TMC
03-02-2016, 06:15 PM
http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/2016/03/02/tv-legends-revealed-the-mystery-of-the-missing-batgirl-costume/
TV URBAN LEGEND: Yvonne Craig’s Batgirl costume ended up being owned by a surprising person.
On the 1966-68 “Batman” television series, Julie Newmar’s Catwoman and Yvonne Craig’s Batgirl and their respective skintight costumes launched a million crushes by adolescents watching the show (and I’m sure plenty of adults watching the show, as well). Newmar specifically went out of her way to make sure that her costume accentuated her curves by altering the way the belt hung on her Catwoman costume so that it showed off her hips. Newmar was so involved in that sort of thing she even ended up getting a federal patent on special pantyhose that wouldn’t flatten a woman’s curves! While all the attention was likely flattering to Newmar and Craig, at the same time it must have been a bit disturbing, as well, to constantly be under the scrutiny of the “male gaze,” even from fellow actors. Mark Evanier has a hilarious story about the late Craig’s response to some of that excess attention, while there is also a legend about Newmar responding to the come-ons of another actor with a sharp rebuke. Craig, meanwhile, was also in for a bit of a surprise when she returned to the Batgirl role one last time a few years after the series ended, when there was a mystery of — who had Batgirl’s costume?
TV URBAN LEGEND: Yvonne Craig’s Batgirl costume ended up being owned by a surprising person.
On the 1966-68 “Batman” television series, Julie Newmar’s Catwoman and Yvonne Craig’s Batgirl and their respective skintight costumes launched a million crushes by adolescents watching the show (and I’m sure plenty of adults watching the show, as well). Newmar specifically went out of her way to make sure that her costume accentuated her curves by altering the way the belt hung on her Catwoman costume so that it showed off her hips. Newmar was so involved in that sort of thing she even ended up getting a federal patent on special pantyhose that wouldn’t flatten a woman’s curves! While all the attention was likely flattering to Newmar and Craig, at the same time it must have been a bit disturbing, as well, to constantly be under the scrutiny of the “male gaze,” even from fellow actors. Mark Evanier has a hilarious story about the late Craig’s response to some of that excess attention, while there is also a legend about Newmar responding to the come-ons of another actor with a sharp rebuke. Craig, meanwhile, was also in for a bit of a surprise when she returned to the Batgirl role one last time a few years after the series ended, when there was a mystery of — who had Batgirl’s costume?