RIP Adam West

Adam West has passed away at the age of 88 due to leukemia.

Best known for playing the titular Batman in the campy ’60s TV adaptation, and second best known for playing a wacky version of himself on ‘Family Guy.’ He was a talented comedian and a better actor than he got credit for.

West himself had this to say about his most famous role: “The tone of our first show […] was one of absurdity and tongue in cheek to the point that I found it irresistible […] You can’t play Batman in a serious, square-jawed, straight-ahead way without giving the audience the sense that there’s something behind that mask waiting to get out, that he’s a little crazed, he’s strange.”

After Batman became his breakout role, he had trouble with typecasting and ended up playing him multiple times on other shows from the ’70s to the ’90s. Despite his struggle to find work, he remained optimistic and wasn’t sorry for having taken the role. He was glad for the love and support of his fans, stating at Comic-Con: “I look around and I see the adults–I see you grew up with me, and you believe in the adventure. I never believed this would happen, that I would be up here with illustrious people like yourselves. I’m so grateful! I’m the luckiest actor in the world, folks, to have you still hanging around.”

After a long and fruitful life, he “died peacefully surrounded by his family.” What a way to go. We’ll miss you, Mr. West.

Source: Hollywoodreporter.com