Lyle Waggoner as Batman-1965

Portions of this screen test turned up in the docudrama (docucomedy?) BACK TO THE BATCAVE but I ran across the whole thing on YouTube today. Out of all of the actors who auditioned for BATMAN in what would become the biggest TV series of 1966 (reportedly including square-jawed future Tarzan Mike Henry), Lyle Waggoner was supposedly the favorite. He looks good here, especially in the early version of the costume. Better than his Robin, one Peter Deyell. The handsome Waggoner would coast for a few more years as he became the announcer and resident hunk on THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW. He eventually got his own chance at the camp super hero genre as WONDER WOMAN's "Steve Trevor" in the late seventies. Peter Deyell became a behind the scenes utility guy working in make-up, producing and all other aspects of the film industry on projects ranging from THE PLANET OF THE APES to cult favorite MASSACRE AT CENTRAL HIGH. Thus it was instead Adam West and Burt Ward whose careers were skyrocketed and eventually shot down by the bizarre success of the TV Caped Crusader.