Worst Bat Villain Cast

[Gorshin Romero]

I'm thinking that Gale Sondergaard would have made a menacing Black Widow, especially considering that she played a similar role in one of the Sherlock Holmes movies.

Lord Pfogg and Lady Peasoup were very dull villains, but I blame most of that on the writing itself although there were a few funny moments. If the episode HAD to be filmed, then I will second what Chris B. Critter said and say that Terry-Thomas would have been preferable...ALTHOUGH perhaps Peter Cushing would have made an interesting Lord Pfogg. Who knows? Maybe Batman and Robin could have been climbing a wall and we could have gotten a window cameo from Christopher Lee as well!

I actually do like the Nora Clavicle episode, but it should have been much better than it actually was.

AS for Marsha, I would have preferred Leslie Parrish, although quite frankly had Poison Ivy been added to the show, then I think Ms. Parrish would have been better cast as her.

The Puzzler===give me the original Frank Gorshin Riddler any day of the week!

[Therin of Andor]

Therin, did you see 'Can't Stop the Music' in the theater? If you did being in even remote contact with you is as rare as sighting a unicorn!

Yes indeed. It premiered in Sydney, Australia - and the Village People, Allan Carr and Valerie Perrine were here on all the TV chat shows. The timing was one of those flukes, because the movie flopped almost everywhere in the world. The film ran for months (19th June till 20th November, 1980) at the art deco-esque Paramount Theatre in Sydney, often to packed houses. I wasn't at the actual premiere, but several friends were. It was like a huge street party!

I also have the Fotonovel!

Even today, "Can't Stop the Music" often runs on Aussie TV in the wee hours of New Year's Day, as a kind of New Year's Eve party aftermath.


Paramount Theatre, Sydney by Ian McLean, on Flickr

[Dr. Shimel]

Who knows? Maybe Batman and Robin could have been climbing a wall and we could have gotten a window cameo from Christopher Lee as well!

Though the window cameo died at the end of S2.

[Pengy]

Worst villains:

Louie the Lilac
Nora Clavicle
The Archer

[Gorshin Romero]

Who knows? Maybe Batman and Robin could have been climbing a wall and we could have gotten a window cameo from Christopher Lee as well!

Though the window cameo died at the end of S2.

One more reason Season 3 isn't as good.

[Gorshin Romero]

Who knows? Maybe Batman and Robin could have been climbing a wall and we could have gotten a window cameo from Christopher Lee as well!

Though the window cameo died at the end of S2.

One more reason Season 3 isn't as good.

[High C]

Can't think of another sixties actress who could have fit that role as a substitute? Someone who could have combined beauty with some sort of creepiness.

Seems to me Carolyn Jones did a creditable job at exactly that when she played Morticia Addams. In our re-writing of bat-history, casting Jones as Black Widow would let Marsha haters reassign that role.

This is a terrific idea.

[High C]

As to the OP's subject, I'd rank them this way:

1. Tallulah Bankhead as Black Widow. Was too decrepit to be threatening. I think Barbara Stanwyck would have been a much better choice. Still excluded glamour and was a classic femme fatale in her heyday.

2. Rudy Vallee as Lord Ffogg. Why they didn't cast an Englishman is anyone's guess. A guy from Vermont isn't the right person to play an English nobleman. Vallee often was using a Cockney accent, which certainly isn't how a lord would sound. James Mason supposedly was interested in doing the show. Would have been a lot better.

3. Art Carney as Archer. A terrific actor but mis-cast in this part.

Bonus--worst henchmoll casting: Terry Moore as Venus. Shrill and annoying and just didn't come off as a 'Venus' type.

[Dr. Shimel]

2. Rudy Vallee as Lord Ffogg. Why they didn't cast an Englishman is anyone's guess. A guy from Vermont isn't the right person to play an English nobleman. Vallee often was using a Cockney accent, which certainly isn't how a lord would sound. James Mason supposedly was interested in doing the show. Would have been a lot better.

In 1967, Rudy's career wasn't exactly thriving and living in the Los Angeles area, he was easily available. Given the strangling budget constraints in Season Three, those credentials were good enough for Dozier, who just wanted to finish the season and move into syndication.

I recall someone noted that Yvonne Craig wasn't all that enthused working with Vallee, presumably because of his massive ego. In his 1986 obit, it was noted that Vallee wrote THREE autobiographies and "in the 1970s fought a loud and nasty battle with city officials to get the name of the street in the Hollywood Hills on which he lived changed to Rue de Vallee."

Though this comes from Wikipedia, Yvonne might have been subjected to this: "Vallée was known for possessing a quick temper and for using foul language, especially during rehearsals."

[Progress Pigment]

2. Rudy Vallee as Lord Ffogg. Why they didn't cast an Englishman is anyone's guess. A guy from Vermont isn't the right person to play an English nobleman. Vallee often was using a Cockney accent, which certainly isn't how a lord would sound. James Mason supposedly was interested in doing the show. Would have been a lot better.

I recall someone noted that Yvonne Craig wasn't all that enthused working with Vallee, presumably because of his massive ego. In his 1986 obit, it was noted that Vallee wrote THREE autobiographies and "in the 1970s fought a loud and nasty battle with city officials to get the name of the street in the Hollywood Hills on which he lived changed to Rue de Vallee."

I wouldn't call Valee's accent "cockney" in the episodes. He'd occasionally lapse into a "pip! pip! cherio!" sort of thing, but generally talked as he usually did. His manner of speaking was, as I've heard attributed to Cary Grant, unlike any other spoken by anyone else, British or American. To me he IS Lord ffogg. I can't imagine anyone else playing it. It could've been a great bunch of episodes without the corny gags.

Sometimes I think Yvonne didn't appreciate the moment like she might have. In her book she thought Neil Hamilton & Alan Napier were just a couple of nice old men. And didn't realize Hamilton had been a silent star, and Napier worked the Old Vic. She also mentioned that Vallee decided to favor the cast with a one of his megaphone lip-sync performances to a record during a break in filming. I think I'd have been thrilled! But she sort of rolled her eyes over the whole thing. Her former co-star Elvis (who worked with Rudy Vallee too) probably would have loved it! Vallee actually recorded some current pop songs in the 60's. Here, enjoy one!

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APpoV0uJw6c[/youtube]

[elmrgraham]

Pretty Neat.

[Gorshin Romero]

2. Rudy Vallee as Lord Ffogg. Why they didn't cast an Englishman is anyone's guess. A guy from Vermont isn't the right person to play an English nobleman. Vallee often was using a Cockney accent, which certainly isn't how a lord would sound. James Mason supposedly was interested in doing the show. Would have been a lot better.

In 1967, Rudy's career wasn't exactly thriving and living in the Los Angeles area, he was easily available. Given the strangling budget constraints in Season Three, those credentials were good enough for Dozier, who just wanted to finish the season and move into syndication.

I recall someone noted that Yvonne Craig wasn't all that enthused working with Vallee, presumably because of his massive ego. In his 1986 obit, it was noted that Vallee wrote THREE autobiographies and "in the 1970s fought a loud and nasty battle with city officials to get the name of the street in the Hollywood Hills on which he lived changed to Rue de Vallee."

Though this comes from Wikipedia, Yvonne might have been subjected to this: "Vallée was known for possessing a quick temper and for using foul language, especially during rehearsals."

Years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Yvonne Craig at one of the Comic Cons. She autographed her book for me, but then I asked her whom her favorite guest villain was and and who was her least favorite. She said that they all were fun to work with, but she especially enjoyed working with Vincent Price because "he was very intelligent, but he was also very curious and asked a lot of questions." When talking about her least favorite, she scowled and said "Probably Rudy Vallee." When I asked why, she said that he didn't like to rehearse, and when break time occurred, he separated himself from the rest of the cast and ignored everybody while he read his newspaper, making it clear that he didn't want to be bothered by the rest of them. When I remarked that not only was the Lord Pfogg and Lady Peasoup storyline not very interesting but also a 3-Part story, she said "Yeah but at least I got the privilege of working with Ms. Glynnis Johns."

[High C]

2. Rudy Vallee as Lord Ffogg. Why they didn't cast an Englishman is anyone's guess. A guy from Vermont isn't the right person to play an English nobleman. Vallee often was using a Cockney accent, which certainly isn't how a lord would sound. James Mason supposedly was interested in doing the show. Would have been a lot better.

I recall someone noted that Yvonne Craig wasn't all that enthused working with Vallee, presumably because of his massive ego. In his 1986 obit, it was noted that Vallee wrote THREE autobiographies and "in the 1970s fought a loud and nasty battle with city officials to get the name of the street in the Hollywood Hills on which he lived changed to Rue de Vallee."

I wouldn't call Valee's accent "cockney" in the episodes. He'd occasionally lapse into a "pip! pip! cherio!" sort of thing, but generally talked as he usually did.

Listen to the line in part 1 which he says Ffogg Manor 'is about to play 'ost to Batman and Robin.' He clearly does NOT pronounce the H.

Per wikipedia, dropping one's Hs is a part of Cockney speech.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockney

[Progress Pigment]

I recall someone noted that Yvonne Craig wasn't all that enthused working with Vallee, presumably because of his massive ego. In his 1986 obit, it was noted that Vallee wrote THREE autobiographies and "in the 1970s fought a loud and nasty battle with city officials to get the name of the street in the Hollywood Hills on which he lived changed to Rue de Vallee."

I wouldn't call Valee's accent "cockney" in the episodes. He'd occasionally lapse into a "pip! pip! cherio!" sort of thing, but generally talked as he usually did.

Listen to the line in part 1 which he says Ffogg Manor 'is about to play 'ost to Batman and Robin.' He clearly does NOT pronounce the H.

Per wikipedia, dropping one's Hs is a part of Cockney speech.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockney

"Clearly did not pronounce the h." That was one instance in a 90 minute group of episodes! I'm guessing they didn't hire a dialogue coach. Rudy was winging it. Glynnis Johns was from South Africa, also not a Brit. Here's one of the only chunks I found of Lord Ffogg speaking online.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5wATlpLMmQ[/youtube]

I don't detect any of what Americans would consider "cockney" here. Maybe I'm missing it. His accent seems to be all over the map. Compare it to actors in "Oliver". So cockney it needed subtitles.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPGRUrvuNGk[/youtube]

And here is more of Lord Ffogg showing off his pipes! Pun intended. Casey Kasem (who voiced Robin in the Batman cartoons) mentions that Vallee had a hit album. Good stuff!

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMTS6GoX0_A[/youtube]

[High C]

I wouldn't call Valee's accent "cockney" in the episodes. He'd occasionally lapse into a "pip! pip! cherio!" sort of thing, but generally talked as he usually did.

Listen to the line in part 1 which he says Ffogg Manor 'is about to play 'ost to Batman and Robin.' He clearly does NOT pronounce the H.

Per wikipedia, dropping one's Hs is a part of Cockney speech.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockney

"Clearly did not pronounce the h." That was one instance in a 90 minute group of episodes! I'm guessing they didn't hire a dialogue coach. Rudy was winging it. Glynnis Johns was from South Africa, also not a Brit. Here's one of the only chunks I found of Lord Ffogg speaking online.

Then let me just call it lower-class, OK.

And you say Rudy was winging it. Well, an Englishman wouldn't have had to wing it.

I blame director Oscar Rudolph, who helmed some of the worst performances in the series and should have at least tried to get Vallee to make his fake accent consistent.