Adam West
Adam West (William West Anderson; September 19, 1928 – June 9, 2017) was an American actor, director and voice artist. He is known for his role as Batman in the 1960s Batman television series and as Mayor Adam West in Family Guy. West has also acted in movies and on stage.
Adam West | |
|---|---|
 West at the 2014 Phoenix Comic-Con | |
| Born | William West Anderson September 19, 1928 |
| Died | June 9, 2017 (aged 88) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Lakeside School |
| Alma mater | Whitman College |
| Occupation | Actor, voice actor |
| Years active | 1954–2017 |
| Known for | Batman, Mayor West |
| Television | Batman, Family Guy |
| Spouse(s) | Billie Lou Yeager (m. 1950–1956) Frisbie Dawson (m. 1957–1962) Marcelle Tagand Lear (m. 1970–2017) |
| Children | 6 |
| Parent(s) | Otto West Anderson, Audrey V. Speer |
| Family | John Anderson (brother) |
| Website | http://www.adamwest.com |
Life
West was born on September 19, 1928 in Walla Walla, Washington to Otto West Anderson and Audrey V. Speer[1] and studied at Walla Walla High School, Lakeside School, and Whitman College. West was raised in Walla Walla. West has been married to Billie Lou Yeager from 1950 until they divorced in 1965. He later married Frisbie Dawson from 1957 until they divorced in 1962. West married to Marcelle Tagand Lear in 1970. West has six children. He lived in Ketchum, Idaho.
On June 9, 2017, West died in Los Angeles after a battle with leukemia.[2] He was 88.[3]
Career
His early works include the movie Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964), as Col. Dan McCready, an astronaut who is sent on a journey to the Red Planet. He was also in Mara of the Wilderness (1965), and the spaghetti western I quattro inesorabili (1965), where he played the role of gunslinger Sam Garrett. He played the role of Lt. John Delahay, in the western Geronimo (1962) with Chuck Connors.
He worked with The Three Stooges in the movie The Outlaws Is Coming (1965). He played inexperienced gunman Kenneth Cabot, who is helped by The Three Stooges.
In the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, he worked in the movies Curse of the Moon Child (1972); Partizani (1974), a war movie with Rod Taylor; The Specialist (1975); The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood (1980); One Dark Night (1983); Young Lady Chatterley II (1985); Zombie Nightmare (1986); Night of the Kickfighters (1988); Omega Cop (1990); Maxim Xul (1991); An American Vampire Story (1997); and Joyride (1997).
His last appearances in movies were Buckaroo: The Movie (2005) as the Judge, and Ratko: The Dictator's Son (2009), as Kostka Volvic.
Television
In 1966, Adam West was chosen to play the role of Batman in the Batman TV series. This show started West to fame. The series was well liked and a movie of the same name was made of it. He put his voice to the animated series The New Adventures of Batman (1977), SuperFriends: The Legendary Super Powers Show (1985) and The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (1985). His best known voice acting is his work on the animated series Family Guy, as Mayor West.
Adam starred in a comedy television movie about detectives, Ace Diamond Private Eye (1983). The actor also had guest star appearances in many series as Cheyenne, Colt 45, 77 Sunset Strip, Goodyear Theatre, Bonanza, The Rifleman, Mannix, Police Woman, Murder, She Wrote, and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
According to the comic books, Batman/Bruce Wayne is 6'2". Of all the actors to play Batman, Adam West is the only actor who stood the same height.[4]
Filmography
Animated Roles
- Batman: The Animated Series - Gray Ghost / Simon Trent
- Batman: The Brave and the Bold - Proto-Bot, Thomas Wayne
- Family Guy - Mayor Adam West
- Futurama - Adam West's Head
- Histeria! - Ernest Hemingway
- Jake and the Never Land Pirates - Wise Old Parrot
- Johnny Bravo - Adam West, Narrator
- Kim Possible - Fearless Ferrett/Timothy North
- Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero - Captain Super Captain, Professor Evil Professor
- Robot Chicken - Batman (1960s version), Robber
- Rugrats - Captain Blasto
- SpongeBob SquarePants - Mermaid Man (Young)
- Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show - Batman
- The Batman - Mayor Grange
- The Boondocks - R. Kelly's Lawyer
- The Critic - Adam West
- The Fairly OddParents - Adam West
- The New Adventures of Batman - Batman / Bruce Wayne
- The Secret Files of the Spy Dogs - Amerigo Dog Poochie, Dog Zero, Leonardo da Vinci
- The Simpsons - Adam West, Batman
- The Super Hero Squad Show - Nighthawk
- The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians - Batman / Bruce Wayne
Live Action Roles
- Shazam! - Hercules
Film Roles
- Aloha, Scooby-Doo! - Jared Moon
- Batman vs. Two-Face - Batman / Bruce Wayne
- Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders - Batman / Bruce Wayne
- Chicken Little - Ace (Hollywood Chicken Little)
- Meet the Robinsons - Uncle Art
Video Game Roles
- Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham - Adam West, Batman / Bruce Wayne (1960s version), Gray Ghost / Simon Trent
Adam West Media
West with Anita Sands in a 1961 publicity photo for The Detectives
West in 1989 at the 41st Primetime Emmy Awards
West at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con
Adam West speaking in 2014.
West at Wizard World St. Louis 2014
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References
- ↑ "An Evening with Adam West". 3:40 in Part One of recording.
- ↑ Lowry, Brian (June 10, 2017). "Adam West, TV's 'Batman,' Dies at 88". Variety (Los Angeles: Penske Media Corporation). https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/adam-west-dead-dies-batman-1202461532/. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
- ↑ "TV Batman actor Adam West dies at 88" (in en-GB). BBC News (London: BBC). June 10, 2017. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40235142. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
- ↑ "Adam West Height - How tall". Celebheight.com. Retrieved 20 August 2013.