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8 DC Characters who made their screen debut on ''Batman''

By: H&I Staff    Posted: January 26, 2023, 11:49AM Tags: Tags: Batman, The 60's

Batman's supporting cast has grown exponentially through the years since his debut back in The '40s, especially on screen. Did you know some of his biggest castmates made their debuts on the 1966 show? Read on to find out who!

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1

King Tut

A character created for the 1966 show, King Tut is the alter ego of Dr. William MacElroy, who after a bump on the head believes that he is the reincarnated Pharoah and schemes to take Gotham City as his new kingdom. Since his role in the series, King Tut has appeared in the Lego Batman Movie along with the animated sequels for the series Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders and Batman vs. Two-Face

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2

Harriet Cooper

Dick Grayson's Aunt Harriet was actually created by original Batman creator Bill Finger two years before the release of the 1966 series. Portrayed by Madge Blake, Aunt Harriet would appear in many episodes and would later go on to appear in the show's animated sequels Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders and Batman vs. Two-Face.

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3

Clock King

Batman's time-based foe actually started out life as a villain for DC's Emerald Archer - Green Arrow. Making his first screen appearance in season two of the '66 series, Clock King would later make animated appearances in Batman: The Animated Series and Harley Quinn as well as his role as an antagonist for Green Arrow in the CW's Arrow. 

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4

The Riddler

Believe it or not, Batman's quizzical foe wasn't always at the top of the rogues gallery. Riddler's prevalence in much Batman related media today is thanks in no small part to Frank Gorshin and John Astin's portrayal of him in 1966. Thanks to this breakout apperance, Riddler has appeared in many TV shows, movies and video games, with some standouts being in Batman Forever portrayed by Jim Carrey and in The Batman portrayed by Paul Dano. 

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5

Mister Freeze

Though the more modern portrayals of Batman's frozen foe are adapted from his appearance on Batman: The Animated Series this in fact wasn't where Mister Freeze got his screen debut. In the 1966 series, Mister Freeze is the criminal moniker of Dr. Art Schivel who was created after Batman accidentally exposed him to cryogenic chemicals during his first arrest. Mister Freeze has gone on to appear in many pieces of media including Batman and Robin portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger and had a large role in the Batman: Arkham Game series. 

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6

The Penguin

One of Batman's most well-known villains, The Penguin made his on-screen debut in 1966 portrayed by the late Burgess Meredith. Following his rise to popularity attributed to the show's success, The Penguin has appeared in many adaptations across media, including the tv show Gotham, portrayed by Robin Lord Taylor, on the big screen in Batman Returns, portrayed by Danny Devito, and in The Batman portrayed by Collin Farrel.

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7

Catwoman

The feline femme fatale has always had a tenouous relationship with Batman, and it was the '66 series that brought this relationship to the screen. Portrayed by actresses Julie Newmar, Lee Merriweather and Eartha Kitt, Catwoman left a mark on the Batman mythos which led her to being featured in adaptations to this day. Some notable outings for the Cat include Batman Returns where she was portrayed by Michelle Pfeifer and most recently in The Batman portrayed by Zoe Kravitz.

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8

Batgirl

One of Batman's most trusted allies outside of his Robins, Batgirl got her on-screen start in 1966 portrayed by the late Yvonne Craig. Since this appearance, Batgirl has had some starring roles in Batman: The Animated Series, Birds of Prey and Harley Quinn.

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