This Week's Batman TV Almanac (12/24-30/06)

[AaronHandy3]

DECEMBER 28, 1966

"The Sandman Cometh" (prod. #9715-Pt. 1) first aired @ 7:30 p.m. Eastern on ABC as the 67th episode of Batman.

This is the first episode to feature team-ups of villains, following the pattern of the 1966 Batman movie, which featured four supervillains. The Morpheus Mattress Factory is located on Derwin Alley, which is named for Batman assistant director Bill Derwin.

The second part has two titles due to the fact that it was reeditied to include The Catwoman. Some TV prints have one title, while some have the other. J. Pauline Spaghetti is based on multimillionaire J(ohn). Paul Getty. (And yes, that is Spring Byington of December Bride fame, playing J. Pauline.)

Michael Rennie appeared several years earlier as the alien Klaatu in the science fiction classic "The Day the Earth Stood Still".

DECEMBER 29, 1966

"The Catwoman Goeth (a.k.a. "A Stitch in Time")" (prod. #9715-Pt. 2) first aired @ 7:30 p.m. Eastern on ABC as the 68th episode of Batman.

The footage of The Dynamic Duo driving The Batmobile to a secluded Batpier and swicthing to The Batboat is edited from the 1966 Batman movie. This is the second and final appearance of The Batboat on the Batman television series.

Notice that Nap resembles Stanley Laurel, and Snooze, Oliver Hardy! William Dyer, Adam West's lighting stand-in, got screen credit as a policeman in this episode, and often played cops on the show without credit.

The late Michael Rennie (The Sandman) played Harry Lime on The Third Man (1959-65). He also portrayed The Duke Of Lanbourne in the 1967 Warner Bros. big-screen version of Arthur Hailey's 1965 novel Hotel.

The late Gypsy Rose Lee (Female Newscaster) started dancing and stripping at burlesque houses at the age of 15 with the assistance of fellow dancer "Tessie The Tassel Twirler." She retired from burlesque 8 years later to appear in films but documented her rise to fame and adventurous relationship with her mother in the autobiographical book, "Gypsy."

The run down factory where the Batmobile was left had a sign posted which said, "Run Down Factory." This was shown immediately after Batman had traced his Batmobile to a part of town with run down factories.

DECEMBER 28, 1967

"The Funny Feline Felonies" (prod. #1715-Pt. 1) first aired @ 7:30 p.m. Eastern on ABC as the 110th episode of Batman.

Eartha Kitt's second and final appearance as the third Catwoman.

This was originally a 2-part episode which was split into single 2-part episodes as the producers yearned to avoid a single cliffhanger ending suspended over a week's time.

The late Joe E. Ross (Louie Groovy's Agent) is remembered for his role of Officer Gunther Toody on Car 54, Where Are You? (NBC, 1961-63).

Gil Perkins (Foreman) played Cauliflower in episode #1707, "Ring Around The Riddler," and Bluebeard in the 1966 Batman movie.