Frank Gorshin

[CBright7831]

Batman's Riddler, Frank Gorshin, dead

 

Talented impressionist played George Burns on B'way

 

Wednesday, May 18, 2005 Posted: 1:37 PM EDT (1737 GMT)

 

BURBANK, California (AP) -- Actor Frank Gorshin, the impressionist with 100 faces best known for his Emmy-nominated role as the Riddler on the old "Batman" television series, has died. He was 72.

 

Gorshin's wife of 48 years, Christina, was at his side when he died Tuesday at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, his agent and longtime friend, Fred Wostbrock, said Wednesday.

 

"He put up a valiant fight with lung cancer, emphysema and pneumonia," Mrs. Gorshin said in a statement.

 

Despite dozens of television and movie credits, Gorshin will be forever remembered for his role as the Riddler, Adam West's villainous foil in the question mark-pocked green suit and bowler hat on "Batman" from 1966-69.

 

"It really was a catalyst for me," Gorshin recalled in a 2002 Associated Press interview. "I was nobody. I had done some guest shots here and there. But after I did that, I became a headliner in Vegas, so I can't put it down."

 

West said the death of his longtime friend was a big loss.

 

"Frank will be missed," West said in a statement. "He was a friend and fascinating character."

 

Gorshin earned another Emmy nomination for a guest shot on "Star Trek."

 

In 2002, Gorshin portrayed George Burns on Broadway in the one-man show "Say Goodnight Gracie." He used only a little makeup and no prosthetics.

 

"I don't know how to explain it. It just comes," he said. "I wish I could say, 'This is step A, B and C.' But I can't do that. I do it, you know. The ironic thing is I've done impressions all my life -- I never did George Burns."

 

Gorshin's final performance will be broadcast on Thursday's CBS-TV series "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation."

 

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/05/18/o...n.ap/index.html

[JST]

[CBright7831]

It's sad hearing about people whom you grew up watching die.

 

I really hope one day the batman series will be released on DVD.

[Bruiser Chong]

Dammit. You knew it had to happen eventually, but when I saw the title of the thread from the main page, I knew it had to be this. RIP Frank.

[DrVenkman PhD]

Man that would suck if he's the victim that dies on CSI in his last TV appearance.

 

I'll remember him for the last TV role I saw him in... himself, as the villain in that Adam West / Burt Ward movie from 2003.

 

They really should release Batman on box set DVDs.

[SuperJerk]

^That TV movie was just released on DVD this week I think.^

 

He was also the half-black/half-white alien from the STAR TREK episode.

 

Great guy and impressionist. Rumor had it when he was beamed up to the Enterprise while filming a scene for that episode, he "beamed up" as James Cagney.

[Ravenbomb]

Whoa, the old Batman series got nominated for an Emmy?

[Bruiser Chong]

Not surprising since it was a HUGE hit its premiere season. Everyone wanted to be on Batman.

[Ravenbomb]

Not surprising since it was a HUGE hit its premiere season. Everyone wanted to be on Batman.

Man, that kinda seems weird now...

[CBright7831]

Whoa, the old Batman series got nominated for an Emmy?

It got nominated for 3 to be exact.