During the 1940s there were two Batman Serials made by Columbia Pictures, one in 1943 titled "Batman" and one in 1949 "Batman and Robin." Serials consisted of a bunch of 15-minute "chapters" that usually left you with a cliffhanger to keep you coming back the following week. The cost of admission was usually a nickel. These serials were based on the Batman and Detective Comics of that time (remember, Batman was created in 1939). Some of the ideas in the serials were actually adapted by the comics. The Batman serials had a bit of a "campy" appeal to them. One of the funniest things while you're watching them is that the Batmobile is nothing more than a regular car! With the budget they used to produce the films, make the costumes, and do the special effects, they really didn't have money left over to do anything fancy. On top of that, know one knew how the serials would go over. The only collectibles from the Serials are Lobby Cards, movie posters, and newspaper give-aways.

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1943 Batman

The 1943 Serial Batman starred Daka, a Japanese man, as the main villain. There is quite a bit of racism in this movie (mostly because it was around World War II when it was filmed and the Japanese weren't looked too highly upon), but Daka made the perfect villain for this time period. When it was later released on VHS, many of the racist things in it were removed. The "Bat's Cave" and entrance to it behind the grandfather clock were both introduced in this serial and would later be adapted into the Batman comics.


The Cast

Alfred - William Austin
Batman - Lewis Wilson
Daka - J. Carroll Naish
Linda Page - Shirley Patterson
Robin - Douglas Croft


1943 Batman Intro Theme

The Plot

Dr. Daka is using a mind-control device to make "zombie" servants out of people. He uses a carnival funhouse for his headquarters. Batman and Robin find out Daka is building a radium gun and must stop him. Dr. Daka kidnaps Ken Colton, a man who had just found a radium mine. As Batman and Robin race to Daka's funhouse, they learn that Linda Page is also a "zombie servant." They capture Daka and ask how to reverse the zombie-effect so Linda Page would return to normal. As Daka is tied up, he uses a knife to get loose and takes Linda as his prisoner. While Daka tries to escape, Batman tells Robin to flip the switch to the door that's the only exit from the hideout. Robin presses the wrong switch and a trap door opens. Daka falls to his doom in a pit of hungry alligators.

1. The Electrical Brain	9. The Sign of the Sphinx
2. The Bat's Cave	10. Flying Spies
3. The Mark of the Zombies	11. A Nipponese Trap
4. Slaves of the Rising Sun	12. Embers of Evil
5. The Living Corpse	13. Eight Steps Down
6. Poison Pearl	14. The Executioner Strikes
7. The Phony Doctor	15. The Doom of the Rising Sun
8. Lured by Radium

1949 Batman and Robin

In this serial, the Bat-Signal was used by the police for the first time to call Batman for help.


The Cast

Alfred - Eric Wilton
Batman - Robert Lowery
Professor Hamill - William Fawcett
Robin - John Duncan
The Wizard


1949 Batman Intro Theme

The Plot

Professor Hamill is developing a machine that can control vehicles and bring them to any destination desired by the operator. The machine is stolen, since it would be of great use to any criminal. Batman and Robin are called upon to help get the machine back. They soon learn that the machine runs on diamonds, and so they stake out a diamond store. Their instincts were right, and as the criminals arrive they are surprised when Batman and Robin burst on the scene. One of the criminals gets away while Batman and Robin are distracted fighting the rest of the hoodlums. The escapee brings the diamonds to The Wizard (the villain). The Wizard uses the machine to take over a train shipment of an explosive called X-90 and has his thugs take the explosive to the hideout. As Batman and Robin discover the hideout, actually under the professor's house, they learn that The Wizard is the twin brother of the professor's servant. They capture and turn him over to the authorities.

1. Batman Takes Over	9. The Wizard Strikes Back
2. Tunnel of Terror	10. Batman's Last Chance
3. Robin's Wild Ride	11. Robin's Ruse
4. Batman Trapped	12. Robin Rides the Wind
5. Robin Rescues Batman	13. The Wizard's Challenge
6. Target--Robin	14. Batman vs Wizard
7. The Fatal Blast	15. Batman Victorious
8. Robin Meets the Wizard

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