1966 Batman Movie: Trivia & Casting

Originally planned as the pilot film for the “Batman” TV series, the movie was instead produced between the show’s first and second seasons. The producers took advantage of the larger budget to have a number of new Bat-gadgets constructed, such as the Bat-Boat. Also it helped to promote the series overseas.

The reason why Lee Meriwether took over from Julie Newmar as Catwoman for the movie is a little bit of a mystery. Well I say that as for many years I thought it was because Julie had other film commitments however, many have e-mailed me over the years and told me it was reported that she was suffering from a severe back injury at the time.

Sterling Holloway is listed in the credit list as Col. Terry, all his scenes were, in fact, cut from the film as released. (Scroll down for the full cast/credits list).

The original trailer includes specially-shot footage of the four super villains outlining their plans for the Dynamic Duo. Still frames from these sequences are visible when Batman and Commissioner Gordon watch a closed-circuit TV update on villains at large. The trailer also includes specially-shot footage of Batman and Robin addressing the audience about their first motion picture.

Commodore Schmidlapp was originally called Commodore Redhead.

Originally it was planned for a Penguin exploding umbrella to be used instead of a exploding octopus.

Hecate is the name of Catwoman’s cat.

Sourced from an 2015 post on the 1966 Batman Message Board; Adam West originally wanted $150,000 to appear in the movie (see below for actual finalised salaries). Adam settled on $100,000 providing he was given a lead role worth $125,000 on a non-Batman movie the following year, after the second season of Batman ended. This piece of history was obtained through a message board user named Bob Formanek posting a screenshot/scan of an Fox internal communication from 3rd March 1966. Click here to open a link to view the memo (will open in a new tab).

Gadgets

Here is a list of gadgets used in the movie.

• Instant costume change lever
• Batdrift angle
• Automatic bathold
• Bat-Copter Bat-Camera
• Shark-repellent batspray
• Batradio
• Magnifying bat-lens
• Film development tank
• Navigational aid computer
• Utility belt transmitter
• Batlift (up the the batpoles)
• Lunar Screen
• Anticrime file
• Polarized bat-filter
• Blinding bat-pellets
• Eye retina pattern bat-file
• Drinking water dispenser
• Anti-Penguin-Gas tablets
• Bat-charge weapon
• Super-Molecular Dust Seperator

Who got paid what

Here is a list of the salaries paid to the credited cast and crew. (Sourced from “The Batbook: Revised Edition” written by Joel Eisner)

• Adam West (Batman) -$100,000
• Burt Ward (Robin) – $35,000
• Alan Napier (Alfred) – $3,750
• Neil Hamilton (Commissioner Gordon) – $4,400
• Stafford Repp (Chief O’Hara) – $3,300
• Madge Blake (Aunt Harriet) – $1,250
• Cesar Romero (Joker) – $16,000
• Burgess Meredith (Penguin) – $35,000
• Frank Gorshin (Riddler) – $12,000
• Lee Meriwether (Catwoman) – $10,000
• Gil Perkins (Bluebeard) – $4,000
• Dick Crockett (Morgan) – $2,400
• George Sawaya (Quetch) – $2,000
• Milton Frome (Vice Admiral Fangschliester) – $500
• Reginald Denny (Commodore Schmidlapp) – $1,500
• The voice of United States President – $250
• The Security Council Delegates – $250
• Leslie H. Martinson (Director) – $23,250
• Lorenzo Semple Jr. (Writer) – $50,00

Cast Credited

Adam West
Bruce Wayne/Batman

Burt Ward
Dick Grayson (Robin)

Lee Meriwether
The Catwoman/Comrade

Cesar Romero
The Joker

Burgess Meredith
The Penguin

Frank Gorshin
The Riddler

Alan Napier
Alfred Pennyworth

Neil Hamilton
Commissioner Gordon

Stafford Repp
Chief O’Hara

Madge Blake
Aunt Harriet Cooper

Reginald Denny
Commodore Schmidlapp

Milton Frome
Vice-Adm. Fangschleister

Gil Perkins
Mr. Bluebeard

Dick Crockett
Morgan

George Sawaya
Quetch

Cast Un-Credited

Sterling Holloway
Col. Terry

Del Moore
American Delagate

Wolfe Barzell
Israeli Delegate

Albert Carrier
French Delegate

George Cisar
Man in Window

Maurice Dallimore
United Kingdom Delegate

William Dozier
Narrator (voice)

Gregory Gaye
Soviet Delegate

Jack LaLanne
Himself

Harry Lauter
Mr. Merrick, Times Reporter

George J. Lewis
Spanish Delegate

Charlie Picerni
Guinea Pig #5

Teru Shimada
Japanese Delegate

Fred Stromsoe
Henchman

William Tannen
American Delegate

Ivan Triesault
German Delegate

Van Williams
Voice of the President

Producers

William Dozier
Producer

Charles B. Fitzsimons
Associate Producer

Original Music by:
Neal Hefti (“Batman” theme”)
Nelson Riddle