I still remember when this show premiered on ABC back in September of 1966. How could I forget? It was one of the most traumatic experiences of my young life! (Yup. Here comes another of those boring 'Rocket Stories'.)
It was a BIG event in my house...unfortunately my parents sprung a HUGE surprise on me at the dinner table; I couldn't watch it unless I memorized my 'ABC's'! I was in 1st Grade and had been slacking on taking them serious...I used to ALWAYS mess up 'M,N,O,P' and would instead say: 'N,MN,O,P'...What can I say? It rolled off the tongue easier...
Well my new teacher (Mrs. Warlock---I kid you not!) thought that THAT was disgraceful and had to be remedied by the next day. Anyway, after throwing a temper tantrum that would probably cause a heart attack in my current middle-aged body of today, I was finally able to muddle past it a few times in a row (between tears because the show was already playing in the other room)!
I was able to catch the last ten minutes or so before the soon to be all too familiar voice would announce: "Will Batman be able to escape this dastardly plot? etc. etc." My older brothers tried to fill me in on what I had missed but I had to wait until the following week's recap to (sorta) understand that Jill St. John wasn't reeally the 'Boy Wonder'...
Holy Litigation 'Philip-man' I think you've hit the nail right on the cowl!
Seriously, Warner Bro's and Fox have been fighting over this one even before a certain Australian paperboy took over that company. They almost came to a mutual solution a few years ago when there was a legal question regarding distribution rights to that movie The Watchmen...but I guess they settled that w/o dragging the Dynamic Duo into it...oh well in a few years it'll hardly matter: the world and popular culture will have probably pulled to far away from that camp 60's classic...Way to go Warner Bro's!
A small correction, Rocket man. I'm quite sure it premiered in January 66. ABC was the first network to kill losers from the fall lineup and tweak the schedule that way. Also, it was a half hour 2 times a week in the early days. Wednesday & Thursday-I'm a bit vague on that. I have the Adam West Batman movie on DVD. I lived in the boondocks of northwest Iowa up until I was 25, The nearest theaters and drive-ins involved a 15 to 35 mile drive and it didn't play anywhere near me. When I finally saw it my opinion was 'so cheesy it would put a layer maybe six feet deep on the state of Wisconsin.'
Thanks for the clarification vilstef...if it did premiere in January no wonder everyone was freakin' out that I didn't know my 'A,B,D's'! The school year was in full swing and there I was; practically a first grade illiterate!
As far as that movie being 'cheesy'...are you kidding? That scene were the shark is hanging onto Batman's foot as he's climbing The Batrope up to The Batcopter ranks right up there with cinema's finest moments! (i kid of course ;) )
Late to this post but I wanted to thank you. This is the only mono version of Hefti's Batman theme I have been able to find online. This is how I remember it.
lp rip @320 w/ART!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mediafire.com/?ktkain8cd0g6fta
I still remember when this show premiered on ABC back in September of 1966. How could I forget? It was one of the most traumatic experiences of my young life! (Yup. Here comes another of those boring 'Rocket Stories'.)
It was a BIG event in my house...unfortunately my parents sprung a HUGE surprise on me at the dinner table; I couldn't watch it unless I memorized my 'ABC's'! I was in 1st Grade and had been slacking on taking them serious...I used to ALWAYS mess up 'M,N,O,P' and would instead say: 'N,MN,O,P'...What can I say? It rolled off the tongue easier...
Well my new teacher (Mrs. Warlock---I kid you not!) thought that THAT was disgraceful and had to be remedied by the next day. Anyway, after throwing a temper tantrum that would probably cause a heart attack in my current middle-aged body of today, I was finally able to muddle past it a few times in a row (between tears because the show was already playing in the other room)!
I was able to catch the last ten minutes or so before the soon to be all too familiar voice would announce: "Will Batman be able to escape this dastardly plot? etc. etc." My older brothers tried to fill me in on what I had missed but I had to wait until the following week's recap to (sorta) understand that Jill St. John wasn't reeally the 'Boy Wonder'...
The legal wranglings that have kept this series from DVD (or even VHS) release must be batnormous.
ReplyDeleteHoly Litigation 'Philip-man' I think you've hit the nail right on the cowl!
ReplyDeleteSeriously, Warner Bro's and Fox have been fighting over this one even before a certain Australian paperboy took over that company. They almost came to a mutual solution a few years ago when there was a legal question regarding distribution rights to that movie The Watchmen...but I guess they settled that w/o dragging the Dynamic Duo into it...oh well in a few years it'll hardly matter: the world and popular culture will have probably pulled to far away from that camp 60's classic...Way to go Warner Bro's!
Oh Rocket! The traumas of childhood. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteA small correction, Rocket man. I'm quite sure it premiered in January 66. ABC was the first network to kill losers from the fall lineup and tweak the schedule that way. Also, it was a half hour 2 times a week in the early days. Wednesday & Thursday-I'm a bit vague on that. I have the Adam West Batman movie on DVD. I lived in the boondocks of northwest Iowa up until I was 25, The nearest theaters and drive-ins involved a 15 to 35 mile drive and it didn't play anywhere near me. When I finally saw it my opinion was 'so cheesy it would put a layer maybe six feet deep on the state of Wisconsin.'
ReplyDeleteThanks for the clarification vilstef...if it did premiere in January no wonder everyone was freakin' out that I didn't know my 'A,B,D's'! The school year was in full swing and there I was; practically a first grade illiterate!
ReplyDeleteAs far as that movie being 'cheesy'...are you kidding? That scene were the shark is hanging onto Batman's foot as he's climbing The Batrope up to The Batcopter ranks right up there with cinema's finest moments! (i kid of course ;) )
George here.
ReplyDeleteLate to this post but I wanted to thank you. This is the only mono version of Hefti's Batman theme I have been able to find online. This is how I remember it.
Well done, sir.