Adam West dies

The Batman is no more.

by Jennie Kermode

Adam West as Batman running through Gotham City with Burt Ward's Robin
Adam West as Batman running through Gotham City with Burt Ward's Robin

Adam West, the TV Batman who made it to the big screen in one of the Caped Crusader's best loved outings, has died at the age of 88, it was announced today. He had been suffering from leukaemia.

Although he later struggled with typecasting, West said that on reflection he felt he was the luckiest actor in the world. Alongside Batman he appeared in several films, including Robinson Crusoe On Mars and The Girl Who Knew Too Much. Latterly he played a recurring character in TV's Family Guy, and decided to embrace the fame Batman had given him, inspired by the love fans showed for the character at events like Comic-Con.

"Our dad always saw himself as The Bright Knight and aspired to make a positive impact on his fans' lives. He was and always will be our hero," said his family - wife Marcelle, who had been by his side for nearly 50 years, plus six children, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren. They knew him by his given name, Bill.

Share this with others on...
News

A dark time Kim Sung Soo on capturing history and getting a shot at an Oscar with 12.12: The Day

Reflections of a cat Gints Zilbalodis on Hayao Miyazaki, fairy tales and Latvia’s Oscar submission, Flow

Man about town Gay Talese on Watching Frank, Frank Sinatra, and his latest book, A Town Without Time

Magnificent creatures Jayro Bustamante on giving the girls of Hogar Seguro a voice in Rita

A unified vision DOC NYC highlights and cinematographer Michael Crommett on Dan Winters: Life Is Once. Forever.

Poetry and loss Géza Röhrig on Terrence Malick, Josh Safdie, and Richard Kroehling’s After: Poetry Destroys Silence

More news and features

Interact

More competitions coming soon.