Burt Ward, “Robin” in 1960s Batman TV Series
Today, my guest is Burt Ward, who is most famous for having played “Robin” in the 1960’s Batman TV Series. As a teenager, Burt was an all-around athlete, strong in martial arts, wrestling, track, tennis and golf, and combined with a sharp intellect, played chess for Beverly Hills High School, achieved placement in the top 3% in the U.S. in math and science tests at UCLA, and became the world’s fastest reader, testing before the American Medical Society where he was clocked at 30,000 words per minute with 90% comprehension.
Burt beat out more 1,100 applicants who tried out for the role of Robin and Executive Producer, William Dozier, told Burt that he was chosen because he believed that “If there really was a real ‘Robin, The Boy Wonder,’ then Burt would be it,” so they requested him to “just be himself and be enthusiastic.” Needless to say, Batman was an overnight sensation.
Since the show, Burt Ward and Adam West have made hundreds of personal appearances together and were featured in dozens of magazine articles, including the cover of Life magazine. Since Batman, Burt Ward and Adam West continued to do movies, TV shows and appearances, individually and together, until Adam’s death, and have had a lifetime of more than 50 years of friendship working together, and have even been submitted to the Guinness Book of World records in 2017 as the only two actors who have worked together for more than 50 years.
Today, Burt and his wife Tracy have dedicated their life to helping animals with Gentle Giants Rescue and Adoptions where they have developed and sell Natural Gentle Giants World Class Canine Nutrition Dog Food all around the world and which has helped dogs to live as long as 27 years.
In this candid conversation, Burt shared the real stories behind his iconic role as Robin, the hidden dangers of the Batman set, and his lifelong mission to save giant breed dogs.
1. The Accidental Superhero. Burt revealed that despite having no professional television audition experience, he landed the role of Robin out of 1,100 applicants. After a Hollywood producer spotted him helping his father sell real estate, he was eventually sent to Fox for a screen test. The producers ultimately chose him not for his acting experience, but because he naturally embodied the character, telling him to simply “be yourself and be enthusiastic”.
2. A Dangerous Gotham. While the show looked like lighthearted fun on television, the reality on set was incredibly dangerous. Burt ended up in the emergency room four out of his first six days of filming due to explosions, a broken nose, and second-degree burns. Because his stunt double didn’t look like him, Burt was forced to perform terrifying stunts himself—including holding onto the Batmobile at 55 miles per hour without a seatbelt and jumping onto a 70-foot bat-pole with no safety net below.
3. Chemistry and Comedy with Adam West. Burt credits much of the show’s massive success to his instant, natural chemistry with Adam West. The two never stopped laughing during their initial screen test and maintained that joyful dynamic throughout the series. Adam constantly caught Burt off guard with his unpredictable humor and double entendres, which notoriously caused them to break character but successfully attracted a massive college and teenage audience to the show.
4. The Canine Crusader. Transitioning from the Caped Crusader to the “Canine Crusader,” Burt and his wife now run the world’s largest giant breed dog rescue, having saved over 15,500 dogs. Driven by charity rather than profit, they developed a specialized, non-GMO pet food that has remarkably extended the lifespans of these massive dogs, allowing some to live as long as 27.5 years. Today, he is also building a state-of-the-art studio to create positive, family-friendly entertainment featuring his own crime-fighting rescue dogs.
