Adam West | |
|---|---|
 West in a 1961 publicity photo | |
| Born | William West Anderson (1928-09-19)September 19, 1928 Walla Walla, Washington, U.S. |
| Died | June 9, 2017(2017-06-09) (aged 88) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Whitman College |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1954–2017 |
| Known for |
|
| Spouses | |
| Children | 4 |
| Awards | Inkpot Award (1980)[1] |
William West Anderson (September 19, 1928 – June 9, 2017), known professionally asAdam West, was an American actor. He portrayedBatman in the 1960sABCseries of the same name and its1966 theatrical feature film, reprisingthe role in various media until 2017. Having made his film debut in the 1950s, West starred oppositeChuck Connors inGeronimo (1962) andThe Three Stooges inThe Outlaws Is Coming (1965). He also appeared in thescience fiction filmRobinson Crusoe on Mars (1964).
He voicedparodied versions of himself in the animated television sitcomsJohnny Bravo (1997, 2004),The Fairly OddParents (2003–2008),The Simpsons (1992, 2002), SpongeBob SquarePants andFamily Guy (2000–2017). In the latter, he playedMayor Adam West between thesecond andseventeenth seasons. He receiveda television star on theHollywood Walk of Fame in 2012.
Adam West was born William West Anderson on September 19, 1928, inWalla Walla, Washington.[2][3] His father, Otto Anderson (1903–1984) was a farmer descending fromScania in southernSweden; and his mother, Audrey Volenne (née Speer; 1906–1969) was an opera singer and concert pianist who left herHollywood dreams to care for her family.[4] Following her example, as a young man West told his father that he intended to go to Hollywood after completing school. He moved toSeattle with his mother when he was 15, following his parents' divorce.[5]
West attendedWalla Walla High School during his freshman and sophomore years and later enrolled inLakeside School in Seattle. He attendedWhitman College but studied at theUniversity of Puget Sound[6] during the fall semester of 1949. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in literature and a minor inpsychology from Whitman College,[7] where he was a member of the Gamma Zeta chapter of theBeta Theta Pi fraternity. He also participated in the speech and debate team.
Drafted into theU.S. Army during theKorean War, he served as an announcer onAmerican Forces Network television. After his discharge, he worked as a milkman before moving toHawaii to pursue a television career.[4]
While in Hawaii, West was picked for a role as thesidekick on a local TV program,The Kini Popo Show, which also featured a chimp named Peaches. West later took over as host of the show.[8] In 1959, West moved with his wife and two children to Hollywood,[4] where he took the stage name Adam West.[9]
He appeared in the filmThe Young Philadelphians, which starredPaul Newman.[10] He had guest-starring roles in a number of televisionWesterns. On threeWarner Bros. Television westerns which aired onABC—Sugarfoot,Colt .45, andLawman—West played the role ofDoc Holliday, the frontier dentist and gunfighter.[11] West also appeared playing different characters intwo episodes ofMaverick oppositeJames Garner: "Two Tickets to Ten Strike" and "A Fellow's Brother" in 1958.[11] He guest starred in Warner Bros. detective seriesHawaiian Eye andBourbon Street Beat.
On January 10, 1961, West appeared as a young, ambitious deputy who foolishly confronts a gunfighter named Clay Jackson, portrayed byJock Mahoney, in the episode "The Man from Kansas" of the NBC Western seriesLaramie.[12] He played Christopher Rolf in the episode "Stopover" of ABC'sThe Rifleman, which aired on April 25, 1961.[13]
West made two guest appearances onPerry Mason in 1961 and 1962. His first role was as small-town journalist Dan Southern in "The Case of the Barefaced Witness".[13] His other role was as folk singer Pete Norland in "The Case of the Bogus Books".[14]
In 1959-1962, he became a regular on the American television seriesRobert Taylor's Detectives in its third season.
He made a brief appearance in the 1963 filmSoldier in the Rain starringJackie Gleason andSteve McQueen,[15] and starred as Colonel Dan McCready, the ill-fated mission commander ofMars Gravity Probe 1 in the 1964 filmRobinson Crusoe on Mars.[16] That same year he was cast alongsideWilliam Shatner in the pilot for the proposed seriesAlexander the Great, playingCleander to Shatner'sAlexander. The series was not picked up, and the pilot was not broadcast until 1968 when it was repackaged as a TV film to capitalize on West and Shatner's later fame. West was apparently unsurprised by the rejection, later noting that "It turned out to be one of the worst scripts I have ever read and it was one of the worst things I've ever done."[17][18]
In 1964, West played Dr. Clayton Harris, a handsome young physician, in two episodes of the sitcomPetticoat Junction. In the same year West starred in an episode of the ABCOuter Limits series titled "The Invisible Enemy".[19] December 10, 1964, an episode ofBewitched titled “Love is Blind” was released, in which West played Kermit, an artist who marries Gertrude.
In 1965, he was cast in the comedy WesternThe Outlaws Is Coming, starringThe Three Stooges.[20] In the same year he starred inMara of the Wilderness[21] and in theSpaghetti WesternThe Relentless Four.[22]
ProducerWilliam Dozier cast West asBatman/Bruce Wayne in the television seriesBatman, in part after seeing him perform as theJames Bond-like spy Captain Q in aNestlé Quik commercial. West was in competition withLyle Waggoner for the Batman role.[23]
The popularcampy show ran on ABC from 1966 to 1968; a feature-lengthfilm version directed byLeslie H. Martinson was released in 1966.[24]
In 1966, West released a novelty songMiranda as his Batman character.[25]
Also in character, West appeared in apublic service announcement in which he encouraged schoolchildren to heed then-PresidentLyndon B. Johnson's call for them to buyU.S. savings stamps, a children's version ofU.S. savings bonds, to support theVietnam War.[26]
In 1970, West was considered for the role ofJames Bond by producerAlbert Broccoli for the filmDiamonds Are Forever.[27]
After his high-profile role, West, along withBurt Ward andYvonne Craig (who played crime-fighting sidekicksRobin andBatgirl), weretypecast; all three found it difficult to find other roles. West's first post-Caped Crusader role was in the filmThe Girl Who Knew Too Much (1969). His lead performance against type as cynical tough guy Johnny Cain did not erode his Batman image; the film was abox office disappointment.[citation needed]
For a time, West made a living from personal appearances as Batman. In 1974, when Ward and Craig reprised theirBatman roles for a TVpublic-service announcement about equal pay for women, West did not participate; instead,Dick Gautier appeared as Batman.[28] After the series had ended, he appeared as Batman in a skit for theMemphis-basedUnited States Wrestling Association, where he engaged in a war of words withJerry "The King" Lawler while wearing the cowl and a tracksuit, and even name-droppingSpider-Man.[29]
West subsequently appeared in the theatrical filmsThe Marriage of a Young Stockbroker (1971),[30]The Specialist (1975),[31]Hooper (as himself; 1978),The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood (1980),[31]One Dark Night (1983)[32] andYoung Lady Chatterley II (1985). West also appeared in such television films asThe Eyes of Charles Sand (1972),[33]Poor Devil (1973),[34]Nevada Smith (1975),[35]For the Love of It (1980)[36] andI Take These Men (1983).[37]
West split his time between residences inPalm Springs, California, andKetchum, Idaho.[38]
He did guest shots on the television seriesMaverick;Diagnosis: Murder;Love, American Style;Bonanza;The Big Valley;Night Gallery;Alias Smith and Jones;Mannix,Emergency!;Alice;Police Woman;Operation Petticoat;The American Girls;Vega$;Big Shamus, Little Shamus;Laverne & Shirley;Bewitched;Fantasy Island;The Love Boat;Hart to Hart;Zorro;The King of Queens; andGeorge Lopez. West was also in an episode ofBonanza that supposedly never aired until reruns were shown, and he made several guest appearances as himself onFamily Feud. In 1986, he starred in the comedy police series titledThe Last Precinct.[39]
West often reprised his role as Batman/Bruce Wayne, first in the short-lived animated seriesThe New Adventures of Batman, and in other shows such asThe Batman/Tarzan Adventure Hour,Tarzan and the Super 7,Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show andThe Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (succeeding originalSuper Friends Batman voiceOlan Soule in the role). In 1979, West once again donned theBatsuit for the live-action TV specialLegends of the Superheroes. In 1985,DC Comics named West as one of the honorees in the company's 50th-anniversary publicationFifty Who Made DC Great for his work on theBatman series.[40]
West was considered to playThomas Wayne, Bruce Wayne's father, inTim Burton's 1989Batman film, but West rejected the role wanting to play Batman again.[41] He was also a voice actor in various Batman-related animated series and films in addition to other projects connected to the TV series. West also guest starred in theBatman: The Animated Series episode "Beware the Gray Ghost" as Simon Trent,[42] a washed-up actor who used to play a superhero in a TV series calledThe Gray Ghost and who now has difficulty finding work. He reprised his role of Batman in the Animaniacs episode "Boo Wonder" Season 5, Episode 3 ofAnimaniacs.
West suited up one final time in the full Batman outfit in 1997 for a photo session for TV Treasures magazine #1 titled "Adam West Remembers 30 Years of Batman". He had a recurring role as the voice ofMarion Grange in the 2004-2008WB animated seriesThe Batman.[43] West was the voice of Batman in the 2005 animated short filmBatman: New Times.[44] He co-starred withMark Hamill, who voicedThe Joker and had originally played the role onBatman: The Animated Series.[44] West also voiced Thomas Wayne in a 2010 episode, "Chill of the Night!", of the animated seriesBatman: The Brave and the Bold.[45]
In 2015, Adam West and Burt Ward announced that they would be reprising their roles as Batman and Robin (along with Julie Newmar as Catwoman) for two animated features to celebrate the upcoming 50th anniversary of the TV series. The first,Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders, was released in theaters for one day on October 10, 2016, before being released on DVD and Blu-ray. The second,Batman vs. Two-Face co-starringWilliam Shatner asTwo-Face, was released on October 10, 2017, four months after West's death.
During the 1990s, West's status as a pop culture icon led to appearances as himself in the filmDrop Dead Gorgeous and in several TV series, includingNewsRadio,Murphy Brown,The Adventures of Pete & Pete,The Ben Stiller Show,[46] andThe Drew Carey Show.[47] He notably appeared as "Dr. Wayne" in the 1990Zorro episode "The Wizard", even being shownZorro's "secret cave" headquarters. In 1991, he starred in the pilot episode ofLookwell, in which he portrayed a has-been TV action hero who falsely believes he can solve mysteries in real life. The pilot, written byConan O'Brien andRobert Smigel in their pre-Late Night period, aired onNBC that summer, but was not picked up as a series.[48] It was later broadcast on theTrio channel, under the "Brilliant But Cancelled" block.[49] In 1994, West played a non-comedic role as the father ofPeter Weller's character in theMichael Tolkin filmThe New Age.[50]
He played a washed-up superhero in theGoosebumps television series episode "Attack of the Mutant".[51] The boy hero is a comic bookgeek whose favorite superhero, Galloping Gazelle (West's character), is portrayed as fading and on the verge of retirement. Towards the end, the boy is shocked to learn that the Gazelle is real, though he (the boy) must save the day by himself.[52]
In 1994, West, with Jeff Rovin, wrote his autobiography,Back to the Batcave published by Berkeley Books.[53] In 1997,Virgin Interactive released the gambling simulation gameGolden Nugget. West acted in the video cut scenes of the "Chaos Mystery" storyline subgame.[54] In 2001, he played the super-villain Breathtaker on the short-lived television seriesBlack Scorpion.[55]
In 2003, West and Burt Ward starred in the television filmReturn to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt, alongsideFrank Gorshin,Julie Newmar, andLee Meriwether.[56] Jack Brewer portrayed West in flashbacks to the production ofBatman.[57] In 2005, West appeared as himself in the CBS showThe King of Queens.[58] He appears prominently in the 2006 video for California bandSTEFY's song "Chelsea" as "Judge Adam West", presiding over the courtroom scene.[59]
In 2007, West appeared in a recurring role onGeorge Lopez, as an attorney for George's mother, and he starred as "The Boss" in the comedy filmSexina: Popstar PI.[60] Following the release of a Batman game, a host of the showX-Play visited West on the show. In 2009, West played himself in the episode "Apollo, Apollo" of30 Rock.[58]
In 2010, a Golden Palm Star on thePalm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to him.[61] West received the 2,468th star on theHollywood Walk of Fame on April 5, 2012.[62] His star is located at 6764 Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Guinness Museum inHollywood, California.[63]
West appeared in a number of videos forFunnyordie.com.[64]
He was interviewed in 2013 on thePBS series calledPioneers of Television in the season-three episode called "Superheroes".[65] Also in 2013, he was the subject of the documentaryStarring Adam West.[66]
West is among the interview subjects inSuperheroes: A Never-Ending Battle, a three-hour documentary narrated byLiev Schreiber that premiered on PBS in October 2013.[67]
In February 2016, West guest-starred as himself on the 200th episode ofThe Big Bang Theory.[68]
In January 2017, West appeared on the British comedy panel show "Through the Keyhole," in which viewers and panellists looked around West's Los Angeles home by video.
Walla Walla, Washington, Adam West's hometown, officially celebrates its annual "Adam West Day" on September 19, with the first one celebrated in 2017.[69][70]
Having a distinctive voice, West built a career doing voice-over work on a number of animated series (often as himself), including appearances onThe Simpsons,[71]Futurama,[72]Rugrats,[73]Histeria!,[73]Kim Possible,[73] andJohnny Bravo.[72]
He also appeared in many episodes of Nickelodeon's cartoonThe Fairly OddParents as a cat-obsessed version of himself, who is famous for playing a superhero calledCatman, and who actually believes he is Catman.[74] His later appearance inThe Fairly OddParents was a parody of himself, hired to play the role of the Crimson Chin in the film of the same name. Yet another appearance on the show had him as himself in a fairy-sponsored video about how to cope with losing one's fairy godparents. After West's death, he was replaced byJeff Bennett.[74]
In 1997, West appeared in a national television advertising campaign forZiebart.[75]
From 2000, West made regular appearances on the animated seriesFamily Guy, on which he playedthe fictional character of the same name, who was the lunatic mayor ofQuahog,Rhode Island. His role brought West a new wave of popularity post-Batman, and lead writerSeth MacFarlane claims to have gone out of his way to avoid typecasting West by deliberately not making any references to Batman.[76]
Some of his last voice-over performances were playing the role of Uncle Art in theDisney Animation filmMeet the Robinsons,[73] and voicing the youngMermaid Man (along with Burt Ward, who voiced the youngBarnacle Boy) in the cartoon showSpongeBob SquarePants, in the episode "Back to the Past" in 2010.[77]
West also played the voice of General Carrington in the video gameXIII,[78] and voiced other video games such asMarc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure,[79]Chicken Little: Ace in Action,[80]Scooby-Doo! Unmasked, andGoosebumps: Attack of the Mutant.[52]
In November 2014, West voiced himself, the 1960s version of Batman, and theGray Ghost in the video gameLego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham.[81]
In 2016, West was the voice of TV's Batman for theBatman '66 pinball game produced by Stern Pinball Incorporated.[82]
West also did voice-over work for superhero-themed commercials for the investment firmLendingTree and television commercials forHebrew National hot dogs.[83]
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West was married three times. His first marriage was to his college girlfriend, Billie Lou Yeager, in 1950. The couple divorced six years later. In 1957, he marriedCook Islands dancer Ngatokorua Frisbie Dawson, descendant ofRobert Dean Frisbie, and part of Elaine Matua Frisbie's[84][85]Puka Puka Otea Tahitian Show, outside on thelanai,[86] at theQueen's Surf[87][88] restaurant and night club across fromKapiʻolani Park on theDiamond Head side ofWaikiki Beach in Hawaii. They had two children before their divorce in 1962.[89][90][91] West then married Marcelle Tagand Lear in November 1970. They had two children and remained together for more than 46 years, until West's death.[90] West also had two step-children.[92]
During theBatman television series, West's relationship with co-starBurt Ward was jokingly described as "problematic". He said, "Burt fell victim to making up stories to sell books. But in a way it was flattering, because he made me sound like King Kong."[91] West also said that he played Batman "for laughs, but in order to do [that], one had to never think it was funny. You just had to pull on that cowl and believe that no one would recognize you."[93] Also during theBatman series, he became close friends with crossover co-starVan Williams, who playedThe Green Hornet. The two of them were also neighbors for a while and spent much time together outdoors, including fishing and hunting.[94]
On June 9, 2017, West died fromleukemia inLos Angeles at the age of 88.[3][95][96][97] In a statement, his formerBatman co-star and longtime friend Burt Ward said:
This is a terribly unexpected loss of my lifelong friend, I will forever miss him. There are several fine actors who have portrayed Batman in films. In my eyes, there was only one real Batman, that is, and always will be, Adam West. He was truly the Bright Knight.[98]
Batman: The Animated Series actorKevin Conroy (who performed alongside West in the episode "Beware the Gray Ghost") said:
Adam West was an incredibly good, generous actor. Loved working with him as Gray Ghost. A true gentleman.[99]
Family Guy creatorSeth MacFarlane stated:
“Family Guy has lost its mayor, and I have lost a friend,” “Adam West was a joy to work with, and the kind of guy you always wanted to be around.“[100]
On June 15, 2017, Los Angeles projected theBat-Signal on City Hall as a tribute to West, and in his hometown of Walla Walla, Washington, the Bat-Signal was shone upon the landmark Whitman Tower.[101][102]
West had pre-recorded five moreFamily Guy episodes as Mayor Adam West, which were released posthumously as part of the sixteenth season.[103] He also recorded the 11th episode ofPowerless, which never aired due to the show's cancellation. NBC aired the episode online after West's death.[104]
West's last public appearances were from March to April 2017 at the NorthEast ComicCon & Collectibles Extravaganza inHanover, Massachusetts, where he was the guest of honor,[105][106][107]Fan Expo Dallas,[108] andSilicon Valley Comic Con.[109] He was cremated atHollywood Forever Cemetery.[110]
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Photoplay | Gold Medal-Favorite TV Program | Batman (shared withBurt Ward) | Nominated |
| Laurel Awards | Male New Face | Himself | Nominated | |
| 1980 | Inkpot Awards | Inkpot Award | Himself | Won |
| 1995 | CableACE Awards | Best performance in a Comedy special | 1995 MTV Movie Awards (shared) | Nominated |
| 2004 | NAVGTR Awards | Best Voice Performance | XIII | Won |
| TV Land Awards | Favorite Crimestopper Duo | Batman (shared with Burt Ward) | Won | |
| 2005 | Favorite Crimestopper | Batman | Won | |
| 2010 | Palm Springs Walk of Stars | Awarded a Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars in 2010 | Himself | Won |
| 2012 | Walk of Fame | Awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 5, 2012 | Himself | Won |
| 2016 | Behind the Voice Actor Awards | Best Vocal Ensemble in a New television Series | Pen Zero: Part-Time-Hero | Nominated |
| 2018 | Best Male Lead Vocal Performance in a TV Special/Direct-to-DVD Title or Short | Batman vs. Two-Face | Won |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Voodoo Island | Weather Station #4 Radio Operator | Uncredited |
| 1958 | Ghost of the China Sea | ||
| 1959 | The Young Philadelphians | William Lawrence III | |
| The FBI Story | Man on Two Way Radio | Voice, Uncredited | |
| 1962 | Geronimo | Lt. John Delahay | |
| 1963 | Tammy and the Doctor | Dr. Eric Hassler | |
| Soldier in the Rain | Inspecting Captain | ||
| 1964 | Robinson Crusoe on Mars | Colonel Dan McReady | |
| 1965 | The Outlaws Is Coming | Kenneth Cabot | |
| Mara of the Wilderness | Ken Williams | ||
| The Relentless Four | Ranger Sam Garrett | ||
| 1966 | Batman | Bruce Wayne / Batman | |
| 1969 | The Girl Who Knew Too Much | Johnny Cain | |
| 1971 | The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker | Chester | |
| 1972 | The Curse of the Moon Child | ||
| 1974 | Hell River | Kurt Kohler | |
| 1975 | The Specialist | Jerry Bounds | |
| 1978 | Hooper | Himself | |
| 1980 | Warp Speed | Shuttle captain | |
| The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood | Lionel Lamely | ||
| 1982 | One Dark Night | Allan McKenna | |
| 1984 | Hell Riders | Doctor Dave | |
| 1985 | Yellow Pages | Henry's Father | Uncredited |
| Young Lady Chatterley II | Professor Arthur Bohart Jr. | ||
| 1986 | Zombie Nightmare | Capt. Tom Churchman | |
| 1988 | Doin' Time on Planet Earth | Charles Pinsky | |
| Return Fire | Carruthers | ||
| Night of the Kickfighters | Carl McMann | ||
| 1989 | Mad About You | Edward Harris | |
| Cartoon Lost and Found | Himself | Nick at Nite | |
| 1990 | Omega Cop | Prescott | |
| 1991 | Maxim Xul | Professor Marduk | |
| 1994 | The New Age | Jeff Witner | |
| The Best Movie Ever Made | Himself | ||
| 1995 | Not This Part of the World | ||
| Run for Cover | Senator Prescott | ||
| 1996 | The Size of Watermelons | Himself | |
| 1997 | Redux Riding Hood | Leonard Fox | Voice, Short[111] |
| Joyride | Harold | ||
| American Vampire | The Big Kahuna | ||
| 1999 | Drop Dead Gorgeous | Himself | |
| 2001 | Seance | Homeless Man, Angel | Also known asKiller in the Dark, released online in 2015 |
| 2002 | From Heaven to Hell | ||
| 2003 | Baadasssss! | Bert | |
| Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt | Himself | Television film | |
| 2004 | Tales from Beyond | Jay | (segment "The Bookstore") |
| 2005 | Aloha, Scooby-Doo! | Jared Moon | Voice,direct-to-video[111] |
| Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story | Mayor Adam West | Voice, direct-to-video | |
| Buckaroo: The Movie | Judge Werner | ||
| Chicken Little | Ace – Hollywood Chicken Little | Voice[111] | |
| Angels with Angles | Alfred the Butler | ||
| 2007 | Meet the Robinsons | Uncle Art | Voice[111] |
| Sexina: Popstar P.I. | The Boss | ||
| 2009 | Ratko: The Dictator's Son | Kostka Volvic | |
| Super Capers: The Origins of Ed and the Missing Bullion | Manbat, Cab Driver | ||
| 2011 | Pizza Man | Himself | |
| 2014 | Sexina | The Boss | |
| 2015 | Scooby-Doo! and the Beach Beastie | Sandy Blake | Voice, direct-to-video[111] |
| 2016 | Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders | Bruce Wayne / Batman[111] | |
| 2017 | Batman vs. Two-Face | Voice, direct-to-video; posthumous release; dedicated in memory | |
| 2023 | The Flash | Archival audio; likeness used for CGI model |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954–1955 | The Philco Television Playhouse | Ham Ector | 3 episodes |
| 1958–1959 | 77 Sunset Strip | Jim Beck, Lonnie Drew, Ernest Detterback | |
| 1959 | Grand Jury | Fenway | Episode: "The Big Boss" |
| Lawman | Doc Holliday | Episode: "The Wayfarer" | |
| Sugarfoot | Doc Holliday, Frederick Pulaski | 2 episodes | |
| Cheyenne | Ashley Claiborn | Season 4/Episode 1 - "Blind Spot" | |
| Bronco | Major Carter | Episode: "The Burning Springs" | |
| Colt .45 | Doc Holliday, Marshal Joe Benjamin, Sgt. Ed Kallen | 3 episodes | |
| Maverick | George Henry Arnett, Rudolph St. Cloud, Vic Nolan | ||
| Hawaiian Eye | George Nolen | Episode: "The Quick Return" | |
| Bourbon Street Beat | Deputy | Episode: "The Black Magnolia" | |
| 1960 | Johnny Midnight | Jake Hill | Episode: "The Villain of the Piece" |
| Overland Trail | Wild Bill Hickok | Episode: "Westbound Stage" | |
| Goodyear Theatre | David | Episode: "All in the Family" | |
| Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse | Johnny Cinderella | Episode: "Murder Is a Private Affair" | |
| 1961–1963 | Laramie | Kett Darby, Deputy | 2 episodes |
| 1961 | Tales of Wells Fargo | Steve Daco | Episode: "The Has-Been" |
| Bonanza | Frank Milton | Episode: "The Bride" | |
| 1961–1962 | Perry Mason | Pete Norland, Dan Southern | 2 episodes |
| 1961 | Michael Shayne | Dave Owens | Episode: "Date with Death" |
| The Rifleman | Christopher Rolf | Episode: "Stopover" | |
| Guestward, Ho! | Larry Crawford | Episode: "Bill, the Fireman" | |
| 1961–1962 | The Detectives | Det. Sgt. Steve Nelson | Main cast |
| 1962 | The Beachcomber | Huckabee | Episode: "Captain Huckabee's Beard" |
| 1963 | The Real McCoys | Buzz Cooper | Episode: "The Crop Duster" |
| Gunsmoke | Emmett | Episode: "Ash" | |
| 1964 | Petticoat Junction | Dr. Clayton Harris | 2 episodes |
| The Outer Limits | Major Charles 'Chuck' Merritt | Episode: "The Invisible Enemy" | |
| Bewitched | Kermit | Episode: "Love Is Blind" | |
| 1965 | The Virginian | Sam Loomis | Episode: "Legend for a Lawman" |
| 1966–1968 | Batman | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Main role |
| 1966 | The Milton Berle Show | Batman | Episode #1.2 |
| 1968 | The Big Valley | Major Jonathan Eliot | Episode: "In Silent Battle" |
| 1971 | Night Gallery | Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde | Episode: "With Apologies to Mr. Hyde" |
| 1972 | Primus | Jenson | Episode: "Sea Serpent" |
| Alias Smith and Jones | Brubaker | Episode: "The Men That Corrupted Hadleyburg" | |
| The Eyes of Charles Sand | Dr. Paul Scott | Television film | |
| This Is the Life | GI Hank Mathes | Episode: "The Revenge of Cho Lin" | |
| Mannix | Jonathan Forsythe | Episode: "A Puzzle for One" | |
| 1973 | Poor Devil | Dennis Crawford | Television film |
| 1974 | Emergency! | Vic Webster | Episode: "The Bash" |
| 1975 | Nevada Smith | Frank Hartlee | Television film |
| 1976 | Shazam! | Hercules | Voice, Episode: "The Delinquent" |
| Alice | Mr. Turner | Episode: "Sex Education" | |
| 1977 | The New Adventures of Batman | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice, Main role |
| Police Woman | Morgan | Episode: "Guns" | |
| 1978 | Operation Petticoat | Steve Fleming | Episode: "Bless You, My Sub" |
| Tarzan and the Super 7 | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice, Main role | |
| The American Girls | Episode: "The Beautiful People Jungle" | ||
| 1979 | Legends of the Superheroes | Bruce Wayne / Batman | 2 episodes |
| Big Shamus, Little Shamus | Harley Morgan | Episode: "The Loser" | |
| 1980–1984 | Fantasy Island | Frank McKenna, Philip Breem | 2 episodes |
| 1980 | For the Love of It | Jock Higgins | Television film |
| 1981 | Warp Speed | Captain Lofton | |
| Time Warp | Col. Ed Westin | ||
| 1982 | Laverne & Shirley | Edgar Garibaldi | Episode: "The Gymnast" |
| 1983 | I Take These Men | Craig Wyler | Television film |
| The Love Boat | Bob Williams | Episode: "Doc's Big Case/Senior Sinners/A Booming Romance" | |
| Hart to Hart | David Stockwood | Episode: "Love Game" | |
| 1984 | Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice, Main role |
| 1985 | The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians | ||
| 1986 | The Last Precinct | Captain Rick Wright | Main role |
| 1987 | Murder, She Wrote | Wade Talmadge | Episode: "Death Takes a Dive" |
| 1990 | Zorro | Dr. Henry Wayne | Episode: "The Wizard" |
| 1991 | Lookwell | Ty Lookwell | Pilot |
| 1992 | The Ben Stiller Show | Himself | Episode: "With Colin Quinn" |
| Batman: The Animated Series | Simon Trent / Gray Ghost | Voice, episode: "Beware the Gray Ghost"[111] | |
| Rugrats | Captain Blasto | Voice, episode: "Superhero Chuckie"[111] | |
| 1775 | George Washington | Pilot (and only episode) | |
| 1992; 2002 | The Simpsons | Himself, Batman | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Danger Theatre | Capt. Mike Morgan | 4 episodes |
| Tales from the Crypt | Chapman | Episode: "As Ye Sow" | |
| 1994 | The Good Life | Himself | Episode: "John Hurts His Leg or Tales from the Crip" |
| The Critic | Voice, episode: "Eyes on the Prize" | ||
| Nurses | Mr. Greer | Episode: "All the Pretty Caseys" | |
| Space Ghost Coast to Coast | Himself | Episode: "Batmantis" | |
| 1995 | The Adventures of Pete & Pete | Principal Ken Schwinger | 2 episodes |
| Muscle | Jim Atkinson | Episode #1.5 | |
| Hope and Gloria | Himself | Episode: "Who's Poppa?" | |
| Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Jerry Retchen | Episode: "Whine, Whine, Whine" | |
| Burke's Law | Dean Winters | Episode: "Who Killed the Toy Maker?" | |
| The Clinic | Horton Van Hoon | 5 episodes | |
| 1996 | Goosebumps | The Galloping Gazelle | Episode: "Attack of the Mutant" Pt. 1 and 2 |
| Weird Science | Himself | Episode: "Strangers in Paradise" | |
| 1997 | Pauly | Episode: "Spies Like Us" | |
| The Wayans Bros. | TV Host | Episode: "The Black Widower" | |
| Murphy Brown | Himself | Episode: "Hero Today, Gone Tomorrow" | |
| 1997–2004 | Johnny Bravo | Voice, 2 episodes[111] | |
| 1997 | Animaniacs | Spruce Wayne / Caped Crusader | Voice, episode: "Boo Wonder"[111] |
| 1998 | Jenny | Himself | Episode: "A Girl's Gotta Hang with a Celebrity" |
| 1998–1999 | The Secret Files of the Spy Dogs | Dog Zero,Leonardo da Vinci | Voice, Main role |
| 1998 | Diagnosis: Murder | Bruce Blazer | Episode: "Write, She Murdered" |
| Histeria! | Ernest Hemingway | Voice, 2 episodes | |
| NewsRadio | Himself | Episode: "Clash of the Titans" | |
| 1999 | Pacific Blue | Macon Dean | Episode: "Stargazer" |
| 2000–2018 | Family Guy | Mayor Adam West | Voice, Recurring role |
| 2001 | Black Scorpion | Dr. Noah Goddard / Breathtaker | Recurring role |
| The Drew Carey Show | Mitch | Episode: "Hotel Drew" | |
| 2003 | Kim Possible | Timothy North / Fearless Ferret | Voice, episode: "The Fearless Ferret" |
| The Mullets | Himself | Episode: "Silent But Deadly" | |
| 2003–2009 | The Fairly OddParents | Himself, Catman | Voice, Recurring role |
| 2003 | The Bronx Bunny Show | Himself | 1 episode |
| 2004 | Monster Island | Dr. Harryhausen | Television film |
| Channel Chasers | Himself | Voice, television film[111] | |
| 2004–2006 | The Batman | MayorMarion Grange | Voice, Recurring role[111] |
| 2005 | The King of Queens | Himself | Episode: "Shear Torture" |
| The Boondocks | R. Kelly's Lawyer | Voice, episode: "The Trial of Robert Kelly" | |
| 2007 | George Lopez | Jonathon K. Martin | 2 episodes |
| 2008 | Guiding Light | Himself | 1 episode |
| 2009 | 30 Rock | Episode: "Apollo, Apollo" | |
| 2010 | SpongeBob SquarePants | YoungMermaid Man | Voice, episode: "Back to the Past"[111] |
| Batman: The Brave and the Bold | Proto-Bot,Thomas Wayne | Voice, 2 episodes[111] | |
| 2011 | The Super Hero Squad Show | Nighthawk | Voice, episode: "Whom Continuity Would Destroy!" |
| 2011–2012 | Jake and the Never Land Pirates | Wise Old Parrot | Voice, 3 episodes |
| 2013 | Futurama | Himself | Episode: "Leela and the Genestalk" |
| 2015–2017 | Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero | Captain Super Captain, Professor Evil Professor | Voice, 4 episodes[111] |
| 2015 | Robot Chicken DC Comics Special III: Magical Friendship | '60s Batman, Robber | Voice, television special |
| Moonbeam City | Razzle Novak | Voice, episode: "Stuntstravaganza" | |
| 2016 | The Big Bang Theory | Himself | Episode: "The Celebration Experimentation" |
| 2017 | Powerless | Narrator, Chairman Dean West | 2 episodes |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Golden Nugget | Hugh Swain | |
| Goosebumps: Attack of the Mutant | The Galloping Gazelle | [111] | |
| 2003 | XIII | General Carrington | [111] |
| 2005 | Scooby-Doo! Unmasked | Winslow Stanton | [111] |
| 2006 | Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure | Chief Hunt | [111] |
| Family Guy Video Game! | Mayor Adam West | ||
| Disney's Chicken Little: Ace in Action | Ace | ||
| 2007 | Meet the Robinsons | Uncle Art | |
| 2012 | Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse | Mayor Adam West | |
| 2013 | Grand Theft Auto V | Unnamed Bobcat Security Guard | |
| 2014 | Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham | Himself, Batman (1966), Gray Ghost | [111] |
| Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff | Mayor Adam West | ||
| 2016 | Batman 66 Pinball | Batman | [111] |
A 30-minute production documentary....Apparently, Adam West was also considered, briefly, for the role...
The other guests so far include comic book legend Stan Lee (in what they say will be his final Texas appearance), renowned comic artist Jim Lee, Norman Reedus and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead), Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley (The Vampire Diaries), Adam West and Burt Ward (Batman) John Barrowman (Arrow, Doctor Who) and Robin Lord Taylor (Gotham).
Media from Commons
Quotations from Wikiquote
Data from Wikidata
