Adam West, the US actor best known as the star of the 1960s hit TV series Batman, has died aged 88.
West died peacefully in Los Angeles after a “short but brave battle” with leukaemia, a family spokesperson said.
His tongue-in-cheek portrayal of Batman and the superhero’s alter ego Bruce Wayne won a cult following.
He later struggled to find big acting roles, but won a new generation of fans in more recent times after joining the cast of Family Guy.
First appearing in season two in 2002, he voiced Quahog’s eccentric Mayor Adam West, described by series creator Seth MacFarlane as an “alternate universe”, satirized version of the actor.
MacFarlane paid tribute to the star on Twitter, saying he had “lost a friend” and described West as “irreplaceable”.
West’s family said in a statement: “Our dad always saw himself as The Bright Knight, and aspired to make a positive impact on his fans’ lives. He was and always will be our hero.”
The Batman TV series, with its onscreen fight-scene graphics of Wham! and Pow! became an unexpected hit. West and his co-star Burt Ward, who played Batman’s sidekick Robin, won widespread acclaim for their kitsch portrayal of the Dynamic Duo. BBC
