In the 1960s, “Batman” featured an ear-candy theme song, barbaric death traps, inventive gadgets and a lineup of notorious villains, each portrayed by a celebrity guest. The show was played for laughs and poked fun at melodrama while weaving pop-culture references into every episode. 

With all this rolled into a presentation best described as “camp”—so exaggeratedly bad or corny that it’s declared “good”—how could it have failed?

The answer? It didn’t. At least, not for a while. 

William Dozier, the show’s executive producer, had never read a comic book before diving into the world of Batman. After skimming through issues, he conceived a simple yet brilliant idea: to overdo everything, making it so square and serious that adults would find it amusing while kids would be drawn in by the adventure. The result was the ultimate DC Comics adaptation for television. 

Premiering as a satirical, slapstick sitcom, “Batman” starred Adam West as businessman Bruce Wayne/Batman. West, born William West Anderson, had a college degree in literature, worked as a military radio announcer and even delivered milk before becoming a TV and movie actor. 

Burt Ward, a karate expert and former standout high-school athlete, was attending college and working in his father’s real-estate office when he landed the role of Dick Grayson/Robin, just out of his teens. (Ward beat out future TV star Lyle Waggoner for the part.)

Batman and Robin were crime-fighting goofballs defending fictional Gotham City from a gallery of absurd villains, always tangled in over-the-top situations. The “dynamic duo” took these situations seriously, which only added to the humor.

TV’s “Batman,” the only prime-time comedy without a laugh track, was built on the most ridiculous premise: Two costumed vigilantes worked hand in hand (or hand in glove) with a bumbling police department perpetually outwitted by the bad guys. The ingenious storylines featured simplistic morality with a humorous twist. In each episode, Batman and Robin followed dubious clues that led to the villain’s lair. In the end, audiences always saw the pair capturing the evildoer.

The producers packed in as many wicked foes as possible, including the now-iconic Riddler (Frank Gorshin, John Astin), Penguin (Burgess Meredith), Joker (Cesar Romero), and Catwoman (Julie Newmar, Lee Meriwether, Eartha Kitt).

The first season’s success generated an avalanche of Batman merchandise, from trading cards and scale-model Batmobiles to coloring books, board games and Hot Wheels cars.

In total, the series delivered 120 action-packed half-hour episodes. But over time, the novelty wore off, and by the end of the third season, “Batman” had lost much of its batluster. Eventually, the show soared into lucrative syndication. 

Later, Hollywood producers tried to recapture the magic with comic-based series like “The Green Hornet,” “Dick Tracy” and “Wonder Woman,” but by then, the viewing public simply wasn’t buying it.

Be a Super Grandparent and take your grandkids to Mesa County Libraries' Comic Con

Celebrate Grandparents Month in style! Dress up like your favorite superhero and show your grandkids just how cool you are by taking them to Mesa County Libraries’ Comic Con! 

Admission is FREE with a Mesa County Libraries library card, or just $5 at the door.

Visit MesaCountyLibraries.org/comiccon for more information.