Takeaways from Bob Furmanek's research

General goings on in the 1966 Batman World

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High C
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Takeaways from Bob Furmanek's research

Post by High C »

I wanted to start a new thread based on the as-always excellent research done by Bob. I was struck by several things--some were very surprising, and some I guess I just hadn't thought about.

1. I noticed ABC had an option for 30 shows if they had picked up the full season. It makes sense, considering the full season 2 consisted of 60 half-hour episodes. It's too bad--four more episodes, if only for a last hurrah or two for some of the Big Four villains, would have been nice. But of course Dozier still didn't really understand the fan base and opted for Zsa Zsa with his and Horwitz' dumb cameos for a finale. Sigh.

(I'd advocate for a return of The Siren among those four 'extra' episodes, of course, except for the fact that by Jan. 1968 Joan Collins was in London shooting a movie called Subterfuge and would not have been available.)

2. Two things Howie Horwitz said about Batgirl/Barbara Gordon piqued my interest. First, he said 'Batman is her idol.' Too bad he apparently didn't inform Charles Hoffman or the other writers of that, because they tended to script her as someone who was in competition with the Duo and eager to one-up them.

Horwitz also indicated they were considering a Bruce Wayne/Barbara Gordon romance, but wanted to see if the audience mail steered them in that direction. Interesting. Obviously in 2018, you can get an instantaneous response to such things on the internet. Life was much different in that aspect 50 years ago.

3. I found it fascinating how Dozier sloughed off the disappointing box-office returns of the movie by saying, 'it's the old story of trying to sell the public something that is available free at home.'

Of course, when he was planning the movie, his tune was a lot different. He said in a newspaper interview in 1966, 'when these things are hot, they are hot in many areas.' I think his hubris got the best of him with the movie.

And no offense to the terrific Lee Meriwether, but I can't help but wonder if Julie Newmar would've been more of a drawing card had she been healthy enough to do the film.

4. I should have figured this, considering I knew why they dumped the full part 1 recaps during season 2, but it was interesting to hear that the reason for the three-parters was they wanted two storylines to end on a Wednesday so they could try to really challenge Lost in Space.
'I thought Siren was perfect for Joan.'--Stanley Ralph Ross, writer of 'The Wail of the Siren'

My hobbies include gazing at the Siren and doing her bidding, evil or otherwise.

'She had a devastating, hypnotic effect on all the men.'--A schoolmate describing Joan Collins at age 17
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epaddon
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Re: Takeaways from Bob Furmanek's research

Post by epaddon »

I agree on point #1 that really the last episode that they *knew* was going to be the last episode should have been something a little more innovative. Maybe give us some ID revelation between Batman-Robin-BG and an apologetic aside from Alfred followed by a relieved, "Thank heaven, I don't have to be caught in the middle any longer!" aside. That would have made even a rather weak episode with Zsa Zsa more memorable.
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AndyFish
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Re: Takeaways from Bob Furmanek's research

Post by AndyFish »

I think the lackluster series finale is indicative of the exhaustion everyone was feeling for the show. It was time to move on.
robinboyblunderer
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Re: Takeaways from Bob Furmanek's research

Post by robinboyblunderer »

I guess it's good that there was a proper (more or less) finale to the show in Return of the Caped Crusaders and Batman Vs. Two-Face. Spoilers for the latter: For the first time Batman has successfully redeemed Catwoman, they progressed their romance enough to give a good conclusion to the series and wrap up the major and only storyline from the series, which was the Batman/Catwoman romance. I thought that was a sweet ending to the show and as he's been known by lately, the Bright Knight!
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Ben Bentley
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Re: Takeaways from Bob Furmanek's research

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AndyFish wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 7:31 am I think the lackluster series finale is indicative of the exhaustion everyone was feeling for the show. It was time to move on.
The perfect working metaphor. The signs had been written all over Adam's face throughout the season.
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Bob Furmanek
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Re: Takeaways from Bob Furmanek's research

Post by Bob Furmanek »

Check out the January 15, 1967 interview I posted with Adam from the Philadelphia Inquirer.

He knew.
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BATWINGED HORNET
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Re: Takeaways from Bob Furmanek's research

Post by BATWINGED HORNET »

High C wrote: Mon Mar 19, 2018 6:30 pm But of course Dozier still didn't really understand the fan base and opted for Zsa Zsa with his and Horwitz' dumb cameos for a finale. Sigh.
Yeah, because Zsa Zsa was the favorite of everyone!

2. Two things Howie Horwitz said about Batgirl/Barbara Gordon piqued my interest. First, he said 'Batman is her idol.' Too bad he apparently didn't inform Charles Hoffman or the other writers of that, because they tended to script her as someone who was in competition with the Duo and eager to one-up them.
Aside from my belief that TV Batgirl was terrible for allegedly being a "superhero" and not fighting like one, her trying to one-up the duo was a major turn-off of the character since first watching the series in the early 1970s.
And no offense to the terrific Lee Meriwether, but I can't help but wonder if Julie Newmar would've been more of a drawing card had she been healthy enough to do the film.
Probably, since Newmar--with only one performance as Catwoman by the time the movie was produced--was considered as much a solid interpetation of her character as actors who had more episodes to build on (Romero, Meredith and Gorshin).
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High C
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Re: Takeaways from Bob Furmanek's research

Post by High C »

BATWINGED HORNET wrote: Fri Mar 23, 2018 8:50 am
High C wrote: Mon Mar 19, 2018 6:30 pm But of course Dozier still didn't really understand the fan base and opted for Zsa Zsa with his and Horwitz' dumb cameos for a finale. Sigh.
Yeah, because Zsa Zsa was the favorite of everyone!
Dozier had been trying to get Zsa Zsa on the show for awhile. Marsha was written for Zsa Zsa and then offered to Arlene Dahl when Gabor turned it down. Carolyn Jones was the third choice.
BATWINGED HORNET wrote: Fri Mar 23, 2018 8:50 am
High C wrote: Mon Mar 19, 2018 6:30 pm And no offense to the terrific Lee Meriwether, but I can't help but wonder if Julie Newmar would've been more of a drawing card had she been healthy enough to do the film.
Probably, since Newmar--with only one performance as Catwoman by the time the movie was produced--was considered as much a solid interpetation of her character as actors who had more episodes to build on (Romero, Meredith and Gorshin).
Very true. Plus, who knows, maybe there were some viewers who missed the May repeat of Newmar's storyline, which was wrecked in its original airing by the breaking news coverage for Gemini 8. And no offense to Lee, who was a hard worker and already had racked up a lot of TV credits, Julie simply was a bigger name in 1966.
'I thought Siren was perfect for Joan.'--Stanley Ralph Ross, writer of 'The Wail of the Siren'

My hobbies include gazing at the Siren and doing her bidding, evil or otherwise.

'She had a devastating, hypnotic effect on all the men.'--A schoolmate describing Joan Collins at age 17
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