Holy heartbreak, Batman! (Had to say that.)
News came across the wires this morning of the passing of actress-dancer Yvonne Craig, the first actress to play Batgirl, at 78, due to complications resulting from breast cancer.
Yvonne already had an impressive TV & movie resume when producer William Dozier cast her as librarian Barbara Gordon, secretly Batgirl, in season 3 of Batman in 1967, after an intended pilot for a spin-off series failed to sell. She'd already made guest appearances on Perry Mason, The Man From U.N.C.L.E, and The Wild, Wild West, among others, plus movies and commercials, by that point. The resume also includes appearances on The Big Valley and, post-Batman, The Six Million Dollar Man, Star Trek, Emergency!, Love, American Style, and The Courtship of Eddie's Father. Film roles included "Mars Needs Women", with Tommy Kirk, "How To Frame a Figg", with Don Knotts, and 2 pairings with Elvis Presley; "Kissing Cousins" & "It Happened at the World's Fair".
I would imagine that Me-TV, which holds the rights to Star Trek, Emergency!, and a share of Batman, could do a tribute in her honor, but they haven't done that for anyone else of late, so.....! Maybe Svengoolie can favor us with "Mars Needs Women".
Anyway, rather than do the obvious and pull something from Batman, we'll turn the dial back to 1958, and a clip from Perry Mason, which would also be the first time Yvonne would share the screen with Neil Hamilton, who'd later play her father on Batman.
Rest in peace, Yvonne. We'll miss you.
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