Cesar Romero, Frank Gorshin, Julie Newmar and the Stars Who Made ‘Batman’ Villains Iconic

Colorful, crazy, and at times downright comical, these felonious sorts fit in perfectly with Batman‘s high-energy, low-budget approach to action, which was balanced by the stone-faced gravitas of Batman (Adam West) and sidekick Robin (Burt Ward).

And while they surely seem tame by today’s superhero-show standards, at the time of Batman‘s run, this crew’s fondness for bloodless burglary and other underworldly activities was enough to keep fans tuning in to the same bat time and same bat station! It didn’t hurt that most of the over-the-top outlaws were played by well-known stars from stage, screen, and lounge acts.