Why didn't Julie appear in season 3?

[epaddon]

I think there's another reason why Lee would not have been considered as a replacement CW in S3 that cuts to a simple point regarding Lee's overall range as an actress. While Lee has carved out an impressive resume of work over the years, she has *never* truly had at any time a star vehicle of her own that requires her to be the focal point of the action and "in command" as it were. Even her most famous guest shot on "Star Trek" is a role where she is mostly a supporting player in the episode itself with very limited dialogue ("I am for you"). And you have to remember that her presence in the movie was likely the result of her being an inexpensive Fox contract player who could be used on short notice and also, someone who was working within an ensemble and not someone who would be forced to carry the load in a way that Julie or any other guest villainess for that matter had to. So while they were glad to use her again as Lisa in what was also a limited supporting role, I really can't envision Dozier thinking she could "carry the weight" and be given front-and-center dialogue for an entire episode.

[Progress Pigment]

No. That can't be it. Lee was a fairly big star. I mean, my mother knows who Lee Meriwether is. I'm certain she has no idea who Julie Newmar is! Aside from possibly seeing her on Batman I guess. The Miss America thing casts a long shadow in the 60's. Dozier put in Roger C. Carmel as a villain!! Roger C. Carmel! Also best known for Star Trek.

http://www.tvparty.com/mysmudd.html



Dozier's decision making process, as far as Batman went, didn't seem that sharp by season two and certainly by season three. He buried what was one of the best (season one) TV shows in television history. By season 3 he seemed to looking to cash in on syndication. He definitely wasn't trying to resurrect the series. That said, Lee had a major role in a King Tut episode, and was probably the best thing in it! I disagree that she could not carry an episode. Would you put an actress in a theatrical film as Catwoman who couldn't carry a 30 minute TV series? (Roger C. Carmel!!)

[Larry A.]

I must agree with P.P.. My 86 year old Mom also knows who Lee is. She also remembers Lee from "The Time Tunnel" as well as the Batman movie. Pigment also make makes a 2nd point that is accurate: Unlike todays' contests, the Miss America contests DID mean a lot TO a lot of women ( and men too!) Mom can remember just about all of the Miss Americas from 1946=1973. After that, in Her Opinion, things went down hill. INHO, I agree! But that's really beside the point. Lee has always done a great job at her craft!
Peace..............

[Aussie Batfan]

Sorry epaddon, but I also have to disagree with you.
Lee's Catwoman, with the dual role of Miss Kitka, is one of the more memorable parts of the movie for me.
If Dozier was happy to give her the movie gig, where she had a lot of the plotline to carry, I can't imagine him unwilling to reprise her conrtribution to the arguably flimsy scripts of Season 3 - where the actual episodes weren't even two-parters...
Not a lot to carry there.
Take care,
Terry

[Larry A.]

Hi Terry,
Just an idea I'd like to run by You: What do You ( + others) think of the idea that maybe Lee just didn't care for the scripts She was offered. Whilst there were a few good scripts, not all of them were so good 3rd season.
I have to agree, the role of Miss Kitka was a VERY enjoyable part. Adam's line about " Man does not live by crimefighting alone" just as Kitka goes in the room is also very amusing......I missed that when I was a kid. Dad, on the other hand, practically fell out of His seat at the Grand Theater in our home town. Mom was less than amused by Dad.

Cheers,

[dell]

I'm jumping on the pile too. By season 3 I don't think they cared about someone carrying their weight. It seemed it was mostly, shoot it, slap it together and get it on the air. Besides, in my opinion Lee could certainly carry her weight.

[Aussie Batfan]

Hi Larry,
Love your story about your Mom and Dad! Made me laugh out loud!
I have no idea about Lee's opinion of the Season 3 scripts being a factor in her absence. Not sure if at that stage in her career she was being selective or not about the parts she took. Personally I think that if Cesar, Burgess and even Frank were willing to go with the Season 3 scripts, Lee probably would have thought it worthwhile to appear.
Take care,
Terry

[chetchumley]

maybe she was tired of the role ?????..nothing else,,nothing more!

[Larry A.]

You both make sense to me. Glad You liked that little background into my life at the time. My late father enjoyed the show most of the time, maybe not quite as much as I did, but a lot of the time.

[Dr. Shimel]

The Miss America contest during the Bert Parks era was a TV ratings powerhouse, with the other two networks putting filler on against it, knowing their shows would get killed. In 1966, BTW, CBS tried to counter-program against it by showing the first game of the NFL season, the Colts against the Packers, figuring that men would jump at the chance to watch something else. Obviously not enough did, since they didn't do it again.

Someone else might be able to say what Eartha received as compensation, but given the shoestring budgets in S3, maybe Lee didn't figure the paycheck was worth it.

[Larry A.]

Agreed, Doc.


Cheers

[epaddon]

I have to say with all due respect to those disagreeing with my take regarding Lee need to take a look at the movie again and ask yourself if her role is a supporting role or a lead. A true "lead" role is a role where she would be the one in total absolute command doing monologues and she simply isn't doing that in the movie, nor does she do so in *any* other role she had in this era. Yes, Lee was a famous name because of her Miss America background (and also from having been on the Today Show for a few years in the late 50s) but she was *not* a "big star" in that era. Take a look at her other guest shots in this period and you will find that they are not ones that require anywhere near the level of work that Julie Newmar had to deliver as CW (or for that matter what Julie had to do as the star of her own series a couple years before Batman).

Lee's ultimate niche came on "Barnaby Jones" which again was in a "supporting" role, not a series where she was the lead. She certainly did a great job in a supporting role, but that doesn't mean she necessarily had the chops to be a series lead or a true "star" guest villainess. But that in and of itself isn't relevant to the purpose of a S3 discussion because the simple fact is that she didn't have those kinds of roles on her resume at that point in time and that automatically meant she was not going to stand out as the one to go to for a focal point guest shot as the "lead" in an episode centered on her.

[epaddon]

No. That can't be it. Lee was a fairly big star. I mean, my mother knows who Lee Meriwether is. I'm certain she has no idea who Julie Newmar is! Aside from possibly seeing her on Batman I guess. The Miss America thing casts a long shadow in the 60's. Dozier put in Roger C. Carmel as a villain!! Roger C. Carmel! Also best known for Star Trek.

But in 1967, more people knew who Julie Newmar was for a lot more than "Batman." She'd starred in her own sitcom ("My Living Doll") and had a number of lead guest roles on other shows (like her two "Route 66" episodes) not to mention fame on Broadway ("The Marriage Go-Round") and roles in movies. At this point in time from an *acting* standpoint, Lee's work had first consisted of bit part window dressing like a nurse on "Dr. Kildare" and then she'd managed to break through to regular supporting part guest shots and her role on "Time Tunnel" which was also a pure supporting role, but she had not had anything that could be considered a true "lead" role or a guest shot where she was the focal point for the entire show and carrying the episode in terms of the dialogue etc. Not even on "Star Trek" where she is the lead guest start is she asked to do heavy, weighty scenes, since they are all mostly a number of scenes with variants on the "I am for you" dialogue with one major monologue at episode's end.

And one thing you are forgetting regarding Roger C. Carmel. He was purposefully a low-cost villain for an episode where we were getting a "visiting hero" instead and he didn't even get a front of episode guest billing. That's a big difference.

[Larry A.]

I have to admit, INHO, Epaddon seems to be on target with those comments. I do, however, have to say that Julie was a Co-Star with Bob Cummings as THE Star of the show. ( anyone remember his flying car?). Unlike the days of Jack Lord's version of Hawaii 5-0, Co-Stars back during Julie's first show meant just that; Co-star meant junior to the main Star, NOT a secondary player. (my reference to Jack Lord goes back to a roast which made fun of Lord's attitude to co-stars.) Sadly, his attitude carried on for years after.

[Progress Pigment]

Julie Newmar was equal or lessor to Lee Meriwether at the time of Batman. Remember, Dozier wanted Suzanne Pleshette for Catwoman originally! Also not a star.



Just like western TV star Ty Hardin was Dozier's first choice for Batman!



But then he chose Adam West, who was not a star on any level. My Living Doll? It's mentioned along with 'My Mother the Car' as the most forgotten TV series of all time! It lasted a few months! It's only semi-famous because CBS destroyed the tapes along with hundreds of other series to make space for new film. Has anyone alive, or at least here, ever seen it? I've never seen a second of 'My Living Doll'? Let's watch! And Bob Cummings is the star not Julie Newmar. She's in about 5 minutes of the episode!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ShixDbF_js

By the time of Barnaby Jones Lee Meriwether's career was winding down. She was reaching middle age, by entertainment standards anyway. What were stars like Julie or Eartha doing at that time? Eartha did an episode of 'Police Woman'. As did Adam West. Adam West would certainly have loved to have a part in a TV series that high profile by 1973. (The show began in 1973, I googled it.) Again Roger C. Carmel! The Matt Damon of his era! Of course a celebrity of his caliber would be welcomed to star on Batman! Why not?! He'll guarantee massive ratings! But not Lee Meriwether?!! Was Malachi Throne, an actor who appeared on Batman in the only season that counts, a star? Did Victor Buono ever carry a film or series? And Frank Gorshin! Probably Batman's greatest villain. Never carried a movie or TV series prior to Batman. He was a night club impressionist! And he starred in the pilot! And really Lee was quite well known and had a lot of charisma, and she was incredibly good in the film. But she was doing Time Tunnel! Good enough explanation for me.