Burt Ward was stunned when his pal of over 50 years, Adam West, suddenly died.
It was June 9, 2017, and the actor, who starred as the Caped Crusader in the 1960s TV series “Batman,” died following a short battle with leukemia. He was 88.
“It wasn’t supposed to happen,” Ward, who played his trusty sidekick Robin, The Boy Wonder, insisted to Fox News Digital. The 77-year-old was shaken by the news, as they made an appearance together at a signing just three weeks before, he said. West was such a fast walker that Ward could barely keep up with him at the time.
West was in good spirits, Ward recalled.
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Adam West, left, died June 9, 2017. (Silver Screen Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
“This really bothered me,” Ward explained. “His death – this shouldn’t have happened. I knew Adam was not feeling well. He had gone to the hospital for some tests. I later learned that he had leukemia. But I truly believed he had many years ahead of him.”
“After he died, I continued with the rest of our tour because it had already been pre-booked all across the country,” he shared. “As I signed autographs and met fans, I would look over to my right. There was that other table with an empty chair. That was tough. I was just so heartbroken. He was always busy doing stuff. He always made plans for the future. I don’t think anyone expected him to be gone so quickly. I certainly wasn’t expecting it.”
“Batman” lasted nearly three seasons, from 1966 to 1968. However, the campy superhero sitcom was a cultural phenomenon, kicking off a big-budget film franchise that still rules Hollywood today. Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christen Bale, Robert Pattinson and Ben Affleck have all played Batman on the big screen.
Burt Ward was just 20 years old when he signed on for the role of a lifetime. (Avalon/Getty Images)
West and Ward became fast friends on set. They supported each other over the years, long after the series came to an end.
“We could just sit down and not have anything to talk about, and within minutes, we were just laughing, reminiscing, talking about current events and remembering the good times,” said Ward. “Whenever he came over to my house, we just had the greatest time. My wife adored him. I remember when he first met her, and he was just so gracious. We hugged, and he just admired the beautiful diamond ring I got her. He was truly the funniest, nicest guy. Gosh, just thinking about him. I miss him so much. He should be here.”
Ward was just 20 years old when he met the actor, then 37, at the sound stage of 20th Century Fox. The rest of the crew were in their 50s and 60s.
Burt Ward, right, said he and Adam West became fast friends on set. (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
“When I got the series, I had to co-sign with my parents because, in California, it was illegal for a 20-year-old person to be bound by a contract without their parent’s signature,” Ward explained. “Adam was the closest person in age to me, and he just became an incredibly great friend. In 15 minutes, I got to know him. We were two peas in a pod that very first day we met. Within 10 minutes, we were laughing, not knowing how much our lives were going to change.”
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“My gosh, he was so funny,” Ward chuckled. “Adam had a way of saying things that had a double meaning. And I just found it hilarious. I remembered we would even meet up on weekends when we weren’t filming to play tennis. I think one of the many reasons why ‘Batman’ was so successful was because the friendship was so genuine.”
West once quipped that his character was constantly moving because his costume was so itchy. Laughing, Ward said it was true.
Burt Ward detailed the struggles of playing a trusty sidekick in costume. (Getty Images)
“I have never been more uncomfortable in my entire life!” he exclaimed. “Every part of my body itched, pinched, or hurt. My mask touched my eyelashes all the time, which became so distracting. The vest was made out of this itchy wool that went through my skin. The cape must have been 15 pounds and pulled my head back. I had to constantly tilt my head forward to keep it straight.”
“And those tights? The wardrobe department didn’t like the color of those tights, so they dyed them,” he shared. “Zero air went through them and they became thicker. Within five minutes, they were filled with sweat. My shoes weren’t the right size and pinched every time I made a step. I almost broke my neck falling down because I only saw what was ahead of me directly. I couldn’t see below me, above me, left or right. That mask was like looking through binoculars.”
“Batman” became a hit within the first year of its debut. The era’s top actors eagerly signed up to play villains.
Burt Ward, left, and Adam West of “Batman” were honored for their roles as Batman and Robin. (Jason Merritt/FilmMagic)
“There weren’t enough roles for all the stars who wanted to be on ‘Batman,’” said Ward. “I would come in one day and there was Sammy Davis Jr. The next day, Jerry Lewis. Another day, Dick Clark. The list was on and on. Even the older stars that were way before my time wanted to be a part of it. Tallulah Bankhead, George Raft – all these people I grew up watching wanted to be a part of ‘Batman’ too. Vincent Price? I was so scared of him as a kid. But he was just the nicest guy to everyone.”
One of them was his neighbor – Bruce Lee.
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Bruce Lee was cast as Kato in “The Green Hornet.” (Getty Images)
“He and I lived in the same complex,” Ward explained. “We became friends and we would even spar together. We used to go to Chinatown. I remember there was one time he was with his wife Linda and their son Brandon, who was 6 months old at the time. We had dinner and Bruce, who had lived in Hong Kong, ordered everything that wasn’t on the menu. We got along great. And the same executive producer of ‘Batman’ got a deal to produce ‘The Green Hornet.’ He was cast as Kato. The first fight scene of his career was fighting me on ‘Batman.’”
Burt Ward said he lived in the same complex as Bruce Lee, pictured here. (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
“Bruce and I were very good friends,” Ward continued. “It wasn’t as close as it was with Adam because I saw Adam every day. But I remember Bruce having such a great personality. He was very funny and charismatic. He was sharp and my gosh, he was dedicated to fitness. He would train eight hours a day. I had never seen anybody train so much. But he was the real deal. Everything he did had to be amazing.”
Another star who made an unforgettable impression was Julie Newmar, who played the first Catwoman in the series.
Adam West and Julie Newmar during the 2006 TV Land Awards. ( Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
“Julie and Adam were giants,” Ward explained. “And Julie was even taller in her heels. I remember [the producers] wanted to make me look even smaller, so they cut the heels off the back of my boots. But I loved Julie. She was always very nice. She was unpredictable, and so was Adam. So you just never knew what they were going to do or say on set. They each would suddenly have a zinger. But I got along with them great. I was really like a kid in a candy store.”
Actress Julie Newmar played the first Catwoman in “Batman.” (Getty Images)
Both West and Ward became forever associated with their roles. West initially chafed as being typecast after “Batman” went off the air. However, in later years, he embraced the character and the show’s legacy. He and Ward became familiar faces at conventions where they happily interacted with fans.
In 2012, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Ward previously told Fox News Digital that he was considered for the leading role in 1967’s “The Graduate.” However, he was told that the network did not want him to pursue the film. Dustin Hoffman went on to star in the drama opposite Anne Bancroft.
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Burt Ward, seen here in 2003 with his daughter and their Great Danes, in Norco, one of California’s last Western towns. (Paul Harris/Getty Images)
After fighting crime in Gotham City, Ward transformed himself into the Canine Crusader. He and his wife opened a non-profit to save dogs, Gentle Giants Rescue, in California. He also developed Gentle Giants Dog Food.
Burt Ward was honored with a star on the Walk of Fame in 2020. (Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)
“I’ve lived a very fortunate life,” he reflected. “We as a country and as a world, we’ve got to do better. We all have to better our game and do great things. … My wife and I wanted to make a difference. … Life is the most precious commodity in the world. There’s nothing more precious than life.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com.
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