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.

Superheroes

Burt Ward as Robin (left) and Adam West as Batman (right) in 1966

Yvonne Craig as Batgirl from Season 3 of Batman, 1967.

Character	Actor	Description
Bruce Wayne/Batman	Adam West	Based on the comic book character of the same name. In the first episode, it is very briefly mentioned that his parents were killed by criminals when he was a boy. He is presented as a well established superhero and legally deputized member of law enforcement.
Dick Grayson/Robin	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.
Barbara Gordon/Batgirl	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.

Crime fighters

Recurring

Character	Actor	Description
Alfred Pennyworth	Alan Napier	Bruce Wayne's butler who is based on the comic book character of the same name. If Bruce was in occasional danger, Alfred would secretly don the Batman costume. This emergency situation occurred in some episodes.
Commissioner James Gordon	Neil Hamilton	The commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department who is based on the comic book character of the same name.
Chief Miles Clancy O'Hara	Stafford Repp	The chief of police at the Gotham City Police Department who is always seen with Commissioner Gordon. Created specifically for the series, the character would later be mentioned and adapted to DC Comics publications.
Aunt Harriet Cooper	Madge Blake	Based on the comic book character of the same name. While the character began as a regular supporting character, her appearances became less frequent during the second season and almost nonexistent in the third, being reduced to just two cameo appearances. This was due to Madge Blake's declining health.

Other

Character	Actor	Description
Mayor Linseed	Byron Keith	The mayor of Gotham City. Linseed was a pun on the name of then-New York City mayor, John Lindsay; the unseen character, Governor Stonefellow, was a similar play on New York's then-governor, Nelson Rockefeller.
Warden Crichton	David Lewis	The Warden of Gotham City Penitentiary.
Britt Reid / Green Hornet	Van Williams	Based on the radio character of the same name, he appeared in a "crossover" from the production company's second comic book themed series The Green Hornet
Kato	Bruce Lee	Based on the radio character of the same name, he appeared as the Green Hornet's sidekick.

Criminals

Recurring

Julie Newmar as Catwoman from the show, in 1966.

Burgess Meredith as Penguin (left), Frank Gorshin as Riddler (center), and Cesar Romero as Joker (top), as they appeared in the film adaptation.

Character	Actor	Description
The Catwoman	Julie Newmar  (season 1 & 2) Lee Meriwether  (film) Eartha Kitt  (season 3)	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.
Egghead/Edgar Heed	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 Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
The Joker	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.
King Tut/Professor William McElroy	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. King Tut, among others created for the series, was adapted for a 2009 episode of the animated television series Batman: The Brave and the Bold voiced by John DiMaggio. Due to FOX holding the rights to the King Tut name, the character was renamed "Pharaoh". Later that year, the character was adapted to the comics.
Mad Hatter/Jervis Tetch	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 Imposter Mad Hatter. In Batman '66, it is revealed that Clock King is Mad Hatter's brother Morris Tetch.
Mr. Freeze/Art Schivel	George Sanders Otto Preminger Eli Wallach	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 that Batman had accidentally spilled cryonic chemical on him during a previous arrest. This renders him incapable of living in temperatures above −50 °F.
The Penguin	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 arch villain, so much so that the show's producers always had a script ready for Burgess Meredith whenever he was available.
The Riddler	Frank Gorshin (season 1 & 3) John Astin (season 2)	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 in case 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.

Other

Character	Actor	Description
Archer/Ben Turner	Art Carney	By company records, the Archer was created specifically for the series by writer Stanley Ralph Ross and not related to the previous comic book character of the same name. The character is presented as a skewed version of Robin Hood, with his henchmen reflecting the Robin Hood motif. The Archer, among other characters created for the series, was adapted for a 2009 episode of the animated television series Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
Black Widow/Olivia Black	Tallulah Bankhead	An original character created for the series, Black Widow is a bank robber who uses a spider motif. No actual origin is provided in the series. The Black Widow, among other characters created for the series, was adapted for a 2009 episode of the animated television series Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
Bookworm/I.N. Kingor	Roddy McDowall	An original character created for the series, Bookworm themes his crimes on books and literary tropes. Bookworm, among other characters created for the series, was adapted for a 2009 episode of the animated television series Batman: The Brave and the Bold. McDowell would later provide the voice of The Mad Hatter on Batman: The Animated Series
Chandell and Harry	Liberace	An original character created for the series, Chandell is a pianist who is blackmailed into a life of crime as the criminal Fingers by his twin brother Harry. Chandell, among other characters created for the series, was adapted for a 2009 episode of the animated television series Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
Nora Clavicle	Barbara Rush	Nora Clavicle was created specifically for the series. She is presented as a women's rights activist who attempts to destroy Gotham City in order to collect on an insurance policy she had taken out on it. She manipulates Mayor Linseed's wife in order to have the mayor replace Commissioner Gordon with her and all the male police officers with women.
Clock King/Morris Tetch	Walter Slezak	Based on the comic book character of the same name, no origin for the character is provided within the series. In Batman '66, he is revealed to be Mad Hatter's brother Morris Tetch.
False-Face	Malachi Throne	Based on the Silver Age version of the comic book character of the same name, no origin for the character is provided within the series. This version of False-Face was adapted for a 2009 episode of the animated television series Batman: The Brave and the Bold voiced by Corey Burton.
Lord Marmaduke Ffogg	Rudy Vallee	Ffogg was created specifically for the series. He is presented as an upper-class member of Londinium society who runs a school for thieves and uses homemade fog to cover up his crimes. Often assisting him in his criminal doings was his sister, Lady Penelope Peasoup (Glynis Johns)
Freddy the Fence/Freddy Touche	Jacques Bergerac	Freddy was created specifically for the series. He is presented as the owner of "French Freddy's Fencing", a fencing school which is a front for his fencing operation. He allows Catwoman to use the building's basement as a hideout. Freddy would return in the third season as an aide to Minerva's jewel thievery.
Colonel Gumm/Perry Rose	Roger C. Carmel	Gumm was created specifically for the series. He is presented as a stamp factory foreman who is using the company to produce forged stamps in the episodes featuring Green Hornet and Kato.
Lola Lasagne/Lulu Schultz	Ethel Merman	Lola Lasagne was created specifically for the series. She is presented as a childhood friend of Penguin's who owns a racehorse, the only thing her husband Luigi left her when he disappeared. The pair use the horse in a racing scam.
Louie the Lilac	Milton Berle	Louie was created specifically for the series and was presented as a gangster using a flower motif. He is a gangster who plotted to take over the minds of Gotham City and then take over the perfume and flower markets. Louie the Lilac, among other characters created for the series, was adapted for a 2009 episode of the animated television series Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
Ma Parker/Kate Parker	Shelley Winters	Ma Parker was created specifically for the series. She is presented as an elderly woman and master criminal who runs a gang consisting of her children. She allows herself to be captured so that she can take over Gotham State Penitentiary and form a gang from its inmates. Ma Parker, among other characters created for the series, was adapted for a 2009 episode of the animated television series Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
Marsha, Queen of Diamonds/Marsha Jackson	Carolyn Jones	Marsha was created specifically for the series. When originally introduced, she plots to gain access to the diamond that powers the batcomputer. She later collaborated with Penguin in a movie plot.
Minerva	Zsa Zsa Gabor	Minerva was created specifically for the series. She is introduced as a spa owner catering to Gotham City's wealthy. Minerva uses a modified hair dryer to scan her client's minds to find out where they hide their fortunes.
Minstrel	Van Johnson	Minstrel was created specifically for the series and was presented as a genius in the field of electrical engineering and styled himself as a Medieval troubadour.
Puzzler	Maurice Evans	Based on the comic book character of the same name, no origin for the character is provided within the series. He attempts to steal the "Retsoor", a supersonic plane owned by Artemis Knab. The season two episodes where Puzzler appeared were originally written for the Riddler. Due to Frank Gorshin holding out over salary issues, the scripts were re-written and Evans cast in the role.
Sandman/Dr. Somnambular	Michael Rennie	This version of Sandman was created specifically for the series and is unrelated to the Golden Age comic book character of the same name. Presented as an international criminal who uses hypnotic sand to control sleepwalkers, he partners with Catwoman and uses the alias Doctor Somnambula in an attempt to steal J. Pauline Spaghetti's fortune.
Shame	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 were his girlfriend, Calamity Jan (Dina Merrill), whose name was a parody of Calamity Jane; and her mother, Frontier Fanny (Hermione Baddeley). Shame, among other characters created for the series, was adapted for a 2009 episode of the animated television series Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
Siren/Lorelei Circe	Joan Collins	Siren was created specifically for the series. She is presented as Lorelei Circe, a chanteuse who is able to sing notes so high that they place men under her control. Siren, among other characters created for the series, was adapted for a 2009 episode of the animated television series Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Siren appeared in issue #2 of Batman '66 where she collaborated with Chandell.
Dr. Cassandra Spellcraft	Ida Lupino	Dr. Cassandra Spellcraft was created specifically for the series. She is presented as a world-famous alchemist, occultist, and criminal.
Zelda the Great	Anne Baxter	Zelda was created specifically for the series. She is shown to be a world-famous magician and escape artist who once a year pulls off a major robbery to pay Eivol Ekdol for the equipment she uses in her act.

"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 (usually off-camera, but on occasion visible). The Batclimb cameo scenes were discontinued for the third season.

• Ted Cassidy as Lurch from The Addams Family – Appeared in "The Penguin's Jest".
• Dick Clark – Appeared in "Shoot a Crooked Arrow".
• Bill Dana as José Jiménez from The Bill Dana Show – Appeared in "The Yegg Foes in Gotham".
• Sammy Davis, Jr. – Appeared in "The Clock King's Crazy Crimes".
• Andy Devine as Santa Claus – Appeared in "The Duo is Slumming".
• Howard Duff as Sam Stone from Felony Squad – Appeared in "The Impractical Joker".
• Don Ho – Appeared in "Batman's Kow Tow".
• Werner Klemperer as Colonel Klink from Hogan's Heroes – Appeared in "It's How You Play the Game".
• Suzy Knickerbocker (pen name of Aileen Mehle) – Appeared in "King Tut's Coup".
• Jerry Lewis – Appeared in "The Bookworm Turns".
• Art Linkletter – Appeared in "Catwoman Goes to College".
• Cyril Lord as the Carpet King – Appeared in "Ice Spy".
• Edward G. Robinson – Appeared in "Batman's Satisfaction".
• Van Williams and Bruce Lee as Green Hornet and Kato – Appeared in "The Spell of Tut".
• George Cisar – Appeared in the 1966 film.

External links

• Batman TV Series, 1966-68, IMDb Complete Cast List
• Bat-Mania UK :: 1966 Batman
  • Heroes
  • Villains
• Batman (1960s series) Characters – Batman Wiki