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Filmation's 2 Batman Shows: A Character Comparison

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  • filmation batman fan
    The Man of Many Voices
    • Aug 30, 2005
    • 964

    Filmation's 2 Batman Shows: A Character Comparison



    This subject is a comparison of the charactcers used in both Batman shows by Filmation. If you could have take the best elements of both Batman shows and created the perfect one for Filmation, you would need to decide which version of each character was better. Cast your vote on terms of appearance and voice over. The voting is for characters who were on both shows. So the ones that do not qualify are the ones who were only in one show. Non qualifying characters include Alfred, BatMite, the Riddler, Clayface, Scarecrow, Mad Hatter, and Chief O Hara.

    Here are my votes:

    BATMAN/ BRUCE WAYNE: Appearance and Characterization: 1968: More of a detective: VOICE OVER: Olan Soule VS Adam West. 1977: I have to go with Adam West. His voice fits Filmation's design better. I preferred Olan on the SuperFriends.

    ROBIN/DICK GRAYSON: Appearance and Characterization: 1968 because emblem is colored correctly. VOICE OVER: Casey Kasem VS Burt Ward: 1977 I have to go with Burt Ward whose voice fits the Fimation design better. I liked Casey better on the SuperFriends

    BATGIRL/ BARABRA GORDON: Appearance and Characterization: 1977
    VOICE OVER: Jane Webb VS Melendy Britt: 1977 Melendy was better all around

    COMMISSIONER GORDON: Appearance and Characterization: 1977 This is the Gordon I have always known with silver hair, mustache, and glasses. VOICE OVER: Ted Knight VS Lennie Weinrib. 1977 I even preferred Weinrib's voice.

    JOKER: Animation and Characterization: 1977: VOICE OVER: Ted Knight VS Lennie Weinrib. 1968: Ted Knight did better. Weinrib couldn't make up his mind how he wanted the Joker to sound:

    PENGUIN: Appaearance and Characterization: 1968: The cigarette holder is classic: VOICE OVER: Ted Knight VS Lennie Weinrib: 1977 Weinrib nailed it better with the quacking sound and his voice fit the Penguin better.

    CATWOMAN: Appearance and Characterizarion: 1968: The costume was in the comic though I loved the 1977 outfit. VOICE OVER: Jane Webb VS Melendy Britt: 1977: Melendy Britt sounded much sexier as opposed to the screechy witch voice that Jane Webb used.

    MR. FREEZE: Appearance and Characterization: 1977: Looked better in this series: VOICE OVER: Ted Knight VS Lennie Weirib: 1977: Weinrib did the Russian accent like what was heard on the TV series, but his Freeze was sillier whereas the 1968 Freeze could not survive outside the subzero environment:

    Those are my votes.
    Cheers.
  • Earth 2 Chris
    Verbose Member
    • Mar 7, 2004
    • 32498

    #2
    This may be considered blasphemy, but even as a kid, I didn't like Olan Soule's Batman voice much. He did a fine job acting, but he always sounded like an old man to me. After I saw him on old TV shows like Batman (live action) and Andy Griffith I found out, he was an older man! A skinny, nerdy-looking old man. That really killed it there.

    I appreciate his long years as Batman, but he never sounded like him to me. I guess as a kid, Adam West WAS Batman. Casey Kasem was fine as Robin. He had the right youthful voice.

    Chris
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    • HardyGirl
      Mego Museum's Poster Girl
      • Apr 3, 2007
      • 13933

      #3
      Adam West & Burt Ward are the only Batman & Robin in real life or animation. I can't get past Shaggy or Alexander Cabot III, Casey Kasem's other characters. It doesn't sound right on Robin. One of the other things I couldn't get past in the '77 Filmation cartoon were the voice of the villians, Batgirl & Commissioner Gordon. So much was the '60s Batman engrained in my head that, even as a kid, I could accept no substitutions.
      "Do you believe, you believe in magic?
      'Cos I believe, I believe that I do,
      Yes, I can see I believe that it's magic
      If your mission is magic your love will shine true."

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      • palitoy
        live. laugh. lisa needs braces
        • Jun 16, 2001
        • 59204

        #4
        I just spent an entire day in the car with this series playing behind me so this is a topic I feel like i just studied for.

        Batman- West is better than Soule, he just sounds the part and actually does a different acting style for animation. It dawned on me that West played Batman for three decades.

        Robin- I prefer Kasem, Ward is really over the top, maybe it's the dialogue but I just find he brings me out of the thing.

        Joker- Ted Knight hands down.

        Gordon- Ted Knight but for reasons below.

        Batgirl- 1977, the other one will always be Betty Cooper to me.

        Penguin- I'll give Weinrib this one because he does do a great Penguin (probably due to him actually being a heavy set man with a squeaky voice) but the rest of his villains? Pretty much the same.

        Weinrib didn't have the range to pull this off, Ted Knight was stretched very thin in the original series. When you get Weinrib playing the villain, the commissioner and the obligatory scientist who gets ripped off in the same show, I found myself saying "who the hell is talking right now?" more than a few times.

        Sweet Tooth makes me laugh however, it's so creepy to hear Weinrib's amazing Paul Lynde impression come out of that character.
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        • Earth 2 Chris
          Verbose Member
          • Mar 7, 2004
          • 32498

          #5
          Robin- I prefer Kasem, Ward is really over the top, maybe it's the dialogue but I just find he brings me out of the thing.
          I haven't gotten the official release yet, but I have to agree that Ward went overboard as Robin on the 77 series. West seemed to realize he should be playing this "straight" as opposed to "so straight it's funny". Ward went in the opposite direction, I think.

          I prefer West on Super Friends/Super Powers too. As a kid I was so excited when Batman opened his mouth and West's voice came out! The real Batman! Yeah!!!

          Chris
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          • samurainoir
            Eloquent Member
            • Dec 26, 2006
            • 18758

            #6

            My store in the MEGO MALL!

            BUY THE CAPTAIN CANUCK ACTION FIGURE HERE!

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            • The Toyroom
              The Packaging King
              • Dec 31, 2004
              • 16653

              #7
              Just got the 77 release today...I'm only into the first 2 episodes but...BOY is Batmite ANNOYING!
              Think OUTSIDE the Box! For the BEST in Repro & Custom Packaging!

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              • thunderbolt
                Hi Ernie!!!
                • Feb 15, 2004
                • 34211

                #8
                Is the 70's show really considered a continuation of the West tv show? If so, I might change my mind and pick it up.
                You must try to generate happiness within yourself. If you aren't happy in one place, chances are you won't be happy anyplace. -Ernie Banks

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                • Earth 2 Chris
                  Verbose Member
                  • Mar 7, 2004
                  • 32498

                  #9
                  I don't think you can consider it a continuation of the West show as much as you can consider Filmation's Star Trek as a contiuation of TOS. Filmation Trek had almost all of the original regular actors back, as well as several TOS guest stars, many of the same writers, etc. New Adventures of Batman does have West and Ward, and Batman and Robin are the "new look" Silver Age versions, but none of the other actors, writers, etc came over to this show from the live-action Batman show.

                  Chris
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                  • The Toyroom
                    The Packaging King
                    • Dec 31, 2004
                    • 16653

                    #10
                    I wish they would have released the 60s Filmation Batman series first....anyone know if they're planning to?
                    Think OUTSIDE the Box! For the BEST in Repro & Custom Packaging!

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                    • VintageMike
                      Permanent Member
                      • Dec 16, 2004
                      • 3376

                      #11
                      Batman: As far as Filmation goes, West. I associate Soule with the "Super Friends" Batman and for whatever reason prefer him only with that particular design of the character. When the changed designs of SF during th e "Super Powers" years I thought West's voice was fitting.

                      Robin: Kasem slightly. Kasem/West still works (as evidenced by "Super Powers" show) but I think an Olan Soule/Ward pairing wouldn't have worked as well. To me, that says Ward's Robin doesn't have the same flexibility.

                      Joker: I'll go with Ted Knight because Weinrib's Joker voice was an impression of Ted Knight's.

                      Penguin: I don't remember Ted Knight's Penguin. Since I remember almost every cartoon voice I've ever heard, he has to loose out for that.

                      Catwoman: I like both the 70's design & voice better.

                      Commisioner Gordon: Again I don't remember the voice on the 60's version but like the 70's design better.

                      Side note: While they couldn't use The Riddler because he was Superfriends, the 60's cartoon voice was AWEFUL. No Riddler at all was better than having to listen to even an imitation of that.

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                      • Earth 2 Chris
                        Verbose Member
                        • Mar 7, 2004
                        • 32498

                        #12
                        I wish they would have released the 60s Filmation Batman series first....anyone know if they're planning to?
                        It could be that they are planning on releasing the early Filmation shows by season, not by character. So we may get "Superman/Aquaman" and then "Batman/Superman". It would make more sense to, since WB is liable to think Aquaman couldn't carry a DVD release on his own as well (sorry Rob!).

                        Chris
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                        • thunderbolt
                          Hi Ernie!!!
                          • Feb 15, 2004
                          • 34211

                          #13
                          ^^^ That's the way I'd like to see them released, with original openings intact.
                          You must try to generate happiness within yourself. If you aren't happy in one place, chances are you won't be happy anyplace. -Ernie Banks

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                          • MIB41
                            Eloquent Member
                            • Sep 25, 2005
                            • 15631

                            #14
                            I just picked those up the other day (both Batman and Superman at Target)and wow were those dated...but fun all the same. I think Superman from '66 was more honest to the character than the '70's Batman. Of course, as the featurette suggested, they wanted to pay homage to the camp from the '66 television series and that was certainly achieved. I believe it wasn't long after that animated feature Adam West and Burt Ward also ventured into that horrible live action version of the Super-Friends. Someone refresh my memory... Wasn't it called the "Roast of the Super-Friends"? Something like that. I know that's not exactly the title but it was pretty bad nonetheless.

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                            • filmation batman fan
                              The Man of Many Voices
                              • Aug 30, 2005
                              • 964

                              #15
                              Originally posted by MIB41
                              I just picked those up the other day (both Batman and Superman at Target)and wow were those dated...but fun all the same. I think Superman from '66 was more honest to the character than the '70's Batman. Of course, as the featurette suggested, they wanted to pay homage to the camp from the '66 television series and that was certainly achieved. I believe it wasn't long after that animated feature Adam West and Burt Ward also ventured into that horrible live action version of the Super-Friends. Someone refresh my memory... Wasn't it called the "Roast of the Super-Friends"? Something like that. I know that's not exactly the title but it was pretty bad nonetheless.

                              Actually, it was called Legends of the Super Heroes. Both TV specials on NBC produced by Hanna Barbera. The first special was called the Challenge and the second was called the Roast. These were totally godawful!!! But they're a gem to own on DVD just for the sake of having it.
                              Regarding future Filmation DC Hero releases, WB has not made any announcement yet, but on www.tvshowsondvd.com, they had a chat with the people who run that site and were asked about more classic DC.
                              The only two they are making plans for release are:
                              Filmation's Aquaman and the Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians 1985.
                              I personally hope that the Aquaman DVDs will have the DC Heroes shorts and I hope there are no legal tie ups with them like there are with Superboy.
                              I personally hope that maybe next year, they'll release the 1968 Batman series and the remaining Superman episodes that aired on the Superman/Aquaman Hour and the Batman/Superman Hour.
                              The 1977 series may not be a big fan favorite because of BatMite, but look at what it did have.
                              1: Clayface. His first media appearance
                              2: Better versions of Commissioner Gordon and damn! I love that office he has. Real state of the art!
                              3: Better versions of Catwoman and Mr. Freeze.
                              4: Better animation and better music.
                              5: I've said it before: West and Ward

                              In terms of being true to the comic books the 1968 series is supreme. We had the Riddler and Alfred and no BatMite. Whereas the 1977 series combined elements of the 50's, 60's, and 70's and rolled them into one.
                              Cheers.

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