List of Batman (TV series) characters
The following is an overview of the characters who appeared in the 1966–1968 live-action Batman television series.
Main characters
Character | Actor | Description | Episodes |
Adam West | Based on the comic book character of the same name. In the first episode, it is twice briefly mentioned that his parents were killed by criminals when he was a boy; this is mentioned once more in the episode "The Joker's Epitaph". He is presented as a well established superhero and legally deputized member of law enforcement. | All | |
Burt Ward | Based on the comic book character of the same name, no actual origin is provided for the character in the series. He is presented as well established as [|Bruce Wayne's] ward and Batman's sidekick. | All | |
Yvonne Craig | Commissioner Gordon's daughter who works at the Gotham Library. Created in conjunction with the character introduced in the comic books the same year. Unlike the comic books, no actual origin is provided within the series. | 95-120 |
Supporting characters
Recurring
Guest
Antagonist characters
Recurring
Character | Actor | Description | Episode Appearances |
Based on the comic book character of the same name, no origin for the character is provided within the series. Meriwether was cast for the film role when producers learned that Newmar would not be available for filming after the production of the first season wrapped because of a back injury. | 19, 20, 37, 38, 44, 63, 64, 67, 68, 74, 75, 83, 84, 108, 110, 111, 119 | ||
Vincent Price | Egghead was created specifically for the series and is presented as a master criminal with a fixation on eggs. Egghead, among others created for the series, was adapted for a 2009 episode of the animated television series '. | 47, 48, 102, 103, 109, 119 | |
Cesar Romero | Based on the comic book character of the same name, no origin for the character is provided within the series. Since Cesar Romero refused to shave his trademark mustache, his white pancake makeup was applied over it. However, it was still visible in many screen close-ups. | 5, 6, 15, 16, 25, 26, 55, 56, 71, 72, 73, 81, 82, 91, 92, 104, 110, 111, 118, 119 | |
Victor Buono | King Tut was created specifically for the series and was provided with an origin story. Within the episodes, Professor William McElroy is an Egyptologist at Yale University. He suffers a blow to the head during a student riot that results in amnesia. His subconscious creates a new personality as the reincarnation of King Tut. Each time he is struck on the head, his personalities reverse. According to Batman Forever and Batman & Robin director Joel Schumacher, King Tut was one of the lead choices considered by Mark Protosevich to be the main antagonist of his cancelled fifth Batman film Batman Unchained, along with Egghead, the Mad Hatter and the Scarecrow. King Tut, among others created for the series, was adapted for the 2009 episode "Day of the Dark Knight!" of the animated television series ' voiced by John DiMaggio. Due to FOX holding the rights to the King Tut name, the character was renamed "the Pharaoh". Later that year, the character was adapted to the comics where he had the alias of Victor Goodman. In the 2016 film ', King Tut is released from prison thanks to Robin and Catwoman along other villains, and he along his friends later help them to defeat Batman and his Batmen. The character also had a minor role in the 2017 film The Lego Batman Movie as one of the many villains who helped the Joker during his heists. | 27, 28, 41, 42, 87, 88, 100, 117, 119 | |
David Wayne | Based on the comic book character of the same name, no origin for the character is provided within the series. This version was based on the Impostor Mad Hatter. In Batman '66, it is revealed that the Clock King is the Mad Hatter's brother Morris Tetch. | 12, 13, 69, 70 | |
Based on the comic book character originally known as Mr. Zero but later changed to match the new name from the show, an abbreviated origin for the character is provided within the series. What is related is that Batman had accidentally spilled cryonic chemical on him during a previous arrest. This renders him incapable of living in temperatures above −50 °F. | 7, 8, 53, 54, 93, 94 | ||
Burgess Meredith | Based on the comic book character of the same name, no origin for the character is provided within the series. The Penguin quickly became a very popular archvillain, so much so that the show's producers always had a script ready for Burgess Meredith whenever he was available. | 3, 4, 21, 22, 33, 34, 51, 52, 61, 62, 71, 73, 76, 77, 78, 95, 98, 99, 114, 119 | |
Based on the comic book character of the same name, no origin for the character is provided within the series. Leading into the production of the second season, Gorshin held out for higher wages. This resulted in the writers putting off Riddler-themed episodes until the issue was resolved. Late in the production, they reworked one script to use the [|Puzzler] and finally produced a Riddler story for which John Astin was cast. The issue was resolved before the third season, with Gorshin returning to the role one last time. | 1, 2, 11, 12, 23, 24, 31, 32, 96, 119 | ||
Cliff Robertson | Shame was created specifically for the series. The cowboy motif was patterned as a parody of the film Shane. His partners in crime included henchman Messy James, whose name was a parody of Jesse James; girlfriend, Okie Annie, whose name was a parody of Annie Oakley; girlfriend Calamity Jan, whose name was a parody of Calamity Jane; and her mother, Frontier Fanny. Shame, among other characters created for the series, was adapted for the 2009 episode "Day of the Dark Knight!" of the animated television series '. | 59, 60, 115, 116 |
Guest
"Batclimb" cameos
Aside from the super-criminals, another coveted spot was the Batclimb Cameo. In 14 episodes of the first two seasons and the 1966 film, a window would be opened by a celebrity for a short conversation as the Dynamic Duo scaled a building using Batarangs and Bat-ropes. The scenes were actually filmed on a horizontal surface with the camera rotated by 90 degrees to give the illusion that the Duo were on a vertical wall. Their capes were held up by strings. The Batclimb cameo scenes were discontinued for the third season.- Jerry Lewis – Appeared in "The Bookworm Turns".
- George Cisar – Drunkard.
- Dick Clark – Appeared in "Shoot a Crooked Arrow".
- Van Williams and Bruce Lee as Green Hornet and Kato – Appeared in "The Spell of Tut".
- Sammy Davis Jr. – Appeared in "The Clock King's Crazy Crimes".
- Bill Dana as José Jiménez from The Bill Dana Show – Appeared in "The Yegg Foes in Gotham".
- Howard Duff as Sam Stone from Felony Squad – Appeared in "The Impractical Joker".
- Werner Klemperer as Colonel Klink from Hogan's Heroes – Appeared in "It's How You Play the Game".
- Ted Cassidy as Lurch from The Addams Family – Appeared in "The Penguin's Nest".
- Don Ho – Appeared in "The Bat's Kow Tow".
- Andy Devine as Santa Claus – Appeared in "The Duo is Slumming".
- Art Linkletter – Appeared in "Catwoman Goes to College".
- Edward G. Robinson – Appeared in "Batman's Satisfaction".
- Suzy Knickerbocker – Appeared in "King Tut's Coup".
- Cyril Lord as the Carpet King – Appeared in "Ice Spy".