With the sad news of Adam West‘s passing, it seemed like a good time to remember the best moments of his most iconic role, that of the 1960’s Batman.
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A list like this could easily encompass more than 5 of course, but there are a few that stand out as the best of the bunch. That said, everyone will have their favorite moments, and with so many, it is hard to believe that the show only ran for three years.
Adam West brought a palatable charm and dry wit to his voice as Batman, something that makes these scenes even better.
Without further ado, here are the top five best Adam West Batman moments, starting with one of his most iconic adversaries Catwoman, played by the ravishing Julie Newmar.
Batman Fights A Tiger
Seen in: Better Luck Next Time
Starting with one of Batman and Robin’s most consistently entertaining foes, Julie Newmar’s Catwoman managed to put Batman in quite the scenario.
In their typical battles, Catwoman’s henchmen would do most of her bidding, with Catwoman leaping in on occasion. This time she manages to apprehend Batman in a closed off cell with a very hungry Tiger.
Yep, Batman fights a Tiger.
Trying to avoid the Tiger’s lunges proves difficult for Batman, so he reaches into his utility belt to grab some Bat claws and uses them to climb high on the walls, barely out of the Tiger’s reach.
Using his ingenuity (and Marry Poppins-like belt) he puts on a pair of special Bat-ear-plugs and uses his Bat-communicator (also located in his belt) to reverse the frequency and create a pitch that all but subdues the caged animal.
The best part? That would be when in the midst of trying to save his own life he chides Catwoman for not taking care of her pet.
You can view the video here.
Shark Repellant Spray
Batman vs The Shark
Seen in: Batman The Movie
While the TV show had plenty to pick from, you can’t ignore the famous Batman 66 movie either, which produced a few highlights all its own.
One of those comes in the form of the famous Batman vs The Shark scene, where Robin is flying the Bat-copter with Batman hanging on the ladder with a Shark chomping on his leg. As Batman struggles against the Shark, punching, and kicking, he tells Robin to hand him the Shark repellent spray.
There’s a lot to love about this scene. No. 1 Batman doesn’t even complain about the pain of a shark trying to eat his leg. No. 2 Batman’s preparedness for every scenario shines through with his collection of repellants, which includes Baracuda, Whale, and Manta Ray versions as well as Shark.
No.3, he isn’t even scarred from the encounter. All in all the scene is exactly why fans loved the over the top antics of the show, and it will forever remain a classic.
Batsui
The Batusi
Seen In: Hi Diddle Riddle
The very first episode of Batman set the tone for the whole series thanks to a sequence that puts Batman in a club trying to get information from the Riddler’s assistant.
After a bit of banter she asks him to dance, and since the Watusi was popular at the time, enter the Batusi. Batman does his own rendition of the dance and it instantly became a crowd favorite. He dances elsewhere in the episode as well, as his ploy was eventually figured out.
You can view the whole sequence in the video above.
Batman Counts The Bullets
Batman counts the bullets
Seen in: resourcefullnessThe Bird’s Last Jest
Batman and Robin frequently ran up against the Penguin and his henchmen throughout the show’s run, but this is one of the best sequences involving them. Why? Well, because you get a bit of Batman’s resourcefulness and apt mind for detail all in one scene.
Batman and Robin are being pelted with bullets by Penguin’s men as the villain attempts to get to a switch. Batman throws a bat pellet, stunning him, as he and Robin sit behind the Bat-shield.
They make their way forward, with machine gun fire rambling off constantly, but Penguin awakes and tries to make his way to the switch again. This time Batman pulls out a Bat-inverser to reverse the polarity of the box holding the switch. When Penguin goes to use it, it instead pushes the box holding Chief Gordon out of the water (long story).
Finally, the gunfire stops. Robin asks if it is a trap to lure their defenses down, but Batman throws his shield to the ground. When Robin asks how he knows, Batman says “Easy, I’ve been counting their bullets.”
You can watch the full scene above.
Time Bomb
Batman Vs The Bomb
Seen in: Batman: The Movie
Another delightful sequence in the Batman movie occurred when Batman has to get rid of a time bomb, and it takes him all over a pier as he tries to find a way to dispatch it without getting people hurt.
The best part of this sequence is that no. 1 the bomb is so cartoonish and over the top, looking like something Wile. E. Coyote will employ to stop the Road Runner. No. 2 West goes all in with it, dashing to and fro chaotically trying to find a place to throw it. He then delivers one of his most famous lines, saying “Some days you just can’t get rid of a bomb!”
You can watch the full sequence above.
Before You Go
The two actors starred last year in an animated movie bringing them back to their iconic roles, and you can find the official description below.
It’s back to the 1960s as Batman and Robin spring into action when Gotham City is threatened by a quartet of Batman’s most fiendish foes – Penguin, The Joker, Riddler and Catwoman. The four Super-Villains have combined their wicked talents to hatch a plot so nefarious that the Dynamic Duo will need to go to outer space (and back) to foil their arch enemies and restore order in Gotham City. It’s a truly fantastic adventure that will pit good against evil, good against good, evil against evil … and feature two words that exponentially raise the stakes for both sides: Replicator Ray. Holy Multiplication Tables!
The film features the vocal performances of Adam West (Batman), Burt Ward (Robin) and Julie Newmar (Catwoman). It also includes Jeff Bergman as the Joker, William Salyers as The Penguin, Wally Wingert as The Riddler, Lynne Marie Stewart as Aunt Harriett, Jim Ward as Commissioner Gordon, and Sirena Irwin as TV show host Miranda Moore.
Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders is available now.
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