Mark Hamill Thinks Adam West's Batman Is Underrated

Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) shares his favorite memories of Adam West (@therealadamwest) and [...]

By Jay Jayson

On Saturday, Star Wars icon Mark Hamill was among the numerous celebrities that paid tribute to Adam West after learning the 88-year old acting legend had lost his battle with leukemia the night before.

And on Sunday night, while attending the Tony Awards, Hamill complimented West's acting skills, saying his performance as the Caped Crusader in the campy 1960s Batman series is underrated.

"First of all, I adored him as a child," Hamill told Variety. "He had such a repoire with the audience. And I saw on different levels. I mean, you look back on it and think, 'How could I have ever not realized how he was sending it up. He is so nuanced. He's very underrated, I think, as a comedic actor. And he was such a wonderfully warm person. I probably worked with him, maybe, four or five times in voice-over. And like I say, he was a true gentleman."

And while speaking with USA Today, Hamill added: "He was, for all of us growing up, such an iconic figure. He had such a rapport with the audience, I never thought he got the credit for the nuance and humor he brought to that part," Hamill said. "Because when I first watched it, I was looking at him seriously and you revisit it and you're like, 'oh my god,' it's amazing how he was working on these different levels."

Hamill also shared a moment when he went to record The Joker for Batman: The Animated Series and became nervous once he saw his childhood idol in the studio.

"I first did the Joker in 1992, and I've been doing it on and off for 25 years," Hamill explained. "And one time I went in to do a recording and instead of Kevin Conroy who is my Batman, Adam West was there. I froze up. I said I can't do my Joker in front of my Batman, I mean my childhood Batman. But again he was so nice, and I managed to get through it."

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