The 1960s TV show “Batman” starring Adam West and Burt Ward as the Dynamic Duo attracted celebrities like concert tickets attract service charges. Virtually anyone who was someone in Hollywood during the series’ two year run either appeared on the show or wanted to. But those special “hey, isn’t that …” moments weren’t limited to already famous thespians. A few of the era’s top pop artists also had their own meet-ups with the Caped Crusaders.
But our first clip doesn’t feature a musician cameo. Instead, it’s a surprise appearance by America’s oldest teenager – Dick Clark. The American Bandstand host appeared in one of the show’s famous “wall climbs” which featured celebrities popping out of windows to chat with the super heroes as they climbed up and down the sides of a buildings. You gotta love West / Batman’s remark about how he knew Clark was from Philadelphia.
Not only is The Penguin running for mayor of Gotham City but he obviously knows someone in the music biz. How else could he get top ‘60s band Paul Revere & The Raiders to play at his rally? This clip is special because the band was one of the few music acts to appear on Batman strictly as themselves instead of characters in the script.
Brit duo Chad & Jeremy met the Dynamic Duo when Catwoman stole their voices during a Gotham City gig. What’s interesting here is how ‘60s TV portrays a music audience, turning what in real life would be a sold-out event into something approximately the same size as your kid cousin’s piano recital.
Catwoman seemed to have a knack for attracting pop artists. In one two-part episode, Lesley Gore played one of the felonious feline’s assistants – Pussycat. Gore, who is best known for her 1963 hit “It’s My Party,” lip-synced two songs on the show – “California Nights” and “Maybe Now” – the latter while gazing lovingly at a publicity pic of the Boy Wonder.
Fans of the Batman TV series will tell you three actresses appeared as Catwoman – Julie Newmar, Lee Meriwether and singer Eartha Kitt. Kitt, an actress who appeared on Broadway and in movies, is often referred to as the sexiest of all Catwomen. Here she teams with Cesar Romero’s Joker to do something nasty to the fine citizens of Gotham.
Finally, no series of clips depicting pop artists appearing on the Batman TV series would be complete without one featuring Liberace. The flamboyant pianist appeared as the villainous Chandell. Catch him in action in this clip wooing Dick Grayson’s / Robin’s Aunt Harriet.
They don’t make shows like the 1960s Batman TV series anymore. But what if they did? Which music stars do you think would fit perfectly in the world of 1960s Batman? Fergie as Catwoman? Henry Rollins as The Joker? Or how about Ludacris as The Riddler? Drop a few comments in the thread below and then check back later to see what your Pollstar.com comrades have contributed. Same Bat time, same Bat channel.