Do NOT Be Alarmed Citizen! Batman Series To Finally Be Released On DVD

Sammy Davis Jr., Robin & Batman

In January it was reported that the long awaited release of the original Batman TV series is finally coming to DVD/Blu Ray sometime in 2014.

Batman which originally aired on ABC from 1966-1968, has been wrapped up in licensing, clearance and legal tangles for years and a whole generation knows Batman primarily from the most recent set of movies and DC comic books.

But for anyone who grew up in the 1960’s or 1970’s, Batman meant the campy TV series starring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin, along with many guest star villains and celebrity cameos.

Presented here on Youtube (until it is ordered taken down by some corporation) is a compilation of all the cameo appearances of celebrities who happened to coincidentally  look out the window just when Batman and Robin were climbing up or down a building. They then would proceed to have a bizarre conversation with the dynamic duo. This simple stunt was accomplished by having Adam West and Burt Ward walk on the floor hunched over while the camera was tilted on its side as the celebrity pops out of the floor disguised as a window.

Some of these celebrities like Dick Clark, Jerry Lewis and Sammy Davis Jr. are still recognized by younger audiences today, but many are forgotten such as Suzy Knickerbocker. Take a look for yourself.

The celebrity cameos are in order of appearance on the video:

1. Jerry Lewis

2. Dick Clark

3. Green Hornet and Kato (Van Williams and Bruce Lee)

4. Sammy Davis Jr.

5. Jose Jimenez (Bill Dana – comedian whose Jimenez character appeared on many shows Ed Sullivan, Steve Allen etc.)

6. Sergeant Sam Stone “Felony Squad” TV Show (Howard Duff)

7. Colonel Klink “Hogan’s Heroes” TV Show (Werner Klemperer)

8. Lurch “The Addams Family” TV Show (Ted Cassidy)

9. Don Ho (Hawaiin singer)

10. Santa Claus (Andy Devine)

11. Art Linkletter (TV host and author)

12. Edward G. Robinson (the legendary actor was a well known and avid art collector who was on the 20th Century Fox lot to do makeup tests for the movie Planet of the Apes as Dr. Zaius, a role he eventually turned down, and decided it would be fun to appear on Batman)

13. Suzy Knickerbocker (pen name of  Aileen Mehle, society columnist and writer)

14. Carpet King (Cyril Lord carpet merchant who was known for his TV ads. He traded some carpets to Batman producer William Dozier for the cameo spot on Batman.)