actors, Burt Ward, who played Robin still has a fondness for the show and loves
giving interviews where he discusses his experience of the show.
Today, we’re going to look at some of these fascinating facts and dark secrets about the
1960s Batman.
Buckle in the Batmobile – because it’s going to be a wild ride through Gotham!
Burt Ward Confirms Dark Secrets of 1960s Batman.
Join FactsVerse to get the scoop…
BURT WARD CONFIRMS DARK SECRETS OF 1960s BATMAN
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Burt Ward, who played Robin in the 1960s Batman
TV series, recalled his disastrous first day on set that sent him to the hospital.
Burt Ward recalls that he was not warned about the physical demands of the role and was instructed
to perform his own stunts, which led to a serious injury.
Ward said that on his first day of filming, he was wearing his Robin costume, which was
made of thin spandex material, and was instructed to run up a wall and backflip off of it.
However, he had never attempted the stunt before and did not receive any training or
rehearsal.
As a result, he ended up fracturing his finger and tearing his groin muscle.
Ward said that the producers were concerned about his injuries and sent him to the hospital.
He was told that he would need to take time off to recover, but he insisted on continuing
to work, even with his injuries.
Ward said that he didn't want to let down his co-star Adam West or the show's fans,
so he pushed through the pain.
Despite the difficulties he faced, Ward went on to become an iconic part of the Batman
franchise, and his portrayal of Robin has remained popular among fans of the series.
Ward said that he is proud of his work on the show and grateful for the opportunity
to be a part of it.
Ward's experience highlights the physical demands that come with performing stunts in
TV and film.
It also sheds light on the lack of safety protocols that were in place during the early
days of the entertainment industry.
Today, there are strict regulations in place to protect actors and stunt performers, and
they undergo extensive training and rehearsal before attempting any dangerous stunts.
Burt Ward's first day on the set of Batman was a painful and difficult experience, but
he persevered and went on to become an iconic part of the franchise.
Now let’s look at some other dark secrets about the 1960s Batman series.
In fact, there’s one that’s just been bursting to show itself!
BURT WARD’S…UM, WE’LL GET TO THAT IN A MOMENT
The 1960s Batman television series was known for its campy humor and colorful characters
– but there were still lines they didn’t want to cross, hills they didn’t want to
climb, and bulges they didn’t want to expose!
Burt Ward recently revealed that he and co-star Adam West, who played Batman, were forced
to take "anti-penis pills" by the show's producers to avoid any visible bulges in their tight-fitting
costumes.
With Burt Ward, he had to hide his bulge and for Adam West, it had to be pointed in another
direction!
Yeah, we’ll leave it there.
According to Burt Ward, the show's producers were concerned about the possibility of offending
the censors and the show's young viewers with any indication of the superheroes' genitalia.
Eventually, Burt Ward felt that taking these pills might make it harder for him to have
children in the future.
He stopped taking them and used his cape to hide his bulge.
While the use of these pills may seem extreme, it is not uncommon for actors to take measures
to avoid wardrobe malfunctions on set.
Ward's revelation sheds light on the challenges faced by actors in tight-fitting costumes,
particularly in a time when censorship was much stricter than it is today.
The revelation has sparked a conversation on social media about the treatment of actors
and the lengths they are expected to go to in order to maintain a certain image.
Some have criticized the producers of the Batman series for their extreme measures,
while others have defended them for doing what they felt was necessary to maintain the
show's wholesome image.
Regardless of one's opinion on the matter, Ward's revelation has brought renewed attention
to a beloved television series that has remained an iconic program for over 50 years.
Despite the challenges he faced on set, Ward remains proud of his time as Robin and the
impact the show has had on generations of fans.
Burt Ward's revelation serves as a reminder that even the most beloved television shows
have their behind-the-scenes secrets, and that the challenges faced by actors on set
are often far more complex than they appear on screen.
Now let’s look at some of the crazy facts and dark secrets of the 1960s Batman.
CRAZY FACTS ABOUT THE 1960S BATMAN SERIES AND SPINOFFS
Batman is one of the most iconic superheroes of all time, and has been the subject of numerous
movies, television shows, comic books, and more.
However, the campy and absurd facts about the 1960s show and character are what made
it such a phenomenon and paved the way for the various spinoffs we see today.
In the 1960s Batman television series, Robin's famous catchphrase "Holy BLANK Batman!"
was used more than 300 times.
The “Blank” was always something different – sometimes it was ‘holy cryptology’
sometimes it was ‘holy heart failure’ among the other absurdities.
The Batmobile used in the television series was actually a modified 1955 Lincoln Futura
concept car.
It also just cost one buck.
Ford never felt there was any future in this car as it wasn’t a particularly successful
make.
They gave it to the producers for $1 and after a lot of modification, the Batmobile was born.
Who knows, maybe we’ll see a revival of the Futura?
Now, how did Batman get his name?
Was he a fan of bats?
Did he eat the darned creatures?
No!
Batman has a fear of bats, stemming from an incident in his childhood when he fell down
a well and was swarmed by them.
Interesting way to face your fears, eh?
Batman's secret identity, Bruce Wayne, was originally named "Bruce Wainwright" in early
drafts of the comic book.
We’re glad they didn’t stick with Wainwright.
Having 2 first names works a lot better.
And there was a lot of demand for Bruce Wayne.
In fact, the Bat-Signal was created by the Gotham City Police Department to summon Batman
in emergencies.
Here’s another one: the character of Harley Quinn was originally created for the Batman:
The Animated Series television show, but later became a popular character in the comics as
well.
The series was an inspiration for a movie.
In the 1966 Batman movie, the United Nations is threatened by a bomb that is shaped like
a giant, ticking "bomb" sign.
In the comic book series Batman: The Long Halloween, Batman is forced to team up with
the Joker to catch a serial killer known as the Holiday Killer.
Not much of a vacation is it?
The character of Robin was introduced in the comic book series as a way to make Batman
more appealing to younger readers.
Plus it helped give Burt Ward a job.
Cesar Romero was the original Joker and he invented the famous laugh while waiting for
the producers to discuss his role.
He found the Joker's costume to be rather silly.
This caused him to let out a high-pitched and maniacal laugh – which he then got paid
to recreate several times.
Burgess Meredith played the Penguin in the 1960s Batman series.
He used cigarettes to achieve the character's trademark squawking sound.
He wasn’t a smoker before but he had to start to create this odd way of speaking.
He also inventing the Penguin’s walk and this was also inevitable due to the uncomfortable
fat suit he had to wear.
Otto Preminger's grandchildren loved the 1960s Batman series.
In fact, they wanted their grandfather to take on the role of the villain Mr. Freeze.
They even locked him out of the house until he agreed to do it.
One wonders if Arnold Schwarzenegger’s family did something to convince him to take the
role – or perhaps not take it at all?
Frank Gorshin was not pleased with the Riddler’s jumpsuit.
After expressing his distaste for it, some changes were made and the now famous question
marks were added to the suit.
It’s still the standard look for this rather puzzling character.
Following an issue with the show’s producers, Frank Gorshin didn’t appear on one episode
of the show.
For this one episode only, John Astin took his place.
In the episode, the villain, though similar, was known as “The Puzzler” as audiences
wouldn’t accept a new Riddler at all.
Although we all loved Jim Carrey many decades later!
Whether you're a die-hard Batman fan or simply a casual observer, these facts are sure to
give you a new appreciation for the 1960s series and his many spinoffs.
Are you a fan of the 1960s Batman?
It’s one of the most popular TV shows in America’s history and still holds up today.
In fact, here’s what we’d like to hear from you:
Do you think that many TV shows today still get their influence from shows from the 1960s?
Or is the aesthetic and style so different that it just doesn’t translate to what modern
audiences want to see?