Batgirl has passed

trr1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
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Before Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman, before Joanna Cameron's Isis, before Scarlett Johannsson's Black Widow, Yvonne Craig was a pioneer of female superheroes on screen.

As an actress, she originated the role of Batgirl in the 1960s "Batman" television series. As a trained dancer, she did her own stunts.


Craig died this week after a long two-year battle with breast cancer. She was 78.

The cancer metastasized to her liver, and she died Monday in her home in Pacific Palisades.

"She had been in chemo almost continuously for the past two plus years since being diagnosed and that had weakened her immune system as well as her body," her family said in a statement late Tuesday night.

"This didn't dampen her sense of humor or her spirit, she intended to fight and win this battle. In the end, her mind still wanted to fight but her body had given up."

Craig originated the role of Batgirl in the show's third and final season in 1967, kapowing and zzonking the bad guys alongside Adam West and Burt Ward's dynamic duo of Batman and Robin.

"I hear from women that I was their role model," she told CNN in an interview earlier this year. "'When I was a little girl, I realized that girls could kick butt just like guys,' [they'd say]."

She also had a memorable role as the green-skinned Orion slave girl Marta who wanted to kill Captain Kirk in a third-season episode of "Star Trek."

But even beyond those two well-remembered roles, Craig had a long and illustrious career that began as the youngest member of a ballet company.




Accidental actress


In an interview with CNN earlier this year, Craig explained how she got into acting while she was still touring as a dancer.

"I was invited to dinner by a man who was a producer, who wanted to put me in movies and I said I wasn't interested," she said.

"[Director] John Ford's son walked by and asked 'Excuse me, are you an actress?' And as I shook my head and tried to swallow, [the producer said], 'She is and I'm her manager. What can I do for you?' Typical Hollywood.

"They were doing a movie with John Wayne's son Patrick, and they were looking for a leading lady. And I became it."

That was 1959's "The Young Land."

She went on to appear in several films, including two with Elvis Presley -- "It Happened at the World's Fair" and "Kissin' Cousins."

She then parlayed her success into television roles, guest starring in several series, most notably several episodes of "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" and "77 Sunset Strip."

Then came her role as Batgirl.



A hero is born


DC Comics was asked to create a new Batgirl to help get the show a third season, and Commissioner Gordon's daughter, Barbara, took on the identity of the newest masked avenger in Gotham City, both on TV and in the comic books.

"It was a wonderful experience," Craig said.

As Batgirl, Yvonne Craig fought for equal pay

"The crew liked one another, the cast liked one another. It doesn't happen often, and when it does, it's a joy to go to work every day. I got to work with people that I would never have the chance to work with. We had Ethel Merman, I would never have met Milton Berle, I got to work with him, and he was a delight."

Craig described the characters of Barbara Gordon and Batgirl as "very close to who I am."
"Yvonne was a very, very sweet person who had a love of animals. She was a very spirited happy energetic person. When she entered the room, everything seemed to light up. It was a tragic loss," said her co-star Burt Ward, who portrayed Robin.
 

prberk

Well-Known Member
What a nice interview. Thanks for posting this.

I really enjoyed the orginal Batman series growing up. This interview just affirms what seems obvious and what others have said: they really had fun on that set, and seemed to have a comeraderie that is rare. Caesar Romero, who played the Joker on the series, said at one time that they really had fun on that show, and kept it light on purpose. A stark contrast to the way Batman is portrayed on the subsequent movies.

Anyway, I do remember Batgirl, and I am glad to hear that she was such a pleasant person. And I am glad now that she is out of her pain. Thoughts and prayers for her family.
 

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