Unusual Batgirl Picture.

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The Boss
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Unusual Batgirl Picture.

Post by The Boss »

Does anyone know the story behind this picture of Yvonne Craig dressed as Batgirl? It is clearly not her regular outfit from the series. As far as I know she never did any appearances in costume save for a PSA for equal pay. However in the PSA she wore he TV costume. Any help would be appreciated Image.
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Batfanman
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Re: Unusual Batgirl Picture.

Post by Batfanman »

This is not Yvonne. Others can provide further specifics but I've read in the past that this is someone else.
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The Boss
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Re: Unusual Batgirl Picture.

Post by The Boss »

It isn't? Hmmm. I remember seeing this picture posted on a number of sites announcing her passing but I never could find the source of the picture. It's odd that so many sites used the same picture if it wasn't even her. Thanks for the info
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Scott Sebring
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Re: Unusual Batgirl Picture.

Post by Scott Sebring »

The Boss wrote:It isn't? Hmmm. I remember seeing this picture posted on a number of sights announcing her passing but I never could find the source of the picture. It's odd that so many sites used the same picture if it wasn't even her. Thanks for the info
Okay, I'm only going to tell this story one more time. So many folks have no idea how many hours and days of phonecalls, e-mails and personal messaging I've had to deal with on and off because of this photo for now the past year every time this debate comes up and I get called out on it. For those who don't know, I was Yvonne's webmaster (still webmaster for the site itself). Somewhere around 2009(ish), this picture as well as one with the same lady on a funny mini bike came across the old board. I asked Yvonne about it and she simply said, "Not my body, not my suit, not my face and I've never been on that vehicle." And we left it at that. Seemed like a no brainer to the both of us. Yes, the image turned up on numerous news-feeds after she died because it was part of an automated system. I know this because I was busy for a little bit that morning contacting some of the more local papers like the LA Times and a few key online news agencies to see if they could change it to one that we absolutely knew was her at least. It was just something I was handling for the family to help take at least one thing off their plate during that day. Trust me, none of the news organizations did any investigation about this image or questioned it when it came into their respective feeds. It's part of the Getty archive and is labeled as being Yvonne from 1967. It has been verified as being taken in the UK by a pretty well known photographer around that time period but not 100% proven to be Yvonne. Either way, after finding out the news places were stuck with it for the most part, Yvonne's sister and I agreed, "Oh well. At least it looks more like her than not, let's move on to important things." And we moved on. But this pic keeps coming up and somehow I keep getting dragged into the thick of it because I was the one who asked Yvonne in the first place when she was still with us. To be clear, I'm simply taking it on face value of what Yvonne herself said when she saw it and so far that's been fine with me. There was no digging into it when Yvonne and and I had our original exchange about it nor a conspiracy to hide it from the world due to so many oddball theories I've heard people who did not know her would come up with. All in all, there would have been no embarrassment to her if she suddenly realized that it was her after all. She would have probbaly laughed it off. No biggie. Some folks believe it is her and some folks are digging feverishly to try and prove that it is. I personally don't care either way. If it is her, then it's a terrible picture to where she couldn't even recognize herself in it. If it isn't, then it's a shame that it was plastered all over the place as part of her obituaries. Having said all this, let's just move on. Please.
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BatMite
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Re: Unusual Batgirl Picture.

Post by BatMite »

Okay. I'll bite. If it isn't Yvonne, why does it look exactly like her?
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Scott Sebring
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Re: Unusual Batgirl Picture.

Post by Scott Sebring »

BatMite wrote:Okay. I'll bite. If it isn't Yvonne, why does it look exactly like her?
To you and many others. It just didn't seem to be the case with the person who looked in the mirror all their life. :/
But if you say so, then it's her. No worries. Thanks for moving on.

In general, if one believes that it's her, they will see everything that is right with the resemblance. If they believe it is not her, they will see everything that is off or wrong with the resemblance.

I won't rule any possibilities out. But so far nobody has been able to to provide 100% proof one way or the other so in the meantime, I'm with what Yvonne told me at the time. Nobody HAS to agree. Sorry if I come across snarky to anybody out there about this. I don't take the photo personal, I just take her passing so and this subject always takes me right back to the day. Sorry. A year later and I still miss her, her e-mails, phone calls, the occasional lunches and many laughs. The image itself is not important. Sometimes random stuff just hurts more than you think and takes you right there.

Trying to move on.
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dell
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Re: Unusual Batgirl Picture.

Post by dell »

It does look a lot like Yvonne, but there is something about her face or expression that doesn't look quite right to me.

OK, so I put this photo and a similar one of Yvonne's side by side. The cheeks look quite different to me; basically Yvonne's cheekbones are more prominent and her lower face looks thinner.
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Quarhog
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Re: Unusual Batgirl Picture.

Post by Quarhog »

People always laugh at the idea of Batman & Robin's masks fooling anybody for a moment as to their true identities; but this practical demonstration shows that Batgirl's cowl actually did perform that job quite well...
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Meule
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Re: Unusual Batgirl Picture.

Post by Meule »

If it was taken in the UK, then maybe it's Diana Rigg... she was doing The Avengers around the same time as Batman was airing and to me she looks a lot like Yvonne... So maybe this is her in a Halloween costume or for some promotional stunt or something
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Phil B
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Re: Unusual Batgirl Picture.

Post by Phil B »

To me, the image looks a lot more like Yvonne Craig than it does Diana Rigg.
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Progress Pigment
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Re: Unusual Batgirl Picture.

Post by Progress Pigment »

Is that a supermarket behind her? Could it be a supermarket opening like Burt Ward was doing after the series ended?! Wow. To me, if it ain't her, she is an absolute dead ringer. Face, body, et al. I can certainly understand the controversy. And it's a great pic to boot!

Diana Rigg? Umm, no similarity whatsoever that I can see. You may as well say it's Bea Arthur!

The strange thing, I've seen dozens of 'Yvonnes' in costume. Not surprisingly, none stood out. But I've seen hundreds and hundreds of "Adams" in cape and cowl and NOT ONE, not even one, has ever made me do a double-take with a, "Hey wait-a-minute! Isn't that Adam West?!!" No dramatic cosplay poses, not Jack Brewer in 'Return to he Batcave', not even Dick Gautier in the actual batsuit! So this Batgirl pic certainly gives me pause.

Image

BTW, the odd Batgirl costume makes me think of this. :)

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpaQlfJsqCs[/youtube]
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redbird
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Re: Unusual Batgirl Picture.

Post by redbird »

I must agree with Scott's assessment...It is NOT Yvonne Craig.
Look at the Lips and chin and length of the nose where the mask is on the bridge, Compare Yvonne's Upper lip to the photo, also the ears stick out of the cowl,and the cowl is not the TV show Batgirl cowl, also Yvonne's cheeks are more defined. A very good look-alike, could have been a stunt double!
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Progress Pigment
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Re: Unusual Batgirl Picture.

Post by Progress Pigment »

redbird wrote:I must agree with Scott's assessment...It is NOT Yvonne Craig.
Look at the Lips and chin and length of the nose where the mask is on the bridge, Compare Yvonne's Upper lip to the photo, also the ears stick out of the cowl,and the cowl is not the TV show Batgirl cowl, also Yvonne's cheeks are more defined. A very good look-alike, could have been a stunt double!
Yow!!!! Looks even more like her up close. Aging could explain the few discrepancies. Looking now, the pic was used on several obituary pieces. Real or not, it has a nice intimate quality a still from the series wouldn't have given them. If it's not Yvonne, it's still a nice tribute to her and the character she played.

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2015/08/19/batg ... ies-at-78/
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dell
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Re: Unusual Batgirl Picture.

Post by dell »

Progress Pigment wrote:IDiana Rigg? Umm, no similarity whatsoever that I can see. You may as well say it's Bea Arthur!
Don't EVER say things like that. I may need Egghead's Mind Eraser to get THAT image out of my head. :shock:
dell
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Progress Pigment
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Re: Unusual Batgirl Picture.

Post by Progress Pigment »

dell wrote:
Progress Pigment wrote:IDiana Rigg? Umm, no similarity whatsoever that I can see. You may as well say it's Bea Arthur!
Don't EVER say things like that. I may need Egghead's Mind Eraser to get THAT image out of my head. :shock:
:) Maybe this will help.

Image
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