Tallulah Bankhead , nearing the end of her career, appeared on Batman as the Black Widow in March 1967, in an episode that seems to be running on the theme of “bad judgement”. Did writer Robert Mintz have the bad judgement to pun on Bankhead’s name? (Probably not.) How was Bankhead’s judgement in life? What does Tim judge to have been his favorite part of the usual formula for each arc? We also touch on some ways in which this late season two arc differs from early season one — but characters ta...
Jul 06, 2017•1 hr 51 min
In 1966, the Batman TV show was big in numerous countries, including Tim ’s adopted home of Japan , where it led to the licensed creation of a series of Japanese Batman comics. While the purpose of the comics (written and drawn by Jiro Kuwata ) was to cash in on the show’s popularity, the stories are based on Batman comics of the early ‘60s and before, though often greatly decompressed, with added elements, and sometimes just freeform weirdness. In this episode, manga translator Kumar Sivasubram...
Jun 29, 2017•1 hr 33 min
This episode, we first must tip our hats to our favorite caped crusader, Adam West , who passed away June 9 at 88. What was that magic touch he had as an actor? Would the show even have been the show without him? Then it’s onward with King Tut’s Coup and Batman’s Waterloo . Do these two episodes make up the best King Tut arc so far? If so, in what ways? Was Robin ’s part in this arc intentionally minimized? Is the cheapening of the production starting to show through that much more? PLUS: The Fl...
Jun 15, 2017•1 hr 55 min
It’s the showdown of the century… Bruce Lee vs Burt Ward ! Or at least, that seems to have been how some young viewers — and Lee himself — saw this arc! As the Green Hornet and Kato visit Gotham, we dig into Lee’s seeming obsession with Ward. So why did the Hornet appear on Batman ? Does the Hornet bring his own tone, or get his tone changed for him by Batman? Paul notes how different the Hornet looks with Batman cinematography. Meanwhile, Roger C. Carmel ’s character Colonel Gumm , dismissed by...
Jun 01, 2017•1 hr 30 min
In September 1966, William Dozier ’s Greenway Productions debuted its new series The Green Hornet . Originally a radio series beginning in 1936, the Green Hornet has also appeared in movie serials and comic books, and a 2011 movie. In this episode, we look at the character’s history, how the TV series came to be and the mark it left on the property (particularly on how the Hornet’s assistant Kato is portrayed), and the two principals, Van Williams and Bruce Lee . How did the show affect the traj...
May 18, 2017•1 hr 48 min
Catwoman goes to college, but says she can’t go straight without “the love of a good man.” And yet, she keeps trying to kill that good man! Even so, the sexual tension between bat and cat gives us a surprisingly long, natural-seeming conversation between the two to close out Julie Newmar ’s final bat-appearance. In this episode, we also discuss the broadcast order of the Catwoman episodes, vs how they might actually fit together; the seemingly endless reduplication of Batman (and Bruce Wayne , a...
May 04, 2017•1 hr 32 min
“ The Joker’s Last Laugh ” arc is Lorenzo Semple Jr. ’s last writing for “Batman”, a teleplay from a story written by crime novelist Peter Rabe . But that story originally featured Two-Face ! (Read the treatment here . Thanks to High C for providing!) The Joker version contains at least one vestige of the Twofaceiness of the original story, and also shows Semple seeming to comment on the sitcom that the series had become. Other topics include: how we, too, were driven crazy by laugh tracks; the ...
Apr 20, 2017•1 hr 34 min
Analyzing draft scripts has proven to be a fascinating way to watch the Batman ’66 creative process happening, so this time we’re digging into Stanley Ralph Ross and Lee Orgel ’s first draft of The Purrfect Crime/Better Luck Next Time . Among the questions explored: Why does Batman never say “Boy Wonder”? Why can Gordon not say “Batman” when he’s on the Batphone with Bruce not in costume? How did Lorenzo Semple help Ross clarify points in the story? What is the importance of making Robin smarter...
Apr 06, 2017•1 hr 56 min
We’re celebrating two years! Batman is celebrating… well, we’re not sure how many. But there’s a new Riddler in town, and he’s got a mustache! The question mark on the Riddler’s costume is appropriate, given how many questions are raised by this arc: John Astin isn’t necessarily inferior to Frank Gorshin , but how do their performances differ? How might Gorshin have handled this script? Why didn’t Gorshin appear in the 2nd season? How do three intersecting cuts of a pie give one seven pieces? Wh...
Mar 30, 2017•1 hr 45 min
On this week’s episode of “Bewitched” … wait, this is “Batman” ?? What has become of our beloved played-serious-for-humor show? The tone now feels like a full-on sitcom, and the Dynamic Duo have been reduced to Penguin’s playthings, on the excuse that they have to “keep an eye on him” but can’t arrest him JUST YET… Oh, and by the way, there’s a hand puppet in this arc. Still, there’s plenty of interest to talk about in the Penguin-Marsha three-parter: Its reflexivity in presenting the making of ...
Mar 16, 2017•1 hr 37 min
Ever since the ’66 series was finally released on home video, the bat-gods have continued to favor us with cool new stuff featuring Adam West as Batman. Now here comes the big, colorful, and informative Batman: A Celebration of the Classic TV Series , by Bob Garcia and Joe Desris , filled not just with production stills and backstage shots, but a great writeup built on interviews with cast and crew - many of them done for Cinefantastique 25 years ago with folks who are no longer with us. In this...
Mar 02, 2017•1 hr 42 min
Lesley Gore assists Catwoman , and does a show-stopping performance — as in, bringing the story to a screeching halt — with her “California Nights.” She also administers “cataphrenic” to local-police-respecting Robin , making him into a cop-shoving, cliche-spouting hood! We talk about how Julie Newmar 's portrayal (and Stanley Ralph Ross 's writing) of Catwoman has changed since her season one appearance, Burt Ward ’s punishment for complaining about his workload, more Gotham City Police incompe...
Feb 16, 2017•1 hr 22 min
In 1943, Columbia released a 15-episode Batman serial to movie theaters. This was during a time when the government was asking Hollywood to tailor its movies to the message the government wanted to send to the public about the war effort, which often resulted in racist images of the Axis Powers , especially Japan . In this episode, Tim and Paul look at all aspects of the serials, and compare and contrast them with the 1966 series. 14:00 the cast 34:18 the serial format 45:44 the story 1:01:29 th...
Feb 02, 2017•2 hr 29 min
“The Zodiac Crimes” -- that three-parter with Joker AND Penguin ! -- is a favorite arc from our childhood that seared itself into our memories — maybe more than we realized! In this episode we look at why this arc stuck with us, and whether it still stands up. What we didn’t appreciate about Zodiac as kids was the campiness, from Penguin using “cologne” to Venus acting as a “sexually-available woman.” Why does Venus seem to contain several characters, and is that good or bad? Also, Paul psychoan...
Jan 19, 2017•1 hr 45 min
When Mad Hatter ’s foppishness is now complete with lisp; when Batman is wearing a pink cowl; when Bruce and Dick are afraid Alfred is going to reveal their “secret” to Aunt Harriet , you know it’s the campiest Batman arc ever! Perhaps too campy; David Wayne ’s portrayal of the Hatter is now so over-the-top, the character seems to be in on the joke. We ask: at this point, has Batman killed camp? Other burning bat-questions: How much does plausibility matter in comedy? With this mid-season two ar...
Jan 05, 2017•1 hr 37 min
We've reached our 50th episode , and reached the point the series was at exactly 50 years ago! So we take a pause this episode, first to discuss the series itself and how it's progressed (or deteriorated!) by this point. Then, at last, we discuss that script we obtained several months ago: Hickery Dickery Doc , by Jay Thompson , extensively revised by Charles Hoffman to become the Impractical Joker arc. This script was written when only the pilot Riddler arc had been filmed; what does it tell us...
Dec 29, 2016•1 hr 56 min
The notorious European criminal Sandman is in town - and he’s teamed up with Catwoman ! But that’s not how writer Ellis St. Joseph had envisioned this episode, which he based on the classic film “ The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari .” He had written a Catwoman-free script, and Michael Rennie wasn’t in it, either! Tim and Paul are joined by cartoonist and podcaster Joe Dator to discuss the crumbling of St. Joseph’s vision; how Batman’s inability to envision switching costumes anywhere other than along t...
Dec 15, 2016•1 hr 55 min
With Batman ’66’s most popular Special Guest Villain still holding out for more money as the show was cutting its budget, it was decided that Fred De Gorter ’s Riddler script “A Penny for your Riddles” should be rewritten to instead feature a new villain: The Puzzler , played by occasional Shakespearean Maurice Evans . A kind listener sent us a PDF of the original Riddler script , so in this episode we take the opportunity to compare the Riddler version to the Puzzler arc that was broadcast, San...
Dec 01, 2016•1 hr 16 min
What does a Lorenzo Semple Jr. Batman script look like? What does it tell us about the contributions he made to the series? His influences in setting the tone for the series? The things he tried to set up that didn’t make it to the screen? In this episode, The Batcave Podcast ’s John S. Drew joins Tim and Paul to look over Semple’s Scripts for Hi Diddle Riddle/Smack in the Middle and Fine Feathered Finks/The Penguin’s a Jinx and examine the evidence regarding Semple’s huge contributions to the s...
Nov 17, 2016•1 hr 36 min
Holy timeslip! West , Ward , and Newmar are back in their 1966 roles in Rick Morales’ Return of the Caped Crusaders ! In this episode, we dig in (in other words, SPOILERS) on the new movie. Does Catwoman ’s “batnip” really make Batman “evil”? Or change him in some other way? How did we process hearing the voices of the three surviving principles 50 years later? Did the animation style fit the feel of the film? Also, scenes that serve multiple purposes in Michael Jelenic and James Tucker ’s well-...
Nov 03, 2016•1 hr 26 min
As Catwoman and Batman get in touch with their feelings over each other (and for some reason, Robin is a factor), our heroes’ Dynamic Duo-ness is challenged by out-of-towners Chad and Jeremy . And Stanley Ralph Ross turns in such a jokey script that the rhyming question must be asked: is this the arc that jumps the shark? Then, our friend Wally Wingert is back! He voiced The Riddler in the new animated movie “The Return of the Caped Crusaders” , and he’s here to talk about it. Finally, a bushel ...
Oct 20, 2016•1 hr 44 min
In December 1966, the “ Penguin’s Nest ” arc was finally broadcast. But it was the first season two arc to be shot; why the delay? We also discuss the 1946 comic book version of this story; Lorenzo Semple ’s gift for making humor from situations, rather than the goofy jokes added by some other Bat-writers; the majesty of Burgess Meredith as the Penguin ; and a swaggering Batman who gets taken down a peg. This arc marks the show’s being bestowed a high honor in sixties TV: The Vito Scotti seal of...
Oct 06, 2016•1 hr 12 min
Batman faces a showdown when Shame arrives in Gotham City! This swaggering cowboy is after… hot rod parts? This somewhat odd arc by Stanley Ralph Ross is full of references to both the old west and drag racing; what’s going on here? Looking at Cliff Robertson ’s first Batman appearance, we also touch on the mysterious Roy Gleason , several ways that times have changed since this one was shot, the problem of the cowboy being a bad guy, and THE one and only Little Old Lady from Pasedena ! Plus: a ...
Sep 29, 2016•1 hr 31 min
Various other Bat-commentaries paint this arc in drab tones. What Carolyn Jones (apparently replacing Zsa Zsa Gabor at something close to the last moment) brings to the role of Marsha, Queen of Diamonds , is basically Morticia Addams with a different look, says conventional wisdom. The arc is full of filler scenes that don’t advance the story, say commentators. In this episode of To the Batpoles , Paul presents a much different view of Marsha , which sees these “filler” scenes as absolutely nece...
Sep 15, 2016•1 hr 45 min
“The Impractical Joker”/“The Joker’s Provokers” is Charles Hoffman ’s rewrite of a draft by Jay Thompson , and it’s a bit of a kludgefest: interesting ideas are introduced and abandoned; Joker ’s strategy and goals (related to keys — sometimes) are a muddled mess; they even botch a chemistry reference. But, as always, there ARE enjoyable nuggets to be found, and Tim and Paul list some of them. Also, admiring a Robin dummy, the problem with a gasoline-sharing Dynamic Duo, and the luscious, distra...
Sep 01, 2016•1 hr 16 min
In his 1994 book Back to the Batcave , Adam West tells… some. Yes, there are recollections of funny things that happened on the set of Batman , a discussion of the development of how the character Batman would be played on the ’66 show, and answers to some lingering questions that have come up on this podcast. On the other hand, his love life recollections tend to be shrouded in anonymity, and mentions of Burt Ward are surprisingly few and neutral. Also, a disturbing number of his assertions are...
Aug 18, 2016•1 hr 36 min
It's Otto Preminger 's turn to be Mr. Freeze ! Why does his version keep saying "wild"? What aspects of this version are better than the George Sanders version, and which are worse (aside from his demeanor on the set)? The script itself has more than its share of head-scratchers, as well as some bits of comedy (and camp ) gold. And, wait... are there references in this arc to the 1940 film His Girl Friday ? This episode, we go up against an in-office blizzard, an arm-injuring explosion, and wors...
Aug 04, 2016•1 hr 7 min
Batman battles it out with the Penguin — at the polls! Who will be voted mayor of Gotham City? In Hizzoner the Penguin and Dizzoner the Penguin , writer Stanford Sherman and director Oscar Rudolph deliver biting political satire (complete with Barry Goldwater references!) — but does the arc’s ending invalidate some of their points? Were Paul Revere and the Raiders , with their appearance here, really the first rock band on a sitcom? Is it a coincidence that so many game show hosts make cameos in...
Jul 21, 2016•1 hr 7 min
As we continue through the series, we notice more and more awesomeness in the Nelson Riddle incidental music- and we also have some questions about it. Pat Evans is working on getting answers to those questions as he does a series of interviews for his documentary film “ The Beat of the Bat ”! We discuss how Riddle’s scoring for the show is more like that of a Warner Brothers cartoon than most live-action shows; how Riddle and Neal Hefti both recycled bits of past music into “new” music that’s m...
Jul 07, 2016•1 hr 16 min
It may be tough to appreciate for us 50 years later, but having Liberace on your show was a big deal in 1966. When he appeared on Batman, it reportedly led to the show’s best ratings ever. Of interest to Tim and Paul is how the show dealt with his alleged homosexuality, writer Lorenzo Semple Jr ’s references to Liberace’s real-life backstory, and what his attempts at acting remind us of. His Bat-appearance was such a big deal that the Dynamic Duo themselves were shoved aside for the first 15 min...
Jun 30, 2016•1 hr 28 min
