On January 12th of 1966, the world was given the gift of Batman's first television series. The show was created and narrated by William Dozier. To this day, the 1960's Batman show is my favorite show to star Batman. Although several great things have been done with the franchise, Adam West's Batman is the definitive one in my heart. The Batman show featured several iconic heroes and villains from the comics, but it also added several new characters. This article is about the best creations that the 1960's show gave us.
Chief O'Hara (played by Stafford Repp)
Chief O'Hara was a character that appeared throughout the show, but he wasn't from the comics. Out of all of the characters that were created for the series, Chief O'Hara was the one that appeared the most often. Chief O'Hara was a prominent member of Gotham's police force. Since the city of Gotham relies on Batman to always save them, Chief O'Hara might not seem like an important character. However, his lack of importance is what makes him such a funny part of the supporting cast. Chief O'Hara seemed to have good intentions, but he lacked ambition, competence and just about everything a hardworking hero should have. His laziness and lack of wit make him a really funny addition to the show.
Barbara Gordon's Batgirl (played by Yvonne Craig)
Before the show came out, there was a Batgirl in the comics. However, it wasn't the Barbara Gordon version of Batgirl. The original Batgirl was the niece of Batwoman who had a crush on Robin. That version of Batgirl ended up not being very popular. The Barbara Gordon version of Batgirl came about thanks to the people working on the show and the people working on the comics coming together to make a new female character for the franchise. Batgirl, the daughter of Commissioner Gordon, served as a role-model for young girls. At the time, there weren't that many female superheroes, so this show's Batgirl was an important step in giving the female audience some representation. An important thing to note about this Batgirl is that she wasn't a sidekick. Batgirl worked independently, which is something that helped her stand out. This version of Batgirl became very popular. She ended up becoming a prominent character in cartoons and comics. Also, she's going to be getting her own film.
King Tut (played by Victor Buono)
Out of the villains that were created for the show, King Tut was the villain that appeared the most. King Tut was a professor who believed he was King Tut whenever he got knocked on the head. Unlike a lot of the other villains, King Tut could be seen as sympathetic, because he only acted like a villain when he was under the false delusion that he was the real King Tut. As a professor, he was a friendly, shy man. In addition to being one of the most likable villains in the show, he was also one of the funniest. Victor Buono's passionate, exaggerated way of acting was incredibly entertaining. King Tut's popularity is believed to be the reason that Maxie Zeus was created. Maxie Zeus was a villain in the comics, who premiered shortly after the show ended, that acted a lot like King Tut. Also, King Tut ended up being the main antagonist of a comics storyline where Batman and Riddler have to solve a mystery.
Egghead (played by Vincent Price)
There were very few actors that were more perfect candidates to play a villain in 60's Batman than Vincent Price. Before the series had come out, Vincent Price had already played several captivating villains in various films in the 50's and 60's. Having Vincent Price play a Batman villain was a brilliant decision. Vincent Price was such a master of villainy that he could have played just about any Batman villain. However, instead of being cast as one of the villains from the comics, he was cast as Egghead. Egghead was a villain whose name came about because of his brilliant mind and love of eggs. Having one of the greatest actors of all time play an egg-themed villain might sound like a bad idea. However, the writers and Vincent Price managed to make Egghead a great addition to the show. Yes, Egghead's gimmick was absurd, but he was such a good mastermind that he managed to figure out Batman's identity. Vincent Price's extremely enthusiastic performance made Egghead one of the most charming foes that Batman ever fought. Quite possibly the best thing about Egghead was how humble his actor was. Vincent Price wasn't ashamed or embarrassed to be playing a villain that was obsessed with eggs. In fact, he was honored to get to be in the show.
Mr. Freeze (played by George Sanders)
Whether or not the show created Mr. Freeze is something that's open to debate. Before the show came out, there was a character in the comics with an ice gimmick. However, that character was named Mr. Zero. If nothing else, Mr. Freeze's thing came about because of the show. However, I personally believe that the show did more than just give the character a new name. Mr. Zero was an evil scientist who became a supervillain, because he was being klutzy and accidentally messed with some dangerous chemicals that led to his ice gimmick. In the show, Mr. Freeze's condition came about through a fight he had with Batman. Because of this, Batman was unintentionally responsible for what happened to Mr. Freeze. Granted, Mr. Freeze was already a villain before the accident and became even more villainous after the accident, but he was still one of the most sympathetic villains in the series. Batman even felt guilty about the situation. In the comics, Mr. Zero was an obscure rogue. Thanks to the TV show, Mr. Freeze became a big part of Batman's gallery of villains. Later on, Mr. Freeze exploded in popularity after appearing in Batman: The Animated Series. However, that version, as well as all the other versions of Mr. Freeze, wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for this show. Although Mr. Freeze was played by three different actors in the series, George Sanders was the most influential version of the character.
Marsha, Queen of Diamonds (played by Carolyn Jones)
Carolyn Jones, who played Morticia Addams in The Addams Family, played Marsha, Queen of Diamonds. Marsha was a fancy, mischievous villain who wanted to marry Batman. Her plan didn't end up working out. However, she ended up returning to the show. When she came back, she was working with Penguin. The Penguin, who had become a film director, wanted to have Marsha star in a film with Batman. With assistance from Aunt Hilda, a witch who was played by Estelle Winwood, Marsha was a charming, unique addition to the show. Whether she was working on her own or with the Penguin, she was a captivating character. Carolyn Jones' excellent performance gave the character a lot of personality and enthusiasm.
Zelda, the Great and Olga, Queen of the Cossacks (both played by Anne Baxter)
Zelda was a magician who got wrapped into a villain's scheme, while Olga was the woman that Egghead got engaged to. While Zelda and Olga don't have that much in common, they do share the honor of being played by Anne Baxter. Zelda was one of the more sympathetic villains in the series. She didn't want to be evil but did bad things because of desperation. At the end of her story, she showed genuine regret for her actions. As for Olga, she may have been a villain, but she was rather progressive for her time. Unlike a lot of other female antagonists, Olga didn't take orders for any men. In fact, she was the one who called the shots in her and Egghead's schemes.
Louie the Lilac (played by Milton Berle)
Louie the Lilac was a gangster who did flower-related crimes. A gangster might seem too serious of a character for this show but making Louie's schemes based around flowers made the character fit in with all of the show's eccentric antagonists. Like a lot of characters in the show, Louie's charm came from the fact that he didn't realize how silly he truly was. Milton Berle did a great job at making Louie a villain worthy of the show. His eccentric schemes, combined with his purple suit, made him an appealing, stylish antagonist.
The Bookworm (played by Roddy McDowall)
The Bookworm only appeared in one of the show's two-part stories, but that didn't stop him from being one of the show's most memorable villains. Having a villain obsessed with books and writing was a good idea, because of Batman being a well-educated, brilliant detective. With the Bookworm's unique gimmick, as well as his slick suit and personality, he managed to become a villain that really stood out. A lot of the Bookworm's charm came from Roddy McDowall. Roddy McDowall's excellent acting made the Bookworm a treat to watch. Roddy McDowall wanted to return to the show, but for unknown reasons, the Bookworm never returned to the show. However, Roddy McDowall managed to return to the Batman franchise. He voiced the Mad Hatter in various episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, two episodes of The New Batman Adventures and one episode in Superman: The Animated Series.
King Boris and Commodore Schmidlapp (both played by Reginald Denny)
King Boris was a ruler that was kidnapped by the Riddler in the show's first season, while Commodore Schmidlapp was an inventor that the villains were holding hostage in the movie. Both of these characters were memorable and fun, because of Reginald Denny's strong performances. Although both of his characters were very gullible, Reginald Denny gave both characters an earnest sense of charm. King Boris wasn't the brightest of people, but Commodore Schmidlapp was on a whole different level. Throughout the movie, Schmidlapp doesn't even realize that he was being held captive. Also, he didn't seem to find it that weird that the person giving him tea was the Joker. Although Schmidlapp didn't appear that much in the film, he was a very important part of the plot, because the device that the villains used was an invention that was stolen from Schmidlapp. Also, the film has a hilarious sequence where Penguin attempted to trick the Dynamic Duo into thinking that he was Schmidlapp.
Chief O'Hara (played by Stafford Repp)
Chief O'Hara was a character that appeared throughout the show, but he wasn't from the comics. Out of all of the characters that were created for the series, Chief O'Hara was the one that appeared the most often. Chief O'Hara was a prominent member of Gotham's police force. Since the city of Gotham relies on Batman to always save them, Chief O'Hara might not seem like an important character. However, his lack of importance is what makes him such a funny part of the supporting cast. Chief O'Hara seemed to have good intentions, but he lacked ambition, competence and just about everything a hardworking hero should have. His laziness and lack of wit make him a really funny addition to the show.
Barbara Gordon's Batgirl (played by Yvonne Craig)
Before the show came out, there was a Batgirl in the comics. However, it wasn't the Barbara Gordon version of Batgirl. The original Batgirl was the niece of Batwoman who had a crush on Robin. That version of Batgirl ended up not being very popular. The Barbara Gordon version of Batgirl came about thanks to the people working on the show and the people working on the comics coming together to make a new female character for the franchise. Batgirl, the daughter of Commissioner Gordon, served as a role-model for young girls. At the time, there weren't that many female superheroes, so this show's Batgirl was an important step in giving the female audience some representation. An important thing to note about this Batgirl is that she wasn't a sidekick. Batgirl worked independently, which is something that helped her stand out. This version of Batgirl became very popular. She ended up becoming a prominent character in cartoons and comics. Also, she's going to be getting her own film.
King Tut (played by Victor Buono)
Out of the villains that were created for the show, King Tut was the villain that appeared the most. King Tut was a professor who believed he was King Tut whenever he got knocked on the head. Unlike a lot of the other villains, King Tut could be seen as sympathetic, because he only acted like a villain when he was under the false delusion that he was the real King Tut. As a professor, he was a friendly, shy man. In addition to being one of the most likable villains in the show, he was also one of the funniest. Victor Buono's passionate, exaggerated way of acting was incredibly entertaining. King Tut's popularity is believed to be the reason that Maxie Zeus was created. Maxie Zeus was a villain in the comics, who premiered shortly after the show ended, that acted a lot like King Tut. Also, King Tut ended up being the main antagonist of a comics storyline where Batman and Riddler have to solve a mystery.
Egghead (played by Vincent Price)
There were very few actors that were more perfect candidates to play a villain in 60's Batman than Vincent Price. Before the series had come out, Vincent Price had already played several captivating villains in various films in the 50's and 60's. Having Vincent Price play a Batman villain was a brilliant decision. Vincent Price was such a master of villainy that he could have played just about any Batman villain. However, instead of being cast as one of the villains from the comics, he was cast as Egghead. Egghead was a villain whose name came about because of his brilliant mind and love of eggs. Having one of the greatest actors of all time play an egg-themed villain might sound like a bad idea. However, the writers and Vincent Price managed to make Egghead a great addition to the show. Yes, Egghead's gimmick was absurd, but he was such a good mastermind that he managed to figure out Batman's identity. Vincent Price's extremely enthusiastic performance made Egghead one of the most charming foes that Batman ever fought. Quite possibly the best thing about Egghead was how humble his actor was. Vincent Price wasn't ashamed or embarrassed to be playing a villain that was obsessed with eggs. In fact, he was honored to get to be in the show.
Mr. Freeze (played by George Sanders)
Whether or not the show created Mr. Freeze is something that's open to debate. Before the show came out, there was a character in the comics with an ice gimmick. However, that character was named Mr. Zero. If nothing else, Mr. Freeze's thing came about because of the show. However, I personally believe that the show did more than just give the character a new name. Mr. Zero was an evil scientist who became a supervillain, because he was being klutzy and accidentally messed with some dangerous chemicals that led to his ice gimmick. In the show, Mr. Freeze's condition came about through a fight he had with Batman. Because of this, Batman was unintentionally responsible for what happened to Mr. Freeze. Granted, Mr. Freeze was already a villain before the accident and became even more villainous after the accident, but he was still one of the most sympathetic villains in the series. Batman even felt guilty about the situation. In the comics, Mr. Zero was an obscure rogue. Thanks to the TV show, Mr. Freeze became a big part of Batman's gallery of villains. Later on, Mr. Freeze exploded in popularity after appearing in Batman: The Animated Series. However, that version, as well as all the other versions of Mr. Freeze, wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for this show. Although Mr. Freeze was played by three different actors in the series, George Sanders was the most influential version of the character.
Marsha, Queen of Diamonds (played by Carolyn Jones)
Carolyn Jones, who played Morticia Addams in The Addams Family, played Marsha, Queen of Diamonds. Marsha was a fancy, mischievous villain who wanted to marry Batman. Her plan didn't end up working out. However, she ended up returning to the show. When she came back, she was working with Penguin. The Penguin, who had become a film director, wanted to have Marsha star in a film with Batman. With assistance from Aunt Hilda, a witch who was played by Estelle Winwood, Marsha was a charming, unique addition to the show. Whether she was working on her own or with the Penguin, she was a captivating character. Carolyn Jones' excellent performance gave the character a lot of personality and enthusiasm.
Zelda, the Great and Olga, Queen of the Cossacks (both played by Anne Baxter)
Zelda was a magician who got wrapped into a villain's scheme, while Olga was the woman that Egghead got engaged to. While Zelda and Olga don't have that much in common, they do share the honor of being played by Anne Baxter. Zelda was one of the more sympathetic villains in the series. She didn't want to be evil but did bad things because of desperation. At the end of her story, she showed genuine regret for her actions. As for Olga, she may have been a villain, but she was rather progressive for her time. Unlike a lot of other female antagonists, Olga didn't take orders for any men. In fact, she was the one who called the shots in her and Egghead's schemes.
Louie the Lilac (played by Milton Berle)
Louie the Lilac was a gangster who did flower-related crimes. A gangster might seem too serious of a character for this show but making Louie's schemes based around flowers made the character fit in with all of the show's eccentric antagonists. Like a lot of characters in the show, Louie's charm came from the fact that he didn't realize how silly he truly was. Milton Berle did a great job at making Louie a villain worthy of the show. His eccentric schemes, combined with his purple suit, made him an appealing, stylish antagonist.
The Bookworm (played by Roddy McDowall)
The Bookworm only appeared in one of the show's two-part stories, but that didn't stop him from being one of the show's most memorable villains. Having a villain obsessed with books and writing was a good idea, because of Batman being a well-educated, brilliant detective. With the Bookworm's unique gimmick, as well as his slick suit and personality, he managed to become a villain that really stood out. A lot of the Bookworm's charm came from Roddy McDowall. Roddy McDowall's excellent acting made the Bookworm a treat to watch. Roddy McDowall wanted to return to the show, but for unknown reasons, the Bookworm never returned to the show. However, Roddy McDowall managed to return to the Batman franchise. He voiced the Mad Hatter in various episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, two episodes of The New Batman Adventures and one episode in Superman: The Animated Series.
King Boris and Commodore Schmidlapp (both played by Reginald Denny)
King Boris was a ruler that was kidnapped by the Riddler in the show's first season, while Commodore Schmidlapp was an inventor that the villains were holding hostage in the movie. Both of these characters were memorable and fun, because of Reginald Denny's strong performances. Although both of his characters were very gullible, Reginald Denny gave both characters an earnest sense of charm. King Boris wasn't the brightest of people, but Commodore Schmidlapp was on a whole different level. Throughout the movie, Schmidlapp doesn't even realize that he was being held captive. Also, he didn't seem to find it that weird that the person giving him tea was the Joker. Although Schmidlapp didn't appear that much in the film, he was a very important part of the plot, because the device that the villains used was an invention that was stolen from Schmidlapp. Also, the film has a hilarious sequence where Penguin attempted to trick the Dynamic Duo into thinking that he was Schmidlapp.