Monday, 11 October 1965.
ABC was experiencing a catastrophic beginning to its 1965-1966, as many of its new shows were tanking in the rating. To be sure, it had Bewitched and The Lawrence Welk Show, which were doing OK. But such newbie shows as Tammy and Amos Burke, Secret Agent, were falling flat.
Clara Bow, the IT Girl of the 1920s, had died 15 days earlier. Within two more months, the old Saratoga Springs Convention Center, would be destroyed by fire.
And I had just started first grade at Ross Corners Elementary School, unaware of what was happening that day in Los Angeles.
Against all this backdrop, the first day of shooting the pilot episode of Batman began. This would mark the beginning of what was to be one of the most memorable shows in television history. It was truly the beginning of real color television, and would introduce a whole ‘nother world to a viewing audience that had seen so much in a 480 pixel black and white world.
This pilot episode was truly a leap of faith on so many levels. It was initially planned for a September 1966 debut, and things would have stayed that way. But the beginning of that television season was a horror story for ABC, as it got clobbered by CBS and NBC. The network’s survival seemed shaky, and—incidentally—so was the Batman comic book.
The pilot took longer time to produce because of its heavy investment, and that made for a gamble unto itself. And it was not long after that ABC decided to offer a “Second Season,” a reboot of the season. Batman would debut on Wednesday, 12 January 1966, as the cornerstone of a new slate of shows.
Never mind that it would reintroduce Catwoman after what was a 12-year absence, or that Jill St. John was in the pilot episode. That night introduced a whole new world for me, and it was as if color television truly was born at that very time. The cast members’ lives would never ever be the same again. And that show’s influence resonates even today.
And as the series turns 60, one wonders at all the changes that have taken place, especially in recent years. Of the cast who worked during October 1965, Burt Ward (Robin), Jill St. John (Molly) and Cathy Ferrar (the “Gleeps, it’s Batman!” girl) are the most prominent ones still with us. The media landscape has changed drastically since 1965 as well, with the major networks being a former shadow of themselves.
While the 1966 Batman series isn’t perfect—the campiness does get grating—its impact is huge. For the younger crowd—yes, the kids—the series is a good intro to the world of Gotham City. For the older fans, it bring back fond memories of their younger days. And it ultimately had its influence on the comic book industry.
Happy Anniversary, indeed!
