I just bought the complete Batman series recently and have been enjoying the episodes. I truly do believe the 1960s was the best decade of television. There’s a reason why around half the shows on MeTV are from that decade alone. Even though there were only three channels, there was just so much variety. Part of me wishes I could go back and watch the shows when they first aired. There’s just something about the shows of that period that I find to be comforting. They were innocent without losing their dramatic tension, which is why they have endured for so long.
I grew up in the sixties. I still remember watching the first episode of The Batman TV series but we only had a black and white television set. I went to the local theatre to watch The Batman movie based on the TV series.
I was just watching the show last week. It's on Xumo Play. And interest in watching all the Batman content so I decided why not start with the TV show in the 60s.
After Sean Connery left the James Bond franchise, co producer Albert Broccoli asked Adam West to do a screen test for James Bond. He turned it down, telling Broccoli that Bond should be British. Imagine if West took the bond role!
I like to think there was a small revenge in the fact that Zayre almost immediately went out of business in 1990, while Adam enjoyed his own personal renaissance. I even recall a small pushback against the 1989 movie, with the 1966 version playing in a few theaters and people saying that Cesar Romero was still their favorite Joker. (Oh, and Dave, thanks for that British curb drill.)
To be honest, I think both Adam West *and* Burt Ward should have been pleased that their portrayals of the Dynamic Duo inspired that TV ad...and just take it as a compliment. Since once he appeared in that show, his playing the part *and* his portrayal of it became the property of the studio, not him. Any artist that goes commercial knows that, and he should have, too.
It's not unreasonable for them to have thought so. The cast from Happy Days successfully sued for past & future likeness of their images as well as other shows. I'm not claiming to have any knowledge of Adam & Burts contracts but it was certainly worth looking into, in my opinion.
Thanks for sharing this piece of information Adam West is a iconic Batman classic Batman this television series won't be forgotten Adam will always be batman
I got to meet Adam West once when his book back to the batcave was released in the mid to late 90s. He was such a delightful person and it was such a joy to get to meet him at the book signing.
Adam West & Micheal Keaton were my 2 favorites. Good memories of watching Batman in the evenings with my dad. We were both fans. “Curb drill!” 😂 Who knew?
You're right Dave the early Bat Man was awesome. He was indeed the bright night. I grew up watching this series... Thanks for the deep dive into Adam West. I never knew about all of this. Thanks for sharing!
I think it could be argued that the actor in the commercial acted NOT as Batman BUT as Adam West portraying Batman . Therefore deliberately misleading the audience into believing that Adam West was involved in the marketing campaign in order to benefit from his celebrity status without actually paying for his celebrity status .
I certainly agree with you because whoever those guys were that dressed up as Batman and Robin it was poorly done. They should’ve been themselves because it’s as though they were poking fun at Adam West and Burt Ward. That commercial was poorly done.
I wish I could’ve met him. When I was a kid, I met Robin at a Lowes hardware store in my hometown. I don’t know if it was Burt Ward but he sounded like him. That was in the 70’s.
I've said this on more than one occasion. But Adam West was and always will be the BEST Batman, in my opinion? He was the first Batman I was introduced to in 1966. And there is no better actor to portray that character, than Adam West! He made Batman wholesome and great, in a time that we needed a hero to be. There was just something special about his interpretation of that character, that gave me a hero to believe in. Without a doubt, Adam West made Batman more likable, more charming, and most importantly more real to little kids for decades.....
I have ALL the Adam West Batman movies..Adam West and Michael Keaton are the BEST two Batman's in Hollywood History.. Adam West is a TRUE Legend in my eyes!!
While I understand where Adam was coming from, I agree with the court ruling. They clearly were spoofing the show and Adam's mannerisms as Batman are connected with the show. They are not HIS OWN mannerisms and movements so I don't believe any copywrite was broken.
Thanks for this video, Dave, I never knew about this lawsuit, nor did I ever see that Zayre commercial. I wish that Adam West agreed to play Thomas Wayne in the first Tim Burton Batman movie, but I think this video helps me understand why he didn't want anything to do with it, he was disillusioned. Great job Dave, keep up the great work.
I used to watch Batman as a kid and, as a kid, loved it as a comic book come to life. When I was in college, an episode came on. I watched it and suddenly realized that it was a comedy. A comedy without a laugh track with every actor playing it straight I loved it all the more and loved Adam West for the way he pulled it off. As to the day his heart broke, why did they hire Burt Ward and not Adam West? Since he was surprised, they obviously never asked him. Do you know why this was? I remember a PSA with Burt Ward and Yvonne /Craig playing their characters but Dick Goutier playing Batman. I do not know why he was not in that one either.
I remember the lawsuit. It was put there that Adam was suing, but it was his manager Fred that was behind all of it. Fred was ALWAYS causing trouble. He was the reason WHY it took DECADES to get legit Adam West Batman merchandise. When Fred died, the Bat-Merchandise flood gates burst. He was the true Bat-Villain.
Catwoman: [off screen] If you pick the right door, I'm yours, Batman. If you pick the wrong door, you're mine. So which is it, Batman? The lady or the tiger? ❤
Adam is why I’m a Batman fan today and he became my hero pretty quick after finding Batman at 5 years old during the batmania u mentioned when family channel now called Freeform got the syndication rights to it I have made it my mission to see everything television and movie appearances he has made and I have seen a good chunk of his television appearances and I remember hearing about his passing the Saturday morning it became news when I woke up for the day and I’m still not totally over it in a way cause of how much he means to me
No he wasnt. He was a Horrible guy! Aweful to fans and a POS. He went off at me 2 times at two different conventions. Never meet you heroes! Has been no good actor!
HOLY OLEO BATMAN~ that one’s my favorite because I was in HOME EC at the time I seen it~ it was an riddler one and our masked heroes were baking on a rooftop~
This is almost like when Clayton Moore was ordered to no longer be Lone Ranger but he still won. Adam could have felt better if the producers had him in the Movie . He always wanted to play Bruce's uncle.
Well, needless to say, I don't know all the intricacies of the law, but it does seem to me Adam created his own unique interpretation of the Batman character. Beyond that he brought a comic book icon to time tv in a very creative and entertaining way. He was right , he was and remains the "bright Night " and no one else to my knowledge can lay claim to that. I was a big fan of both Adam West and Van Williams as the "Green hornet " each show was done in its own unique style.
Usually if such a lawsuit is legitimate and should be heard in court, it has to do with the name and likeness of the actor, and not the character. The actor playing Batman in the Zaire’s commercial was portraying the character Batman, and not the actor Adam West. I’m assuming Zayre’s had to get permission from DC Comics to use Batman and Robin in their commercial, otherwise they would have been successfully sued by DC Comics for copyright infringement.
As a kid in the 1960s, I raced home from school to see 'Batman' before my silly sister tuned into some coody-ridden girls' show. 😉 'Batman' and 'The Flintstones,' every Boomer kid's favorite 'Dynamic Duo'!
Another great video Dave. Adam West is my favorite Batman. The 60’s series was intended to be corny and campy but it was great fun for the whole family to watch 😁. Adam was an All-American handsome man with a distinctive voice. He looked and sounded like a President should. I think when a remake is made they should at least have cameos of previous actors. For my 2 cents Batman is Adam West and Robin is Burt Ward. (Notice how I flipped that around?)
interesting to watch! never knew about that court case or even that commercial. I liked the Batman with MK but the orgingal one was entertaining to watch.
It was a frivolous lawsuit, but, you know what, he seemed to have gotten past it, like you said. By appearing as himself in iconic TV show episodes, and movies. My personal favorite, when he appeared on one of my personal favorite sitcoms, The Big Bang Theory.
I don't like these kinds of lawsuits, because they are often used to stop giving the public access to these shows, (like Ginger on Gillian). I am not a lawyer, but I think he would have had a better case saying that it was a false endorsement by an Adam West impersonator, rather than a character copyright issue, ( because West didn't own the character).
From everything that I've read, that's the angle that they took. Adam knew that he didn't own Batman. But...he thought maybe he could claim ownership on his unique interpretation of the character. In the end, he and his lawyers was proven wrong.
I always prefered the "blue and grey" Batman since it's the version I grew up with. Although I enjoyed the 1989 movie, I'm not into the all black outfit. Course that's going with the times I'm guessing. If anything, Adam West outlived the existence of Zayre who went out of business years later. Forever missed, forever grateful. 👍
His version is iconic, whether you like it or not. I'm glad he had a sense of humor about it and loved seeing him on The Family Guy, Robot Chicken, The Big Bang Theory. Just looking up details on his IMDB page. I see that they have made a pretty big error listing a drag performer as one of his daughters, Nina West/Andrew Levitt, instead of his actual daughter Nina West/Nina Tooley. Not the end of the world but just an ooops. LOL- I was in the midst of writing to IMDB about the glitch and see now that it has been corrected. Prank maybe?
Good afternoon Dave i hope you're doing well. Adam was the BEST BatMan and always will be. At the time of the TV series, the BatMan comics were campy and going more for fun over drama and seriousness, and Adam's interpretation was spot on to the comics at the time. I've been reading up on copyright laws recently [with this whole Mickey Mouse public domain issue going on and which interpretations are allowed to use] and Adam was in the right and should've won that case-but considering Zayre went out of business a few years later, justice was served after all. Those animated BatMan '66 movies are great and they are based on a retro comic series based on the 1966 BatMan. Informative video as always and it is always a pleasure to hear something about Adam West-such a childhood icon who has left a permanent impression on this heart. Take care of yourself my friend.
OMG ,my 1st real job was working at Zayre in 1987 -89 .I forgot about the Batman ads ,til just now . My store had a big cardboard cut out of the Batmobile ,and the Batman emblem on the wheel hubs said Zayre. As a side note I think the world could use a "Bright Knight " Dave didn't Adam West play Batman on Scooby Doo ?
I remember reading an interview with West long ago that I can no longer find. In it he said he was hoping they would make a movie of Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns and hire him for the role. In case that sounds like he was just nuts and had no clue about what was up with Miller's Batman, he made it clear that A) he was the right age for the role at that point and B) his Batman take was humorous, and so was Miller's -- just much much much much darker in its humor! Well, at least he got to do a dark evil Batman for a bit in Return of the Cape Crusaders!
The judge was right, Adam really did not own ANYTHING Batman related. Adams manorisms, characteristics and delivery is not patented nor owned. I'm surprised his lawyers even thought they had a case..
fun fact - both Batman and Detective Comics were on the verge of cancellation before Mr West and the gang were able to increase comics sales enough to save the books.
I believe that there is karmic justice in the fact that Zayre is a long forgotten defunct retailer while Adam West is still beloved and remembered six years after his passing. RIP Adam West. FYI he also voice acted Batman in both the 1968 and 1977 Filmation animated cartoon series as well as the 1984 through 1986 Hanna Barbera Super Powers. Up to that time, voice actor Olan Soule had voice acted Batman from 1973 through 1980, but when Adam West came on board, Olan Soule graciously handed over the role to Adam West. Hanna Barbera then transferred Olan Soule over to Professor Stein, the intellectual half of then new character Firestorm.
Adam and Burt were their own versions of Batman and Robin, unique characterisations in a unique TV show. It isn't fair to compare them to any of the other versions, because they had a totally different brief for their show. I loved Keaton's movie version, but Adam West was the iconic kid's version, the family version. "One of a kind" and "unique".. what actor wouldn't be proud to be so fondly remembered by several generations and be as instantly recognisable as West and Ward's Batman and Robin?
Case reminds me of the actor Crispin glover from bttf. In the second movie he was replaced with another actor but they used Crispin glovers actual face molds on the new replacement actor for George Mcfly. I know this case is not all the same as batmans' but it close. Crispin sued and won his case.
I thought Batman vs. Two-Face was a superb coda to the Adam West Batman. The right blend of 60s fun and modern-day grim overtone fit the film perfectly.
Oh, at least he wasn’t like Clayton Moore, the Lone Ranger that had his mass taken away. That would’ve been tragic if Warner Bros. / DC had sued him to stop performing as Batman.
I grew up watching reruns of Batman on The Family Channel. I recorded a lot of them and I still have those tapes. I don't watch them as I don't have a VCR anymore but at some point I think I'll get one As much as I hate to say it, no. Adam West didn't own any of the Batman IP. He was the actor, not the creator. I don't see any reason he would win that case. There's a lot of case law that makes clear that actors mostly don't hold those kinds of rights. If he owned a piece of the show maybe he could have gotten some damages but he just didn't
Adam West was my favorite Batman until I watched Michael Keaton's version. Can I have two favorites? I think the lawsuit was frivolous. He could have embraced the ad and written to the actor who played Batman and told him what a great job he did playing him as Batman.
Adam west is Batman 🦇 . For tv. I don't take nothing away from The other actors who play The Batman in the movies. But Adam play Batman with ❤ ♥ Heart. They did him wrong.. I saw Batman when I was a little boy. He was my 1st Super Hero.
No matter what, Adam didn’t own anything having to do with Batman. He was just an Actor playing a role, nothing more and nothing less. The outcome of that court case ended as it was supposed to end. Adam knew he didn’t have a case, just as his attorney knew as well. His Attorney played Adam for a Fool and just took Adam’s money.
This is really sad, in a pathetic sort of way. It reminds me of when the movie studios sued Clayton Moore to get him to stop pretending he was The Lone Ranger and take off tge mask. Somebody needs to explain to these actors, that they have been hired to fill a part, period. Every actor brings his own thing to their character. That doesn't entitle them to any ownership rights to that character. It's a shame that Adam had to be taught that in court, but he bought it entirely on himself. It's also a crying shame that nobody ever told Adam that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Nice comparison to Clayton. There are some similarities there for sure. Although I don't think Adam was ever prohibited from donning the cape and cowl.
@@jdsundstrom LOL I didnt day it was the same. It just reminded me as it was a similar love for the role. Thanks, Dave. Thought you'd missed my response.
Before I offer my opinion, I don’t think so much the judge dropped the ball in deciding Adam’s case, I really think his lawyers did not present such a great argument, on behalf of Mr. West, and his impersonation of the Cape Crusader. So with that mind, without Adam West, I think many people would have been extremely slow to even pay attention to Batman in the first place. The same goes for Christopher Reeves, and Linda, Carter, in their respective characters.
Yes, I do think Adam was in the right with that lawsuit. Remember, Crispin Glover had a similar lawsuit after Back to the Future Part II. Having another actor copy Adam's performance where we don't really see his face all without Adam's permission ... this is not like a stunt double here.
My father was born 1913 and thought the 1st show of the 60's was the darker from the papers and not Adam West. So the later movies was a throw back to what my father was thinking. It's odd the courts could not face the actors point of view as part of the show. I grew up with the 50's Lone Ranger Yes he was not the 1st but they wanted the actor to go out with out the mask when the new movies of the Lone Ranger came out. The 50's actor changed is life to fit the part for the children too look up too. In that mans account the Sun Glass company made a pair for him to wear when the courts did not want him to wear the mask. That caused the studios to put the actors of the shows in the movies as another person. From Lost in Space TV June Lockheart became school Principle, Beverley Hillbillies Buddy Epsen played a lawyer in the movie. They found the fans loved the shows and the actors don't treat them as non important.
No, Because Legally, He did NOT OWN the rights to the character. Maybe if he had DC Comics had sued ON THIS BEHALF, Then maybe his case would of had a chance. West had no stake in the actual character, therefore, he had no STANDING.
I just bought the complete Batman series recently and have been enjoying the episodes. I truly do believe the 1960s was the best decade of television. There’s a reason why around half the shows on MeTV are from that decade alone. Even though there were only three channels, there was just so much variety. Part of me wishes I could go back and watch the shows when they first aired. There’s just something about the shows of that period that I find to be comforting. They were innocent without losing their dramatic tension, which is why they have endured for so long.
Totally agree with you about shows from the 60s being comforting.
Yes, I wouldn't mind going back in time myself, at least to catch the sponsor tags😊 on TV.
I grew up in the sixties. I still remember watching the first episode of The Batman TV series but we only had a black and white television set. I went to the local theatre to watch The Batman movie based on the TV series.
Now if only 20th century fox would put The Green Hornet on DVD and blu-ray
Adam was my favorite Batman too.❤
You've got great taste, Tracy! Thanks for all your support.
I was just watching the show last week. It's on Xumo Play. And interest in watching all the Batman content so I decided why not start with the TV show in the 60s.
After Sean Connery left the James Bond franchise, co producer Albert Broccoli asked Adam West to do a screen test for James Bond. He turned it down, telling Broccoli that Bond should be British. Imagine if West took the bond role!
Adam was right.
I heard same story but it was Clint Eastwood.
Prolly an urban legend, like the fake story of Charles Manson auditioning for The Monkees - but who knows
I like to think there was a small revenge in the fact that Zayre almost immediately went out of business in 1990, while Adam enjoyed his own personal renaissance. I even recall a small pushback against the 1989 movie, with the 1966 version playing in a few theaters and people saying that Cesar Romero was still their favorite Joker. (Oh, and Dave, thanks for that British curb drill.)
Thanks for sharing your memories, WBH!
❤❤❤agreed
Actually, the Zayre owner sold the Zayre brand to.Ames and focused on the other retail properties
@@Stephen-to7jx Fair point, though it's still interesting that the brand stopped.
To be honest, I think both Adam West *and* Burt Ward should have been pleased that their portrayals of the Dynamic Duo inspired that TV ad...and just take it as a compliment. Since once he appeared in that show, his playing the part *and* his portrayal of it became the property of the studio, not him. Any artist that goes commercial knows that, and he should have, too.
Since you brought up Burt, I actually think the actor channeling him was the better of the two. Thanks for sharing!
It's not unreasonable for them to have thought so. The cast from Happy Days successfully sued for past & future likeness of their images as well as other shows. I'm not claiming to have any knowledge of Adam & Burts contracts but it was certainly worth looking into, in my opinion.
Adam's feeling for need of a Lawsuit is very personal and it's very well understood as to the how, the why, the thick and the gist of it.
I agreed with you - Adam West was my favorite Batman. Great job Dave!!!
Thank you!
He was the Batman I grew up with !!!! And yes, he should have won that court case ❤
Thanks for sharing this piece of information Adam West is a iconic Batman classic Batman this television series won't be forgotten Adam will always be batman
Loved the show and the bat mobile as a kid. The original cast, including the villains, was the best.
Oh, it’s still and always will be the best Batmobile!
I got to meet Adam West once when his book back to the batcave was released in the mid to late 90s. He was such a delightful person and it was such a joy to get to meet him at the book signing.
What people don’t understand about Adam West's Batman is that he looked and acted the way Batman was in the comics in the 60s
Adam West & Micheal Keaton were my 2 favorites. Good memories of watching Batman in the evenings with my dad. We were both fans. “Curb drill!” 😂 Who knew?
Adam West was my favorite Batman too ❤ That commercial at the end was wild! Lol. A treat for sure 😎
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Adam needed and wanted to win that court case. He will always be batman to me. The way he would teach right from wrong no other batman did that
My uncle worked for Glastron in Texas. When I was a kid, he took us for a ride in the original Bat Boat!
I was blessed to have met him - he was incredible!
The world is a Lesser place without him 🥺
RIP big guy You are Missed
It was such a great show, as a kid, I never missed a prime time episode!
RIP Mr. West! You are a National Treasure! (I even loved him in 'Robinson Crusoe on Mars'!)
I loved him in that movie as well! Thanks for all your support, Bob!
He was also killed off early in his first credited film role as a gay groom unable to face his wedding night. I wonder if he sensed typecasting lol
Adam West always was and will always be THE original Batman. Like Coke said, "Can't beat the real thing"
You're right Dave the early Bat Man was awesome. He was indeed the bright night.
I grew up watching this series... Thanks for the deep dive into Adam West. I never knew about all of this.
Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure!
To me Adam West will always be my number one Batman. RIP 🙏😔
I think it could be argued that the actor in the commercial acted NOT as Batman BUT as Adam West portraying Batman . Therefore deliberately misleading the audience into believing that Adam West was involved in the marketing campaign in order to benefit from his celebrity status without actually paying for his celebrity status .
I certainly agree with you because whoever those guys were that dressed up as Batman and Robin it was poorly done. They should’ve been themselves because it’s as though they were poking fun at Adam West and Burt Ward. That commercial was poorly done.
💯 agree, I have no idea how he lost that case.
I did like the custom design way better
Adam West was one of a kind and will be remembered for years to come thanks to his portrayal of Batman.
Adam West 1928-2017 and I miss him very dearly and I know it's heartbreaking for us to lose him in 2017
Holy crap, I remember that... I grew up in Massachusetts. Great video.
Thanks for watching!
I met Adam West in 2015 at Frank & Sons and I saw him get his star, and I even went to downtown LA to see the Bat-signal. He was the best!
I wish I could’ve met him. When I was a kid, I met Robin at a Lowes hardware store in my hometown. I don’t know if it was Burt Ward but he sounded like him. That was in the 70’s.
I met Adam in 1989. He was kind and gracious.
I've said this on more than one occasion. But Adam West was and always will be
the BEST Batman, in my opinion? He was the first Batman I was introduced to in
1966. And there is no better actor to portray that character, than Adam West! He
made Batman wholesome and great, in a time that we needed a hero to be. There
was just something special about his interpretation of that character, that gave me
a hero to believe in. Without a doubt, Adam West made Batman more likable, more
charming, and most importantly more real to little kids for decades.....
Thanks for sharing, Jeff!
I have ALL the Adam West Batman movies..Adam West and Michael Keaton are the BEST two Batman's in Hollywood History.. Adam West is a TRUE Legend in my eyes!!
While I understand where Adam was coming from, I agree with the court ruling. They clearly were spoofing the show and Adam's mannerisms as Batman are connected with the show. They are not HIS OWN mannerisms and movements so I don't believe any copywrite was broken.
Great commercial. In UK, right left right, in US, left right left. Steering wheel/ driving lane positions, y'know. Holy kids safety, Batman😎🐈
Thanks for this video, Dave, I never knew about this lawsuit, nor did I ever see that Zayre commercial. I wish that Adam West agreed to play Thomas Wayne in the first Tim Burton Batman movie, but I think this video helps me understand why he didn't want anything to do with it, he was disillusioned. Great job Dave, keep up the great work.
Thanks Kevin!
I used to watch Batman as a kid and, as a kid, loved it as a comic book come to life. When I was in college, an episode came on. I watched it and suddenly realized that it was a comedy. A comedy without a laugh track with every actor playing it straight I loved it all the more and loved Adam West for the way he pulled it off. As to the day his heart broke, why did they hire Burt Ward and not Adam West? Since he was surprised, they obviously never asked him. Do you know why this was? I remember a PSA with Burt Ward and Yvonne /Craig playing their characters but Dick Goutier playing Batman. I do not know why he was not in that one either.
They didn't hire Burt. That was another actor playing him. But, you bring up a good point. I think they just should have hired Adam and Burt.
My sister and I used to run circles around the chair when the theme song came on. Wish we had capes. ❤👋🏼
I love it! Thanks for sharing that memory.
@@jdsundstrom you bring back so many wonderful memories , thank you❤👋🏼
I remember the lawsuit. It was put there that Adam was suing, but it was his manager Fred that was behind all of it. Fred was ALWAYS causing trouble. He was the reason WHY it took DECADES to get legit Adam West Batman merchandise. When Fred died, the Bat-Merchandise flood gates burst. He was the true Bat-Villain.
Catwoman: [off screen] If you pick the right door, I'm yours, Batman. If you pick the wrong door, you're mine. So which is it, Batman? The lady or the tiger?
❤
My favorite episode, Mike.
@@jdsundstrom mine too 🤗
I forgot all about this commercial. Used to have a Zayre like two or three miles from my house
Adam is why I’m a Batman fan today and he became my hero pretty quick after finding Batman at 5 years old during the batmania u mentioned when family channel now called Freeform got the syndication rights to it I have made it my mission to see everything television and movie appearances he has made and I have seen a good chunk of his television appearances and I remember hearing about his passing the Saturday morning it became news when I woke up for the day and I’m still not totally over it in a way cause of how much he means to me
Thanks for sharing. It's hard to believe that Freeform used to be called "The Family Channel".
I met Adam West. He was exceptionally nice.
I met him once also and he was extremely nice but also very hungover.
@@davidmitchell6873 I need to add that Frank Gorshin lived next door to us while starring as the Riddler in the Batman series.
Wasn't he from the Pittsburgh area? That's actually where I have lived all my life.
@@davidmitchell6873 Good question...
No he wasnt. He was a Horrible guy! Aweful to fans and a POS. He went off at me 2 times at two different conventions. Never meet you heroes! Has been no good actor!
I agree. Adam West was great!!!
HOLY OLEO BATMAN~ that one’s my favorite because I was in HOME EC at the time I seen it~ it was an riddler one and our masked heroes were baking on a rooftop~
Thanks for sharing!
This is almost like when Clayton Moore was ordered to no longer be Lone Ranger but he still won. Adam could have felt better if the producers had him in the Movie . He always wanted to play Bruce's uncle.
Well, needless to say, I don't know all the intricacies of the law, but it does seem to me Adam created his own unique interpretation of the Batman character. Beyond that he brought a comic book icon to time tv in a very creative and entertaining way. He was right , he was and remains the "bright Night " and no one else to my knowledge can lay claim to that. I was a big fan of both Adam West and Van Williams as the "Green hornet " each show was done in its own unique style.
My father met Adam West and future Apollo astronaut in a German language course at Stanford .
Usually if such a lawsuit is legitimate and should be heard in court, it has to do with the name and likeness of the actor, and not the character. The actor playing Batman in the Zaire’s commercial was portraying the character Batman, and not the actor Adam West. I’m assuming Zayre’s had to get permission from DC Comics to use Batman and Robin in their commercial, otherwise they would have been successfully sued by DC Comics for copyright infringement.
As a kid in the 1960s, I raced home from school to see 'Batman' before my silly sister tuned into some coody-ridden girls' show. 😉 'Batman' and 'The Flintstones,' every Boomer kid's favorite 'Dynamic Duo'!
Another great video Dave.
Adam West is my favorite Batman. The 60’s series was intended to be corny and campy but it was great fun for the whole family to watch 😁. Adam was an All-American handsome man with a distinctive voice. He looked and sounded like a President should. I think when a remake is made they should at least have cameos of previous actors. For my 2 cents Batman is Adam West and Robin is Burt Ward. (Notice how I flipped that around?)
I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for sharing your "2 cents".
interesting to watch! never knew about that court case or even that commercial. I liked the Batman with MK but the orgingal one was entertaining to watch.
It was a frivolous lawsuit, but, you know what, he seemed to have gotten past it, like you said.
By appearing as himself in iconic TV show episodes, and movies.
My personal favorite, when he appeared on one of my personal favorite sitcoms, The Big Bang Theory.
Love that episode of TBBT!
I miss Adam West so much. It was always a treat to hear his voice on so many shows. He was such a national treasure!
Totally agree, RNG!
I'm 61 now. To me, Adam West is Batman!
I was born in 1960, so the Adam West Batman was and always be my Batman.
R.I.P. Adam West.
Probably up in that big Bat cave in the sky.
He was an aweful guy!
He was so handsome. That’s not his voice. You can tell. I’m sorry he lost his case.
Yah, you can tell it's not Adam's voice. But, clearly, they were trying to imitate Adam's version of Batman.
I don't like these kinds of lawsuits, because they are often used to stop giving the public access to these shows, (like Ginger on Gillian).
I am not a lawyer, but I think he would have had a better case saying that it was a false endorsement by an Adam West impersonator, rather than a character copyright issue, ( because West didn't own the character).
From everything that I've read, that's the angle that they took. Adam knew that he didn't own Batman. But...he thought maybe he could claim ownership on his unique interpretation of the character. In the end, he and his lawyers was proven wrong.
I always prefered the "blue and grey" Batman since it's the version I grew up with. Although I enjoyed the 1989 movie, I'm not into the all black outfit. Course that's going with the times I'm guessing. If anything, Adam West outlived the existence of Zayre who went out of business years later. Forever missed, forever grateful. 👍
Thanks for sharing, Steven!
RIP Adam West aka Batman 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼❤
His version is iconic, whether you like it or not. I'm glad he had a sense of humor about it and loved seeing him on The Family Guy, Robot Chicken, The Big Bang Theory. Just looking up details on his IMDB page. I see that they have made a pretty big error listing a drag performer as one of his daughters, Nina West/Andrew Levitt, instead of his actual daughter Nina West/Nina Tooley. Not the end of the world but just an ooops. LOL- I was in the midst of writing to IMDB about the glitch and see now that it has been corrected. Prank maybe?
Definitely a prank. Thanks for all your support, Sean.
I'm 59 so Adam West is the BATMN I grew up with.
In my mind Adam West was and always will be the real BATMAN.
Mr West was Batman - The Real Batman -
Why ? Because he loved being Batman more than anyone - And he made people smile - That's a good thing
Good afternoon Dave i hope you're doing well. Adam was the BEST BatMan and always will be. At the time of the TV series, the BatMan comics were campy and going more for fun over drama and seriousness, and Adam's interpretation was spot on to the comics at the time. I've been reading up on copyright laws recently [with this whole Mickey Mouse public domain issue going on and which interpretations are allowed to use] and Adam was in the right and should've won that case-but considering Zayre went out of business a few years later, justice was served after all. Those animated BatMan '66 movies are great and they are based on a retro comic series based on the 1966 BatMan. Informative video as always and it is always a pleasure to hear something about Adam West-such a childhood icon who has left a permanent impression on this heart. Take care of yourself my friend.
Na na na Batman 🎉
OMG ,my 1st real job was working at Zayre in 1987 -89 .I forgot about the Batman ads ,til just now . My store had a big cardboard cut out of the Batmobile ,and the Batman emblem on the wheel hubs said Zayre.
As a side note I think the world could use a "Bright Knight "
Dave didn't Adam West play Batman on Scooby Doo ?
Thanks for sharing. Adam never voiced Batman on "Scooby Doo". That was an actor named Olan Soule.
Beware The Gray Ghost was one of the best episodes of Batman The Animated Series. Adam West's cameo was awesome.
Love that episode!
Zayre's was like our Walmart when I was a kid. It was cooler than Walmart.
I remember reading an interview with West long ago that I can no longer find. In it he said he was hoping they would make a movie of Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns and hire him for the role. In case that sounds like he was just nuts and had no clue about what was up with Miller's Batman, he made it clear that A) he was the right age for the role at that point and B) his Batman take was humorous, and so was Miller's -- just much much much much darker in its humor! Well, at least he got to do a dark evil Batman for a bit in Return of the Cape Crusaders!
I wouldn't have wanted to see Adam in "The Dark Knight Returns". But, you're right. His Dark Batman in "The Return of the Caped Crusaders" was fun.
I'm looking forward to watching batman in the morning on TV.
He did the voice for Saturday morning Cartoons during the seventies and eighties too.
The judge was right, Adam really did not own ANYTHING Batman related. Adams manorisms, characteristics and delivery is not patented nor owned. I'm surprised his lawyers even thought they had a case..
fun fact - both Batman and Detective Comics were on the verge of cancellation before Mr West and the gang were able to increase comics sales enough to save the books.
I remember hearing the day Adam passed I was in shock like loosing a family member. sort of silly but he meant so much to me.
I take it you never met him in person. He was horrible POS person! Not worth anyone crying over him
I was working and was heartbroken when i heard - Loved him.
I believe that there is karmic justice in the fact that Zayre is a long forgotten defunct retailer while Adam West is still beloved and remembered six years after his passing. RIP Adam West. FYI he also voice acted Batman in both the 1968 and 1977 Filmation animated cartoon series as well as the 1984 through 1986 Hanna Barbera Super Powers. Up to that time, voice actor Olan Soule had voice acted Batman from 1973 through 1980, but when Adam West came on board, Olan Soule graciously handed over the role to Adam West. Hanna Barbera then transferred Olan Soule over to Professor Stein, the intellectual half of then new character Firestorm.
How many people did that with William Shatner & Capt. Kirk? More than West/Batman was imitated. Did Shatner ever think of a lawsuit?
I'm sure he didn't after seeing Adam get shot down. Thanks for all your support, Rob!
RIP Adam West, he really was Batman, he really was the show, Adam is the second Batman, but Michael Keaton is my favorite Batman.
Adam and Burt were their own versions of Batman and Robin, unique characterisations in a unique TV show. It isn't fair to compare them to any of the other versions, because they had a totally different brief for their show. I loved Keaton's movie version, but Adam West was the iconic kid's version, the family version. "One of a kind" and "unique".. what actor wouldn't be proud to be so fondly remembered by several generations and be as instantly recognisable as West and Ward's Batman and Robin?
Adam was in the right and he's the GOAT!
Every actor in the series are the best ever.
There would be none of the rest of it had they not come first.
Adam West is, and always will be, Batman. All others are simply representations of the original. Same with Ward's Robin.
Great one
Thanks Junkman!
Dick Gautier replaced West in a Equal Rights Amendment for equal pay with Burt Ward and Yvonne Craig, but I guess her was not as upset about that one.
I believe that PSA had Adam's blessing.
@@jdsundstrom I could see that.
Ask anyone who the most iconic Batman and Robin are, and it will always be Adam West and Burt Ward! In my slice of the universe anyway.
You ain't wrong, Nicki!
Adam was the best batman ever
Case reminds me of the actor Crispin glover from bttf. In the second movie he was replaced with another actor but they used Crispin glovers actual face molds on the new replacement actor for George Mcfly. I know this case is not all the same as batmans' but it close. Crispin sued and won his case.
That's a really good comparison.
I thought Batman vs. Two-Face was a superb coda to the Adam West Batman. The right blend of 60s fun and modern-day grim overtone fit the film perfectly.
I think I liked "The Return of the Caped Crusaders" a bit better...but, you're right, it was a nice way to end things with "The Bright Knight".
Fact is Adam and Burt would have probably appeared in the commercial for a reasonable sum.
I think you're probably right.
Oh, at least he wasn’t like Clayton Moore, the Lone Ranger that had his mass taken away. That would’ve been tragic if Warner Bros. / DC had sued him to stop performing as Batman.
Adam West was the best Batman ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Agreed!
I agree Adam he should've won. I liked Adam as Batman.
I grew up watching reruns of Batman on The Family Channel. I recorded a lot of them and I still have those tapes. I don't watch them as I don't have a VCR anymore but at some point I think I'll get one
As much as I hate to say it, no. Adam West didn't own any of the Batman IP. He was the actor, not the creator. I don't see any reason he would win that case. There's a lot of case law that makes clear that actors mostly don't hold those kinds of rights. If he owned a piece of the show maybe he could have gotten some damages but he just didn't
Well said.
Adam West was my favorite Batman until I watched Michael Keaton's version. Can I have two favorites?
I think the lawsuit was frivolous. He could have embraced the ad and written to the actor who played Batman and told him what a great job he did playing him as Batman.
You can DEFINITELY have two favorites, Donna! 🙂
Adam west is Batman 🦇 . For tv.
I don't take nothing away from The other actors who play The Batman in the movies.
But Adam play Batman with ❤
♥ Heart. They did him wrong..
I saw Batman when I was a little boy. He was my 1st Super Hero.
No matter what, Adam didn’t own anything having to do with Batman. He was just an Actor playing a role, nothing more and nothing less. The outcome of that court case ended as it was supposed to end. Adam knew he didn’t have a case, just as his attorney knew as well. His Attorney played Adam for a Fool and just took Adam’s money.
This is really sad, in a pathetic sort of way. It reminds me of when the movie studios sued Clayton Moore to get him to stop pretending he was The Lone Ranger and take off tge mask. Somebody needs to explain to these actors, that they have been hired to fill a part, period. Every actor brings his own thing to their character. That doesn't entitle them to any ownership rights to that character. It's a shame that Adam had to be taught that in court, but he bought it entirely on himself. It's also a crying shame that nobody ever told Adam that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Nice comparison to Clayton. There are some similarities there for sure. Although I don't think Adam was ever prohibited from donning the cape and cowl.
@@jdsundstrom LOL I didnt day it was the same. It just reminded me as it was a similar love for the role. Thanks, Dave. Thought you'd missed my response.
Before I offer my opinion, I don’t think so much the judge dropped the ball in deciding Adam’s case, I really think his lawyers did not present such a great argument, on behalf of Mr. West, and his impersonation of the Cape Crusader. So with that mind, without Adam West, I think many people would have been extremely slow to even pay attention to Batman in the first place. The same goes for Christopher Reeves, and Linda, Carter, in their respective characters.
Looks like Adam cried all the way to the bank.
Indeed he did!
Yes, I do think Adam was in the right with that lawsuit. Remember, Crispin Glover had a similar lawsuit after Back to the Future Part II. Having another actor copy Adam's performance where we don't really see his face all without Adam's permission ... this is not like a stunt double here.
The world is a little less bright without Adam West in it.
Van Williams, Robert Vaughn, David Mccallum, Robert Conrad, Robert Culp ,Patrick Mancee, Diana Rigg ,Roger Moore,etc.
He is Batman!
My father was born 1913 and thought the 1st show of the 60's was the darker from the papers and not Adam West. So the later movies was a throw back to what my father was thinking. It's odd the courts could not face the actors point of view as part of the show. I grew up with the 50's Lone Ranger Yes he was not the 1st but they wanted the actor to go out with out the mask when the new movies of the Lone Ranger came out. The 50's actor changed is life to fit the part for the children too look up too. In that mans account the Sun Glass company made a pair for him to wear when the courts did not want him to wear the mask. That caused the studios to put the actors of the shows in the movies as another person. From Lost in Space TV June Lockheart became school Principle, Beverley Hillbillies Buddy Epsen played a lawyer in the movie. They found the fans loved the shows and the actors don't treat them as non important.
Thank you so much for sharing!
No, Because Legally, He did NOT OWN the rights to the character. Maybe if he had DC Comics had sued ON THIS BEHALF, Then maybe his case would of had a chance. West had no stake in the actual character, therefore, he had no STANDING.
There are some things the avg Judge isn't capable of making accurate rulings on. This happens a lot with Entertainment.