Godspeed Mickey Rooney

Legendary actor Mickey Rooney died yesterday, 6 April 2014. He was 93 years old.

Mickey Rooney was born Jospeh Yule Jr. in Brooklyn on 23 September 1920. His father was vaudeville comedian Joe Yule, who would later go onto appear in the "Jiggs and Maggie" movie series. His mother, Nellie, was also a vaudeville performer. Mickey Rooney began his career in entertainment when he was only 17 months old, appearing in his parents' vaudeville act.  His parents eventually divorced and his mother took him to Hollywood. Young Mickey Rooney made his film debut in the short "Not to Be Trusted" under the name "Mickey McBran" when he was only six years old.

It was around 1927 that cartoonist Fontaine Fox advertised for a boy to play the role of Mickey McGuire (one of the characters from his comic strip Toonerville Folks) in a series of live action films. Young Mickey Rooney was cast in the role. Beginning in 1927 with Orchids and Ermine, young Mickey Rooney appeared as Mickey McGuire in 78 different "Mickey McGuire"comedies. He played the role until the mid-Thirties. It was in 1932 that he adopted the stage name by which he would become famous. That  year his mother wanted to take him on a tour of vaudeville theatres as Mickey McGuire. Fontaine Fox objected to this and as a result he became "Mickey Rooney". Starting in 1939 Mr. Rooney took over the voice of the animated character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. He continued providing the voice until 1932.

In the early to mid Thirties Mickey Rooney played other roles than those of Mickey McGuire and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. He also appeared in such films as The Beast of the City (1932), Sin's Pay Day (1932), Fast Companions (1932), Officer Thirteen (1932), The Big Cage (1933), The Life of Jimmy Dolan (1933), Broadway to Hollywood (1933), Half a Sinner (1934), and Blind Date (1934).

It was in 1934 that Mickey Rooney signed with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. His first film with MGM was Manhattan Melodrama in 1934. In the film he played Clark Gable's character as a boy. Over the next few years he appeared in the films Reckless (1935), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935). Ah, Wilderness! (1935),  and Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936). It was in 1937 that Mickey Rooney first appeared in what might be his most famous role, that of Andy Hardy in the film the film A Family Affair. A Family Affair proved to be immensely popular, particularly because of young Mr. Rooney in the role of teenager Andy Hardy. The film's success would lead to an entire series of "Andy Hardy' films. Thirteen more "Andy Hardy" films were made between 1937 and 1946, with one more film made in 1958.

 It was also in 1937 that Mickey Rooney made his first film with an actress who would become a frequent co-star in his movies. The film was Thoroughbreds Don't Cry (1937) and the actress was Judy Garland. In the late Thirties Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney appeared together in Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938), Babes in Arms (1939), Andy Hardy Meets Debutante (1940), and Strike Up the Band (1940). In the late Thirties Mickey Rooney also appeared in the films Captains Courageous (1937), Slave Ship (1937), Live, Love and Learn (1937), Love Is a Headache (1938), Boys Town (1938), The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1939), Young Tom Edison (1940), and Rodeo Dough (1940).

Mickey Rooney was at the height of his career in the late Thirties and early Forties. He was the top box office earning star for the years 1939, 1940, and 1941 according to Quigley Publishing's annual Top Ten Money Making Stars Poll. He continued making the popular "Andy Hardy" films well into the Forties. He also made three more films with popular co-star Judy Garland:  Babes on Broadway (1941), Girl Crazy (1943), and Words and Music (1948). He appeared in such films as Men of Boys Town (1941), A Yank at Eton (1942), The Human Comedy (1943), National Velvet (1944), Killer McCoy (1947), Summer Holiday (1948), The Big Wheel (1949), Quicksand (1950), The Fireball (1950), and He's a Cockeyed Wonder (1950). During World War II he served in the United States Army. He earned the Army Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and World War II Victory Medal. Mr. Rooney also entertained the troops in both the United States and Europe during and following the war.

By the Fifties Mickey Rooney's career had declined from its height in the late Thirties and early Forties, although he still appeared frequently in films. During the Fifties Mr. Rooney appeared in such films as My Outlaw Brother (1951), The Strip (1951), Sound Off (1952), All Ashore (1953), Off Limits (1953), A Slight Case of Larceny (1953), The Atomic Kid (1954), The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954), The Twinkle in God's Eye (1955), The Bold and the Brave (1956), Francis in the Haunted House (1956), Magnificent Roughnecks (1956), Operation Mad Ball (1957), Baby Face Nelson (1957), A Nice Little Bank That Should Be Robbed (1958), The Big Operator (1959), The Private Lives of Adam and Eve (1960), and Platinum High School (1960). In 1958 Mickey Rooney appeared in one last Andy Hardy film, Andy Hardy Comes Home (1958).

It was in the Fifties that Mickey Rooney made his television debut in 1952 in an episode of Celanese Theatre. He had his own sitcom, The Mickey Rooney Show, from 1954 to 1955. He also guest starred on The Milton Berle Show, The Colgate Comedy Hour, Schlitz Theatre, Playhouse 90, Producer's Showcase, December Bride, The Phil Silvers Show, Wagon Train, and G.E. Theatre. Mr. Rooney also appeared on stage in a production of Sailor Beware.

The Sixties saw Mickey Rooney appear frequently on television. He had another sitcom, Mickey, which ran from 1964 to 1965. In 1964 he appeared as a guest on two episodes of The Judy Garland Show. He also guest starred on such shows as Checkmate, Hennesey, Naked City, Frontier Circus, The Dick Powell Theatre, The Jack Benny Programme, Alcoa Premiere, Pete and Gladys, The Twilight Zone, Burke's Law, Rawhide, The Ed Sullivan Show, Combat, The Lucy Show, The Fugitive, The Hollywood Palace, The Dean Martin Comedy Hour, The Jean Arthur Show, and The Red Skelton Show. He provided the voice of Santa Claus for the classic Rankin/Bass Christmas special Santa Claus is Comin' to Town (1970).

During the Sixties Mr. Rooney appeared in such films as King of the Roaring 20's: The Story of Arnold Rothstein (1961), Everything's Ducky (1961), Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962), It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963), The Secret Invasion (1964), Twenty-Four Hours to Kill (1965), How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965), Ambush Bay (1966), L'arcidiavolo (1966), Vienna (1968), Skidoo (1968), The Extraordinary Seaman (1969), The Comic (1969), 80 Steps to Jonah (1969), and Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County (1970). He appeared on stage in productions of The Tunnel of Love, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and The Odd Couple.

The Seventies saw Mickey Rooney appear in such films as The Manipulator (1971), Richard (1972), Pulp (1972), The Godmothers (1973), Thunder County (1974), Ace of Hearts (1975), From Hong Kong with Love (1975), Rachel's Man (1976), Find the Lady (1976), The moon and a murmur (1977), The Domino Principle (1977), Pete's Dragon (1977), The Magic of Lassie (1978), Arabian Adventure (1979), and The Black Stallion (1979).  Mr. Rooney appeared frequently on television. He reprised the voice of Santa Claus in the Rankin/Bass specials The Year Without a Santa Claus and Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July. He guest starred on the shows Dan August, NBC Follies, Night Gallery, The Hollywood Squares, and The Merv Griffin Show. He appeared in the TV movie Evil Roy Slade. He appeared on stage in productions of Three Goats and a Blanket, Hide and Seek, W.C., See How They Run, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Sugar, and Alimony. He appeared on Broadway in Sugar Babies.

In the Eighties Mickey Rooney starred on the short lived sitcom One of the Boys. He guest starred on such shows as The Love Boat, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Colour, and The Golden Girls. He appeared in the TV movies Bill, Bill: On His Own, O'Malley, and Home for Christmas. He provided the voice of Tod in the animated feature film The Fox and the Hound (1981) and Flip in the animated film Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1989). He appeared in Odyssey of the Pacific (1982), Lightning, the White Stallion (1986), and Erik the Viking (1989). He appeared on stage in Show Boat, The Laugh's On Me, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and The Sunshine Boys.

In the Nineties Mickey Rooney starred on the TV show The New Adventures of the Black Stallion. He guest starred on such shows as Jack's Place; Murder, She Wrote; Full House; Kung Fu: The Legend Continues; Conan; and ER. He provided the voice of Talbut in the animated series Kleo the Misfit Unicorn. He appeared in such films as La vida láctea (1992), Maximum Force (1992), The Legend of Wolf Mountain (1992), Making Waves (1994), Outlaws: The Legend of O.B. Taggart (1994), Revenge of the Red Baron (1994), Killing Midnight (1997), The Face on the Barroom Floor (1998), Sinbad: The Battle of the Dark Knights (1998), Babe: Pig in the City (1998), and The First of May (1999). He appeared on Broadway in The Will Rogers Follies and elsewhere on stage in Lend Me a Tenor, The Mind with the Naughty Man,  Crazy for You, and The Wizard of Oz.

From the Naughts into the Teens Mickey Rooney appeared in such films as Topa Topa Bluffs (2002), The Last Confederate: The Story of Robert Adams (2005), Night at the Museum (2006), The Yesterday Pool (2007), Wreck the Halls (2008), Lost Stallions: The Journey Home (2008), Saddle Up with Dick Wrangler & Injun Joe (2009), Gerald (2010), Now Here (2010), Bamboo Shark (2011), Night Club (2011), The Muppets (2011), Driving Me Crazy (2012), The Voices from Beyond (2012), and The Woods (2012). Reportedly Mr. Rooney has a cameo in the upcoming Night at the Museum 3.

Today when people think of Mickey Rooney they inevitably think of him as either Andy Hardy in his younger years or a lovable curmudgeon in his later years. And there is no doubt that he was very good in these roles. If Mr. Rooney's Thirties and Forties vehicles in which he played a teenager and his later films as a congenial, if occasionally cranky, oldster are popular, it is perhaps because of Mr. Rooney's sterling performances in them. That having been said, Mickey Rooney was so much more than Danny Churchill in Girl Crazy and Gus in Night at the Museum. He played many more roles than the All-American teenager or elderly gentleman.

Indeed, many people don't realise that Mickey Rooney starred in a few films noirs in the late Forties and early Fifties. What is more, he sometimes played roles in film noir that were as far from Andy Hardy as one could get. In The Strip (1951) Mickey Rooney played a Korean War veteran (with a good deal of psychological baggage) turned night club drummer who becomes involved with a gangster running a numbers racket. Even further away from Andy Hardy is Baby Face Nelson, in which Mr. Rooney played the lead role. As Baby Face Nelson one would never think Mickey Rooney made his name playing the All-American teenager. Mr. Rooney's Nelson is angry, violent, and homicidal.  Mickey Rooney excelled in the few films noirs he made, proving that he could play much more than Andy Hardy or Gus.

Of course, one does not have to watch his films noirs for examples of Mickey Rooney's good performances beyond playing teenagers and old men. Mickey Rooney made frequent appearances on television in the Fifties and Sixties, often playing characters quite different from those he had played in his best known films. In the Checkmate episode "The Paper Killer" Mr. Rooney played a cartoonist with a giant ego and an unhealthy dose of paranoia. In the Combat! episode "Silver Service" he played a truck driver in the Army who runs a crooked dice game. In the Kraft Suspense Theatre "The Hunt" Mickey Rooney played a homicidal small town sheriff who lets his prisoners escape simply so he can hunt them down and kill them. One of his best television performances was in two episodes of  Wagon Train in which Mr. Rooney played Samuel T. Evans. Evans was actually very close to the sorts of characters he had played in films (bungling and a little bit goofy), but Mr. Rooney made the role unique.

While Mickey Rooney may be best remembered for Andy Hardy and similar roles, as well playing lovable old men in later years, the truth is that he played a number of different roles throughout his career, some of which were quite different from young Andy. What is more he gave a number of great performances throughout his career. While Mickey Rooney was a leading man for much of his career, in reality he may perhaps be best considered a character actor. After all, such was Mr. Rooney's talent that he could play a typical American teenager (in his younger years), a kindly old grandfather (in his older years), a swindler, a neurotic, or a homicidal maniac and do all of them well. 

Richard Coogan R.I.P.

Richard Coogan, who was the original Captain Video and starred in the TV Western The Californians, died on 12 March 2014. He was 99 years old.

Richard Coogan was born on 4 April 1914 in Short Hills, New Jersey. He worked as an announcer and news anchor on radio for a time before taking up acting. He made his debut on Broadway in Alice in Arms in 1945. In the Forties he went on to appear in the productions Skipper Next to God, Strange Bedfellows, S. S. Glencairn, and Diamond Lil. He made his television debut in 1945 in a production of The Front Page. It was in 1949 that he was cast as Captain Video in Captain Video and His Video Rangers. Mr. Coogan left Captain Video and His Video Rangers in December 1950, having become frustrated with the show's extremely low production values.

In the Fifties Richard Coogan was the star of the short lived TV series The Californians and a regular on the soap operas Love of Life and The Clear Horizon. He also guest starred on such shows as Robert Montgomery Presents, The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse, Suspense, Wichita Town, Bronco, Sugarfoot, 77 Sunset Strip, Maverick,  and Cheyenne. He appeared in the films Girl on the Run (1953), Three Hours to Kill (1954), The Revolt of Mamie Stover (1956), and Vice Raid (1960). He appeared on Broadway in The Rainmaker.

In the Sixties Mr. Coogan guest starred on The Loretta Young Show, Bonanza, Surfside 6, Perry Mason, Laramie, and Bonanza. He retired from acting in 1963. Afterwards he was both a professional golfer and a golf instructor.

Although Richard Coogan was perhaps best known for his heroic roles such as Captain Video and Marshal Wayne on The Californians, he was a versatile actor who play a wide variety of roles. He played a wide variety of roles in his guest appearances on various TV shows, from preachers to doctors to Cole Younger in an episode of Bronco. What is more, he did all of them quite well. Richard Coogan was quite simply an actor who defied typecasting. He had the looks of a leading man, but could play nearly any role given him.

Kate O'Mara R.I.P.

Kate O'Mara, who played The Rani on Doctor Who and was a regular on the TV shows The Brothers and Howards' Way, died on 30 March 2014 at the age of 74. She also appeared in such Hammer films as The Vampire Lovers (1970) and Horror of Frankenstein (1970)

Kate O'Mara was born Frances Meredith Carroll on 10 August 1939 in Leicester, England. She was the daughter of actress Hazel Bainbridge and RAF flying instructor John F. Carroll. Her younger sister, Belinda Carroll, also went into acting. Miss O'Mara attended art school for a time before taking up acting.

Kate O'Mara made her film debut in 1956 in Home and Away under the name "Merrie Carroll". She made her stage debut in 1963 in The Merchant of Venice. She made her television debut in an episode of Emergency-Ward 10. During the Sixties she appeared in such TV shows as Danger Man, Gaslight Theatre, No Hiding Place, Court Martial, Adam Adamant Lives!, Mogul, The Saint, The Avengers, Z Cars, The Main Chance, and Department S. She appeared in such films as Promenade (1968), Carnage (1968), Great Catherine (1968), The Limbo Line (1968), The Desperados (1969), The Vampire Lovers (1970), and The Horror of Frankenstein (1970). She appeared on stage in such productions as The Rivals at The Welsh Theatre Company, The Italian Girl at the Wyndham's Theatre, and The Spoils of Poynton at the Mayfair Theatre.

In the Seventies she was a regular on the TV show The Brothers. She also appeared on such TV shows as ITV Saturday Theatre, The Persuaders, Jason King, The Pathfinders, The Dick Emery Show, The Protectors, and Return of The Saint. She appeared in such films as The Tamarind Seed (1974), Whose Child Am I? (1976), and An Unknown Friend (1978) .She appeared on stage in such productions as Suddenly at Home at the Fortune Theatre, Blithe Spirit at the Bristol Old Vic, Loves Labour's Lost at the Thorndike Theatre, The Taming of the Shrew at the Ludlow Festival, and Misalliance at The Birmingham Rep.

In the Eighties she played the role of The Rani in the Doctor Who serials "The Marl of The Rani" and "Time and The Rani". She had regular roles on the TV shows Triangle, Dynasty, and Howard's Way. She also appeared on the TV shows Dempsey and Makepeace and Cluedo. She appeared on stage in such productions as Much Ado About Nothing at the New Shakespeare Company,  The Taming of the Shrew at the Nottingham Playhouse\New Shakespeare Company, Macbeth at the Mercury Theatre, King Lear at the Compass Theatre, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.

From the Nineties into the Naughts she appeared on such TV shows as The New Adventures of Robin Hood, Bad Girls, Family Affairs, Crossroads, Doctors, and Benidorm. She played Patsy's conniving sister Jackie in two episodes of Absolutely Fabulous. She provided voices for the animated films Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. She appeared in the film The Road to Ithaca (1999). She appeared on stage in such productions as Cain at the Chichester Festival, My Cousin Rachel at the English Theatre in Vienna, Twelfth Night at the Haymarket Theatre in Basingstoke, Colombe at the Salisbury Playhouse, The Marquise at the Mercury Theatre, and Lord Arthur Saville's Crime at the Mercury Theatre.

Kate O'Mara wrote two novels: When She Was Bad and Good Time Girl. 

Kate O'Mara was best known for playing villainous characters. The Rani on Doctor Who and Jackie Stone on Absolutely Fabulous were typical of her output on television and in films She was very good at playing femmes fatales, but that was hardly the limit of her talent. On stage she played everything from Elvira in Blithe Spirit  to  Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing. In 2008 she received rave reviews for her role as Marlene Dietrich in Lunch with Marlene at the New End in Hampstead, London. While film and television casting directors seemed content to cast her as vamps, Kate O'Mara was a talented actress who could play a good number of other roles as well.

Sir Alec Guinness' 100th Birthday

It was 100 years ago today that Sir Alec Guinness was born. Today many people are probably most familiar with Sir Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi from the original Star Wars trilogy. In some respects this is sad, as Mr. Guinness appeared in many other films in what was a very long career. He was a very talented actor who appeared in a large variety of films, from dramas to comedies to epics. Indeed, while he was great as Obi-Wan Kenobi, many other roles come to my mind when I think of Sir Alec Guinness.

Sir Alec Guinness was born Alec Guinness de Cuffe on 2 April 1914 in Maida Vale, Paddington, London. His first job was writing advertising copy. It was while he was still working in advertising that he studied acting at the Fay Compton Studio of Dramatic Art. He made his stage debut when he was only twenty years old in Edward Wooll's play Libel at the the old King's Theatre in Hammersmith. His film debut occurred in the same year, as part of a concert audience in the film Evensong (1934).  In 1936 he signed with the Old Vic in London. It was in 1939 that Sir Alec Guinness staged an adaptation of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. During World War II Sir Alec Guinness served in the Royal Navy.

Sir Alec Guinness received his first credited role in Great Expectations in 1946. The film's director David Lean had seen Mr. Guinness' stage production of Great Expectations in 1939 and as a result cast Mr. Guinness in the part he had played on stage, that of Herbert Pocket. He then played Fagin in David Lean's version of Oliver Twist in 1948 and eight different members of the D'Ascoyne family in Kind Hearts and Coronets in 1949. Already established as an actor on the stage, Sir Alec Guinness was now an established film actor as well.

It should be little wonder that Sir Alec Guinness would have a film career as his talent was obvious from the beginning. One need look no further than Kind Hearts and Coronets for an example of just how great Sir Alec Guinness was. In the film Mr. Guinness played eight different roles, even that of Lady Agatha D'Ascoyne. While none of the parts were very large, every single member of the  D'Ascoyne family not only acted differently, but looked differently. Sir Alec Guinness gave bravura performances in the roles where many actors would have been intimidated by taking on so many parts.

Of course, Sir Alec Guinness' incredible acting in Kind Hearts and Coronets points to something that is often forgotten today. Mr. Guinness was a master of comedy. In fact, when I think of Sir Alec Guinness it is not as Obi-Wan Kenobi, but instead as Professor Marcus in The Ladykillers (1955). Mr. Guinness gives what may be his best performance of his career as master criminal Marcus, who becomes progressively more unbalanced as the movie unfolds. The fact that Sir Alec Guinness shines alongside such heavyweights as Herbert Lom, Cecil Parker, and Peter Sellers (who all gave incredible performances) is a testament to his gift for comedy. Sir Alec Guinness had given an equally fantastic performance in the earlier Ealing comedy, The Lavender Hill Mob (1951). Beyond the fact that both mastermind crimes, Henry Holland in The Lavender Hill Mob has very little in common with Professor Marcus. In fact, Holland is something of a milquetoast who is entirely dull and unthreatening. Sir Alec Guinness was wholly believable in the role, making Holland entirely sympathetic.

While I honestly believe Sir Alec Guinness' best roles were in comedies, he was one of those actors who excelled in drama as well. Indeed, even though William Holden and Jack Hawkins were billed above him, there can be little doubt that The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) is Sir Alec Guinness' film. Mr. Guinness was marvellous as the uncompromising, extremely disciplined Lieutenant Colonel Nicholson. So great was his performance in the role that Sir Alec Guinness won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

As great as Sir Alec Guinness' performance was in The Bridge on the River Kwai, however, it may be matched or even surpassed by his performances in The Scapegoat (1958).  Mr. Guinness once more played multiple roles, although it was only two this time. That having been said, the two roles were both leads. He played the hero John Barratt, a timid teacher on holiday in France, and the villain Count Jacques de Gué (who just happens to be Barratt's exact double). The two men could not be more different. Indeed, de Gué is as cold hearted and selfish as Barratt is kind hearted and charitable. Tasked with the job of juggling two very different roles, Sir Alec Guinness excels in both of them.

Of course, The Scapegoat points to the fact that Sir Alec Guinness could play villains very well, although he rarely did. One of his most notable roles would also be one of his earliest. As Fagin in David Lean's Oliver Twist Mr. Guinness was wonderful. His Fagin is suitably cruel and even threatening, yet at the same time Mr. Guinness endowed him with a pathos and humour sorely lacking in other portrayals of the character on screen.

Sir Alec Guinness' performance as Fagin in The Scapegoat points to a particular gift that the actor had which few others did. Quite simply, Sir Alec Guinness could transform himself into nearly any character he wished. Sir Alec Guinness was only 34 years old when he played Fagin, yet through a combination of make up and sheer acting talent he turned himself into a much older man. Sir Alec Guinness chameleon-like talent to turn himself into characters quite unlike himself served him well throughout his career. Over the course of five decades he played famous literary detective Father Brown (in Father Brown from 1954), the historical figure of Prince Faisal (in Lawrence of Arabia in 1962), Adolf Hitler (in Hitler: The Last Ten Days from 1973), and  John le Carré's fictional spy George Smiley (in television adaptations of  Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley's People). While many actors can only play a specific type of role, Sir Alec Guinness could play almost anything.

While he may now be best known as Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars, Sir Alec Guinness was so much more. In a long career he played several notable roles, most of them dramatically different from each other. Indeed, few actors could ever play multiple roles in a film and be as convincingly as Sir Alec Guinness was. Few actors could entirely change their appearance and give a great performance at the same time. If Sir Alec Guinness is still a legend 100 years after his birth, it is perhaps because he was a very singular talent.

Batman Turns 75 Part Three: Television, Radio, and Other Media

This past Sunday, 30 March 2014, marked 75 years since Batman's first appearance in Detective Comics #27, May 1939. Almost immediately following his first appearance he became one of the most popular superheroes of the Golden Age. His popularity would fluctuate over the years, but since the late Eighties it seems quite possible that he could be the most popular superhero in the world, having long ago surpassed Superman for the title. Batman would not only be popular in comic books,but would eventually conquer film as well. The movies The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises both rank in the top twenty of the highest grossing films worldwide. Not surprisingly, Batman would conquer other media as well, including radio, books, video games, and most notably television.

Indeed, many people may well remember Batman best from television. It was on 12 January 1966 that the TV show Batman debuted on ABC. It was a hit upon its debut receiving a phenomenal 27.3/49 rating in the Nielsens. In the following weeks its success grew until it was an outright fad. For much of 1966 it was impossible to not to go through a day without hearing something about the Caped Crusader.

Of course, what is not as well known is that the Batman TV series of the Sixties was not the first attempt to bring the Caped Crusader to the small screen. It was around 1964 that Ed Graham Productions (best known for producing the Saturday morning cartoon Linus the Lionhearted) bought an option on a Batman TV series from National Periodical Publications (the company now known as DC Comics). A Batfan in his youth, Ed Graham planned a straightforward adventure series for children starring Batman, not unlike the Fifties show The Adventures of Superman. Former NFL linebacker Mike Henry, who would go onto play Tarzan in three films, was even set to play the Caped Crusader. In March 1965 Ed Graham Productions very nearly closed a deal with CBS for the Batman series, but negotiations soon broke down. It would be Ed Graham's last real chance to launch a Batman TV series, as others would develop their own ideas for a TV series starring the Caped Crusader.

In early 1965 all fifteen chapters of the serial The Batman (1943) were edited together and released as An Evening with Batman and Robin. An Evening with Batman and Robin proved somewhat successful, playing at art theatres and in college towns alike. Among the places it was screened was the the Playboy Mansion in Chicago. It was at the Playboy Mansion that East Coast ABC executive Yale Udoff saw An Evening with Batman and Robin. A Batman fan when he was young, Mr. Udoff contacted  West Coast ABC executives Harve Bennett and Edgar J. Scherick. Messrs. Bennett and Scherick were already considering a television show based on a comic strip, comic book, or radio show. The three of them decided to go forward with a Batman TV show, which at the time they conceived  a serious but tongue in cheek series along the lines of the then popular Man From U.N.C.L.E.

ABC contacted the studio 20th Century Fox about producing a Batman series. 20th Century Fox turned to William Dozier and his company Greenway Productions to actually produce the series. Together they bought an option to produce a Batman series from National Periodical Publications. While ABC conceived Batman as a serious but tongue and cheek series, William Dozier developed other ideas. William Dozier read a few Batman comic books and decided that there was little chance of adults taking a show about a man dressed up as a bat seriously. It was then that he decided to take a different approach to the show. Quite simply, Batman would be a comedy.

To develop the show William Dozier hired Lorenzo Semple Jr. Mr. Semple developed Batman so that it would work on two levels. For adults it would be a spoof of superhero conventions, complete with extremely strait-laced heroes, over the top villains, and incredible death traps. For children it would be an adventure show, complete with, well, extremely strait-laced heroes, over the top villains, and incredible death traps. It was Lorenzo Semple Jr. who refined the show's pop art sensibility and high camp approach. In its first two seasons Batman aired twice a week (once on Wednesday and once on Thursday), with the Wednesday night episode ending in a cliffhanger that would be resolved on the Thursday night episode.

Adam West was cast in the role of Batman. Mr. West had guest starred on several Western TV shows in the Fifties and had a regular role on The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor. The role of Robin went to a total unknown at the time, Burt Ward, who had no experience acting. Other roles on the show would be filled by film and television veterans: Alan Napier as Alfred, Neil Hamilton as Commissioner Gordon, and Stafford Repp as Chief O'Hara. The villains on Batman would be played by some of the biggest names in show business: Frank Gorshin as The Riddler, Burgess Meredith as The Penguin, Caesar Romero as The Joker, Julie Newmar as Catwoman, and so on.

As mentioned earlier Batman proved to be a smash hit upon its debut and grew into an outright fad. For the week of 13 February the Thursday night episode of Batman was the number one rated show on television,with a rating of 28.5. The Wednesday night episode came in fifth with a rating of  26.5. Beyond garnering high ratings for ABC (always a constant third to CBS and NBC in the Sixties), Batman also proved to be merchandising bonanza has never seen before. There were Batman toys, costumes, games, Batman toothbrushes, Batman wristwatches, Batman mugs, a lunchbox, and many other items. Batman would account for $150 million worth of merchandise sold in 1966 alone.

It was the success of the Batman TV series that would lead to Batman's first feature film. Before the television debuted William Dozier had wanted to do a feature film to promote the show, a plan that was vetoed by 20th Century Fox. With the show a smash hit, however, a feature film seemed a good way to capitalise on the show's popularity in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, and s a means of promoting the show in foreign markets where it had not yet aired. The movie Batman premiered on 30 July 1966 in the United States and did respectfully well at the box office.

Unfortunately, like many fads the Batman fad of the mid-Sixties burned itself out very swiftly. A top ten show for the year in its first season, Batman did not even rank in the top thirty shows for its second season. In an effort to boost ratings the character Batgirl was added to the show, with Yvonne Craig in the role. Sadly, even Batgirl could not save the show. Batman dropped as low as 48th in the ratings. In January 1968 ABC cancelled what was the smash hit of 1966. Batman went off the air on 14 March 1968.

While Batman left the air after only a little over two years, it would persist in syndication ever since. It also had a lasting impact on the comic books. In the comic books the character of Bruce Wayne's butler Alfred had been killed off. His presence on the show resulted in him being resurrected in the comic books. Catwoman had not appeared in the comic books since 1954. Her appearance on the TV show resulted in her appearing in the comic books for the first time in 12 years. Because of the popularity of Catwoman on the show, William Dozier encouraged National Periodical Publications to introduce more female characters who could be used on the show. The result was that the comic book company created the character of Batgirl, who was later incorporated on the TV show.

Batman's next appearance on television would occur while the Batman TV show of the Sixties was still on the air. During the 1966-1967 season the production company Filmation had seen great success with a Saturday morning cartoon starring the Man of Steel, The New Adventures of Superman. They would follow this success up with The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure during the 1967-1968 season. In the wake of the success of the live action Batman series on ABC, Filmation believed a Saturday morning cartoon featuring Batman and Robin could be a success.

It was then on 14 September 1968 that The Batman/Superman Hour debuted on CBS. The Batman portion of the programme consisted of two different sorts of stories. One roughly followed the format of the live action show, with a single story airing in two 6 1/2 minute shorts, with the first ending in a cliffhanger. The other stories were 6 1/2 minute segments. Unlike the live action series, the Batman segments of The Batman/Superman Hour were not played for humour. One classic villain from the comic books who did not appear in the live action show did appear on The Batman/Superman Hour. The Scarecrow appeared in one segment. For the 1969-1970 the Batman segments from The Batman/Superman Hour were repackaged as a half hour programme entitled The Adventures of Batman. It aired on Sunday morning on CBS.

Once The Adventures of Batman went off the air, the Caped Crusader would find himself without his own show for some time. This did not mean he was entirely absent from American airwaves. Batman and Robin (voiced by Olan Soule and Casey Kasem) "guest starred" on two episodes of  The New Scooby-Doo Movies on CBS in the 1972-1973 season. Starting in the 1973-1974 season Batman and Robin were part of the cast of Super Friends, along with Superman, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman. The series would go through various incarnations until 1986, with such titles as The All-New Super Friends Hour, Challenge of the Super Friends, The World's Greatest Super Friends, Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show, and The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians. Throughout every title and format change Batman remained a part of the cast. Batman was voiced by Olan Soule until 1984's SuperFriends: The Legendary Super Powers Show, where upon television's original Batman, Adam West, took over. Both The New Scooby-Doo Movies and Super Friends were produced by Hanna-Barbera.

Curiously given the fact that Batman and Robin were appearing on Super Friends at the time, a new Batman cartoon was produced by Filmation debuted in 1977. The New Adventures of Batman reunited Adam West and Burt Ward as the voices of Batman and Robin respectively. The series also featured the character Bat-Mite from the late Fifties comic books. Bat-Mite was an imp from another dimension who adulated Batman, even down to wearing a similar costume. In many respects the show could be considered a continuation of the live action series, down to the same exaggerated situations and camp, although it was hardly as well done. While no new episodes were made after the 1977-1978 season, reruns would air as parts of other Filmation shows until 1981.

It was in 1979 that Adam West and Burt Ward once more reprised their roles as Batman and Robin for a pair of live action television specials produced by Hanna-Barbera. Legends of the Superheroes also featured Frank Gorshin as The Riddler, as well as DC Comics heroes ranging from The Flash to Green Lantern.  Unfortunately the two specials were played for comedy that was so bad that many consider the two specials to be among the worst television programmes of all time. The first special had a semblance of a plot, with the heroes trying to stop the villains from destroying the world. The second special was truly bizarre. It was a roast of the sort Dean Martin once did, only with superheroes instead of celebrities. Even given the poor quality of the movie serials of the Forties and the feature film Batman and Robin (1997), many fans consider Legends of the Superheroes the low point of Batman's career.

Beyond appearing in the various Super Friends shows, Batman would largely be absent from television in the Eighties. Fortunately, when Batman returned to television it would be in a show considerably better than Legends of the Superheroes. In fact, Batman: The Animated Series is considered by some to be the best interpretation of the Dark Knight outside of comic books. The series was developed by two veterans of Warner Brothers' Tiny Toon Adventures, Bruce Timm and  Eric Radomski. Messrs. Timm and Radomski drew upon the recent films Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992) and the classic Flesicher Studios Superman cartoons for the look of the series. Batman: The Animated Series initially aired weekdays on the Fox Television Network and was considerably more adult than previous superhero cartoons. Indeed, despite the fact that the character had first appeared in cartoons in 1968, Batman: The Animated Series was the first to portray Batman as a dark avenger of the night.

Kevin Conroy was the voice of Batman on the show and has gone onto voice Batman in animation and video games to this day.  The rest of the cast was rounded out by some well known names.  Efrem Zimbalist Jr. provided the voice of Alfred, while Bob Hastings provided the voice of Commissioner Gordon. Mark Hamill provided the voice of The Joker, a role he would reprise in video games and various other animated series. Loren Lester was the voice of Robin on the show.

Batman: The Animated Series proved highly successful and led to the theatrical film Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm, released in 1993. It would be followed by two more feature films based on the show, which were released direct to video: Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero (1998) and Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman ( 2003).  Batman: The Animated Series ended its original run on Fox in 1995. That having been said, The New Batman Adventures, which debuted in 1997 on The WB's Saturday morning schedule, could be considered a continuation of the show. Essentially the same production team worked on the show, with Kevin Conroy, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., and Bob Hastings returning as Batman, Alfred, and Commissioner Gordon respectively. Joining the cast were Mathew Valencia as Robin (Tim Drake), Tara Strong as Batgirl, and Loren Lester as Nightwing (Dick Grayson). The New Batman Adventures aired until 1999.  Batman would also make three guest appearances on Superman: The Animated Series.

Batman: The Animated Series would have a lasting impact on the comic books. The series gave The Joker a female sidekick called Harley Quinn, voiced by Arlene Sorkin. Harley Quinn was only supposed to appear once on the show, but proved so popular that she went onto appear several more times on the show. Eventually she found her way into the comic books, where she became one of Batman's major opponents.

Batman would next appear in 1999 in the animated series Batman Beyond, although it would be an entirely different take on Batman than had been done before. Batman Beyond was set in a future where Bruce Wayne had retired and given the mantle of Batman over to teenager Terry McGinnis. Kevin Conroy returned as the voice of Bruce Wayne, with Will Friedle providing the voice Terry McGinnis. Like Batman: The Animated Series before it, Batman Beyond was considerably more adult than superhero cartoons before it. Like Batman: The Animated Series it also received its share of acclaim. In 2000 a feature film based on the series, Return of The Joker, was released direct to video. For a time Warner Brothers even considered alive action feature film based on the show. Batman Beyond ran until 2001 on The WB.

It was about the time that Batman Beyond debuted that film director Tim McCanlies wrote a pilot for a show called Bruce Wayne that would feature the character as a teenager before he became Batman. The show would have essentially shown how Bruce Wayne picked up the skills necessary to become the Dark Knight.  The prospective series was killed when Warner Brothers decided to go ahead with another Batman movie.  Tollin/Robbins Productions, who would have produced the show, went onto produce a show about a teenage Clark Kent instead--Smallville.

Batman, once more voiced by Kevin Conroy, would appear in the animated series Justice League, which ran from 2001 to 2004 on the Cartoon Network. Kevin Conroy also provided the voice of Batman on the successor to Justice League, Justice League Unlimited. It ran on the Cartoon Network from 2004 to 2006. Batman, again voiced by Kevin Conroy, also guest starred in several episodes of the animated series Static Shock, which aired on The WB from 2000 to 2004.

Batman was not a part of the short lived show Birds of Prey that aired in 2002 on The WB, although the show was based in the Batman mythos. Based on the comic book of the same name, Birds of Prey starred Dina Meyer as Barbara Gordon, who retired as Batgirl after being paralysed by a gunshot from The Joker. Barbara Gordon then took the identity of Oracle and formed a team of crimefighters consisting of The Huntress (Ashley Scott) and Dinah Redmond. Bruce Wayne's former butler Alfred serves at the team's butler. Batman only appeared briefly in the first episode and had been missing from Gotham City for some time.

In 2004 another animated series debuted, The Batman. Batman was voiced by  Rino Romano, with Alfred voiced by Alastair Duncan.Mitch Pileggi voiced Commissioner Gordon. The Batman centred on the Dark Knight's early career, when he had only been fighting crime for three years.  The Batman saw the Dark Knight face many of his rogue's gallery for the first time, including  The Joker (voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson),  Catwoman (voiced by Gina Gershon),  Hugo Strange (voiced by Frank Gorshin), and so on. As the show unfolded Batman would be joined in his fight against crime by Batgirl (voiced by Danielle Judovits) and later Robin (voiced by Evan Sabara). The Batman ran from 2004 to 2006 on The WB and then from 2006 to 2008 on The CW.

The Batman would be followed almost immediately by the animated series Batman: The Brave and The Bold. Batman: The Brave and The Bold took its name from the comic book The Brave and The Bold, which ran from 1955 to 1983. From 1967 onwards The Brave and The Bold was a title in which Batman teamed up with other superheroes. Like the comic book, then, Batman: The Brave and The Bold featured Batman teaming up with other characters. During the run of the show Batman (voiced by Diedrich Bader) teamed up with such characters as The Green Lantern, The Flash, The Blue Beetle, The Green Arrow, The Atom, and so on. The over all tone was lighter than previous Batman animated series, Batman: The Brave and The Bold ran from 2008 to 2011.

The next Batman TV series would be the first to be computer generated. Beware The Batman was set during Batman's early career. He was joined in fighting crime by Tatsu Yamashiro, a swordmaster who as a superhero goes by the name Katana (she was a member of the DC Comics superhero team The Outsiders). The voices were provided by Anthony Ruivivar as Batman, J. B. Blanc as Alfred, Sumalee Montano as Katana, and Kurtwood Smith as Lt. Gordon. Beware The Batman debuted on the Cartoon Network on 13 July 2013. On 11 October 2013 the Cartoon Network put the show on hiatus. While no new episodes have appeared on the Cartoon Network since that time, new episodes of the show are airing on tvnz in New Zealand.

A new television series based in the Batman mythos is currently in production and set to debut in the fall of 2014. Gotham centres on Detective. James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) as he investigates the murder of prominent Gotham City citizens Thomas and Martha Wayne. The show will also feature David Mazouz as the young Bruce Wayne and Sean Pertwee as Alfred. Some of Batman's rogues gallery are already set to appear, with The Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor) as a low level gangster and Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova), who is a street thief and yet to become The Catwoman.

While Batman has appeared frequently on television, he has also appeared in radio shows. In 1943 a Batman radio show was proposed, but it never materialised. All that survives is a script entitled "The Case of the Drowning Seal". It is unclear whether it was ever recorded.

While Batman did not receive his own radio show in 1943, he did appear somewhat regularly on the radio show The Adventures of Superman. It was in the 1 March 1945 episode of the radio show that Superman met Batman and Robin for the first time. Batman and Robin would go onto appear on The Adventures of Superman in 12 more episodes, at times carrying the show all by themselves without the presence of the Man of Steel.

In 1950 a pilot for a radio show called The Batman Mystery Club was recorded. The pilot's title was "The Monster of Dumphrey's Hall". Despite its name The Batman Mystery Club actually had little to do with the comic books. Batman ("also known as Bruce Wayne") is not a grim avenger of the knight, but instead an investigator who debunks reports of supernatural activity. "The Batman Mystery Club" of the title is a group of kids with whom Batman and Robin meet, with the mission "to prove ghosts and apparitions are only figments of man's imagination". Not only did the radio show pilot depart entirely from the comic books, but it was not even very interesting. It should be little wonder it did not sell.

While Batman never received his own regular radio show, two radio dramas would air in the United Kingdom. In 1989, in honour of the character's 50th anniversary, radio producer Dirk Maggs directed The Lazarus Syndrome. It aired on BBC Radio 4 and featured Bob Sessions as the voice of Batman and Michael Gough reprising his role of Alfred from the movies. Dirk Maggs directed a second Batman radio drama in 1994, an adaptation of the comic book storyline "Knightfall". It serialised on BBC Radio 5 as a segment of The Mark Goodier Show.

Batman would also appear in a number of audio dramas released on vinyl records over the years. The first were the result of the success of the Batman TV show in 1966 and were released on MGM's "Leo the Lion" label. In all two vinyl LPs were released, each with three adventures each. In the Seventies Power Records would release audio dramas featuring Batman, both with and without comic books included. They released both 45 rpm records and 33 1/3 rpm records featuring Batman. In all about fifteen records were released.

More recently GraphicAudio has released audiobooks featuring Batman. They have released adaptations of the novels  Batman: Dead White by John Shirley,  Batman: Inferno by Alex Irvine, and Batman: The Stone King by Alan Grant.

Batman has also figured in popular music. In 1966 the Batman Original Soundtrack album was released, featuring music from the 1966 television show. The Batman theme, written and performed by Neal Hefti, was released as a single and went to #35 on the Billboard chart. The cover version by The Marketts went even higher, all the way to #17 on the Billboard chart. The Ventures, The Standells, and even David McCallum (from another fad show, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.) also produced their own cover versions. The Who recorded a cover of the theme for their Ready Steady Who EP. In 1966 Jan and Dean recorded an original album, Jan and Dean Meet Batman, featuring a cover of the TV theme and original songs inspired by the character.

Jan and Dean were not the only musical artists to try to capitalise on 1960's Batmania. Peggy Lee released a single called "That Man" in 1966. Although the song does not mention Batman by name, it makes several references to the character and includes such comic book onomatopoeic words as "zowie". Members of Sun Ra and The Blues Project recorded an album entitled Batman and Robin using the name "The Sensational Guitars of Dan and Dale". The album featured a cover of the Batman theme as well as original compositions. The British satirical band The Scaffold released a song entitled, "Goodbat, Nightman". The cast of Batman even released a few novelty records, including Burt Ward with "Boy Wonder, I Love You", Frank Gorshin with "The Riddler", and so on.

Of course, comic books originated as reprints of newspaper comic strips, so that it would be natural for Batman to find his way into several newspaper strips over the years. The first newspaper strip was Batman and Robin. The comic strip was distributed by the McClure Syndicate and first appeared in October 1943. Batman co-creator Bob Kane served as the penciler on the strip, while Charlie Paris inked it. Interestingly enough, while the Batcave (called "the Bat's Cave") first appeared in the 1943 serial The Batman, it first saw print in the comic strip. The newspaper strip Batman and Robin would not last long. It ended its run in November 1946 after only a little over 3 years.

A second Batman newspaper strip appeared in 1953 as part of the Sunday newspaper supplement Arrow, the Family Comic Weekly. Arrow, the Family Weekly only lasted a few months before folding. The scripts for the 1953 Batman comic strip were written by none other than Walter Gibson, best known as the creator of the pulp magazine The Shadow.

Another Batman newspaper strip would appear in 1966 in the wake of the success of the TV show Batman. Batman with Robin the Boy Wonder was distributed by the Ledger Syndicate. Batman with Robin the Boy Wonder started out with the same campy style as the TV show, but turned more serious once the show went off the air. It was originally scripted by Whitney Ellsworth, then by E. Nelson Bridwell. The Sunday strip ended in 1969, although the daily strip would run until 1974. Interestingly enough Batman and Robin would disappear from the strip towards the end of its run due to a dispute between the Ledger Syndicate and DC Comics. Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson would continue to appear in the strip, though only as supporting characters to a hero called Galexo.

Batman would appear as one of the cast of characters in the newspaper strip The World's Greatest Superheroes in the early days of its run. First appearing in the strip when it debuted in 1978, he last appeared in it in 1981.  It was distributed by the Chicago Tribune/New York News Syndicate.

It would be the 1989 movie Batman that would lead to Batman's next and final newspaper strip. It was distributed by the Creators Syndicate and debuted on 6 November 1989. Batman would not prove to be a success. It lasted only a little under two years, ending its run on 3 August 1991.

Batman would also appear in a few books over the years. Not surprisingly, the very first were published in connection with the television show in the Sixties. Signet released collections of reprints from the Batman comic books (Batman vs. The Joker, Batman vs. The Penguin, et. al.). The New American Library published an original novel based on the TV series, Batman vs. Three Villains of Doom, as well as a novelization of the 1966 feature film (under the title Batman vs. the Fearsome Foursome).

Batman would also appear in a few more novels over the years. In 1995 the novel Batman: The Ultimate Evil by  Andrew Vachss was published. It was followed by Batman: Dead White by John Shirley in 2005, Batman: Inferno by Michael Reaves and Steven-Elliot in 2006, and Batman: Fear Itself by Michael Reaves and Steven-Elliot in 2007. The 2009 novel Enemies and Allies featured both Batman and Superman and was set in the United States during the 1950's. There have also been novelizations of the feature films.

Over the years several video games based on Batman have been released, to the point that there are far too many to list. The first was Batman, released in 1986. Every Batman film released since the 1989 feature has had video games based upon it, usually more than one. With Batman Begins in 2006 there have also been several games for mobile devices based on the character.

Almost immediately following his debut in 1939 Batman became one of the most popular superheroes in comic books. Within four years of his first appearance in comic books Batman was already appearing on movie screens and in newspapers. Over the years Batman would expand into other media, including radio, television, books, video games, and so on. In the end it is quite possible that Batman has appeared in more individual products of the media than any other superhero, even Superman. Indeed, since the Eighties it seems quite possible that Batman has become the most popular individual superhero in the world. That being the case, it seems likely he will continue to appear in media other than comic books.