Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
1960s’ Batman West dies at 88
Actor lauded with POW, RIP
LOS ANGELES — Adam West, whose straight-faced portrayal of Batman in a campy 1960s TV series lifted the tightsclad Caped Crusader into the national consciousness, has died at age 88, his publicist Molly Schoneveld said Saturday.
West died Friday night after “a short but brave battle with leukemia,” his family said in a statement.
Burt Ward, who played Batman’s sidekick, Robin, was friends with West for more than 50 years.
“We shared some of the most fun times of our lives together,” Ward told the Variety entertainment media outlet. “This is a terribly unexpected loss of my lifelong friend. I will forever miss him.”
A whole new generation of fans knew West as the voice of nutty Mayor Adam West on the long-running animated series Family Guy.
“Adam West was a joy to work with, and the kind of guy you always wanted to be around,” Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane said in a statement
MacFarlane added: “His positivity, good nature, and sense of fun were undeniable, and it was always a big jolt of the best kind of energy when he walked in to record the show. He knew comedy, and he knew humanity … Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you have given, Mr. Mayor. You’re irreplaceable.”
In April 2012, West received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Born William West Anderson in Walla Walla, Wash., he moved to Seattle at age 15 with his mother after his parents divorced.
He graduated from Whitman College, a private liberal arts school, in Walla Walla.
After serving in the Army, he went to Hollywood, changed his name to Adam West and began appearing on television series, including Bonanza, Perry Mason and Bewitched.
Batman was the role he remained associated with throughout his life.
The TV show was among the most popular in 1966, the year of its debut, and some of the era’s top actors signed on to play villains. Burgess Meredith squawked as the Penguin. Julie Newmar and, later, Eartha Kitt purred as Catwoman. And Cesar Romero cackled as the Joker.
Years later, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale and Ben Affleck put on Bruce Wayne’s alter ego camouflaging cape and cowl.
Filmmakers Edgar Wright and Leslye Headland were among those lamenting West’s death on Twitter.
“Farewell Adam West. You were MY Batman,” Wright wrote. “Such a super funny, cool, charismatic actor. Loved the show as a kid, still love the show now. POW!”
Headland wrote: “My childhood hero & still my favorite Batman. RIP Adam West. #pow”
West was married three times and had six children. He had homes in Los Angeles and Palm Springs, Calif., but he and his wife, Marcelle, spent most of their time at their ranch near Sun Valley, Idaho.
“Our dad always saw himself as The Bright Knight, and aspired to make a positive impact on his fans’ lives,” West’s children said in the statement. “He was and always will be our hero.”