Great episode, guys.
Tim, I think the appeal of the '43 serial to 60s generations and beyond had much to do with a fascination with superhero productions most were not around to watch in theatres, and back in the 60s, how often were superhero serials broadcast on TV to reach the average millions? Baby Boomers were old enough to remember
The Adventures of Superman, but were likely in diapers (or not yet born) when the superhero serial was in its heyday. For that reason, the '43 serial was the comic come alive (for some), no matter how much it strayed from the source. Warren Publishing must have been aware of this interest to some degree when they took advantage of it all in their one-shot magazine
One the Scene Presents Super-Heroes from 1966--
Obviously, the magazine's lead story was the '66
Batman movie, but the rest of the issue was filled with serial superheroes. I would like to think they were added not just to meet a page count, but cater to a then-new appreciation for the golden age of superheroes on film.
Paul,
The Incredible Hulk was the most successful of the superhero shows that premiered in the 70's, from its two 1977 pilot movies, to the regular series running from '78 to '82, outlasting
Wonder Woman, The Amazing Spider-Man, or
Shazam.
Regarding the serial's availability on Super-8, my family had one of the Castle Films 8mm reels of the
Batman serial--with the title
"Batman's Last Chance"--
--and as you point out, it was silent with subtitles, but it was as close to DC's "Earth-2" as we were going to get, and it was fun.
Fascinating that the West and Gorshin Shea Stadium stage show was a flop--while (I'm guessing) at the height of the show's popularity. To top it off, Gorshin made a pun-stuffed reference to West's flab...
I wonder if the failure of the stage show sort of predicted Dozier's thoughts on the movie--in other words, why pay for something you could get for free at home?
Regarding the letter wondering why Ward did not use his martial arts skills often on the show...blame Dozier. I thought Dozier and/or the stunt crew should have allowed Ward and Bruce Lee to work out some martial arts fight moves for their fight, but that's one of the many missed opportunities of the show. But hey, at least we would go on to experience the thrills of washed-up comedians taking control of flower children, horse racing and surfing! ...ughhh!
