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Like many who grew up in the '60s and '70s (and perhaps even '80s and later), Tim and Paul had the course of their lives changed by the 1966 Batman TV show, from the types of play they did growing up to their present-day interests.

In this series, they discuss the show's allure and its failures, the arc of the show from satire to sitcom, its influences (the '40s serials and the comic books themselves) and the things it, in turn, influenced.

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May 18, 2017

Green Hornet and Kato

In September 1966, William Dozier’s Greenway Productions debuted its new series The Green Hornet. Originally a radio series beginning in 1936, the Green Hornet has also appeared in movie serials and comic books, and a 2011 movie.

In this episode, we look at the character’s history, how the TV series came to be and the mark it left on the property (particularly on how the Hornet’s assistant Kato is portrayed), and the two principals, Van Williams and Bruce Lee. How did the show affect the trajectory of the Batman series? Why did the show only last one season?

Also, the history of the theme music and Billy May’s jazzy score, and guest commentator Ken Holtzhouser tells us about the time he interviewed Van Williams!

1966 Batman movie cast interviews

Green Hornet test episode