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Arts & Entertainment

Batman Trades Gotham City For Palm Desert

TV's "Classic Caped Crusader" makes his second home in Palm Desert away from the Hollywood scene, which West is still very much a part of after over 50 years in the business.

Adam West is a hero to a whole generation of Baby Boomers who grew up watching him as "Batman" on the classic TV series that ran on ABC from 1966-68.

Now, the famed actor has traded in his cape and cowl for a more relaxed Lacoste polo shirt and faded blue jeans and a beautiful home in Palm Desert, where he spends time with his wife Marcelle and their grown children.

Batman made its debut on Wednesday, Jan. 12, 1966, and it was an instant smash, as in "Zowie! Pow! and Thwack!" during the pop art crazed mid sixties era. It was a TV show that took full advantage of the new color TV medium by its use of candy colors and tilted camera angles to present a show unlike anything that had ever been seen before (or since) on television. 

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Batman was a show that had very sharp satire for adults due to top writers like Lorenzo Semple, Jr. (who wrote the pilot "Hi Diddle Riddle," several other memorable episodes like "Zelda The Great" and the Batman feature film that was also done in 1966.)

"I knew we had an instant classic on our hands," West said of when he was first presented with the Batman script by Executive Producer William Dozier. Batman became the rage in popular culture that year and West was an instant real life hero.

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"We had a many public appearances that Burt (Ward, who played Robin the Boy Wonder) and I would do that first year and we were mobbed at every turn. It was really a phenomenon. I always say, in the 1960's you had the three B's: Batman, Bond, and The Beatles," West said.

These days, West keeps busy as ever with his show biz career, doing voice over work for the "Family Guy" as Mayor West and even a new national TV spot for "Hebrew National" hot dogs.

"Now, no one knew that Batman was Kosher, right? I guess I appeal to all audiences," West said, laughing.

West is in remarkable shape for a man now in his early 80s.

"Good genes," West jokes and of course plenty exercise and healthy eating.

"I walk my malamoots around our beautiful snow covered haven here in Sun Valley (Idaho) and I look forward to walking a lot when I am in the desert," West said.

West splits his time between his two homes and loves that Palm Desert allows him to see his grown children, several of whom are living in nearby Los Angeles. His daughter, Nina, is an actress like her famous Dad.

"I am so proud of all my kids," West said. He is still in heavy demand for live appearances and was a huge hit at this year's Comic Con show in San Diego.

When in Palm Desert, West loves to dine at Roy's Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine and Spencer's at The Mountain in Palm Springs.

"I seem to appeal to new generations all the time who keep rediscovering the show," Batman said, noting that he signs his autographs for people around the world each year. "The show is a juggernaut that keeps on going and going."

Whether battling the Riddler, The Joker or even resisting the sensual allure of the sinister Catwoman (what baby boomer doesn't fondly remember actress Julie Newmar in her slinky black cat suit taunting Batman?), Adam West is a man who really lives his life to the fullest.

"I am very lucky to have had this character that so many people identify with. I've done a lot of things as an actor in over 50 years of steady work in the business, but it seems all roads lead to back to the Batcave," West said.

Visit Adam West's website at AdamWest.com.

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