TO THE BATPOLES podcast #75: Reading Ross’ Draft Script “That Darned Catwoman”

[bat-rss]

It's time to dig into another draft script, and another by Stanley Ralph Ross: That Darned Catwoman! We find many things that were left out of the broadcast version—some to our regret, others to our relief!

http://tothebatpoles.libsyn.com/075-rea ... d-catwoman

[Progress Pigment]

The man who did more damage to the Caped Crusader than all the supervillains combined! Some of the members here, six year olds in 1966, could have written better scripts. Certainly better plotlines.

[clavierankh]

Lyndon Johnson had two grown daughters Luci and Lynda. The public referred to hem as Luci Byrd and Lynda Byrd. With Lady Byrd that's what was meant by all the Byrds.

[BATWINGED HORNET]

As always, a fascinating podcast, guys.

Regarding Ross punishing Burt Ward with cutting him out of most of the episode, if true, that was a petty move in response to Ward not wanting to spew the typically overflowing, often silly Ross dialogue. Team Ward all the way!!

The "Frank Nitti Gritti" the episode's old mobster referred to was based on the real Frank Nitti, who was the enforcer and eventual successor to Al Capone. When Capone was convicted for tax evasion in 1931, Nitti (after serving time) became boss of the Chicago "outfit", and ultimately committed suicide in 1943, after being indicted (along with other mobsters) for years of extorting money from Hollywood studios--including 20th Century Fox.

Thankfully, the Ross gag of Alfred removing a series of masks was not shot; by 1966 (when the script was written) it was an overused joke in several MGM/Tex Avery and various Warner Brothers cartoons. Ross seemed to be out of touch, or thought such a silly sight gag had value, when in truth, it would have shot the final hole into the boat that was this story.

My favorite part of the episode was the one element some have no love for: Lesley Gore as Pussycat. Unlike Dick Grayson's various high school crushes, or Catwoman's previous assistant Eenie, Pussycat seemed to be more of an equal to Robin, at least on an emotional level, and it would have been interesting see the two interact after she was rehabilitated.

On the other hand, Eenie was rough, like some 1940s hooker who had seen too much, lived too hard, and would be comfortable telling a guy, "Its 5 bucks, or cross da street!", instead being a playful flirt like Gore's character.

About Robin flying the Batcopter--Ross should have watched the movie, since Robin took control of the Batcopter while Batman was fighting the shark.

Riddle's score after Catwoman falls into the water was re-used from season one's "Better Luck Next Time", following the scene of Catwoman falling into the bottomless pit.

[bat-rss]

Riddle's score after Catwoman falls into the water was re-used from season one's "Better Luck Next Time", following the scene of Catwoman falling into the bottomless pit.

Aha! I did wonder if it was recycled, since by this point in season two, most of the music is. I guess we could call this the "Catwoman is dead" music? Or "Catwoman appears to have died"!

[Jthree]

As always, a fascinating podcast, guys.


My favorite part of the episode was the one element some have no love for: Lesley Gore as Pussycat. Unlike Dick Grayson's various high school crushes, or Catwoman's previous assistant Eenie, Pussycat seemed to be more of an equal to Robin, at least on an emotional level, and it would have been interesting see the two interact after she was rehabilitated.

On the other hand, Eenie was rough, like some 1940s hooker who had seen too much, lived too hard, and would be comfortable telling a guy, "Its 5 bucks, or cross da street!", instead being a playful flirt like Gore's character.

You have some good points about Pussycat, but was there ever a moment of interaction between Robin and Eenie in the episode she was in?

--jthree

[bat-rss]

I don't recall Eenie interacting with anyone but Catwoman.

[BATWINGED HORNET]

You have some good points about Pussycat, but was there ever a moment of interaction between Robin and Eenie in the episode she was in?

--jthree

No direct involvement, but I pointed Eenie out because Catwoman mentioned the idea of possibly setting her up with Robin ("The Cat's Meow") , before she changed her mind thanks to her thinking Robin was too immature.

[Dan E Kool]

My favorite part of the episode was the one element some have no love for: Lesley Gore as Pussycat.

So I'm not the only fan of Pussycat, then! I'll admit the singing breaks don't help the episode, but the character was a cool idea. I think it was a better choice than Poison Ivy, who would've made a much better solo villain than a sidekick. It would have been too bittersweet to have Poison Ivy make her TV debut as a Catwoman hanger-on.

[Ben Bentley]

Without treading on too much of similar ground to some of the great remarks and observations that my fellow board members have already made in this thread, I will offer this thought: A lot of the inconsistencies in character traits that you point out (Pussycat's playing "hard to get" as the perfect working example) are indicative of Stanley Ralph Ross' tendency to divert momentarily onto any given tangent that facilitates the gag or one-liner he just can't seem to resist - "I'm not the type of girl to kiss a boy on the first crime..."