14 Interesting Facts About the ’60s ‘Batman’ TV Show

Chalk this one up to the productivity of 1960s productivity. Though it only ran for three seasons, 1966 to 1968’s Batman actually produced 120 episodes, putting out more than enough material to make an incredible impact on the generation of children (and more than one adult) who tuned into the series for its bi-weekly and then weekly airings. Those 120 episodes were used in syndication for decades following, endearing new generations of kids to Adam West and the joy of good camp. Though it might not be the most airtight show ever put on the air, Batman has Bam! Pow! Wap! knocked its way into television history. Here are some things you probably didn’t know about TV’s Batman.

1. The Almost CBS ‘Batman’

In the early 1960s, CBS was looking to add to the stable of kiddie heroes it had begun with The Lone Ranger and Superman. They optioned the rights to the popular Batman comic strip and intended to craft something a little more somber (and definitely not starring Adam West). When negotiations stalled, however, ABC executive Yale Udoff pitched an idea for a primetime adventure series that would emulate another series popular at the time: The Man From UNCLE.

2. The Batman N00b

So when ABC got the rights to the series, they gave the rights to 20th Century Fox, who gave production to a fellow named William Dozier. Dozier had somehow managed to get nearly all the way through his entire life up to that point without ever having read a Batman comic. So, when he started doing research for the series, he decided that comics’ most stoic vigilante should be done as a camp comedy.

3. Casting of Batman and Robin

After an extensive casting session, the roles of the two superheroes came down to a choice between Adam West and Burt Ward or Lyle Waggoner — the actor who went on to star as Steve Trevor in Wonder Woman — and Peter Deyell. Fortunately for the former duo, producers liked their take better and West and Ward won the job.