To The Batpoles! Batman 1966

On the latest Bat Bits, we begin an examination of Sheldon Stark's final script for Fine Finny Fiends. Somewhat inexplicably, this arc’s theme is fish rather than birds. Maybe because penguins eat fish? Tim and Paul find some additional fish references that got cut, and some of them with good reason. Or maybe not? Also we find some gags that were added after this script, some puzzling stage directions, things that were changed to work better on television, and more.  Listen to Bat Bits and follow along with a PDF of the script by subscribing to our Patreon for at least $2 a month! For $4 a month, you ALSO get our monthly discussion of silver age Batman comics as Paul or another in our stable of co-hosts joins me to examine individual Batman stories from the 1950s and 60s! Come on over to patreon dot com slash decon comics to find out what else is fishy about this script!

On the latest Bat Bits, we wander out into the wider Dozierverse to look at the correspondence between William Dozier, producer of Batman and The Green Hornet, and Bruce Lee, whom Dozier tried several times to find a vehicle for before landing on the role of Kato. We get some of Bruce’s feelings about his 1965 screen test, get some of Bruce’s comments about how “Gong Fu” should be portrayed on the show, and more.  Listen to Bat Bits and see the Dozier and Lee letters by subscribing to our Patreon for at least $2 a month! For $4 a month, you also get our monthly discussion of silver age Batman comics as Paul or another in our stable of co-hosts joins me to examine individual Batman stories from the 1950s and 60s! Join today!

While Rik Vollaerts’ early draft of The Bookworm Turns was very different from what was broadcast, surely the final script is exactly what we saw? But no, that’s never true; some changes always occur at the hands of the director, and perhaps the actors. A significant scene (and significant henchman) disappeared from this story as broadcast. Was it simply cut for time, or were there questions of taste? In the latest BAT BITS, Tim and Paul discuss the differences and what may account for them. Listen to Bat Bits and follow along with a PDF of the script by subscribing to our Patreon for at least $2 a month! For $4 a month, you ALSO get our monthly discussion of silver age Batman comics as Paul or another in our stable of co-hosts joins me to examine individual Batman stories from the 1950s and 60s! Come on over to patreon dot com slash decon comics to join the fun!  

A lingering question from the Bookworm arc of Batman, as broadcast, is: Why was a Commissioner Gordon impersonator seemingly shot at the opening of the bridge? As we conclude our look at the draft version of the script, we finally get an answer! Listen to Bat Bits and follow along with a PDF of the script by subscribing to our Patreon for at least $2 a month! For $4 a month, you ALSO get our monthly discussion of silver age Batman comics as Paul or another in our stable of co-hosts joins me to examine individual Batman stories from the 1950s and 60s! Come on over to patreon dot com slash decon comics to join the fun!

On the latest episode of Bat Bits, Paul and I move into the second half of the early draft of Rik Vollaerts’ script “The Bookworm Turns”! We can see the vague outlines of this script in the broadcast version, including the use of the Bat Magnet! But does it make sense for Bookworm to steal “industrial diamonds”? And, if an implement is called a Bat Cutting Torch, wouldn’t it be better for us to actually see it cutting? We also notice how this version of the script keeps repeating the same themes! Listen to Bat Bits and follow along with a PDF of the script by subscribing to our Patreon for at least $2 a month! For $4 a month, you ALSO get our monthly discussion of silver age Batman comics as Paul or another in our stable of co-hosts joins me to examine individual Batman stories from the 1950s and 60s! Come on over to patreon dot com slash decon comics to join the fun!

Now live on Patreon - part two of our look at the draft Bookworm script, featuring an overlong, over-complicated deathtrap scene! Join us on Patreon to hear our discussion and follow along with the script!

On the latest Bat Bits, we begin a multi-part look at an early draft of The Bookworm Turns! It contains some concepts seen in the broadcast version that may ring a bell, but there’s no Big Benjamin bell in this script!  Join us on Patreon to hear about Rik Vollearts’ early shot at Bookworm and follow along with a PDF of the script at patreon dot com slash decon comics. Part one is available now!

At last, we're back! This time we talk about a couple fantastic YouTube comments we received from people with close connections to two Bat-regulars, Stafford Repp and Madge Blake! Join us on Patreon for $2 a month to hear their revelations!

We’re back for a look at the first two draft scripts for The Joker Trumps an Ace/Batman Sets the Pace. As usual, scripts bring to light connections that the filmed episode didn’t quite make, lines we never heard clearly, abandoned bat-turns and wardrobe business, an absent moll, and much more. PLUS: we experience one of the better “surf rock” versions of the theme, read mail from listeners, and hear Adam West in 2014 discussing the newly-released Batman DVDs and BluRays! Read the scripts here Batman shooting dates! Scott Sebring and Ben Bentley have pieced together the best info available About the J.P. Patches Show Mick Beaulieu's surf-rock version of the Batman theme Adam West Previews New York Comic Con

For our final BAT BITS of the year, we return, after a two-year hiatus, to the BATMAN ’66 comics series, digging into issue 12. It’s certainly not the greatest issue of the series, but in its faults, it helps us identify aspects of how the TV show works. Listen for a clip from the show!

The New Adventures of Batman, Filmation’s second Batman cartoon series, premiered February 12, 1977 on CBS. Tim and Paul, then 11 and 8 respectively, were thrilled at the idea of Adam West and Burt Ward voicing the Duo, but not so thrilled at the addition of Bat Mite to the cast. But… were we wrong about Bat Mite? This time we discuss this question, and the whole 16-episode series, with BAT 77 host J.B. Anderton! Plus, Burt Ward as Robin in 1976, the Japanese theme for this cartoon, and we read your comments on episodes 218 and 219! Support us on Patreon to hear this show ad free, plus bonus content! Batman theme played by the LCIS Orchestra JB shows us his Bat-merch collection Burt Ward on The Clown Show Opening and Ending for The New Adventures in Japan Full version of the opening theme, "BAT MAN ~crescent night story~"

Holy continuation! In the latest edition of Bat Bits, we attempt to come up with some guidelines for what makes a good “holy”. Also: Just because a holy was used on Batman 66, does that make it a “good” one? Join us on Patron for at least $2 a month to hear Bat Bits, as well as ad-free versions of future TO THE BATPOLES episodes! Go to Patreon dot com slash decon comics! Also in this promo, an announcement concerning TO THE BATPOLES!

Holy exclamation! On Batman 66, Robin used a lot of Holys. We have a sense of what formulations of holys work best, but can we put those formulations into words? Why do some holys from other sources, such as the 1966 album Jan and Dean meet Batman make us say “holy wrong note”? In this first installment of a two-part edition of “Bat Bits”, we analyze some of the holys from that record. Which ones work, and which don’t? Holy idiomatic expression!  Support us on Patreon now!

JOIN US ON PATREON to hear BAT BITS, morsels we find as we research the show for our book! Why was the world premiere of Batman, the Movie held in Austin, Texas? And just what went on at (and around) this July 30, 1966, event? This time, a deep dive on the movie premiere!

On the latest BAT BITS podcast, we discuss another anti-Batman article from 1966! Is it possible to hate Batman comics, but think they're great compared to the TV show??

A 1966 article by journalist Paul Molloy takes down NY Congressman Frank Horton for praising "Batman" for its heroes "heroic power for good", saying it was inspirational and a good message for kids. Molloy, on the other hand, sees the GCPD's reliance on Batman as swipe at all police. Do either one of these guys really understand the show!? Tim and Paul discuss the article, kindly provided by the Message Board's "Mr. Glee". Available only on Patreon!

Famously, Burt Ward has said that, in the episode BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME, he was placed above a pit of tigers, with meat hanging above him that encouraged the tigers to jump. Meanwhile, in THE OFFICIAL BATMAN BATBOOK, Joel Eisner says there were no live tigers, just a clip from an old movie. Who's right? The answer may surprise you! Scott Sebring has shared his interesting research on this topic with us, and we share it in this episode - available only on Patreon!

The first episode of our book-writing-hiatus Patreon podcast is now live! We discuss memos among the Greenway and Fox teams about Adam West's chronic lateness on the set, and answer the question: How is Bill Clinton separated by three degrees from Batman '66?? Support us for two dollars a month and get BAT BITS every two weeks!

All the supporting players on Batman had many years of acting experience — considerably more than the stars of the show did! That also goes for Stafford Repp, playing stereotypical Irish cop Chief O’Hara. But what was his background? When did he get into acting? What are some of his other roles, pre- and post-Batman? This time we take a closer look at Repp. Also: Bat-Audio of Adam and Burt on Entertainment Tonight in 1987, your response to several recent episodes, and a special announcement! Bat-Message Board: #215 Women in Season Three, pt 1 Bat-Message Board: #217 Wil Shriner Show Bat-reunion All-Soldier Musical Show Here Tuesday, Wednesday (4/11/43) TV Face, Not Name, Rings Bell (8/24/63) Character Actor's Big TV Try (10/19/63) Holy Palpitatin' Policemen: This is Police Chief O'Hara (5/21/66) Adam West and Burt Ward on Entertainment Tonight, 1987 The Frito Bandito Meets Chief O'Hara Batman Stop-Motion Intro

Sorry! We're going to have to delay the next episode by a week or two.