Trivia: Whitman College graduate Adam West began getting his first acting breaks in 1959. That was the year that West, newly signed to a Warner Bros. contract, was cast in the small but pivotal role of Diane Brewster's impotent husband in The Young Philadelphians. After two years' worth of guest-star assignments in Warners' TV product (he was hung by his heels and humiliated by James Garner in a memorable Maverick episode), West accepted the role of Sergeant Steve Nelson on the weekly TVer Robert Taylor's Detectives. In 1962, the series was cancelled, compelling West to free-lance in such films as Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964, as the astronaut who doesn't make it back) and Island of the Blue Dolphins (1964). In 1965, he landed his biggest and best role to date: Millionaire Bruce Wayne, aka the "Caped Crusader", on the smash TV series Batman. Approaching the role with the seriousness and sobriety usually afforded MacBeth or Hamlet, West struck the happy medium between "camp" and conviction. Though in recent years West has apparently basked in the adulation he has received for his two-year stint as Batman, at the time the series was cancelled in 1968, he vowed to distance himself as far from the character as possible, accepting villainous TV and film roles and even fitfully pursuing a singing career. His movie projects ranged from sublime (Marriage of a Young Stockbroker, Hooper) to ridiculous (The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington); no matter what the role, however, West's performance was invariably compared to his Batman work. Finally adopting an "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" stance, West began making appearances at nostalgia conventions, supplied his vocal talents to the 1977 animated series The New Adventures of Batman, and publicly expressed disappointment that he was not offered a cameo role in the 1989 big-screen blockbuster Batman (he did however, provide a voice-over for the 1992 Fox TV series Batman: The New Adventures, not as Batman but as a washed-up superhero called the Gray Ghost). Adam West's most recent TV projects have included the weekly series The Last Precinct (1986) and Danger Theatre (1993); he also served as a spokesperson for the Nickelodeon cable network, a service specializing in nostalgia-inducing reruns.He continued to work steadily, often trading in on his own history as a caped crusader. He appeared in the comedy The New Age and Drop Dead Gorgeous. At the dawn of the 21st century he took a regular gig voicing the role of Mayor Adam West on the animated series The Family Guy., a gig that led to more animated work in projects such as Chicken Little and Meet the Robinsons. He spoofed his superhero history yet again in 2008's Super Capers and appeared as himself on an episode of The Big Bang Theory. West died in 2017, at age 88.

Trivia: Burt Ward is best remembered as Adam West's diminutive cohort, Robin, on the '60s television series Batman (1966-1968). He was born Bert Gervis. Following the demise of the series, Ward disappeared until the late '80s when he started showing up in such movies as Robo Chick (1989), Virgin High (1990), and Beach Babes From Beyond (1993). In 1995, Ward created a minor scandal when he published Boy Wonder: My Life in Tights, a tell-all book describing the many alleged sexcapades of himself and West (who strongly denies Ward's claims). Ward owns a publishing company, Logical Figments as well as Boy Wonder Visual Effects, Inc., which provides visual effects and 3-D animation for movies and TV shows. In addition to his film and television work, Ward left his mark on the music industry bt recording two songs with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention.

Trivia: Classically handsome film leading man Neil Hamilton was trained in stock companies before making his 1918 film bow. He rose to stardom under the guidance of D. W. Griffith, who cast Hamilton in leading roles in The Great Romance (1919), The White Rose (1923), America (1924) and Isn't Life Wonderful? (1924). In an era when sturdy dependability was one of the prerequisites of male stardom, Hamilton was one of the silent screen's most popular personalities, as well suited to the role of faithful Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby (1925) as he was to the Foreign Legion derring-do of Beau Geste (1927). His pleasant voice and excellent diction enabled Hamilton to make the transition to sound with ease. Unfortunately, he always seemed a bit of a stick in his talkie portrayals, and it wasn't long before he found himself shunted off to "other man" assignments (Tarzan and His Mate) and villainous characterizations (The Saint Strikes Back). By the early 1940s, he had lost both fame and fortune -- and, as he'd ruefully observe later, most of his so-called industry friends. Only the love of his wife and his rock-solid religious convictions saw him through his darkest days. Hamilton made a comeback as a character actor, playing brusque, businesslike types in TV series like Perry Mason and Fireside Theatre. From 1966 through 1968, Neil Hamilton co-starred as poker-faced Commissioner Gordon on the TV series Batman.

Trivia: Though no one in his family had ever pursued a theatrical career (one of his more illustrious relatives was British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain), Alan Napier was stagestruck from childhood. After graduating from Clifton College, the tall, booming-voiced Napier studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, then was engaged by the Oxford Players, where he worked with such raw young talent as John Gielgud and Robert Morley. He continued working with the cream of Britain's acting crop during his ten years (1929-1939) on the West End stages. Napier came to New York in 1940 to co-star with Gladys George in Lady in Waiting. Though his film career had begun in England in the 1930s, Napier had very little success before the cameras until he arrived in Hollywood in 1941. He essayed dignified, sometimes waspish roles of all sizes in such films as Cat People (1942), The Uninvited (1943), and House of Horror (1946); among his off-the-beaten-track assignments were the bizarre High Priest in Orson Welles' Macbeth (1948) and a most elegant Captain Kidd in the 1950 Donald O'Connor vehicle Double Crossbones. In 1966, Alan Napier was cast as Bruce Wayne's faithful butler, Alfred, on the smash-hit TV series Batman, a role he played until the series' cancellation in 1968. Alan Napier's career extended into the 1980s, with TV roles in such miniseries as QB VII and such weeklies as The Paper Chase.

Trivia: One of Hollywood's premiere impressionists and comedians, Frank Gorshin is best remembered for his hypo-manic portrayal of the villainous, green-clad Riddler from the campy Batman television series of the 1960s. Gorshin made his film debut in the 1955 action-drama Hot Rod Girl. As a movie actor, Gorshin has spent the bulk of his career appearing in low-budget fare, but he has also worked in a few major features including Meteor Man (1993) and gave a well-received supporting performance in Terry Gilliam's 12 Monkeys (1996). He has also been on television as a guest star on comedies, dramas, and variety shows. Lovers of the first Star Trek series will know Gorshin from the anti-prejudice episode, "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield." Following the demise of the Batman series, Gorshin continued his film career as a character actor.

Trivia: Dark-haired, diminutive Susan Silo -- 5' 3" and 105 pounds -- has had a multifaceted career. She began as a teenage recording artist in the late 1950s and early 1960s. In the decades that followed, she grew into a stage, screen and television actress, eventually establishing herself as a voice artist in movies and television. Born in New York City in 1942 to a family of theatrical performers, she made her professional debut at age 4 and worked steadily on radio, television and the stage during her pre-teen years. She attended Performing Arts High School of Music And Art (now the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis High School) in NYC. At age 15, she took over the role of Rosalita in the Broadway production of West Side Story. At the end of the 1950s, she moved to California to pursue opportunities on the small screen. Silo's television career began with appearances in episodes of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Sea Hunt, The Ann Sothern Show, Ripcord, and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Her short stature and youth made her an ideal portrayer of wholesome American teenagers, while her dark good looks allowed her to take on more exotic roles as well. She also revealed a natural flair for comedy that manifested itself on series such as Burke's Law and McHale's Navy. The latter show paired her with Tim Conway in an extended physical comedy sequence involving a runaway PT boat that was almost worthy of Buster Keaton and Marion Mack in The General (1927). And it led to her big-screen debut, also paired with Conway, in McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force (1965). Silo continued to work in series television for the rest of the decade, appearing on shows such as Dr. Kildare, Bonanza, Batman, Gunsmoke, My Three Sons, and The Man From U.N.C.L.E.. After the late 1970s, Silo began specializing in voice work, in animated series such as The Smurfs, and later moved into feature films in the same capacity. Her sole credited on-screen acting appearance of the 1980s was in an episode of L.A. Law. Since then, apart from the occasional on-camera role in vehicles such as Kiss Toledo Goodbye, Silo has remained an extremely busy voice artist.

Trivia: Versatile American character actor Tim Herbert appeared in several films during the '60s and '70s. He got his start and later also made guest appearances in many television shows and movies.

Trivia: Joy Harmon may not be too well remembered by name, with only ten feature films to her credit and not that many more television appearances, but in 1967 she managed to make her mark on screen history, in a single scene that is still regarded as one of the most sexually suggestive in the history of mainstream movies. Born Patricia Joy Harmon in St. Louis, MO, in 1943, she moved with her family to Connecticut in 1946. Her father was connected to the exhibition end of the movie business and became an employee of the Roxy in Manhattan, one of the most prestigious theaters in New York. During her childhood, Harmon appeared in newsreels made by Fox Movietone News, and was taken with the idea of a movie career. At 13, she was hired as an extra in The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, an experience that only reinforced her determination to become an actress. Deciding to take advantage of her natural attributes, she entered beauty contests and began seeking out roles on-stage -- she wasa runner-up for Miss Connecticut and later was cast in the Broadway show Make a Million. Harmon also posed in the pin-up magazines of the pre-Playboy era, and it was as a pin-up that she was best known for many years. Additionally, Harmon got a small role in Harry Foster's jukebox movie Let's Rock (1958). Her breakthrough came after she was invited to appear on Groucho Marx's quiz/comedy show You Bet Your Life. Marx was so taken with the cheerful, outgoing, and well-endowed Harmon, that he hired her to appear as one of his two assistants on his 1962 mid-season replacement show Tell it to Groucho, billed as Patty Harmon. Around this same period, she also played a small role in Burt Balaban's period crime thriller Mad Dog Coll (1961). From there she moved to performances in episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies, Burke's Law, My Three Sons, Batman, The Rounders, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., and Bewitched, through 1966, and a memorable pre-credit appearance in an episode of That Girl ("Pass The Potatoes, Ethel Merman"). With her blonde hair, eager smile, and ample bosom, she was mostly used as eye-candy. As with many actresses known for their physiques, her film appearances were in projects of widely varying quality, from high profile, big budget productions such as David Swift's frothy sex comedy, Under the Yum-Yum Tree (1963), to Terry O. Morse's Young Dillinger (1965), and Bert I. Gordon's Village of the Giants (1965). The latter, in particular, took advantage of Harmon's physical attributes as her bikini-clad character is one of a group of anti-social teenagers enlarged to 50 feet tall. In 1965, she got the only starring screen role of her career, in the low-budget comedy-caper movie One Way Wahini, which co-starred Anthony Eisley (Hawaiian Eye) and Edgar Bergen; however, that movie (which was shot in widescreen, no less, making any close-ups of Harmon that much more impressive) barely got any distribution and soon disappeared. Her most lasting screen contribution came in 1967 when Harmon was cast in Stuart Rosenberg's Cool Hand Luke. In a scene almost legendary for its suggestiveness, she portrayed a girl seen washing a car in the hot sun within a few feet of the working, straining prison work-camp inmates. Wearing a short, tight-fitting dress, she slid a soapy sponge over the car, reaching ever further and straining the fabric, front and back, her cleavage easily visible, sweating and getting ever wetter as she slid the sponge around while the men watching her got ever more distracted. It was to be her best moment onscreen -- a year later, Harmon married Jeff Gourson, a producer, and she retired from movies after one more big-screen appearance, in Angel in my Pocket (1969), though she appeared on television through 1972 in episodes of Love American Style and The Odd Couple. Today, she is mostly remembered for Cool Hand Luke; among her three children, her son Jason is a film editor, and her older daughter Jamie is an actress.

Trivia: The namesake nephew of American journalist Tris Coffin, actor Tristram Coffin set his stage career in motion at age 14. By 1939, the tall, silver-mustached Coffin was well on his way to becoming one of the screen's most prolific character actors. Generally cast as crooked lawyers, shifty business executives, and gang bosses in B-pictures, Coffin projected a pleasanter image in A-films, where he often played soft-spoken doctors and educators. In 1949, he essayed his one-and-only film starring role: heroic Jeff King in the Republic serial King of the Rocket Men. Even busier on TV than in films (he was virtually a regular "guest villain" on the Superman series), Tristram Coffin starred as Captain Ryning of the Arizona Rangers in the weekly syndicated Western 26 Men (1957-1958).

Trivia: American actor John Hubbard was active as a choir boy in his home town of East Chicago, and upon becoming a teenager extended his performing activities to acting lessons at Chicago's Goodman Theatre. Declining movie offers until he'd finished his courses, Hubbard was signed by Paramount Pictures in 1937. Few decent roles came his way, and Hubbard's contract was sold to MGM in 1938, where he was cast in a telling role opposite Luise Rainer in Dramatic School (1938), a film that featured such other up-and-comers as Dick Haymes, Ann Rutherford, Lana Turner and Hans Conried. Also in 1938, Hubbard signed a four-picture contract producer Hal Roach; it was Roach who spotted and fully utilized Hubbard's gifts for offbeat comedy in such films as The Housekeeper's Daughter (1938), Road Show (1941) and Turnabout (1940) - the latter film featuring Hubbard as the world's first pregnant man! B-film buffs consider Hubbard's tricky dramatic performance as a murder suspect in Republic's Whispering Footsteps (1943) as his best, but it was back to comedy shortly afterwards, often in supporting roles (he fended off the comic thrusts of Abbott and Costello in Mexican Hayride [1948]). Good parts weren't plentiful in the '50s, so Hubbard exercised the usual prerogative of actors "between pictures" by selling automobiles, and later managing a restaurant. On TV, Hubbard supported the star of The Mickey Rooney Show (1954) and played Col. U. Charles Parker on the 1962 military sitcom Don't Call Me Charlie. Film work was less satisfying during this period, and in fact Hubbard found himself minus screen credit for a potentially good role in 1964's Fate is the Hunter. Comfortably off if not world-famous, John Hubbard retired from movies and his various "civilian" jobs after a character role in Disney's Herbie Rides Again (1973).

Trivia: Blessed with a mellifluous speaking voice, Marvin Miller went into radio straight out of college; he appeared in more West Coast-based network programs than can possibly be catalogued here. In films, the heavyset Miller was often cast as a villain, usually oriental (e.g., Blood on the Sun). He is perhaps best remembered by mystery buffs as crime boss Morris Carnovsky's sadistic henchman in the 1947 Humphrey Bogart vehicle Dead Reckoning. Miller continued as both a seen and unseen actor into the 1970s, recording several long-playing albums in which he read classic poetry and literature, and providing voice-overs for the cartoon output of the Disney and UPA studios. Miller's best-known TV role was as Michael Anthony, secretary to the "late, fabulously wealthy John Beresford Tipton" on TV's The Millionaire. From 1955 through 1960, Miller, as Anthony, handed out one million-dollar check per week to unsuspecting fictional recipients; the series brought Miller headaches as well as stardom, inasmuch as he was bombarded with thousands of requests from real-life millionaire wannabes who had trouble separating fact from fiction. Like his voice-artist colleague, Paul Frees (who was the voice of Millionaire's John Beresford Tipton), Marvin Miller eventually grew very rich -- and very corpulent -- on residuals for his extensive TV and commercial work.