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Here’s how Batman executive producer William Dozier prepared for the series
"Batman is a Gotham City boy. If you got him as far as Philadelphia, he’d be a freak," Dozier said.
Batman (1966) was a silly series, especially for its time. From its "Boom!"s and "Pow!"s to its costumes, characters, and catchphrases, the series was a holy hit, Batman!
Batman was the first live-action television series starring Batman, but it wasn’t the first time the Caped Crusader appeared on screen.
Today, it’s common to see superheroes on both the small screen and in movies, but Batman ’66 remains one of the most iconic shows of its era, especially because it offered viewers something different on television.
The series introduced us to silly gadgets, colorful heroes, and Batman baddies that have all stood the test of time.
While Batman battled the Penguin, the Joker, and the Riddler, executive producer William Dozier spoke about the series, one he admittedly knew almost nothing about in the beginning.
"Frankly, I had never heard of Batman when ABC came to me, so I had to start from scratch," Dozier said in a 1966 interview with The Akron Beacon Journal. "I got a dozen of the old Batman comics and read them."
According to the interview, ABC initially didn’t know what to do with the series. Dozier said that Batman was for kids, but with a 7:30 time slot, they had a hard time retaining their attention so late at night.
"We attract the adults by camping it, so to speak—although that is an abused word, 'camp,'" Dozier said. "What we have is an exaggerated seriousness that becomes amusing to adults."
Dozier put emphasis on the villains— aka the Batman baddies. Adam West had great experience as an actor, and so did the villains and foes who tried to foil him in every episode. Dozier believed it was the villains of the series who were more important than the heroes.
"The villains must all be talented, serious actors," Dozier said. "So far, we’ve had Burgess Meredith, Anne Baxter, Frank Gorshin. A comedian would be lost in this show. For the villain, the crime becomes less important than outmaneuvering Batman. They’d be disappointed if they did kill him, and they have to be played so that when they do achieve momentary triumph, they go into gigantic spasms of delight."
To Dozier, Batman's exaggerated tone wasn’t just style— it was strategy.
"One thing you have to remember— Batman is a Gotham City boy. If you got him as far as Philadelphia, he’d be a freak," Dozier said.
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