Adam West NOT Shot Out Of A Cannon???

[AndyFish]

That's the Gila Cowl which Adam wore on the Legends of the Superheroes Shows. It was an original cowl recovered by a seamstress who didn't take photos before hand so when it was remade the neck was too short, which kept it from tucking under the cape, and the markings on the front (eyebrows and nose) were wrong.

[The Boss]

I do not believe this is the cowl from LOTS. While the facial designs are similar, the construction seems to vary quite a bit. For instance, the ears are practically non existant(making him look mte like Space Ghost IMO), it appeard to be shorter (the LOTS cowl came down below the cape line) and wider that the LOTS cowl.

[Ben Bentley]

I do not believe this is the cowl from LOTS. While the facial designs are similar, the construction seems to vary quite a bit. For instance, the ears are practically non existant(making him look mte like Space Ghost IMO), it appeard to be shorter (the LOTS cowl came down below the cape line) and wider that the LOTS cowl.

The appearance (or "Gila", as it became known around these parts) cowl that Adam owned was re-covered a number of times post the wrap of the show's production, hence the variations and inconsistencies that both yourself and Andy have noted. The coverings on the cowl's simply didn't hold up to the heat and hundreds of hours of use.

[Scott Sebring]

I do not believe this is the cowl from LOTS.

It is. Trust me.

[EmergencyIan]

I'm from Evansville and was at the Friday evening show. It was exceptionally cold for Thanksgiving time. I remember my face feeling frozen as we walked from Roberts Stadium parking lot to the stadium itself. There were two shows on Thursday, three on Friday and Saturday and two more on Sunday. They sold us a Hadi Shrine circus program that included an autographed black and white head shot of Adam West. I was quite a small child, at the time. I was fascinated with that picture for years.

Anyhow, Adam West came out as the final act, of course. I remember him explaining that RobIn wasn't there because he was off fighting the Catwoman. So he was chasing around some villains who eventually got into this rocket shaped flying ship that went around in circles. I guess it took off (was supposed to have) and in order to catch them, Batman got into the canon and blasted off. It may have ended with them being apprehend by Batman, but I just can't recall. I seem to remember Adam wearing a helmet over his cowl.

- Ian

[EmergencyIan]

I also meant to say that he may not have been blasted out of the cannon after Friday and the Shriners certainly were in no position to put up much resistance. They needed him as much and most likely much more than he needed them. Although, it was a great circus, they couldn't lose Batman...he was the main attraction, by far.

The Hadi Shrine circus (Evansville, Indiana) had many very popular acts for years: Just three or four years later they had the Dukes of Hazzard, at the height of their popularity including the Duke boys and Daisy with the car.

I don't think these stars toured with other shrine circuses.

- Ian

[Steve Rosinski]

Check out this June 10, 2017 Facebook post by Anthony Sumner. The attached picture is of Anthony in the fourth grade dressed as a clown. He claims he is the one who lit the fuse of the cannon that day at the Shrine Circus. Anthony says he won his school's Clown for a Day contest, whose prize was performing with Adam at the Circus:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... =599382567

[Progress Pigment]

Does it strike anyone as odd that Adam West mentioned in interviews several times that his favorite musician was Cannonball Adderley? Hmmm. Conspiracy A-Go Go anyone? From the time I read his book I never doubted it happened for even a second. Was he shot up in the air? Maybe -- I doubt it. That part was probably faked. But the soles of the shoes? Interesting! Oh, and the Cannonball Adderley thing is true. Me & Adam don't fib.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmwsQ_dHrFM[/youtube]

[EmergencyIan]

Check out this June 10, 2017 Facebook post by Anthony Sumner. The attached picture is of Anthony in the fourth grade dressed as a clown. He claims he is the one who lit the fuse of the cannon that day at the Shrine Circus. Anthony says he won his school's Clown for a Day contest, whose prize was performing with Adam at the Circus: https://m.facebook.com/groups/135881946 ... 0983Anyone


FB_IMG_1507695880764.jpg

I checked out that Facebook post. That picture of Adam at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville (I was born there and delivered many patients there as a paramedic) looks very familiar.

I don't recall a kid lighting the fuse, but Adam was certainly shot out of the cannon at the performance I attended. I have a feeling that both happened...in early performances he was shot out of the cannon and after he said I'm not doing that anymore, he wasn't. As I said, the Hadi Shrine Circus needed Adam much more than he needed them...meaning they couldn't fathom telling him to get out. They had to have Batman! Of course, Adam needed the money, but being shot out of a cannon was not integral to Batman being a part of the show or his act.

- Ian

[Steve Rosinski]

Check out this June 10, 2017 Facebook post by Anthony Sumner. The attached picture is of Anthony in the fourth grade dressed as a clown. He claims he is the one who lit the fuse of the cannon that day at the Shrine Circus. Anthony says he won his school's Clown for a Day contest, whose prize was performing with Adam at the Circus:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... =599382567
FB_IMG_1507695880764.jpg

[EmergencyIan]

^ Empty message, Steve.

- Ian

[Steve Rosinski]

Here is a less-than-kind review by the Evansville Press on Adam West's performance at the Hadi Shrine Circus in Evansville, Indiana in 1977. The reporter Roberta Heiman is obviously no fan of Adam, as she also pans his acting abilities. Interesting to note the article mentions a man and a woman performed an aerial act from a rocket, but doesn't say Adam was the man. But like Ian indicated above, this may have been one of the later performances where Adam refused to repeat the stunt.

[EmergencyIan]

^ Kinda of a jerk that lady. Lol

Anyhow, that's a nice article to have for posterities sake. She went to the Thanksgiving day performance, so that was the first day. I'm not sure why she didn't mention him being shot out of the cannon, but it seemed that she was very disinterested in anything to do with Batman. I didn't think he bombed at all. Certainly, all of the kids were looking very forward to Batman.

That's right, Robin wasn't there. In the show I saw, he said Robin was off fighting the Catwoman. I remember the male and female villains in the rocket ship, as well. After that, he was blasted out of the cannon. It seems like he was "going after" the villains who took off in the rocket. I remember thinking, "They shot Batman out of a cannon!?!?!"...it was a little odd to think the "real" Batman was shot out of a cannon. Also, it looks like they prepped his costume for it with the short cowl ears to accommodate a helmet (I remember him putting wearing a helmet for the cannon) and the thick rubber soles on the boots.

- Ian

[Steve Rosinski]

Ian:

Of all the pictures of Adam at this circus, you would think there would be one of the money shot of him climbing into the cannon or being launched from it. I'm sure someone somewhere has a Kodak picture, which just hasn't been scanned and posted for social media. Even better would be an 8mm silent movie.

Steve

[EmergencyIan]

^Right after that he started with the rocket ship. While he had the mic, he did the whole routine about Robin not being there.

That picture really brings back memories. Pretty darn neat thread, for me!

I wish I still had that years circus program and the “autographed” Batman West headshot. I was facinated with that picture for a long time.

- Ian