Burt Ward, Seth Green, Julie Newmar Remember Adam West: ‘He Was Truly the Bright Knight’

Burt Ward and Adam West worked together only for a few years on ABC’s “Batman,” but their friendship lasted a half-century.

Ward, who played Robin to West’s Batman on the 1966-68 series, said Saturday he was devastated by the passing of his friend and co-star, who died Friday of leukemia at 88. The two last saw each other about two weeks ago when they traveled to the East Coast together for an autograph show.

“I am devastated at the loss of one my very dearest friends,” Ward said in a statement. “Adam and I had a special friendship for more than 50 years. We shared some of the most fun times of our lives together. Our families have deep love and respect for each other. This is a terribly unexpected loss of my lifelong friend. I will forever miss him. There are several fine actors who have portrayed Batman in films. In my eyes, there was only one real Batman that is and always will be Adam West. He was truly the Bright Night.”

Seth Green worked with Ward as a voice actor on Fox’s “Family Guy,” on which West long voiced the unctuous Mayor Adam West character, and on Green’s Adult Swim animated comedy “Robot Chicken.”

“He was a true hero of mine — grew up watching him as Batman, and got the privilege of both working with and directing him,” Green said. “He’s generous and always classy. Very sad to think of the world without our beloved Mayor. How lucky we are he left so much behind.”

Julie Newmar, who co-starred with West and Ward as Catwoman on “Batman,” echoed Green’s sentiments.

“Stellar, exemplar, a king to the end,” Newmar said. “He was bright, witty and fun to work with. I will miss him in the physical world and savor him always in the world of imagination and creativity. He meant so much to people. A friend said: ‘The father that we wanted.’ That is a great gift, no matter how you live it.”

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