Burt Ward co-starred with Adam West to create an unforgettable show in the form of producer William Dozier’s Batman TV series in the ’60s. Ward played West’s sidekick in a domino mask and yellow cape, and viewers could easily note how seamlessly both actors complemented each other.
West and Ward had instant chemistry from the moment of their auditions, where they acted out a short dialogue sequence as Batman and Robin. “The casting of Robin was obviously very important to us…since he had to have the build and energy of a 15-year-old, but with adult sensibilities and wit to sell the character,” West noted in his autobiography.
The line that made Burt Ward the perfect Robin
West recalled his first screen test with Ward in his book, Back to the Batcave, and revealed the line that proved Ward perfect for Robin — “Holy Popcorn, Batman!”
“As Burt said that last line, he slammed his fist into his palm with punishing enthusiasm,” West wrote. “As he did, I knew Batman had a Robin.”
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Some footage from the audition can be found online, giving fans a glimpse into what would birth an outstanding delivery between superhero and sidekick. “The chemistry was right, Burt had nailed the character, and his Robin would be able to show all the youthful exuberance my Batman wouldn’t be able to,” West added.
Costume issues
Ward’s autobiography, Boy Wonder: My Life in Tights, revealed that playing Robin was tough because he had to do stunts himself — unlike West, whose face-covering costume allowed him have a double. He added that his member was too big for the tights, so he briefly took pills to “shrink me up.”
Thankfully, Ward decided to find a better alternative for fear of reproductive health issues. “I decided that they can probably keep me from having children,” he said. “I stopped doing that, and I just used my cape to cover it.” West had his share of costume mishaps as well, so “they put Turkish towels in his undershorts.”