Batman in film hooded villain whose identity remains a mystery throughout the serial until the end. "Batman" (also known as "Batman: The Movie") is a 1966 film adaptation of the popular "Batman" television series, and was the first full-length theatrical adaptation of the DC Comics character. The 20th Century Fox release starred Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin, as well as Lee Meriwether as Catwoman, Cesar Romero as the Joker, Burgess Meredith as the Penguin and Frank Gorshin as the Riddler. The film was directed by Leslie H. Martinson, who also directed a pair of "Batman" episodes: "The Penguin Goes
The Bat (play) both the standard and widescreen versions from rediscovered negatives in 1988. The film received mixed reviews and the experiment with widescreen was a financial failure. Comic-book creator Bob Kane said in his 1989 autobiography, "Batman and Me", that the villain in "The Bat Whispers" inspired his character Batman. Crane Wilbur wrote and directed a third adaptation of "The Bat", which was released by Allied Artists on August 9, 1959. This version emphasized horror, with the Bat (played by Gavin Gordon) ripping out the throats of his victims. Dr. Wells (played by horror star Vincent Price) had a more prominent role,