Batman was released in 1966 as the first full-length theatrical adaptation of the DC Comics character. It was later to acquire the video-box title Batman: The Movie. It starred Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin. Filmed at the end of season one of the Batman TV series of the 1960s, it featured four main criminals from the show, including The Joker, The Riddler, The Penguin, and Catwoman. It was directed by Leslie H. Martinson, who won a Golden Gryphon for his efforts.

Plot summary

When Batman (West) and Robin (Ward) get a tip that Commodore Schmidlapp is in danger aboard his yacht, they launch a rescue mission. After a tangle with an exploding shark, Batman and Robin head back to Commissioner Gordon's office where, by case of deduction and wisdom, they figure out that that the tip was a set-up by four of the most powerful villains ever, who seek to defeat the Dynamic Duo once and for all. Armed with a dehydrator that can turn humans into dust, and a Navy surplus nuclear submarine, the fearsome foursome intends to take over the world!

Cast

• Adam West - Batman/Bruce Wayne
• Burt Ward - Robin/Dick Grayson
• Cesar Romero - The Joker
• Frank Gorshin - The Riddler
• Burgess Meredith - The Penguin
• Lee Meriwether - Catwoman/Miss Kitka
• Alan Napier - Alfred
• Neil Hamilton - Commissioner Gordon
• Stafford Repp - Chief O'Hara
• Madge Blake - Aunt Harriet
• Reginald Denny - Commodore Schmidlapp

Opening Credit Sequence

                          Twentieth Century Fox Presents BATMAN
                               A WILLIAM DOZIER PRODUCTION

                    starring
                    ADAM WEST
                    BURT WARD
                    And The Rogues Gallery Of Villains
                    The Catwoman
                    LEE MERIWETHER
                    The Joker
                    CESAR ROMERO
                    The Penguin
                    BURGESS MEREDITH
                    The Riddler
                    FRANK GORSHIN
                    co-starring
                    ALAN NAPIER
                    STAFFORD REPP
                    NEIL HAMILTON
                    MADGE BLAKE
                    and
                    REGINALD DENNY
                    as Commodore Schmidlapp
                                         MILTON FROME
                           GIL PERKINS  DICK CROCKETT  GEORGE SAWAYA

• Music by NELSON RIDDLE
• Associate Producer CHARLES B. FITZSIMONS
• Director of Photography HOWARD SCHWARTZ, A.S.C.
• Art Directors JACK MARTIN SMITH SERGE KRIZMAN
• Set Decoration WALTER M. SCOTT CHESTER L. BAYHI
• Unit Production Manager SAM STRANGIS
• Assistant Directors WILLIAM DERWIN DAVID WHORF
• Film Editor HARRY GERSTAD, A.C.E.
• Special Photographic Effects L.B. ABBOTT
• Sound ROY MEADOWS HARRY M. LEONARD
• Makeup by BEN NYE BRYCE HUTCHINSON
• Hair Styles Supervised by MARGARET DONOVAN
• Batman Theme by NEAL HEFTI
• Orchestration by GIL GRAU
• Second Unit Director RAY KELLOGG
• Second Unit Photography JACK MARTA
• Aerial Photography NELSON TYLER
• Batboat GLASTRON
• Main Title by RICHARD KUHN and NATIONAL SCREEN SERVICE
• Color by DELUXE
• Approved by MPAA -- Certificate #21297
• Written by LORENZO SEMPLE JR. Based upoon the characters created by Bob Kane

appearing in Batman and Detective Comics Magazine published by National Periodical Publications, Inc.

• Produced by WILLIAM DOZIER
• Directed by LESLIE H. MARTINSON