In the 60's there was a short lived but popular television show that was based on the batman comic books of the 1940's and 50's. The show aired on the ABC network from January of 1966 until March of 1968, and was one of the only shows to air twice weekly during it's existence. 120 episodes were produced during the two and a half year life of the show (due to the fact that the show aired twice weekly). This many episodes is equivalent to 5 regular seasons for most other shows. The TV series is still seen by many as the truest representation of the Batman featured in the original DC comic books. For this reason the TV series is a favorite of many die-hard Batman fanatics.
Most of the main characters and plot concepts that appeared on the show came from the original comic book series including Robin (Batman's sidekick), Alfred (Batman's butler), villains like the Joker, and the fictional setting of Gotham City.
The TV series ended in the spring of 1968 due to contract negotiation issues between ABC and and the creators of the show. The network wanted to eliminate the characters of Robin and Chief O'Hara (Gotham city's police chief). They then wanted to replace these characters by making "Batgirl" the main ally of Batman. This idea was not supported by some of the actors and primary creators of the show. For this reason an agreement was not reached and thus the show was cancelled, and the sets deconstructed. Later NBC network expressed interest in continuing the show with the original concept in tact. However cost issues involved with restarting the show kept this from ever becoming a reality.
During the height of the show's popularity many sports and entertainment celebrities made cameos during episodes. Some celebrities would play a villain for an episode, while others would make an appearance by popping their head out of a window and talking to Batman while he was climbing up a building. These cameos contributed to the popularity at the time, and now they add to the nostalgia of watching the old Batman TV series episodes.
