MY FAVORITE VERSIONS OF BATMAN ON FILM AND TELEVISION

On March 30th 1939, Batman debuted in Detective Comics and has become one of the most iconic figures in entertainment. During his 80 years in pop culture there have been many different iterations of Batman on film and TV that have entertained generations of fans. Here are my top 3 favorites:

BATMAN 1966

In 1966, BATMAN debuted on ABC and changed how people saw superheroes. The show starred Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin. Batman's classic villains included Joker, The Penguin, The Riddler, and Catwoman (played by Cesar Romero, Burgess Meredith, Frank Gorshin, and Julie Newmar). The show's combination of comedy, satire, and action was a hit with children and adults alike. In 1989, when the Batman movie came out, WPIX began running the 1966 TV show in syndication. As a child I was too young to see the movie but I could enjoy the TV show. In the five decades since its debut, the Batman 1966 TV show remains one of the most beloved interpretations of the caped crusader.

BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES


In 1992, Batman: The Animated Series debuted on Fox and changed animation in the process. Based off of Tim Burton's Batman and Batman Returns This animated show gave interesting and compelling back stories to iconic villains such as Two-Face, Mr. Freeze, Catwoman, and The Riddler. The show also dealt with adult issues such as Performance Enhancing Drugs in sports and Multiple Personality Disorder which was groundbreaking for an animated show targeted to kids and pre-teens. Batman: The Animated Series aired for 4 seasons and remains a milestone in animation and Batman history. 

CHRISTIAN BALE IN BATMAN BEGINS



In 2005, Batman Begins debuted in theaters and started a new era in Batman history. Christian Bale's portrayal of Bruce Wayne and his journey to becoming Batman was a beautiful masterpiece in my opinion. Along with Christopher Nolan's direction, Batman Begins showed Bruce Wayne's humanity and explained why Batman is needed in Gotham. I loved the use of Liam Neeson as Ra's Al Ghul and his influence on how Bruce Wayne becomes Batman. When the movie came out it was only four years after 9/11 so Nolan's vision of Batman portrayed him as a human drone battling against terrorism. Even though Nolan crafted a successful trilogy with The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, Batman Begins remains my favorite out of all three movies. 

Batman has been apart of America's consciousness for eight decades. Since his creation in 1939 by Bob Kane and Bill Finger he has entertained and inspired millions of fans all around the world. 

Class Dismissed, 
THE PROFESSOR

R.I.P. KING KONG BUNDY

KING KONG BUNDY

King Kong Bundy, one of the most prominent stars of the WWE in the 1980's passed away on Monday at the age of 61 according to CNN. Bundy, whose real name was Chris Pallies, was a villain throughout his career. At 6'4 and over 450 pounds he was an imposing figure in the squared circle. He rose to prominence because of his size and mobility in the ring. In 1981, he began wrestling for WWE as Chris Canyon. In 1982, he moved onto Texas and WCCW (World Class Championship Wrestling) as Big Daddy Bundy. 

He started the King Kong Bundy character as a villain in a feud against the promotion's heroes the Von Erich family. Bundy would win the American Heavyweight Championship twice while in WCCW. Between 1983 and 1985 King Kong Bundy moved onto Mid South Wrestling and Memphis wrestling where he faced such legends as The Junkyard Dog and Jerry "The King" Lawler.


HULK HOGAN VS. KING KONG BUNDY AT WRESTLEMANIA 2

In 1985, Bundy entered the WWE. He began a feud with Andre The Giant and became a member of the Heenan Family with Bobby Heenan as his manager. Bundy moved up the card until he reached the main event in 1986 at Wrestlemania 2 when he faced Hulk Hogan in a steel cage for the WWE World Title. King Kong Bundy departed the WWE in 1988, but he made a brief return in 1994 where he feuded with The Undertaker until 1995 when he left the promotion once again.

Bundy achieved some fame outside of WWE when he appeared with Richard Pryor in the film, Moving. He also appeared in Married With Children on Fox as a relative of the Bundy family.

Thank you Chris "King Kong Bundy" Pallies. Your contributions to wrestling and entertainment will never be forgotten. 

Class Dismissed, 
THE PROFESSOR