Batman Roared Across Pop Culture with Television Series, Film, and Soundtrack
Batman Soundtrack, 1966
Bat-mania in 1966 with the TV series, a soundtrack, and summer film! I recently found the vinyl at an antique mall and it spurred many great memories.
How crazed were people for Batman in 1966? If you were in Dallas/Fort Worth, you could meet the dynamic duo. There was also the the Jan and Dean album, an homage to the Batman show and its high camp worldview. Next came a soundtrack to the TV show and then a film, starring most of the cast from the show.
[One of the notable exceptions was Julie Newmar, who played Catwoman. For the movie, she was replaced by Lee Meriwether.]
Check out this list of hit records from mid-1966!
The movie basically broke even at the box office and I've read reports that the album didn't sell well, though (clearly) there is evidence to better sales than reported. The combination across media had a more important consequence than any of the individual pieces.
Get a copy of the album and meet Batman and Robin in Dallas/Fort Worth!
The Batman TV series was an obsession for this Gen Xer in the 1970s. Such great memories of watching at my grandparent's house on Saturdays. I think my grandmother put up with my brother and I and hoped the show would just keep us quiet for a little while. The “camp” aspects didn’t mean much to her.
A screenshot of the Batman film, when Penguin (Burgess Meredith) infiltrates the Batcave!