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Batman actor Burt Ward reflected on his time as Robin on the iconic 1960s series in a nostalgic new interview
The actor was asked about his favorite Batman villains and his favorite Catwoman
Ward played Robin alongside Adam West’s Batman in the TV show, which ran for 120 episodes from 1966 to 1968
Burt Ward is reflecting on his days in uniform — as iconic super-sidekick Robin, that is!
When Batman first took the small screen by storm in 1966, Ward, who turned 80 on July 6, starred as The Boy Wonder in the primetime television series, while the late Adam West portrayed the titular hero. In a new interview with Remind magazine, Ward — who now dedicates his time to animal rescue work — looked back at his turn as the beloved sidekick, and as well as his favorite foes from the series.
When asked about his favorite Batman villain — and his favorite Catwoman, as the character has been played by several stars over the years — Ward had a catch-all answer: “I like all of them.”
From Julie Newmar (who originated the role alongside Ward and West’s super-duo) to Lee Meriwether and Eartha Kitt, Ward told Remind that “they all brought something different, and all did a great job.”
Silver Screen Collection/Hulton Archive/Gett
Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and Robin in ‘Batman’ in 1966
“You must understand,” Ward told the magazine, “these stars love doing Batman and I’ll tell you why. Because they were limited by that character’s personality and traits in whatever movie or TV show they are doing. But on Batman, oh no, they could be bigger, broader, larger than life and more evil than anything imaginable.”
“Every one of them went crazy because they could just do whatever they wanted and would not be limited. Listen to Frank Gorshin’s crazy, insane laugh or Cesar Romero’s laugh — both are completely different,” he continued. “These actors loved being on Batman.”
The actor and Gentle Giants Rescue and Adoptions co-founder had a similar answer when asked about his favorite episode of Batman — 120 aired during the series’ run from 1966 to 1968, per IMDb — telling Remind, “Oh, I like all of them.”
“You got to understand — for me — as a young actor, working with these incredible stars, I was the kid in the candy store,” said Ward, who landed the now-iconic role with his first-ever audition in 1965.
Bettmann Archive
Burt Ward as Robin in 1966
“Every episode included somebody that I idolized, either by watching them in movie theaters or on TV,” he continued. “Everyone was a superstar to me, and they were incredibly nice. In fact, I learned a kind of famous phrase: ‘The bigger they are, the nicer they are.’ ”
The actor continued, “Now I’m not sure about today’s world. But back then, it was the integrity and professionalism, everyone knew their lines perfectly. They were on time. They never missed a take, and it was just a level of precision. It was awesome to watch as a young actor.”
ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
Burt Ward, Yvonne Craig and Adam West in ‘Batman’ in 1966
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Ward previously reflected on his time as half of the Batman crime-fighting duo while speaking with PEOPLE in 2023. According to the star, Batman and Robin’s on-screen chemistry started on the day of his successful Batman audition — when he immediately hit it off with costar West, who died in 2017.
“We started talking. Within five minutes, the two of us were laughing,” Ward told PEOPLE. “We got along so incredibly, and we never stopped laughing for more than 55 years.”
Read the original article on People
