Line #43 Creator/AdamWest


1	[[quoteright:341:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/west-adam1.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:341:[[Series/Batman1966 Nana nana nana nana nana nana nana--]] [[{{VideoGame/Warcraft}} HAH, me!]]]]
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4	->''"Of course I'm Batman. See, here's a picture of me with Robin."''
5	-->-- '''Adam West''', ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''
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7	While previously known as a serious leading man and versatile actor, William West Anderson (September 19, 1928 – June 9, 2017), better known as [[StageNames Adam West]], got his real fame and reputation as the 1960s ''Series/{{Batman\|1966}}''. Following that, he was pigeon-holed into similar roles or parodies of such, which he proceeded to embrace completely, and led to him [[AdamWesting naming a trope.]]
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9	His roles prior to that include being the main star of a children's show called ''El Kini Popo's Show'', in the film ''The Young Philadelphians'', and appearing in multiple Westerns, including portraying Doc Holliday in ''Series/{{Lawman}}''. He also guested in ''Series/PerryMason'' and was in the last ever Film/TheThreeStooges film, the Western comedy ''Film/TheOutlawsIsComing''.
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11	And then the role that changed everything...nana nana nana nana nana nana nana, Batman!
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13	Some of his roles since included a washed-up former superhero actor in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' [[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE18BewareTheGrayGhost "Beware The Gray Ghost"]], a washed-up superhero who was just a deluded actor in ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'', another deluded actor (this time thinking he's qualified to be a detective) in the pilot of ''Series/{{Lookwell}}'', a super powered version of Creator/ErnestHemingway in ''WesternAnimation/{{Histeria}}'', a super-powered pizza boy in ''WesternAnimation/MeetTheRobinsons'', the mayor of Gotham City in ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman''...notice a pattern here?
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15	When not playing or voicing characters related to superheroes, washed-up actors, Batman, or a combo thereof, West often just portrayed [[TheDanza a over-the-top version of himself]]. Examples of this include appearing on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo'', and ''Series/ThirtyRock''. A version of him, voiced by him, was the Mayor of Quahog in ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy''.
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17	He occasionally took other roles. He was a lawyer in ''WesternAnimation/TheBoondocks'', as well as playing one in the sitcom ''[[Series/TheGeorgeLopezShow George Lopez]]''. He also was a "Dr. Wayne" in the 1990s ''Series/{{Zorro\|1990}}'' series, who's astounded at the idea of riding out from a cave under a mansion to fight crime. At one point, he was even offered the role of Franchise/JamesBond (for ''Film/DiamondsAreForever''), but [[WhatCouldHaveBeen he turned that down]], stating that Bond should be played by an Englishman (even though he had already been played by [[Creator/SeanConnery a Scotsman]] and [[Creator/GeorgeLazenby an Australian]]).
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19	In 1994 he published his autobiography, ''Back to the Batcave'', and in 2012 he was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which was the subject of the biographical documentary ''Starring Adam West''.
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21	He passed away at the age of 88 on June 9th 2017. A week later UsefulNotes/LosAngeles stood in for Gotham and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzzgD_zAqzc lit up City Hall]] with the Bat Signal as a tribute to the "Bright Knight".
22	----
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24	!! Tropes associated with Adam West's roles:
25	* AdamWesting: Obvious TropeNamer. He couldn't completely escape the campy nature of the Batman TV series, so he eventually leaned into how the public perceived him[[note]]necessitated somewhat by the fact that he'd become reliant on public appearances in costume for income, but Warner Bros. and DC Comics filed motions to stop this practice so as not to distract from the new tone they were trying to set with the Creator/TimBurton films[[/note]] and played up his image as a jocular, slightly peculiar, older man chasing after old glories.
26	* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Much of his SelfParody had his characters being rather eccentric superheroes or versions of himself. Examples included [[WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents Catman]] and [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Mayor West.]]
27	* Sugarwiki/HeReallyCanAct: The man managed to make both Bruce Wayne and Batman talk to each other despite ''[[TalkingToHimself both being the same guy]]'', simply by making Batman sound more authoritative and firm. While the feat has been repeated to a tremendous extent by Creator/KevinConroy, West one-ups the new caped crusader by doing so ''live on camera''.
28	* HostilityOnTheSet: Pretty much never the case, except when Otto Preminger appeared as Mr. Freeze on ''Batman'', like most of the cast. He didn't mince his words and outright called Preminger "despicable" in his autobiography.
29	** He also admitted to finding Neil Hamilton, who played Gordon on ''Batman,'' tough to work with, though it was more because Hamilton took his job ''very'' seriously rather than any genuine acrimony.
30	* IAmNotSpock: Was severely typecast after Batman, but eventually embraced it, returning to both play and voice Batman several times, all the way up until his passing.
31	* LargeHam: One of his most recognizable traits was overacting as much as possible. In a testament to his acting skills, he managed to pull this off on ''Batman'' while maintaining the caped crusader's famous status as TheComicallySerious.
32	* MethodActing: West himself didn't use this technique, but was on the receiving end of it from Creator/JulieNewmar when filming with her. In order to get the sexual tension between Batman and Catwoman across on screen, Newmar used to flirt outrageously with West at every opportunity without following through, so both West and Batman wanted someone almost unbearably but couldn't have them.
33	* TallDarkAndHandsome: 6'2, and considered one of the most attractive men in 1960s pop culture.
34	* TuxedoAndMartini: Was outright ''offered'' to play the role of James Bond after Sean Connery, but declined as he felt the role should be played by an Englishman.
35	** He also got his big break on ''Batman'' after he portrayed a parody of Bond in a mid-60s Nestlé commercial.
36	* UnusualEuphemism: According to his autobiography, while filming the ''Batman'' television series Creator/JulieNewmar in her Catwoman costume caused "curious stirrings in my utility belt".
37	* VocalEvolution: Age did a number on West's vocal cords over the years, which can clearly be deciphered in his more recent ''Batman'' roles; the original 1966 series had him at a crisp register, but in subsequent appearances such as Simon Trent in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' his voice becomes deeper and hoarser. By the time of his final performance, West's voice had become far scratchier than his first stint as the Caped Crusader.

Context Creator / AdamWest