In 2016, in the movie "Batman vs. Superman", viewers saw the new Dark Knight. They became Ben Affleck. As you know, before him, seven more performers played this role in various film adaptations of comics. However, the classic Gotham Knight is Adam West, who played Batman in the second half of the 60s.
The early years of Adam West
The actor was born in September 1928 in the town of Walla Walla in the United States.
At birth, he received the name William West Anderson, however, becoming an actor, he was replaced by a more harmonious pseudonym.
After school, he entered a local university, where he studied literature and psychology. After graduating, young Adam West joined the army as a volunteer.
The beginning of an acting career
Demobilized, the young man became interested in the profession of an actor. With a pleasant voice and clear pronunciation, Adam worked as an announcer on the radio as a student. This experience helped him get the first role in the film "Voodoo Island", where he played the radio operator of a meteorological station.
At the same time, the guy was invited to participate in the TV show “Kini Popo”. Having starred in several episodic roles, Adam West, together with his wife and two children, moves to Hollywood.
Here he pretty soon gets into serious projects. So, in 1959, West got a role in the television series Western “Bailiff,” and also starred in the movie “Young Philadelphians.”
After these projects, the aspiring actor’s
chin was appreciated and began to invite him to appear in Westerns, comedies, science fiction films and individual episodes of popular television series.
Adam West - Batman
One day, West was asked to play in a cocoa commercial. His character was a spy a la James Bond. The video turned out to be successful, and it was often played on television. One day, one of the producers, having seen this advertisement, decided to invite Adam to audition. The actor and his amazing heroic voice liked the project management so much that Adam West (photo below) was soon approved for the role of Batman in the television series of the same name.
The new Gotham Knight project was incredibly successful, turning Adam West into a star. He lasted on air for 3 seasons, each of which consisted of 40 episodes. In addition, a film of the same name was shot with the same cast, where West shone as never before.
In the wake of popularity, the producers planned to launch a separate Batgel television series in which Adam West was to periodically appear in the role of Batman. However, this project was stopped.
Despite the ardent audience love for “Batman”, over time, the television series began to lose popularity, and after the third season it was closed.
At first it was hard for West to find a new job, because everyone around him perceived him as Batman. However, he did not give up and continued to play small roles in films and television series.
In the years 1974-1975. this actor, remembering past achievements, was invited to voice the Dark Knight in the animated series "Shazam". And a few years later he again voiced the Dark Knight of Gotham in the animated series "The New Adventures of Batman" Adam West.
The filmography of the actor contains another television series where West again returned to the performance of his crown role. In 1979, the small project “Legends of Superheroes” was released. In it, the audience again met with Superman, Green Lantern, Shazam, Flash and, of course, Batman performed by Adam West.
Over the next decades, this actor was constantly invited to voice his beloved hero and other characters.
Adam West - voice actor
After the closure of the television series about the Dark Knight, the actor managed to appear in a huge number of films. Unfortunately, these were small roles.
But thanks to the amazing timbre, Adam’s voices were often asked to voice this or that character. In addition to all kinds of cartoons about superheroes, the actor participated in the voice acting “Chicken Tsyp”, “Meet the Robinsons”, “SpongeBob”, “Hello, Scooby-Doo”, “The Simsons”, “Futurama” and many other projects.
In addition, the scriptwriters of the cult animated series "Family Guy" specially for the actor created a character - the mayor of Quahog, Adam West.
Starting from the second season, this hero is constantly present in the series.
Personal life
Judging by the fact that the actor was married three times, Adam West in his youth was very amorous.
For the first time he went down the aisle, being a college student. His chosen one was Billy Lou Yeager.
To participate in the Kini Popo Show program, West had to move to Hawaii for a while, where filming took place in 1957. Here he fell in love with Frisbee Dawson. When the girl became pregnant, the actor urgently filed for divorce and married her. Soon, happy Jonell was born to the happy young, and a year later, the robust hunter.
Fifteen years later, the couple divorced, and West married the charming Marcella Tagard Lear. In this marriage, he had four children.
Interesting facts about Adam West
- As long as he remembers himself, the actor loved reading comics about Batman.
- West was offered to play James Bond. However, he refused, as he believed that the British should play this hero.
- The actor has a personal website where visitors can not only learn the latest news about the life of his idol, but also buy photos with his autograph.
- In the 200th episode of the popular television series The Big Bang Theory, West was invited as a cameo for his birthday to one of the main characters. Here he described all the performers of the role of the Dark Knight, praising his own performance.
In 2016, 50 years have passed since Adam West first played Batman. And although the actor himself has long been young, he continues to be America's favorite Batman today.