William West Anderson (September 19, 1928 – June 9, 2017), known as Adam West, was an American actor. He portrayed Batman in the 1960s ABC series of the same name and its 1966 theatrical feature film, reprising the role in various media until 2017. Making his film debut in the 1950s, West starred opposite Chuck Connors in Geronimo (1962) and The Three Stooges in The Outlaws Is Coming (1965), and also appeared in the science fiction film Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964).
He voiced parodied versions of himself in the animated television sitcoms The Fairly OddParents (2003–2008), The Simpsons (1992, 2002), and Family Guy (2000–2019). In the last of these, he played Mayor Adam West between the second and seventeenth seasons. He received a television star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Early life
Adam West was born William West Anderson on September 19, 1928, in Walla Walla, Washington. His father, Otto Anderson (1903–1984) was a farmer descending from Scania in southern Sweden; and his mother, Audrey Volenne (née Speer; 1906–1969) was an opera singer and concert pianist who left her Hollywood dreams to care for her family Following her example, as a young man West told his father that he intended to go to Hollywood after completing school. He moved to Seattle with his mother when he was 15, following his parents' divorce.
West attended Walla Walla High School during his freshman and sophomore years and later enrolled in Lakeside School in Seattle. He attended Whitman College but studied at the University of Puget Sound during the fall semester of 1949. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in literature and a minor in psychology from Whitman College, where he was a member of the Gamma Zeta Chapter of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He also participated on the speech and debate team.
Drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War, he served as an announcer on American Forces Network television. After his discharge, he worked as a milkman before moving to Hawaii to pursue a career in television.
1960s–1980s
On January 10, 1961, West appeared as a young, ambitious deputy who foolishly confronts a gunfighter named Clay Jackson, portrayed by Jock Mahoney, in the episode "The Man from Kansas" of the NBC Western series Laramie. He played Christopher Rolf in the episode "Stopover" of ABC's The Rifleman, which aired on April 25, 1961.
West made two guest appearances on Perry Mason in 1961 and 1962. His first role was as small-town journalist Dan Southern in "The Case of the Barefaced Witness". His other role was as folk singer Pete Norland in "The Case of the Bogus Books".
In 1959-1962 he became a regular on the American television series Robert Taylor's Detectives in its third season.
Batman
Producer William Dozier cast West as Bruce Wayne and his alter ego, Batman, in the television series Batman, in part after seeing West perform as the James Bond-like spy Captain Q in a Nestlé Quik commercial. He was in competition with Lyle Waggoner for the Batman role.
The popular campy show ran on ABC from 1966 to 1968; a feature-length film version directed by Leslie H. Martinson was released in 1966.
In 1966, West released a novelty song Miranda as his Batman character.
Also in character, West appeared in a public service announcement in which he encouraged schoolchildren to heed then-President Lyndon B. Johnson's call for them to buy U.S. savings stamps, a children's version of U.S. savings bonds, to support the Vietnam War.
Personal life
West was married three times. His first marriage was to his college girlfriend Billie Lou Yeager in 1950. The couple divorced six years later. In 1957, he married Cook Island dancer Ngatokorua Frisbie Dawson, part of the Puka Puka Otea in Hawaii. They had two children before their divorce in 1962. West then married Marcelle Tagand Lear in November 1970. They had two children and remained together for more than 46 years, until West's death. West also had two step-children.
Death
On June 9, 2017, West died from leukemia in Los Angeles at the age of 88. In a statement, his former Batman co-star and longtime friend Burt Ward said:
Batman: The Animated Series actor Kevin Conroy (who performed alongside West in the episode "Beware the Gray Ghost") said:
On June 15, 2017, Los Angeles projected the Bat-Signal on City Hall as a tribute to West, and in his hometown of Walla Walla, Washington, the Bat-Signal was shone upon the landmark Whitman Tower.
If you want to read a lot more, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_West
- SERVES
- 6
- COOK TIME
- 4 Hr 10 Min
This easy Slow Cooker Baked Ziti is a perfect meal for those busy weeknights during the summer. Why the summer, you ask? Well, this delicious slow cooker recipe gives you fantastic Italian flavors, without you having to turn on your oven!
With slow cooker pasta bakes like this, you get to enjoy a delicious, hearty meal with very little work. It might sound a little...cheesy...but it just doesn't get better than that.
If you love a good slow cooker cheesy pasta bake, then our baked ziti that you can set up and leave is going to be your new go-to! Watch the video right below and then check out the written instructions and get ready for a tasty dinner!
- 1 (16-ounce) package ziti, uncooked
- 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 (24-ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
- Chopped fresh parsley for sprinkling
Slow Cooker Baked Ziti Directions:
- Coat a 5-quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray. Rinse uncooked pasta, drain, and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage, onion, and garlic 6 to 8 minutes or until browned; drain and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, eggs, 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and oregano; mix well.
- In the slow cooker, layer 2 cups sauce on the bottom, top with half the sausage mixture, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, half the ziti, and half the ricotta mixture. Repeat layers one more time. Top with remaining sauce and remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese on top.
- Cover and cook on low 4 to 5 hours, or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
2011 – The United States ends its "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, allowing gay men and women to serve openly for the first time.
On September 20th, Pepperoni Pizza Day recognizes the most popular pizza ever created. The day celebrates the pizza enjoyed by young and old alike.
While pizza comes with many different toppings, pepperoni is the single most popular pizza. Whether you like your pizza Chicago Style or New York Style, thin and crispy or deep dish, top it with pepperoni!
According to legend, Raffaele Esposito created the first pizza in June of 1889. The Queen of Italy, Margherita of Savoy, inspired the pizza maker so much, he created the pie-shaped delicacy. In the queen’s honor, he named it Pizza Margherita and topped the pizza with tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. The colors represent the Italian flag.
Since then, pizza has evolved. It includes a multitude of toppings from anchovies and pineapple to sausage and bacon. However, pepperoni remains the most popular.
Italian-Americans developed the ever-popular topping through time-honored sausage-making techniques. Seasoned pork and beef sausage are smoked and cured. Once the product is ready to be sliced, it’s placed on a delicious pie and baked.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Enjoy a slice of Pepperoni Pizza at your favorite pizzeria. Invite friends and family to share their recipes and make your own at home. Either way, the meal will be fantastic! You can also give a shout-out to your favorite pizzeria or buy a gift card for another pizza celebration. And who doesn’t like breaking world records, especially when it involves pizza? Check out these 5 Amazing Pizza Records! Can you break one of them?
