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For this Catwoman, watching Batman and Robin’s bond grow on set was pure purr-fection.
Julie Newmar, who played the feline villain in the ‘60s series “Batman,” told Fox News Digital that Burt Ward was a real catch to play the Caped Crusader’s trusty sidekick. She starred alongside Adam West as superhero Batman, and Ward as Robin the Boy Wonder.
“Give the producer William Dozier and 20th Century Fox credit for making the absolutely perfect decision to cast Burt Ward as Robin,” said Newmar.
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Julie Newmar is seen here as Catwoman in the TV series “Batman,” circa 1966. (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)
“He even annoyed Adam West a bit — not out of malice, but out of the sheer admiration one has for an adored [hero].”
“Batman, watch his copy-cat behavior,” Newmar shared, referring to Ward perfectly keeping up with West.
“Burt is sublime as Robin,” Newmar gushed. “The studio got him at a bargain weekly price, but Burt capitalized admirably on this lucky break.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Ward, 80, for comment.
Newmar’s statement came after Ward was recently asked by Remind Magazine about his favorite Catwoman.
From left: Burgess Meredith playing the Penguin, Cesar Romero playing the Joker, Burt Ward playing Robin, Adam West playing Batman and Julie Newmar playing Catwoman, circa 1966. (Mondadori Portfolio by Getty Images)
“I like all of them,” Ward insisted to the outlet. “They all brought something different, and all did a great job.”
“Batman” ran for three seasons from 1966 to 1968, People magazine reported. According to the outlet, Newmar starred in 13 episodes. Lee Meriwether and Eartha Kitt went on to slip into the iconic curve-hugging catsuit for the campy sitcom.
Ward landed his iconic role with his first-ever audition in 1965, People shared.
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“Every episode included somebody that I idolized, either by watching them in movie theaters or on TV,” Ward told Remind magazine. “Everyone was a superstar to me, and they were incredibly nice. In fact, I learned a kind of famous phrase: ‘The bigger they are, the nicer they are.’”
Julie Newmar told Fox News Digital that Burt Ward (right) greatly admired Adam West from the very beginning. (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
“Now I’m not sure about today’s world,” Ward admitted. “But back then, it was the integrity and professionalism; everyone knew their lines perfectly. They were on time. They never missed a take, and it was just a level of precision. It was awesome to watch as a young actor.”
After becoming fast friends on set, Ward and West supported each other over the years, long after the series came to an end.
American actors Adam West as Bruce Wayne/Batman and Burt Ward as Dick Grayson/Robin in the TV series “Batman.” The two stars became fast friends on set. (Silver Screen Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
“We could just sit down and not have anything to talk about, and within minutes, we were just laughing, reminiscing, talking about current events and remembering the good times,” Ward recalled to Fox News Digital in 2023.
Burt Ward and Adam West of “Batman,” honored on its 40th anniversary. West died in 2017 at age 88. (Jason Merritt/FilmMagic/Getty Images)
“Whenever [West] came over to my house, we just had the greatest time,” he shared. “My wife adored him. I remember when he first met her, and he was just so gracious…. He was truly the funniest, nicest guy. Gosh, just thinking about him, I miss him so much. He should be here.”
West died in 2017 at age 88. Ward now dedicates his time to animal rescue work.
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Julie Newmar’s legs were insured for $10 million. (Screen Archives/Getty Images)
Newmar landed her first role on Broadway at age 19 with “Silk Stockings.” Making her mark in both films and on stage, Newmar’s legs were insured for $10 million. Newmar’s coveted costume as Catwoman, which was designed for her hourglass figure, was donated to the Smithsonian.
Back in 2017, Newmar told Fox News Digital that nabbing the role of Catwoman was surprisingly simple.
Julie Newmar said she didn’t have to audition for the role of Catwoman in Batman. (Getty Images)
“Well, there was no audition at all,” she purred at the time. “They were desperate. Television is a fast and furious business… It took only a weekend between whoever said, ‘Can you show up on Monday?’ and my brother, who had come down from Harvard with his friends to New York, where I was living, to practically push me onto a plane. By Tuesday, I was fitting into costumes. It happened so fast.”
Julie Newmar’s Catwoman costume was specifically designed for her hourglass figure. (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)
And Newmar’s relationship with Batman and Robin endured even after the show came to an end.
“I love them,” she said. “They’re very dear to me, they’ve become dearer over time. It was a wonderful casting… And I still don’t think there has been a better Batman.”
Julie Newmar happily embraced the title of femme fatale. (PictureLux / The Hollywood Archive/ALAMY)
Newmar cemented her femme fatale status in film, television and Broadway. She insisted that the title was practically made for her.
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From left: Eartha Kitt, Julie Newmar and Lee Meriwether. All three women played Catwoman. Kitt died in 2008 at age 81. (SGranitz/WireImage/Getty Images)
“I’m tall. I tend to stick out,” said Newmar. “And I like the moniker. Maybe a little too much… [as for] sex symbol? Well, you have to be one to begin with. [It starts with] good habits, I would say. Good health. And a certain goodness.”
Newmar later put Hollywood on hold to focus on writing, crediting the self-help book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” as a major influence throughout her life. She also keeps busy tending to her lavish garden and connecting with fans on social media.
Julie Newmar attends the 3rd Annual CatCon at Pasadena Convention Center on August 12, 2017, in Pasadena, California. (Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images)
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“I prided myself on leaving the party early,” she said. “There’ll be many Catwomen… It’ll be done over and over again, like the opera ‘Carmen.’”