Variety, 4/11/66: BATMAN was Harve Bennett's idea

[Mr. Glee]

I recently came across this interesting item in the April 11 '66 issue of Variety, in the "Light and Airy" column by Jack Hellman (emphasis added):

“…It has been 25 years since Harve Bennett was a Quiz Kid on radio but he hasn’t lost his gift for a fast answer. Asked to define ‘camp,’ he came on fast with ‘outrageously high styling or kidding the cliche.’ On how long will BATMAN last? ‘It’s either a hula-hoop or Frank Sinatra.’ … Bennett revealed that the idea of a Batman series had been kicking around for two and a half years; ‘a kind of a show like Dick Tracy.’ It was originally Bennett’s idea, and he proposed it to Doug Cramer, then director of program development. After being batted around it was decided to do BATMAN and ABC proceeded to buy the rights from National Periodicals.”

Maybe Bennett was just speaking off-the-cuff and wasn't recalling accurately, but is it possible that ABC had really been contemplating a Batman series as far back as late 1963/early 1964? Seems unlikely to me, given everything else we know about the origins of the series, but I don't suppose we'll ever know for sure.

[BiffPow]

Then, there’s this account, which states, in part:

“At some point in the early ’60s ad executive-turned-TV producer Ed Graham optioned the TV rights for Batman from DC, and took it to CBS, hoping to produce a live action Batman TV series for kids that could run long enough to score a rich syndication deal just like Adventures of Superman. Graham got as far as casting ex-Los Angeles Rams linebacker Mike Henry as his Batman, but he moved on by the end of January 1964, at which point the project stalled at CBS and was pitched to NBC, who turned it down.

The reason that Graham was able to secure the TV rights in the first place, though, was because DC’s president, Jacob Liebowitz, was desperate to get his characters on screen (film or TV) and on stage (Broadway) as a way to ultimately boost comic book sales. Luckily for Liebowitz, ABC-TV vice-president of daytime programming Harve Bennett had been thinking about doing a Batman TV show since as early as 1963. Once Ed Graham vacated the TV rights to the character ABC scooped them up, most likely in early 1965 if not sooner. ABC approached William Dozier about producing the show, the two sides having previously worked together on an ultimately failed pitch for a show centered around the son of Charlie Chan to be written by playwright Lorenzo Semple, Jr. Dozier agreed to do it with his production company, which was housed within 20th Century Fox.”


https://weminoredinfilm.com/2014/06/09/ ... tv-series/

[gerryd54]

I'm surprised there isn't more interest in this post, if true it kind of changes everything about the origin of Batman on TV. Knowing how much of show business PR is BS it would not surprise me at all that Dozier's version is bunk.

[BiffPow]

This was Mike Henry, selected to play Batman by producer Ed Graham, per that article.

[AndyFish]

It's long rumored that there are photos of Henry in a Batman Costume that was used as part of a PR to help sell the show. Nothing has ever materialized so I've always assumed that the rumor is bunk. Henry made a decent Tarzan in the mid to late 60s as they steered the character towards a more James Bond approach in his films.

[BiffPow]

as they steered the character towards a more James Bond approach in his films.

I can see that. This photo of Mike Henry reminds me of George Lazenby.

[Mr. Glee]

Then, there’s this account, which states, in part:

“At some point in the early ’60s ad executive-turned-TV producer Ed Graham optioned the TV rights for Batman from DC, and took it to CBS ... Once Ed Graham vacated the TV rights to the character ABC scooped them up, most likely in early 1965 if not sooner.”

Apparently Ed Graham didn't vacate the rights (at least in his own mind) - an Aug 31 '66 story in Variety reported that Graham was suing National Periodicals for $7,500,000 in damages, on the grounds that he still had exclusive TV rights to Batman when the ABC series went into development. I can't find any further information on what happened with the suit, but I think if Graham had prevailed in court, we'd know about it.

[BiffPow]

I think if Graham had prevailed in court, we'd know about it.

Interesting. Apparently he lost. It’s referenced in this court decision from 1973 where Ed Graham productions also sued NBC on a different matter. Graham’s production company had submitted a proposal in the Spring of 1966 (AFTER losing TV rights to Batman) to NBC for a Batman-like Saturday morning cartoon called “Birdman and Sparrow” which NBC rejected. In the fall of 1966, Hanna-Barbera approached NBC with their proposed Saturday morning cartoon “Birdman,” which NBC greenlighted but which was unrelated to the one Graham previously submitted.

The court had this to say about Graham’s rights to make a Batman television show:

“The affidavits reveal that Ed Graham, president of the plaintiff, had always been an ardent fan of the comic strip hero Batman, the caped crusader who with his junior sidekick fought against the machinations of ingenious evil-doers. At one point he evidently acquired TV rights for the Batman adventures, but ultimately these rights passed to someone else.Graham, having lost out on 'Batman and Robin', devised as his characters to deal with the 'same advanture [sic], spirit and sense of crime' Birdman and Sparrow.”

Ultimately, NBC moved for summary judgment and the court granted it - so he lost this case, as well as his claim to the rights to a Batman TV show.

It’s kind of sad. Apparently a big Batman fan who, at one time, actually had the TV rights in his grasp. I keep thinking he was so close, but just barely missed out. Of course, had he been successful, the show may not have been the one beloved by all of us.

Had it been today, he might have been someone on the 66Batman.com board.

See:

https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/5 ... 49345eccf2