Batman X 2

I had long heard that Lyle Waggoner was the other choice to play Batman in the 60's TV series but I only recently saw his screen test for the part. I think after watching both his and Adam West's audition the producers clearly made the right decision. Waggoner isn't bad but he's far too serious in the role. West on the other hand has a suave debonair quality that makes him quite believable as a millionaire playboy who also happens to be a secret crime fighter.





I think the producers also made the right call on Robin. Peter Deyell does look more like a 14-year old, the Robin character's age in the comics, but his acting ability is positively painful. Not to mention his voice sounds like he is constantly on the cusp of puberty and about to crack at any moment.

Other TV Casting Trivia

• The role of Robert Petrie was between Dick Van Dyke and a young game show host named Johnny Carson.
  
• On The Addams Family, John Astin originally auditioned for Lurch and David Cassidy auditioned for Gomez. Carolyn Jones was only the producer's 3rd choice to play Morticia but was cast because she was the bigger star.
  
• Gilligan's Island creator Sherwood Schwartz wanted Jerry Van Dyke to play Gilligan but Dyke turned it down. He also turned down the part of the deputy on The Andy Griffith Show. Dyke would later take the lead role in My Mother The Car.