OTHER TECH

Who's the best Batman? I would have to say it's - what's his name? Adam West! He's the best. [laughs] I'm sorry, but I find it irresistible not to include myself. In all seriousness, though, my Batman was entirely different from all the other incarnations. The TV series was pretty much all tongue-in-cheek, rueful silliness. The other guys who've played Batman - and I'm not trying to be politic - have their own viewpoints about the character.

The series was on the air for only three seasons, but it had a huge influence. Why? Well, it was in color and, for the time, produced very expensively - probably one of the most expensive shows in TV history. Much of the credit goes to our remarkable list of guest villains - which was put together by our executive producer, Bill Dozier, who had a great knack for finding talent.

What an incredible experience it must have been. It was very nerve-racking and yet, you're right, it was a great experience. I'd done a series before called The Detectives, but the challenges of playing Batman in costume and making it both fun and interesting were a little difficult.

Batman is one of the few TV series not on DVD. I'm glad you mentioned that. I've heard that the shows will be released on DVD and that I'll be asked to do something for them. But then I hear that there's some kind of legal entanglement. I don't really know who owns the series and why they're holding it back, especially when I get so many e-mails and fan letters asking for it.

What would be a neat extra? A visit with some of our writers and directors, and maybe a prop guy - even a best boy, someone who made the coffee and was there the whole time. But there aren't many of our villains still alive. Most of those great performers are gone, so it might be hard to reach them.

How did you get involved with Family Guy? My agent got a call from [series creator] Seth MacFarlane and his partner - they'd written a pilot for me a couple of years before - and they thought I'd be a good mayor for Quahog. I read the script, fell down laughing, and said yes.

Have you seen the Mayor West action figure? Unfortunately, yes. [laughs] I can laugh at it, that's all - and it is nice when they send the money.