Saturday, June 10, 2017

Adam West (1928-2017)

Fans of Batman & Family Guy are in mourning this afternoon.

Adam West, whose crowning television achievement seems to be landing the title role in Batman (1966-8), and found a new career as a voice actor, most recently with a recurring gig on Family Guy as the mayor of fictional Quahog, New Hampshire, has passed away at 88.

West made his film debut in 1959's "The Young Philadelphians". Other film credits, aside from the 1966 "Batman" feature, included "Mara of the Wilderness" and "The Outlaws Is Coming", the latter with the Three Stooges. Prior to Batman, West had appeared on The Detectives, and had done commercials for Kellogg's and Nestle's Quik.

Post-Batman, West had to try to get around the typecasting that came with the part, but headlined a 1969 feature, "The Girl Who Knew Too Much", co-starring Nancy Kwan and Buddy Greco. However, after missing out on a PSA that would've reunited him with Bat-partners Burt Ward & Yvonne Craig, West eventually embraced his, ah, destiny, then moved into cartoons, starting with The New Adventures of Batman (1977).

Of course, with news in comics regarding Batman and a certain feline paramour, I couldn't resist using this clip:



West's passing leaves Ward and 2 of the Catwomen, Julie Newmar & Lee Meriwether, among the major players from Batman still with us. Ward, West, & Newmar had recently done an animated DTV, and West had recorded the sequel before his passing.

Rest in peace, Adam.

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