Ra's al Ghul in the 60's

[Riddlersgurl]

Had the show maintained the quality of the first season, would he have been a good fit for the 60's?

I know that he was introduced in the 1970's, mostly to counteract the campiness of the 60's, but let's pretend that he had been introduced in the comics and the show back then.

Who could have played him, and made a breakout role of it?

Personally, I think he has a lot more charisma than most of the other villains (sorry Riddler honey, no offense intended!), a lot more on the ball, and is one of the most dangerous villains in the Rogue's Gallery.

He's practically immortal, has more money than Bruce and all other millionaires on the planet combined, has knowledge of so many subjects its scary, has witnessed and made history for centuries, is rather good looking for a man who appears to be in his late middle age, and has charm simply oozing off of him.

While Liam Neeson was adequate in the role in the movie, I had the feeling that he wasn't really right for the role.

Christopher Eccleston might have been able to pull it off; he's got the height, and the physique for it. Just give him a black and grey wig with a widow's peak, and the green suit; he's good to go.

But for the 60's, who would have been good at it?

Maybe Jack Cassidy? He was an excellent actor, if not exactly a swordsman.

Basil Rathbone could have done it, but by then he was waaay too old and frail for the part.

Roger Delgado? I know, I know; he was the Master in Doctor Who, but that wasn't until the mid seventies, and he was just about the right age; middle forties, with a talent for playing villains.

Any other opinions?

[Gothamite]

I don't like this villain, I just don't get him

[Catfan]

Ra's al Ghul might not have been the best fit for the series at that time, and there really was a difference in the pop culture between 1965-66, when the show aired, and 1971, when the character debuted. Things would not start to become darker until the end of the 1960s.

That said, Basil Rathbone was too old and he died in the summer of 1967 anyway. Christopher Lee might have been a good choice, though he would have towered over Adam West. Maybe James Mason might have been a good candidate. Still, I would agree that the character would not have worked in 1966, because the comics, the show and pop culture were not at that point to accept him.

[Dark Detective]

David Niven? He had an angular face.

John

[Mr. Deathtrap]

Citizens,

As the leader of the League of Assassins with a daughter who tempts Batman, there is almost too much to do a typical Batman episode with Ra's 'al Gul. He would have been great as the main baddie in a movie, not revealed for a long while. When we do meet him, I think Ricardo Montalban would have been excellent.

Mr. Deathtrap

[Jim Akin]

What about Michael Rennie? (If we can time-warp Ra's al Ghul back to the 60s, why not also undo the unfortunate Sandman episodes. which failed to capitalize on Rennie's acting talents?)

And while there are many possible candidates to play Talia, I nominate Lana Wood (Natalie's sister, and Adam West's occasional social companion).

Cheers,

QQ

[Mr. Deathtrap]

QQ,

Lana Wood would have been wonderful as Taliia.

Mr. Deathtrap

[Roy Batty]

Michael Rennie would have been near perfect, and Ricardo Montalban would have been great also.

[Lou Szabo]

Any thoughts on Vincent Price or Boris Karloff?

[Sugar Nick]

Ra's al Ghul would have been awesome in the '66 show. Someone should do a fan fiction set in the "West Universe" and have Ra's al Ghul in it. Ra's could be an even more eccentric and odd character. There would of course be many similarities between he and his former student Batman. Ra's secret lair could have similar labels as the bat cave and be just really even more over the top! It would be awesome.

And all the police would think Ra's was just an eccentric buffoon but Batman would be gravely concerned about it all and very serious as usual.

[mattman]

Montalban would have been ideal
Chris Lee would also have been, as for him being to tall for Adam, I think that could have added to the menace.
As I am doing a fantasy series nowadays, this blog is right up my street,however the Chris Eccleston idea since November has gone out of Commissioner Gordon's window-he is my Scarecrow.
But as I have to choose a 60s Ghul and cant steal Ricardo or Dracula,Could Dracula's nemesis, Peter Cushing have played it, or Lorne Greene?