Adam West, Television's Batman, Dies At 88

Adam West, the actor whose career was defined and bound by his portrayal of the superhero Batman on television, has died, his family announced Saturday. He was 88.

"It is with great sadness that we are sharing this news," West's family said in a statement posted to Facebook. "Adam West passed away peacefully last night after a short but brave battle with leukemia. He was a beloved father, husband, grandfather and great-grandfather. There are no words to describe how much we'll miss him. We know you'll miss him too and we want you to know how much your love and support meant to him throughout the years.

"Hug your loved ones today," the statement said in closing.

No other actor was as closely associated with Batman as West and while he went on to act in other movies and TV shows and lent his voice to various roles, he was defined and even restricted by his iconic portrayal of Batman.

The television series, which ran for three seasons from 1966 to '68, was a smash hit, and the depiction of the Caped Crusader and his crew was unlike anything that has been on screens in recent years. With its eye-popping colors and the "wham!" "pow!" and "thwack!" exclamations that appeared in front of viewers, the show's flamboyance was reflective of the era.

"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 told Patch in 2011.

He split his time between his homes in Sun Valley, Idaho and Palm Desert, California.

In more recent years, the Batman franchise adopted a different tone. The 1989 Tim Burton-produced movie starred Michael Keaton as Batman and Jack Nicholson as The Joker. The most critically acclaimed in recent years, Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy, starred Christian Bale as Batman and the movie's dark theme is more closely associated with the story of Batman today. George Clooney, Val Kilmer and even Ben Affleck are among those who have portrayed Batman and his alter ego Bruce Wayne.

West's recent voice roles included "Mayor Adam West" on the popular Fox cartoon Family Guy. He also had voice roles on The Simpsons and the Nickelodeon cartoon The Fairly OddParents, where he played fictional versions of himself in both roles.

"Family Guy has lost its mayor, and I have lost a friend," Seth MacFarlane, creator of the television show, said in a statement posted to his Twitter feed.

"Adam West was a joy to work with, and the kind of guy you always wanted to be around. His positivity, good nature, and sense of fun were undeniable, and it was always a big jolt of the best kind of energy when he walked in to record the show. He knew comedy, and he knew humanity," MacFarlane said.

West was born in Walla Walla, Washington, and he moved to Seattle at the age of 15 with his mother, according to the Associated Press. He graduated from Whitman College in Walla Walla and after serving in the Army he moved to Hollywood.

The Department of Defense paid tribute to West.

According to Variety Magazine, West is survived by his wife Marcelle, six children, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

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