During the second season of the Batman television series starring Adam West and Burt Ward, executive producer William “Bill” Dozier asked DC Comics editor for a female bat-heroine he might add to the program. Collaborating with artist Carmine Infantino and author Gardner Fox, Schwartz created Commissioner Gordon’s previously unmentioned daughter Barbara who became Batgirl when interrupted by a villain called the Killer Moth while on her way to a costume party.
Dozier cast Yvonne Craig (who famously played the green Orion dancing girl Marta in an episode of Star Trek) as Batgirl – Barbara Gordon and prepared this 7-and-a-half minute test footage while seeking renew for a third season on the ABC network. The show got renewed, although it lost one of its two nights per week and therefore lost its two-part episodes with the cliffhanger endings in the middle. This promo never aired and the Killer Moth, featured in this scene, never appeared in the series.
Related posts:
Adam West (@therealadamwest) Picks Worst Superpower
The Superheroine Monologues
Related posts:
shortened url = http://3.ly/Btg
Pingback: Action Flick Chick - » The Wonder Woman TV Never Saw: Who’s Afraid of Diana Prince?
I seem to remember the commissioner mentioned he had a daughter in a couple of pre-Batgirl episodes. (Possibly even mentioning a name) but it could be something that was slipped in during the second season scripts once the wheels were in motion for Babs/Batgirl to show up in the comics and planning for season 3.
Video’s gone now. 🙁 As a grade schooler, I had a crush on Batgirl. Well, Batgirl, Joan of Arc, etc…pretty much any woman who wasn’t afraid to be her best.