Photos of Bat Girl costume for projected 1940's Bat Man Movie serial

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Larry A.
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Photos of Bat Girl costume for projected 1940's Bat Man Movie serial

Post by Larry A. »

Hi all,
I have heard a rumor that there was a Bat Girl costume designed for a projected, but unfilmed Bat man movie serial that was supposed to be filmed in 1940 or so.
Does anyone have a photo of said Bat Girl outfit? Since the original comic book Bat Girl wasn't created in the 40's, I cannot see that it would have been a copy of Betty Kane's outfit.

Can anyone help me on this please?

Thanks in advance,
Larry
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AndyFish
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Re: Photos of Bat Girl costume for projected 1940's Bat Man Movie serial

Post by AndyFish »

Seriously doubt there's any truth to the rumor. Serials were notoriously cheap productions and they seldom added costume characters new to the property, just the opposite. Captain America didn't even have Bucky in his 1944 serial.

Republic was rumored to be interested in doing a Batman serial which would have been around 1940/1941- they were working on a Superman serial which was eventually turned into MYSTERIOUS DOCTOR SATAN and the effects were used in ADV OF CAPTAIN MARVEL. They lost Superman allegedly because they wanted to make too many changes to the concept. In DR SATAN the characters are still named Lois and Clark

Around the same time the Fleischer studios kicked around the idea of Batman cartoons to go with their lavish Superman cartoons made in 1941-1942 but the studio collapsed before that could happen. Cartoonist Chris Ware did some fake cels of what those might have looked like that people confuse for the real thing.

With that happening, other properties with National Comics (now DC Comics) would likely have been lost too, and Columbia started work on their Batman script in late 1942. There is no mention of a Bat girl character in the early script drafts. They originally planned on having Batman go up against the Joker who had a secret hideout in a carnival funhouse before they tweaked it to the Japanese agent Dr Daka.

So, long answer, but I suspect like the talk of Orson Welles wanting to do a Batman film in the late 40s, it's just fan conjecture with jo basis in fact.
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Larry A.
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Re: Photos of Bat Girl costume for projected 1940's Bat Man Movie serial

Post by Larry A. »

Thanks, Andy. I had my doubts and I've been away too long from when my contacts worked in the entertainment business. Most have retired and/or died off, so I couldn't any longer ask them. Thanks again, Andy for setting the records straight!!!!!
You are a Friend indeed!
Happy Holidays to You and Yours, Andy
Larry
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AndyFish
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Re: Photos of Bat Girl costume for projected 1940's Bat Man Movie serial

Post by AndyFish »

Thanks Larry-- same to you and yours.

A day after the post, my team found this 1943 Columbia Banner that has recently surfaced, it clearly shows Batman fighting The Joker so it was likely done prior to any filming when Columbia opted to substitute Dr Daka, a japanese spy as the villain for WWII audiences.
batman1943-bannersmall.jpg
If anyone's interested, we found recent vintage 36x12 canvas of these, I have 3, I'm keeping one for the studio but the other two (which won't be cheap) will go to eBay. Contact me via PM if you might want to pick up one before we list it.
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chrisbcritter
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Re: Photos of Bat Girl costume for projected 1940's Bat Man Movie serial

Post by chrisbcritter »

Wait. So, Naish was cast to play the Joker, and they just rewrote the character? Too bad; Daka was a dull villain compared to the Joker (shoot, he was a dull villain, period). Wonder how Naish would have played the Joker?
"To the medical eye, such childish claptrap means only one thing, young man: You need some sleep."
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AndyFish
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Re: Photos of Bat Girl costume for projected 1940's Bat Man Movie serial

Post by AndyFish »

That's how it looks. Naish's Daka costume is pretty much spot on Joker. My understanding is it was a last minute decision, likely because National Comics didn't want The Joker to be running a Nazi or Japanese spy ring. It's incredibly difficult to find information that's accurate on the serials, because they were for the most part 30 day shoots in the B branch of Columbia, shot in many cases on the same lots as The Three Stooges shorts.
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AndyFish
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Re: Photos of Bat Girl costume for projected 1940's Bat Man Movie serial

Post by AndyFish »

Another interesting bit of trivia that is not widely known, that's Bob Kane as the newsboy who hands Bruce Wayne a paper in chapter one.
Wayne/Batman is played by Lewis Wilson who's Northeast/Connecticut/Boston accent is often confused for an Australian one. As someone who has learned to hide my own Boston accent I can pick up the twangs of it quite easily. Wilson graduated from a private school barely a mile from my home and I had an occasion to speak to his son briefly when I was doing prep work for a Book on him. His son is the current producer of the James Bond films.
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Larry A.
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Re: Photos of Bat Girl costume for projected 1940's Bat Man Movie serial

Post by Larry A. »

Thanks again Andy. You are turning into (if You aren't already) the "Indiana Jones" of these serials! :lol: I wish I had the money to buy one of them, but I son't so I'll settle for an enlargement of what You posted and be happy! What You said makes sense as to why it wasn't the Joker. Still....., more's the pity!
When You talked with Mr. Wilson's son, did he give You any other tidbits about the costumes, sets, or anything like that?
I really look forward to what You find.
Cheers,
Larry
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Larry A.
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Re: Photos of Bat Girl costume for projected 1940's Bat Man Movie serial

Post by Larry A. »

I just noticed the Bat Plane on the banner as well, Sigh!!!!!!!!! I forgot to ask, How big is the banner?
Thanks, Andy.
Larry
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KustomJeff
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Re: Photos of Bat Girl costume for projected 1940's Bat Man Movie serial

Post by KustomJeff »

Larry A. wrote:Thanks again Andy. You are turning into (if You aren't already) the "Indiana Jones" of these serials! :lol: I wish I had the money to buy one of them, but I son't so I'll settle for an enlargement of what You posted and be happy! What You said makes sense as to why it wasn't the Joker. Still....., more's the pity!
When You talked with Mr. Wilson's son, did he give You any other tidbits about the costumes, sets, or anything like that?
I really look forward to what You find.
Cheers,

Go to Amazon and search Batman serials, both can be had for about $10. Sometimes they also run on cable TV if you get lucky.
I'm on Instagram as kustomjeff if you want to see more toy pics and some motorcycle stuff too. :-P
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Larry A.
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Re: Photos of Bat Girl costume for projected 1940's Bat Man Movie serial

Post by Larry A. »

Got them both Jeff, I don't know if anyone noticed, but short of the missing painted on Grin, at least on my copy, Dr. Daka DOES look quite similar to the Joker! I realize that Daka was made up the way he was since He was a villain, but it still IMHO looks for all the world to me as "White Face".
Any comments, anyone?
Larry
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TBolt
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Re: Photos of Bat Girl costume for projected 1940's Bat Man Movie serial

Post by TBolt »

Naish as Joker has me wondering, would he have set the precedent for actors not shaving off moustaches for the part? :)
To the Bat-Elephant!!
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Larry A.
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Re: Photos of Bat Girl costume for projected 1940's Bat Man Movie serial

Post by Larry A. »

Interesting thought TBolt! Based on what Andy has said, and what I have seen on that 12' X 36', Naish may well have had to shave his mustache. From what my few remaining ( i.e. still alive) contacts have to say is that Naish did NOT have that kind of power back then that Caesar did almost 3 decades later.
Andy, What say You, my Friend?
Larry
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AndyFish
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Re: Photos of Bat Girl costume for projected 1940's Bat Man Movie serial

Post by AndyFish »

I've seen Naish in several movies, and I'm pretty sure he always had a moustache-- so it could have been a Cesar thing here too-- although I doubt he had the same clout to refuse.

There is sadly not much known about the serials, I have some stories and some behind the scenes information, I'm trying to compile to see if there is enough for a book with McFarland press. I'll post what I have on my blog which is accessible off my website www.andytfish.com in the next few days.
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Larry A.
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Re: Photos of Bat Girl costume for projected 1940's Bat Man Movie serial

Post by Larry A. »

You ARE the Serial Man, Andy! I'll give it until this Wednesday, then I'll check Your blog!

Thanks!
Larry
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