TO THE BATPOLES podcast #53: Batman '43: Holy WW II Propaganda!

[bat-rss]

To the Batpoles podcast: This time we're digging deep into the 1943 Batman serial, a wartime version with a cringeworthy Japanese villain. How does this Batman compare with the '66 version? We discuss the pros and cons of many aspects of this 15-part series. http://tothebatpoles.libsyn.com/053-bat ... propaganda

[robinboyblunderer]

I give you guys credit for giving this a go but the serials just are not for me, aside from some of the stark imagery such as the photo above.

It was more entertaining listening to your take on the serial than the work itself.

cheers

[bat-rss]

Haha, thanks! Well, as we said, it's more interesting as a historical document than as a Batman story. And I think our discussion really focused on that aspect of it.

Somehow, this has rocketed up to being our most-downloaded episode ever! But not much in the way of comments from listeners. We're planning to record the next episode this coming Thursday morning (US time). If you want to put anything in the Bat Mailbag (on the '43 serial episode or anything else), please send it to us by then! Or post right here.

[AndyFish]

The '43 serial remains to me the single best version of Batman on film. It's got the right mix of horror, action and comedy. As a student of WWII history I can completely understand the propaganda nature of it. Nice work!

[AndyFish]

Couple of things that might be of interest to listeners of this podcast and the serial in general.

1. That's Bob Kane as the paperboy in Chapter 1.

2. The Playboy Theater was in Chicago and it was a regular movie house-- they were one of many theaters showing this EVENING WITH BATMAN AND ROBIN which was put together by Columbia and was simply all 15 Chapters of THE BATMAN (1943) which were designed to be watched once a week. Watched all at once the campy elements really come through. EVENING played mostly in college towns notably at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge which is just down the street from Harvard and was often watched and re-watched by members of the Harvard Lampoon.

3. Lewis Wilson had a career on Broadway before taking a chance at Hollywood. He made several films for Columbia as a 2nd lead in 1942-1943 before getting drafted into WWII. Coming back he struggled to find work as did a lot of similar age and looking actors and after several really B films and a co starring role on the TV Series Craig Kennedy he retired to a "real" job which provided a regular paycheck for his family.

After he and his wife divorced she took custody of his son Michael and she married film producer Albert Broccoli who eventually went on to make the Bond films; Michael remains today as one of the producers of that series.

4. The original script called for The Joker and there are even existing movie posters showing him and he was to be played by J. Carrol Naish who plays Dr Tito Daka (there is indeed a T in the Japanese language-- my sister in law Tomoko will be glad to know that).

5. Doug Croft was the only actor to ever play Robin and actually be the age he was supposed to be. There are conflicting reports as to what age he was when he made the film-- he died at age 37 in 1963 so that makes him 17 in '43. He is Batman's assistant just like he was in the comics of the time.

6. No Batmobile but then in the comics the Batmobile as we know it only comes along in 1941 and before that it was just a regular card.

7. The Comedic Alfred takes his lead from the comics version of Alfred at the time-- Alfred is introduced into Batman comics with issue #16 and he's a wanna be detective and often played for laughs.

8. The early Batman comics have Bruce Wayne engaged a few times over-- first Julie Madison and then Linda Page. The foppish lazy nature of the Bruce Wayne persona is also from the comics at the time which based Wayne on Zorro's alter ego, Don Diego Vega, who often fainted at the sight of violence.

[bat-rss]

AndyFish, thanks for all the info!

One note -- There is a "To" as in "Tomoko" in Japanese, but not a "Ti" as in "Tito"! Japanese works in syllables, such as "Ah, ee, oo, eh, oh", "ka, kee, ku, ke, koh," but the "t" series goes "ta, chi, tsu, te, toh", rather than "ta, ti, tu, te, toh." There is a "t" sound but not a "ti" sound, was what I was trying to say.

[robinboyblunderer]

Couple of things that might be of interest to listeners of this podcast and the serial in general.

4. The original script called for The Joker and there are even existing movie posters showing him and he was to be played by J. Carrol Naish who plays Dr Tito Daka (there is indeed a T in the Japanese language-- my sister in law Tomoko will be glad to know that).

I can see it, his tie is like the early one the Joker wore in the comics, just lose the mustache, the attempt at looking Japanese and have him give a big grin.

Interesting appreciation for the serial, I can understand why it appeals to you.

From a story telling perspective having Robin save Batman was anti-climatic, sure he was more assistant than sidekick but it's pretty weak to have the hero fail to defeat Daka himself. It could've been a good moment to highlight his escape artist abilities.

cheers

[Progress Pigment]

Some of the stills are fantastic. Lewis Wilson was a 23 year old Batman(!), but certainly looked older. Sans costume he resembled Jeremy Brett, TV's Sherlock Holmes a bit.



Sad that he was not able to maintain an acting career. Apparently at the time of the series it was reported that he died "some years ago." Although he actually lived until the year 2000! My G-d, you'd think during 1966 or 1989 Batmania he would have been unearthed. It was as if Tarzan became huge, and Johnny Weissmuller was still alive! In the 90's I had one of the many cheap VHS releases of Batman (1943), wherein the scenes of Lewis Wilson screeching every few seconds about "dirty japs!" was replaced very noticeably by "dirty criminals!". The serial is largely enjoyable, although all & all I prefer Batman & Robin (1949). There was certainly much to recommend Lewis Wilson as Batman. He came across very charming as Bruce Wayne and resembled the character as portrayed in the comics. But he had the biggest hips of any Bat-related character until Martha Raye played Batgirl! Holy granny panties, Batman!

[robinboyblunderer]

I can't even watch the serials for unintentional comedy, despite any mood or the coolness of black and white, they are too dated and dull.

Who the heck is the guy with the lobster claw? Looks like someone that would've fit right in with the 3rd Season...!

cheers

[Progress Pigment]

Dude, that's Bob Hope! I've seen short clips of Martha Raye in a Bob Hope special from 1966 as (the first live-action?) Batgirl, but never the whole thing. Almost nothing comes up about it on google. This Big Glee link looked promising, but it is gone! One of the last unearthed pieces of bat-history, I guess.

https://www.facebook.com/gothamcity14mi ... 2743364747

Wednesday, February 16 CHRYSLER PRESENTS A BOB HOPE COMEDY SPECIAL (NBC, 9-10 p.m.).* Hope and Danny Thomas play poker with Jill St. John as the table stakes; Martha Raye plays Batgirl with Hope as an archvillain called Lobster Man; and Les Brown plays music with the Righteous Brothers.

http://www.wordola.com/wusage/batgirl/y1966.html

*correction!* It apparently exists on 'The Bob Hope Ultimate Collection"! But as much as I'd love to see it, I'm not willing to part with $64.99 for the privilege.

From Amazon:
Disc 4 contains "Bob Hope's World Of Comedy" (90 minutes) another compilation special with some of Bob's most beloved partners, including Lucille Ball, David Niven, Jack Benny, Ann Margaret, Danny Thomas, Bing Crosby, Johnny Carson, Donald O'Connor, Lassie the wonder collie, and a high-flying Martha Raye as Batgirl.

[robinboyblunderer]

Holy Variety show! As soon as I read the name I scrolled up and was surprised I missed him. Probably thrown off by that imposing claw.

I could definitely see them using Lobster Man in the third season.

[bat-rss]

Love the Raye/Hope photo!