Best original 'Batman' moments

"Holy smokes, Batman!" Adam West might be the best-known of the Batmen. His campy, over-the-top portrayal of the Worlds Greatest Detective led to the popularity of the 1966 to 1968 Batman television series and the first full-length feature film, "Batman: The Movie" in 1966. Later West would voice the character in "The New Adventures of Batman" and "Super Friends." Click through to see other actors who have played the Caped Crusader of Gotham City.

Lewis Wilson is famous for being the first actor to play Batman in live action in 1943's "Batman." He was the youngest and the least successful of all the Batmen.

Robert Lowery became the second person to portray the character in the 1949 movie serial, "Batman and Robin." Although he never played the character in another movie, he did guest star on an episode of "The Adventures of Superman." This was the first time a Batman actor and a Superman actor shared the screen.

Twenty years after Adam West's Batman came Michael Keaton in Tim Burton's 1989 "Batman." He played more of a dark, explosive Batman, the opposite of West's goofy type. Keaton's performance in the Tim Burton movie received favorable reviews, and he became the first actor to reprise the role in 1992's "Batman Returns" with Danny DeVito as the Penguin.

When the franchise changed directors, it also changed actors. Val Kilmer became one of the more forgettable Batmen in 1995's "Batman Forever." Director Joel Schumacher called Kilmer "childish and impossible" to work with. He was destined to be a one-term superhero and left the Batcave for good rather than filming "Batman & Robin."

Handsome, up-and-coming actor George Clooney was cast as the Caped Crusader in 1997's "Batman & Robin." The film received some of the worst reviews, and Clooney once joked that he helped to kill the franchise. Although the film did nothing to hurt Clooney's career, it frequently is cited among one of the worst films of all time. Chris O'Donnell, left, portrayed Robin.

After the disaster of "Batman & Robin," the franchise was destined to remain a joke until director Christopher Nolan came along to reinvent the role and finally make the Dark Knight, well, dark. Christian Bale became the new Batman in 2005's "Batman Begins," 2008's "The Dark Knight" and finally "The Dark Knight Rises" in 2012. Though the films were extremely successful, Bale's Batman voice was often criticized and would get even more gravelly and bizarre throughout the three films.

Ben Affleck's turn as the Caped Crusader has yet to hit the silver screen. The Oscar winner stars as Batman in Zack Snyder's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," which opens March 25, 2016.

• The 1966 "Batman" TV series is out on Blu-Ray and DVD


• The show was a phenomenon when it first aired


• The series was campy compared with the current Batman in comics, film and TV

(CNN) -- At long last, the '60s TV series "Batman" is finally being released on DVD and Blu-ray.

Fans of the Adam West and Burt Ward program have been waiting years for this moment, as a long-running rights dispute between 20th Century Fox and Time Warner (the latter is CNN's parent company) made it seem like it would never come.

Before November 11, anyone hankering for classic "Batman" had to settle for recording episodes from cable on the DVR.

When "Batman" made its TV debut in 1966, it was nothing short of a phenomenon. The first episode had huge ratings and launched a slew of Bat-merchandise as the dynamic duo invaded the public consciousness, appearing just about everywhere for much of that year.

For a time, the show had people tuning in the following night -- "same Bat-time, same Bat-channel" -- to see how Batman and Robin got out of their latest jam.

Up until Tim Burton's 1989 movie, the 1966 version of "Batman" was the best-known representation of the hero, and it's still fondly remembered nearly 50 years later.

Here are five of the most memorable moments of the series, which ran from 1966 to 1968. (We're not counting Adam West and Burt Ward's tongue-in-cheek performances, which are in a league of their own.)

1. The Batusi

Right out of the gate, we knew we were in for something special.

As Batman went into a nightclub (with the underage Robin waiting outside), he happened upon the Riddler's girlfriend, Molly.

As the pair danced, Batman unleashed some moves of his own, and the Batusi was born (soon to be replicated in "Pulp Fiction").

2. The Joker faces the dynamic duo

Cesar Romero's first performance as the Joker three weeks into the series stands as one of its best episodes.

Here we saw the Joker break out of jail, erect a statue of himself, pose as Pagliacci and more (in a plot based on one of the classic comic book issues).

It was a tour de force, and he was the first actor to turn the Joker into the role of a lifetime.

3. The window cameos

When celebrities weren't able to be "special guest villains," they ended up popping out of a window as Batman and Robin scaled the side of a building. Everyone from Jerry Lewis to Sammy Davis Jr. to Santa Claus turned up there.

4. Catwoman and Batman's neverending flirtation

Try as she might, Catwoman (played at various times by Julie Newmar, Eartha Kitt and Lee Meriwether) never could seduce Batman into a life of crime. And boy, did she try.

And here's Batman and Robin taking on Catwoman's henchmen, because no list is complete without a little "POW! BIFF! ZOWIE!"

5. Batgirl arrives

By season three, the show was on the brink of cancellation and introduced Barbara Gordon, a.k.a. Batgirl.

Yvonne Craig -- the first actress to portray a female superhero on live-action TV -- breathed new life into the show for a short time, but sadly, ABC pulled the plug as that season ended. (Legend has it that it was too late for NBC to pick up the show.)

Of course, it's tough to narrow it down to five (and the less said about that surfing contest, the better). What are your favorite parts of the 1960s "Batman?"