Batman Pin-up FRAMED #121 Riddler 1960’s TV Show Frank Gorshin

Description

Batman is a 1960s American live action television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It starred Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City. It aired on the ABC network for three seasons from January 12, 1966, to March 14, 1968. The show was aired twice weekly for its first two seasons and weekly for the third, with a total of 120 episodes produced during its run. The program was known for its upbeat theme music and camp moral lessons, which included championing the importance of using seat belts, doing homework, eating vegetables and drinking milk among children.

The typical story began with a villain (often one of a short list of recurring villains) committing a crime, such as stealing a fabulous gem or taking over Gotham City. This was followed by a scene inside Commissioner Gordon’s office, where he and Chief O’Hara would deduce which villain was responsible. Commissioner Gordon would press a button on the Batphone, a bright red telephone located on a pedestal under a glass bell, resembling a cake stand, in his office. The scene would then cut to ‘stately Wayne Manor’ where Alfred (the butler) would answer the Batphone, which sat like a normal everyday telephone on the desk in Bruce Wayne’s study. Frequently, Wayne and his ward, Dick Grayson, would be found talking with Dick’s aunt, Harriet Cooper, who was unaware of Bruce’s and Dick’s secret identities. Alfred would discreetly interrupt so they could excuse themselves to go to the Batphone. Upon learning from Gordon which criminal he would face, Wayne would turn a switch concealed within a bust of Shakespeare that stood on his desk. This would cause a bookcase to slide back and reveal two fireman’s poles. “To the Batpoles!” Wayne would exclaim, and he and Grayson would slide down to the Batcave, activating an unseen mechanism on the way that dressed them as their alter egos. The title sequence often began at that point.

The title sequence featured animated versions of Batman and Robin, drawn in the then-current style of the comic books, running towards camera and then fighting an assortment of villains, including several “marquee” villains like the Joker and the Penguin.

In Season 1, Batman and Robin are super crime-fighting heroes, contending with the villains of Gotham City. It begins with the two-parter, “Hi Diddle Riddle/Smack in the Middle,” featuring Frank Gorshin as The Riddler.

Leading into the production of the second season, Gorshin held out for higher wages. This resulted in the writers putting off Riddler-themed episodes in case the issue was resolved. Late in the production, they reworked one script to use the Puzzler and finally produced a Riddler story for which John Astin was cast. The issue was resolved before the third season with Gorshin returning to the role.

Frank John Gorshin, Jr. (April 5, 1933 – May 17, 2005) was an American character actor and comedian. He was perhaps best known as an impressionist, with many guest appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and Tonight Starring Steve Allen. His most famous acting role was as The Riddler on the Batman live-action television series.

He was nominated for an Emmy Award (Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Comedy) for his best remembered role as The Riddler on ABC’s 1960s live-action television series Batman, starring Adam West. Gorshin’s portrayal of the character included a high, deranged cackle, inspired by that of Tommy Udo (Richard Widmark) in Kiss of Death (1947). He played the Riddler in ten episodes of the series as well as the theatrical movie, although John Astin made one appearance in the role when Gorshin was unavailable. He reprised the role in the 1978 television movie Legends of the Superheroes.

Gorshin’s final live appearance was a Memphis performance of Say Goodnight, Gracie. He finished his performance and boarded a plane for Los Angeles on April 25. After he experienced severe breathing difficulty during the flight, the attendants gave him an emergency oxygen mask. Upon landing, Gorshin was met by an ambulance which took him to the hospital, where he later died on May 17, 2005, at age 72 from lung cancer, emphysema and pneumonia. Gorshin had been a heavy smoker for most of his adult life, consuming up to five packs of cigarettes a day. Adam West claimed that “Frank could reduce a cigarette to ash with one draw.” When he did nightclub performances or live shows, audiences were warned not to attend if they disliked smoking.

In his final years, Gorshin portrayed comedian George Burns on Broadway in the one-man show Say Goodnight, Gracie (2002), which was nominated for a 2003 Tony Award for best play and was reunited with several of his Batman colleagues in the television movie Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt, in which he appeared as himself. Gorshin died on the day of the telefilm’s DVD release.

The Riddler (Dr. Edward Nigma) is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He usually appears as an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Dick Sprang, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #140 (1948).

Frame is shrinkwrapped until time of purchase. Ships boxed with packing peanuts.

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