ORIGINAL AIR DATES: 3/23/1966-03/24/1966
EPISODE NUMBERS: 21-22, Production Code 8723
PLOT SUMMARIES:
The Penguin Goes Straight:
While attending a matinee performance at a Gotham City Theater, The Penguin, with the aid of his trusty bulletproof umbrella, foils a would-be thief who attempts to steal beautiful actress Sophia Starr's great ruby. The forces of good suspect that this is a plot, but Penguin insists upon his good intentions. Later, at The Millionaire's Club, Penguin once again prevents a crime, this time fending off 2 crooks (actually Eagle-Eye and Dove, Penguin's Finks!) from kidnapping millionaire Reggie Rich from a steamroom. The Dynamic Duo finally show up, and Penguin announces his Penguin Protection Agency, intended to protect the wealth of Gotham City's society crowd (and as actual competition for Batman and Robin!), including Sophia Starr's Jewelry. In an attempt to prevent The Abominable Avian from swiping Sophia Starr's jewels, The Caped Crusader has Alfred the butler pose as an insurance company agent and sends him on a secret errand to photograph the jewelry, and switch Penguin's cigarette holder for one containing a hidden microphone. Unfortunately, Alfred didn't count on Penguin's bug detecting handle of his umbrella, and when he discovers the switch, Alf manages to yank the rug out from under Penguin and escape with the photos.
That night, after using Alfred's pictures to create phony jewels to replace the real ones, which Penguin has been hired to protect, The Darknight Detectives break into Miss Starr's apartment in order to replace the real jewels with the fakes. Unfortunately, they are caught trying to make the switch and are charged with burglary by The Felonious Fowl and his Finks. The Caped Crusader and The Boy Wonder escape, but are now labeled fugitives from justice! When The Penguin throws a party at The Gotham Amusement Pier, The Dynamic Duo arrive to investigate, but quickly fall into a Penguin trap and are pelted with cement-filled umbrellas! They are strung up behind the balloon-shooting gallery, and the pop guns (wielded by an unknowing Commissioner Gordon and Chief O'Hara) are loaded with real bullets!
Not Yet, He Ain't:
Just as Gordon and O'Hara shoot, The Dynamic Duo lift up their feet and deflect the deadly bullets with the bulletproof soles of their boots. The Batman then cuts himself and Robin free of their bonds with his Batknife, and they both escape. Upon discovering The Dynamic Duo's escape from his trap, The Penguin gets his new society friends to put pressure on Commissioner Gordon to rally Gotham to a manhunt — or bat-and-robin-hunt — and Gordon has no choice but to agree. Batman & Robin arrive at The Penguin Protection Agency, faking insanity and ready to tear The Penguin, Eagle-Eye and Dove apart! Following the ensuing melee, The Dynamic Duo immediately depart upon the arrival of the authorities, who, after chasing The Demented Duo for a couple of blocks, apparently kill them in a shootout in an nearby alley — but the cops' guns were loaded with blanks, as Batman had planned.
Convinced Batman and Robin are finished, Penguin and his Finks swipe The Batmobile and speed off to plans their master caper, which is scheduled to transpire during his wedding to Sophia (the theft of his own wedding gifts!). Eagle-Eye and Dove rig a water pipe, which explodes; then the umbrellas which Penguin has passed out burst out in spectacular display, diverting attention from the fact that the wedding gifts are being burgled, using the ex-Batmobile (rechristened as The Birdmobile!!) as a getaway car, and they head for their secret impregnable hideaway. Batman and Robin, riding The Batcycle, use their deep knowledge of the vehicle (and a remote control!) to force The Batmobile to do their bidding and deliver The Pompous, Waddling Master Of Fowl Play and his Finks to justice. Sophia Starr, despite this experience, still believes she can reform Penguin by marrying him, but believes otherwise when The Avaricious Avian fancies the wedding gifts more than his would-be bride!
WRITTEN BY: Lorenzo Semple Jr., John Cardwell
DIRECTED BY: Leslie H. Martinson
CAST:
Burgess Meredith (The Penguin)
Kathleen Crowley (Sophia Starr)
Harvey Lembeck (Eagle-Eye)
Al Checco (Dove)
Hope Sansberry (Mrs. Van Climber)
Ed McCready (Crook)
Douglas Bank (Lt. Copple)
William Beckley (Reggie Rich)
Bill Welch (Newsman [George])
Jim Drum (Cop [Clancy])
INTERESTING NOTES:
- For once this season, The Dynamic Duo don't stop @ Police HQ at all; instead, they are notified by Batphone as they travel through beautiful downtown Gotham.
- This episode retains the first appearance of a Batvehicle other than the omnipresent Batmobile. The Batcycle
- The Emergency Remote-Control Ejector Button, first used in this episode, is activated again in "The Bookworm Turns."
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