Adam West



"Of course I'm the real Batman. See, here's a picture of me with Robin."

- Adam West, The Simpsons

"Time for your medication, Mr. West."

- Said to Adam West while playing himself in a TN advertisement.

"Nobody messes with Adam We."

- The man himself on Family Guy after contemplating that the letters missing in his name on his Lite Brite board was intentional.

A message from beyond the veil:

Hello old chums, I'm TV's Adam West. You may recognize me as the 1960s Batman. Once upon a time, I was considered a serious leading man. However I couldn't get serious work after Batman ended. I am currently known for portraying eccentric versions of myself. I embraced it and even have a trope named after me. Almost every role I've had since is either a parody of Batman the goofy superhero, Adam West the washed-up actor, or both at once (as in my role on The Fairly OddParents).

Or my role in Batman the Animated Series "The Gray Ghost", where I play a washed-up actor who can't get any decent work because everyone associates me with my role as a cheesy superhero.

I played a washed-up superhero who turned out to be a deluded actor on Kim Possible. And I played another deluded actor in the pilot for Lookwell, a Conan O'Brien and Robert Smigel-produced pilot. In this version, I had formerly played a detective on TV and thought I could use my actor training as Genre Savvy to solve real crimes. And a super-powered pizza delivery boy in Meet the Robinsons.

I also played a goofy rendition of myself on The Simpsons, in which I drive the Batmobile from the show (which is now a broken down wreck), complain about the Michael Keaton Batman films [*taps his pecs* - "Pure West."], and dance the "Batoosie" while The Simpsons slowly back away. Also Johnny Bravo.

In the Histeria! episode "The Legion of Super Writers", I voiced a superhero-portrayed Ernest Hemingway. Currently, my biggest role is as the Cloudcuckoolander Adam West, Mayor of Quahog in Family Guy.

Interestingly, I played the supervillain Breathtaker in the Black Scorpion TV series. Dr. Noah Goddard was an ordinary doctor until Black Scorpion’s police father wound him in a shoot out. Breathtaker was born and years later, and he will take his life. So Breathtaker could be considered Black Scorpion’s Arch Enemy, because It's Personal. By the way, Black Scorpion is described as TV Series Batman + Ms. Fanservice. Oh, and as a bonus, Frank Gorshin (the Riddler) interpreted supervillain Clockwise.

Bizarrely, I also voiced Mayor Grange, the Mayor of Gotham City in The Batman, which begs the question of why Christopher Nolan hasn't cast me in any of his versions of the Batman movies. Shame. (Bizarrely, you say?)

I played superhero the Galloping Gazelle in the TV episode and video game of Goosebumps story Attack of the Mutant. In the TV version, the Galloping Gazelle was washed-up and bailed on the kid protagonist because he thought he was too old for the job.

I even played a lawyer defending a rap star who made a video of himself whizzing on a schoolgirl in The Boondocks. In typical over-the-top West fashion, of course. It's like he.. I mean I.. don't even want to stop Adam Westing anymore.

I played a cab driver in the low budget superhero spoof film Super Capers, and am easily the most watchable part in it. I just need to show Chris Nolan that I've still got star power in the movies like before. It's a crying shame he hasn't asked me to be a part of The Dark Knight Saga. I can do a great raspy voice.

I recently appeared in Thirty Rock as myself at Jack Donaghy's birthday party. After I flubbed the introduction and got thrown out, I complained that I was promised a sandwich and hasn't received it. Silly me.

Following the release of a Batman game, a host of the show X-Play visited me on the show.

Recently, I provided the voice of Bruce Wayne's father Thomas in an episode of Batman the Brave And The Bold. As a bonus Julie Newmar voiced Martha Wayne. I later returned to provide the voice of Batman's Gentle Giant robot "Proto".

I also Guest Starred as Mermaid Man is an Episode of SpongeBob SquarePants.

Fun Fact: I was offered the role of James Bond in Diamonds Are Forever, but I respectfully declined. Bond should always be played by a Brit.

Thanks to an initiative spearheaded by actor Ralph Garman, I've got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame now! Thanks, Ralph.

Do keep reading All The Tropes and make sure to spot my name!

(Mr. West passed on in June 2017, alas.)