The New Adventures of Batman

The New Adventures of Batman was an animated series produced by Filmation in 1977 featuring the DC Comics superheroes, Batman, Robin and, occasionally, Batgirl.

It originally premiered February 10, 1977 on CBS. The episodes from this series were later aired along with other Filmation shows—such as Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle (1976, CBS)—as part of: the Batman/Tarzan Adventure Hour (1977–1978 CBS), Tarzan and the Super 7 (1978–1980 CBS), and Batman and the Super 7 (1980–1981 NBC).

In The New Adventures of Batman, The Dynamic Duo fought crime in Gotham City, encountering the classic rogues gallery as well as some original villains. Complicating matters was Bat-Mite, a well meaning extra-dimensional imp who considered himself the biggest fan of the superhero. As a result, he wore a variant of Batman’s costume and attempted to help him, only to often create more problems (although he was occasionally an asset).

The Dynamic Duo's animated debut

Batman and Robin's first appearances as animated characters had been in the main title sequence for the 1966-1968 ABC Batman live action television series. Batgirl would pop up for the first time in animated form in the Season-3 titles in 1967, with the addition of Yvonne Craig to the series cast.

Predecessors and competition

In September 1968, before The New Adventures of Batman (and half a year after the live action series' demise), Filmation Associates had created and aired an animated Batman series (pre-Bat-Mite), named The Batman/Superman Hour, for CBS. This series, the first Saturday Morning vehicle for The Caped Crusader, paired up new Batman and Robin adventures with old Superman/Superboy episodes. In 1969, it was repackaged into 30-minute episodes without the Man of Steel and renamed The Adventures of Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder.

The New Adventures of Batman was produced concurrently with Super Friends, which was produced by the competing Hanna-Barbera Productions and included Batman and Robin as members. The main distinction was that in Filmation’s series, Batman and Robin were voiced by Adam West and Burt Ward, the lead actors of the 1960s Batman series. (unlike the live action series, West and Ward played their respective roles with a greatly reduced degree of campiness.) Hanna-Barbera's Batman and Robin were voiced by Olan Soule and Casey Kasem, who, ironically, voiced The Dynamic Duo for Filmation's 1968 version, The Batman/Superman Hour.

Cast (voice)

• Adam West   as   Batman (Bruce Wayne)
• Burt Ward   as   Robin (Dick Grayson)
• Melendy Britt   as   Batgirl (Barbara Gordon)
• Lou Scheimer as   Bat-mite
• Lennie Weinrib   as Commissioner Gordon / The Joker / Penguin / Mr. Freeze / Electro / Chameleon / Zarbor / Clayface / Moonman / Professor Bubbles / Sweetooth

Missing Batvillains

The Riddler and The Scarecrow were off limits to the show, as Hanna-Barbera already had the rights to the characters for Challenge of the Superfriends (though The Riddler does appear in the opening credits of the show in a red colored costume). This is also the reason why The Joker could not appear in Challenge Of The Superfriends, though he was planned as a Legion of Doom member. The Joker would later make one appearance in The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians.

DVD Release

It was announced on March 20th, 2007 that "The New Adventures Of Batman" will be released in DVD format on June 26th, 2007. All sixteen episodes will be collected and will feature two episode commentaries by Filmation historian Michael Swanigan and Filmation founder Lou Scheimer. A retrospective detailing the creation of the series titled "Dark Vs. Light: Filmation and the Batman" will also be included as well.

Production Credits

• Executive Producers: Lou Scheimer, Norm Prescott
• Produced by Don Christensen
• Supervising Director: Don Towsley
• Animation Directors: Rudy Larriva, Lou Zukor, Gwen Wetzler
• Art Directors: Herb Hazelton, Alberto DeMello
• Key Assistant: Mike Hazy
• Layout: Jim Fletcher, Lonnie Lloyd, George Goode, Carol Lundberg, Wes Herschensohn, Cliff Voorhees, Les Maluza, David West, Jim Willoughby
• Storyboard Director: Bob Kline
• Storyboard: John Dorman, Paul Fennell, Mario Piluso, Paul Sommer, Sherman Labby
• Director Of Color: Ervin Kaplan
• Background Artists: Tom O'Loughlin, Rolly Oliva, Curtiss Perkins, Barbara Benedetto, Don Watson, Don Peters, Don Schweikert, Sheila Brown, Pat Keppler
• Animators: Jim Brummett, Robert Carr, Jesse Cosio, Zion Davush, Otto Feuer, Ed Friedman, John Garling, Fred Grable, Dick Hall, Lou Kachivas, Marshll Lamore, Fred Myers, Bill Nunes, Casey Onaitis, Jack Ozark, Bill Pratt, Virgil Raddatz, Len Rogers, Virgil Ross, Don Schloat, Larry Silverman, Dardo Velez, Ron Westlund
• Assistant Animation Supervision: Lew Irwin
• Checking Supervision: Marion Turk
• Xerography Supervision: John Remmel
• Paint Supervision: Betty Brooks
• Camera Supervision: R.W. Pope
• Camera: Frederick T. Zeigler, Dan Teves, Don Dinehart
• Music And Sound Effects: Horta-Mahana Corp.
• Color By: Technicolor®
• Postproduction And Editorial Supervision: Joseph Simon
• Film Editing: Doreen Dixon, Jim Blodgett
• Film Coordinator: June Gilham
• Background Music By: Yvette Blais, Jeff Michael
• Music Publisher: Shermley Music Corp, A.S.C.A.P.
• Voices: Adam West, Burt Ward, Lennie Weinrib, Melendy Britt
• Based upon the characters created by Bob Kane and appearing in Detective, Batman and other D.C. comic magazines published by D.C. Comics, Inc.

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