Adam West

William West Anderson (19 September 1928 – 9 June 2017), commonly known as Adam West, was an American actor whose career spanned seven decades. He is best known for portraying Batman in the 1960s ABC series Batman and its theatrical feature film.

• Playing Batman is an actor's challenge. First it's different; then, you have to reach a multi-level audience. The kids take it straight, but for adults, we have to project it further ... When Batman was a comic it wasn't camp, but the show is.
  When I got the part, I tried to remember Batman as I knew him when I was a kid - with emotional recall.
  • "The Swinging Set, With Batman in his Beach Lair" by Sylvie Reice, Los Angeles Times, (February 13, 1966)

• We're trying to create a folk hero ... when you play a legend, you have to play it with a straight direct line, direct speech and movement...Now Bruce, on the other hand, has to come across as the kindest, noblest, most charitable guy - again, "straight-line" - not Cary Grant charming - know what I mean?"
  • "The Swinging Set, With Batman in his Beach Lair" by Sylvie Reice, Los Angeles Times, (February 13, 1966)

• I happen to think that videogames are an ideal means to help broaden the imaginations of young people.
  • "The Keyboard: Guest Editorials", Videogaming Illustrated, (July 1983), p. 6

• Needless to say, adventure characters should be just one facet of videogaming. In the same way a painting allows us to gaze upon the faces and souls of people from another age, or a book permits us to linger on the thoughts of great figures from history and fiction, videogames can expand our awareness of the world as it is, was, or might be.
  • "The Keyboard: Guest Editorials", Videogaming Illustrated, (July 1983), p. 6

• As an actor... we all have our own methods and approaches to creating a character, whether that's from the inside going in or vice versa. I spoke, mainly, to the executive producer Bill Dozier. We got along very well and we really shared the same ideas about the show, what it could and should be. We knew to play it on several levels - something that could be lasting for the children but also with funny, social satire for the adults.
  • "Adam West interview: on being Batman" by Brendon Connelly, Den of Geek, (November 14, 2014)

• I am devastated at the loss of one of my very dearest friends. Adam and I had a special friendship for more than 50 years. We shared some of the most fun times of our lives together; our families have deep love and respect for each other. This is a terribly unexpected loss of my lifelong friend, I will forever miss him. There are several fine actors who have portrayed Batman in films, in my eyes there was only one real Batman and that is and always will be Adam West; He was truly the Bright Knight.
  • Burt Ward, Hollywood Reacts to Adam West's Death (June 10, 2017)

• Encyclopedic article on Adam West on Wikipedia
• Media related to Adam West on Wikimedia Commons
• Official website