Batman: The Animated Series (1992)
Catwoman makes a welcome return to TV, and in class!
Catwoman has undergone many changes since she made her film debut in 1966’s Batman series. She was portrayed as a villain until the 1990s, when viewers got to see more of a sympathetic side to the character.
Not only did this take place in Batman Returns, but in Batman: The Animated Series. Both the movie and the TV series would debut in 1992. And this time, viewers got to see not only Catwoman, but her alter ego, Selina Kyle. Furthermore, she was no longer some silly female stereotype villain, but someone who could generate a lot of sympathy.
For this role, the producers brought in veteran actress Adrienne Barbeau for the role. Ms. Barbeau, who has begn acting roughly 30 years before, proved to be incredibly well matched for the role. She brought a real flair to the role. Indeed, Catwoman has been her longest-running role to date, since she has also acted in The New Batman Adventures (1997-99) and the Web-based series Gotham Girls.
Her episodes are:
- “The Cat and the Claw: Part 1,” airing 5 September 1992.
- “The Cat and the Claw, Part 2,” airing 12 September 1992.
- “Perchance to Dream,” airing 19 October 1992.
- “Tyger, Tyger,” airing 30 October 1992.
- “Cat Scratch Fever,” airing 5 November 1992.
- “Almost Got ’im,” airing 10 November 1992.
- “Batgirl Returns,” airing 12 November 1994.
- “Catwalk,” airing 13 September 1995.
Batman: The Animated Series ran for three years on FOX. This series, which also starred Kevin Conroy, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (The FBI, 77 Sunset Strip), Loren Lester and Bob Hastings, is regarded as the best Batman animated series to date, and one of the very best comic book animated shows ever produced.
Batman: The Animated Series has a fan site: http://www.batmantas.com/
And Catwoman wasn’t alone, either …
Zatanna finally made her animated series debut in the episode entitled “Zatanna.” Julie Brown (b. 31 August 1958) provided the voice of the magician billed here as Bruce Wayne’s magician girlfriend.
