Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt

*Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt*
Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt
	DVD cover
Written by	Duane Poole
Directed by	Paul A. Kaufman
Starring	Adam West; Burt Ward; Jack Brewer; Jason Marsden
Music by	Douglas J. Cuomo
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Executive producers	Dawn Wells; Larry Germain
Producer	Michael Gallant
Cinematography	James Glennon
Editor	Casey O. Rohrs
Running time	90 minutes
Production companies	Artisan Entertainment; Fox Television Studios; The Kaufman Company
Original release
Network	CBS
Release	March 9, 2003

Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt is a 2003 American made-for-television action-comedy film based on the 1966–1968 Batman television series which features the original stars Adam West and Burt Ward as themselves, with Jack Brewer and Jason Marsden portraying the young West (Batman) and Ward (Robin) in flashbacks. It was broadcast on CBS on March 9, 2003.

Plot

Adam West and Burt Ward go in search of the Batmobile after it is stolen, and along the way find themselves forced to consult their memories to decipher clues left by the criminals, evidently people they had known from filming the Batman television series. Memories include affairs, one of which led to Burt being chased by a knife-bearing lover, medicine Burt was forced to take so his genitals would not be so visible in his tights, and Adam meeting the actress who played Batgirl (Yvonne Craig) and accidentally placing a hand on her breast during filming. As it turns out, the villains who stole the Batmobile were the actors who once played the Riddler (Frank Gorshin) and Catwoman (Julie Newmar).

Casting

Apart from West and Ward, a number of actors from the original series also appeared in the film. This includes Frank Gorshin, who played the Riddler, Julie Newmar, who played Catwoman for the first two seasons of the show and Lee Meriwether, who played Catwoman in the Batman theatrical film. Gorshin and Newmar appear as themselves, while Meriwether appears as a waitress. The most noticeable surviving cast member not to appear in the movie is Yvonne Craig, who played Batgirl in the third season of the show. When asked by a fan at a convention why she did not appear in it she replied that she did not like the script and politely turned it down.

Due to licensing problems involving the original TV series, the makers of this film were only allowed to use footage from the 1966 Batman feature film. As a result, Lee Meriwether's rendition of Catwoman is the only one seen in archive footage in this film (even during a musical sequence intended to pay tribute to Newmar). Zambia-born actress Julia Rose plays the young Julie Newmar and gets to briefly don the Catwoman costume.

Jason Marsden, who plays the young Burt Ward/Robin, has done a few voice roles in DC/Warner Bros Cartoons such as Batman Beyond, Justice League Unlimited, and Young Justice.

Lyle Waggoner, who originally auditioned for the part of Batman, and Betty White both have cameos in the movie. Some of Waggoner's actual audition tape footage can be seen in the movie. Waggoner ended up landing a role into another DC Comics' TV series: he played Steve Trevor on Wonder Woman in the 1970s alongside Lynda Carter as the title character. Adam West's daughter, Nina West, also has a cameo as a psychotic actress who tries to kill Burt Ward after a one-night stand. This incident is mentioned in Ward's autobiography, My Life in Tights. During the original series, of the four main supervillains (Joker, Riddler, Penguin, and Catwoman), only Riddler never entered the Batcave set; in the movie the Riddler finally does enter the Batcave.

Cast

Adam West as Himself
Burt Ward as Himself
Jack Brewer as Adam West / Batman
Jason Marsden as Burt Ward / Robin
Lyle Waggoner as Himself / Narrator
Frank Gorshin as Himself
Julie Newmar as Herself / Arizona Bar Owner
Lee Meriwether as Waitress in Diner
Betty White as Woman in Window during Batclimb Sequence
Amy Acker as Bonnie Lindsey
Brett Rickaby as Frank Gorshin / The Riddler
Curtis Armstrong as Jerry the Butler
Jim Jansen as William Dozier
Stacy Kamano as Nghara Frisbie-West
Ray Buktenica as Robert Butler
Steve Vinovich as Bartender (was a bad guy)
Andy Umberger as Sam Strangis (Assistant Director)
Joel Swetow as Casting Director
Nina West as Burt's One Night Stand
Darla Haun as Charity Event Host
Julia Rose as Julie Newmar / Catwoman
Erin Carufel as Yvonne Craig/ Batgirl
Nikki Ziering as Lucy
Quinn K. Redeker as Vincent Price / Egghead
Tony Tanner as Burgess Meredith / Penguin
Bud Weston as Cesar Romero / Joker
Christopher Darga as Adam West's Agent Lou
Ivar Brogger as Doctor
Silas Cooper as Wardrobe Man
Todd Merrill as Network Executive
John E. Goetz as Valet parker
Elisa Marchhand as Fem fatale
Rory Thost as Hunter
Talt Ruppert as Publicist
Ben Perkins as Fan boy
Kelli King as Joneli
Heidi Androl as Sexy fan
Traci L. Crouch as Secretary
Frank Addela as Robin stuntman
Steve Bialock as Batman stuntman
Bobby Porter as Henchman – Big Joe
Scott L. Schwartz as Henchman – Curly
Carl Ciarfalio as Henchman – Slim
Anthony G. Schmidt as Henchman – Pretty Boy
Brian Shakti as Delivery boy
Zack Milan as Mysterious Stranger (uncredited)
Chris Dawson as Reporter (uncredited)
Bryan Hanna as Director / Cameraman (uncredited)
Paul A. Kaufman as Network Executive #2 (uncredited)
Cesar Romero as The Joker (uncredited / archive footage from the 1966 film)
Burgess Meredith as Penguin (uncredited / archive footage from the 1966 film)

DVD release

Return to the Batcave was released on DVD on May 17, 2005, by Anchor Bay (under license from Fox/Artisan, owners of the special). (Cat. No. DV13084)

It is now out of print.

External links