Friday, June 10, 2022

Adam West: The First Batman...




Adam West

One of the Greatest Super Hero's

Rolex Day-Date

For many people, including myself there is only ONE TRUE Batman, and that was Adam West. Adam West passed away back on June 10, 2017 at the age of 88. As we will see and learn in this story, Adam West wore a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date for many decades as we see on his wrist in the photo below that shows him sitting on his mid-engine 1973 Dino Ferrari 308 GT4.



When I was kid, I LOVED watching Adam West as Batman on TV, and today Adam West remains a significant piece of the collective cultural consciousness of humanity as one of the leading super hero's and pop culture icon. 


I recently discovered and watched an amazing eye-opening documentary on the life of Adam West named "Starring Adam West" which was released in 2013 and featured many candid interview scenes with Adam West. Learning Adam's history, told by him and his close family members blew my mind.





The Dynamic Duo

In the photo below we see Adam West, playing the role of the Caped Crusader, Batman, with his costar, Burt Ward, who played his loyal sidekick, Robin.


The Batman TV Series was a cultural phenomenon that ran from January 12, 1966 to March 14, 1968. The LIFE Magazine cover below was part of an enormous marketing campaign for the Batman TV show, and featured Adam West on the cover.




Batman was kind of like the Apple story, long before Apple stores existed, in the sense that Batman had the coolest toys and tools, and had an app for everything. Think about it, he had a BatMobile, a BatPhone, a BatCave, a BatCopter, and a BatCycle. Perhaps the most iconic Batman tool was the Batmobile, as seen in the photo above and below.



Adam West played the ultra-handsome, distinguished eccentric, multimillionaire Bruce Wayne, who lived in Wayne Manor, and was extremely well tailored, as we see in the photo below that shows Adam West wearing a sports coat with slacks and an ascot. Of course, Bruce Wayne was Batman's alter-ego.





Iconic Characters

Batman took place in the fictional Gotham City, and there were so many iconic characters that were part of the Batman TV show. In the photo below we see Commissioner Gordon of the Gotham City Police Department who was played by Neil Hamilton.



In the photo below we see Alfred the Butler of the stately Wayne Manor, with Bruce Wayne. I have so many childhood memories of Alfred calling Batman on the red Batphone. Adam West's Bruce Wayne really was kind of like a young Cary Grant character, who wore aristocratic Ralph Lauren clothing as we see with Bruce Wayne wearing his family crest on his sports coat in the photo below.



In the photo below we see Adam West in between Van Williams and Bruce Lee, who starred on the TV show, The Green Hornet. Van Williams and Bruce Lee played the roles of The Green Hornet and Kato. The Green Hornet and Kato appeared in an episode of Batman which aired on September 28, 1966, as well as on a another later episode of Batman which aired on March 1-2 of 1967. 


One of the part I remember the most about the Batman TV show, were the four key villains which consisted of Catwoman, played by the gorgeous Julie Newman; The Riddler, played by Frank Gorshin; The Penguin Played by Burgess Meredith, and The Joker who was played by Cesar Romero.



Catwoman was certainly one of the most interesting characters on Batman, as we see in the photo and video below.




As we see in the photos below, Adam West wore a Yellow Gold Rolex Day-Date in real life, as well as on-screen. In this first AP photo taken by Wally Fong on August 10, 1983, we see Adam West hanging out at he Beverly Hills Hotel.







Typecast


In some ways, Adam West's story is a sad story of attempted reclamation. The photo below was shows Adam West and Burt Ward dressed in their Batman and Robin costumes in 1989. 1989, was the year the first Batman movie was came out that starred Michael Keaton. Basically, Adam West and Burt Ward had stayed in great physical shape so they could reprise their roles as Batman and Robin, which unfortunately never happened. 




Adam West said he was typecast as Batman, and no matter how hard he tried, he could not break out of the typecasting. Another actor, who was also typecast in a similar fashion was Max Baer Jr., who played Jethro Bodine on The Beverly Hillbillies.


Adam West definitely had an interesting vibe which made him the King of Kitch. The Campy video below is an example of his unique sense of humor that combined serious with funny.
















Mark Hamill who plays Luke Skywalker in Star Wars posted a photo on Twitter, of himself with Adam West in a recent photo before Adam West passed away which you can see below. Talk about two icons!!!






 




Then The Very First BATMAN Comic 
Sold For $1,075,000 Million Yesterday
Setting Another All-Time Price Record

Back in 2010 I published a story about Heritage Auctions setting a new all-time record when they sold a number 27 Batman Comic from May of 1939 which was the very first Batman comic ever printed. This ultra-rare issue is in very good condition. The collector who put this ultra-rare comic up for sale purchased it more than 40 years ago for $100!!!







The BATMAN

Rolex GMT-Master

Back in 2013 Rolex surprised the world when they introduced an all-new Rolex GMT-Master color combination with a "Night & Day" Ceramic bezel that is black and blue.

Rolex collectors and enthusiasts love to use nicknames for different Rolex models, like The Pepsi, or Coke GMT-Master or the 7up Submariner for the original LV Submariner. The all Green LV Submariner is nicknamed The Hulk, and Rolex collectors have affectionally nicknamed the new Night & Day Rolex GMT-Master as "The Batman" since it is silver, black and blue like Batman's uniform. Very cool!