R.I.P Adam West · 3:09am Jun 11th, 2017
Another iconic figure has been taken from us this day. Adam West, who rose to fame as the actor who played Batman in the 1966-1968 TV show, died Saturday of leukemia, at the age of 88.
While he had some other roles originally, Adam West rose to fame in 1966 when he donned the cape and cowl of the dark night, Batman, for the popular tv show many have credited with saving the Batman comics franchise from cancellation. Co-starring alongside Burt Ward (who played Robin the Boy Wonder), Adam West also starred as Batman in a summer television movie rushed out prior to Season 2 of the tv show. However, popularity of said show soon plummeted, and when it was cancelled in 1968, West struggled to move on and find a suitable role.
Considered for the role of James Bond for 1971's Diamonds Are Forever, West turned down the offer as he believed the role should always be played by someone of British descent. Meanwhile, West maintain a close friendship with Burt Ward that lasted nearly half a century, the two often appearing at conventions together. Adam would return to voice Batman in two Super Friends era cartoons in 1984 and 1985, including an episode involving the death of Batman's parents.
Following a memorable guest appearance in 1992's Batman The Animated Series (in which Adam potrayed a washed up actor struggling to move on from playing a tv crime solver, a nod to his Batman role) in the episode "Beware The Grey Ghost", West established himself for a new generation of fans young and old alike with his agreeing to take on the role of the Mayor of Quanhog in Family Guy in 1999, and Catman in The Fairly Odd Parents in 2001. West returned one last time to voice Batman, in last year's Batman: Return of The Caped Crusader, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the show.
There's no denying that Adam West had quite the legacy, whether you knew him as Batman, or his more recent roles. He may not have been the most serious Batman out there, or the most action experienced, but in a lot of ways he made up for it with his own charm and simple beliefs for a simpler time. May his legacy forever live on in the hearts of Bat fan everywhere.
He was one of the best
4567747 Indeed he was.
This is sad news, while I don't know him as Batman but I do know as Mayor West from Family Guy, he be greatly missed
"West returned one last time to voice Batman, in last year's Batman: Return of The Caped Crusader, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the show."
Actually, it turns out there will be a sequel to that film coming out later this year called Batman Vs. Two-Face which is slated to be Adam West's official final performance as the Dark Knight. Regardless, it is tragic to lose such a memorable icon. He was one of the funniest characters on Family Guy. No doubt the show staff are gonna retire his character like they're also most likely going to do with Carrie Fisher's own character, Angela.
4567802 Huh, I guess Adam managed to record his lines in time for the sequel. No doubt it'll be dedicated in his memory.
4567805
No doubt about that. I also wouldn't be surprised if Burt Ward decided to retire from his iconic role of Robin for good after West's death as he felt it just wouldn't be the same starring in a Batman project without him.
I actually got to meet Adam West at a con last year. I even got my picture taken with him, along with Burt Ward and the batmobile. Adam West is the reason I became a Batman fan and he will be greatly missed.
4567811 He probably will, since he and Adam were so close.
Yeah... West was a Nerd Icon. He played the Batman when it was a time it was impossible to take him seriously, with all the weirdness of the Silver Age. Without him, we wouldn't have the Dark Knight, the Killing Joke, BATS and so forth. I may only know him from Batman, but I do salute his other roles.
4567984
Okay, so it turns out Batman Vs. Two-Face is in post-production and may get released around early 2018.