Bat-upstaging

General goings on in the 1966 Batman World

Moderators: Scott Sebring, Ben Bentley

Post Reply
User avatar
bat-rss
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2015 5:27 am

Bat-upstaging

Post by bat-rss »

Hi,

Can anyone point me to any particular episode/scene where Adam clearly upstages Burt? Stepping on his lines, walking in front of him, etc? According to Burt, this was constant, but I don't recall ever noticing it.
"I'm half-demented with whimsical outrage!"
-- The Joker, in a line cut from "The Joker's Epitaph"
User avatar
vintagematt
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2018 6:06 pm

Re: Bat-upstaging

Post by vintagematt »

Ya, now that I think about it...I don't think I've ever really seen that in an episode. after watching back to the batcave I tried to find instances of this occurring but nothing really came up...
"Batman told him a super funny joke. When the creature didn't laugh, that was proof!"
User avatar
bat-rss
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2015 5:27 am

Re: Bat-upstaging

Post by bat-rss »

THE BATPHONE! wrote: Tue Jul 03, 2018 5:02 am Ya, now that I think about it...I don't think I've ever really seen that in an episode. after watching back to the batcave I tried to find instances of this occurring but nothing really came up...
I feel as if I remember some parts that COULD be construed as West stepping on Ward's line, but really read to me as just urgency. Can't seem to locate any examples, though.
"I'm half-demented with whimsical outrage!"
-- The Joker, in a line cut from "The Joker's Epitaph"
User avatar
John Mack
Posts: 0
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 11:15 pm

Re: Bat-upstaging

Post by John Mack »

I recently posted this interview with Batdirector Butler....not sure he mentions any individual scenes, but does allude to Adam's activities.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6402
Music. BAT! Music.
User avatar
Jim Akin
Posts: 0
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2012 8:24 pm

Re: Bat-upstaging

Post by Jim Akin »

It's hard to prove. But on a recent re-watch, it struck me that Adam might be hogging screen time in the scene in The Joker's Last Laugh when Batman's analyzing funny money in the Batcave. Adam seems to take *forever* to say the names of the insidious ink colors (rotten-apple red, bilious blue, etc.) that point to the Joker's comic-book printing operation. Adam delivers the lines in a single shot, so he's not literally pulling focus away from Robin/Burt, but he definitely seemed to be chewing up time.
cammy85
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 8:28 pm

Re: Bat-upstaging

Post by cammy85 »

He called it "Bat-speak". Drawing words out accentuates the absurdity. At least according to Return to the Batcave, so take that however you want.
User avatar
Chuck Williams
Posts: 0
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2012 7:57 am

Re: Bat-upstaging

Post by Chuck Williams »

I am blanking on the episode but when walking from the Batmobile into the cave discussing the case, Adam is talking and walking between two computers and stops dead in front of Burt with his arms out IIRC . Hilarious!
Quick, Everyone, Flee for your lives, into the street!!!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/WilliamsStudio ... eller_info
User avatar
BATWINGED HORNET
Posts: 0
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 5:32 am

Re: Bat-upstaging

Post by BATWINGED HORNET »

I will eventually look into it, but I do have a memory of West cutting into Ward's dialogue before the latter finished. Usually, this happened in the Batcave scenes, were they spent more time talking than on any other set.
Beneath Wayne Manor
Commodore Schmidlapp
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2015 11:45 pm

Re: Bat-upstaging

Post by Commodore Schmidlapp »

Great thread topic and I will be interested to see the responses.

I, too, never noticed this until I read Ward's book. As mentioned in another recent thread, I took a lot of that book's content with a huge grain of salt.

However, when the DVD's came out, I can recall on multiple occasions thinking, 'Wow, Ward was right; I never noticed that!'

I'm of the opinion that this became more of an issue in the later episodes. Whether that was due to West knowing he'd soon be looking for work, jealousy, or just the overall malaise on set as the series wound down - who knows?

I'll go through the episodes and find more examples, but I'll give you what for me was always the most egregious example. The Joker's Flying Saucer.

In the Batcave after the explosion, Ward is saying the explosion knocked all the phones...

West interrupts him on the word 'Knocked' and completes the line. From that point you can almost see West and Ward jockeying for position in front of the camera.

Then as the scene closes, West doesn't even try to disguise his moving his body in front of Ward's.

Some of the earlier examples may have been the alleged 'Bat-speak.'

I don't have the lines exact, but in the movie:

"You risked your life to save that riff raff in the bar?"

"They may be..drinkers Robin...but they are...human beings...they may be...salvageable
."
User avatar
bat-rss
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2015 5:27 am

Re: Bat-upstaging

Post by bat-rss »

Jim Akin wrote: Tue Jul 03, 2018 7:20 am It's hard to prove. But on a recent re-watch, it struck me that Adam might be hogging screen time in the scene in The Joker's Last Laugh when Batman's analyzing funny money in the Batcave. Adam seems to take *forever* to say the names of the insidious ink colors (rotten-apple red, bilious blue, etc.) that point to the Joker's comic-book printing operation. Adam delivers the lines in a single shot, so he's not literally pulling focus away from Robin/Burt, but he definitely seemed to be chewing up time.
Just watched the scene -- he certainly does seem to be milking the line for all the screen time it's worth! If Burt had spoken as slowly, these stories would have been three-parters!
"I'm half-demented with whimsical outrage!"
-- The Joker, in a line cut from "The Joker's Epitaph"
User avatar
BATWINGED HORNET
Posts: 0
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 5:32 am

Re: Bat-upstaging

Post by BATWINGED HORNET »

Interesting post, Commodore Schmidlapp.
Beneath Wayne Manor
Commodore Schmidlapp
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2015 11:45 pm

Re: Bat-upstaging

Post by Commodore Schmidlapp »

I've been going through some old episodes (I know, redundant since there aren't any new ones ;) ) and one thing that struck me that does give credence to Burt Ward's claims is comparing Adam West's scenes with molls and female villains.

I have yet to see West stammer with his female co-stars the way he did with Ward - Batgirl, Catwoman, Venus, Lisa Carson, etc.
artbat123
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2015 9:22 am

Re: Bat-upstaging

Post by artbat123 »

There is one scene in the movie where Adam walks across the batcave floor to indicate it is a movie and not a television episode. Look at Burt's expression when Adam returns next to him to identify the illegal buoy. You can see that the scene was not staged that way and Adam did it to get more screen time. You can see Burt's reaction for a second.
Post Reply