In 1966 , Adam West , another actor whose bodily frame lacked the muscular physique from the comic book , played the title character in Batman : The Movie , which was based on the highly popular television series . Despite the show ’ s enduring success , even boasting a Blu-ray release of the complete series in 2015 , the portrayal of Batman by West has been derided by many as comedic and campy , seeking to exemplify a “ swinging sixties ” feel in what was seen as a fundamental betrayal of the character by fans . The silliness in effect was deliberate ; William Dozier , executive producer of the show , wrote , “ I had just the simple idea of overdoing it , of making it so square and so serious that adults would find it amusing . I knew kids would go for the derring-do , the adventure , but the trick would be to find adults who would either watch it with their kids , or , to hell with the kids , and watch it anyway ” ( Brooker 194 ). Years later , Dozier would admit , “ I had never read a Batman comic book ; I had never read any comic book ” ( Eisner 4 ). According to The Official Batman Batbook , after a dismal initial preview rating of the pilot episode , networks executives even experimented with adding a laughtrack ; furthermore , according to Charles B . FitzSimons , who was assistant to the executive producer for the show and associate producer for the film , “ They then asked us to put an introduction on the beginning of the show , informing the audience that this was a comedy and that the audience should hiss the villains and cheer for the heroes ” ( Eisner 7 ). Nevertheless , “ rules ” existed to maintain a “ fundamental Batman template ”; according to Alan Asherman , DC ’ s librarian in the 1960 ’ s , the TV character had to “ remain upright and moral , he was not permitted to use a gun , and he was not allowed to kill or cause the death of another ” ( Brooker 186 ).
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