I finally had a chance to meet a boyhood idol, Adam West, the original Batman. When I was a kid growing up in New York, I loved to fantasize about super hero’s, mostly Batman and Superman, who were my TV friends after school. I was not into comic books, rather I loved the action toys, or pretending to be batman with my old blue blanket when I was a baby flapping behind me when I ran around the house terrorizing my little sister. What I loved most was that awesome car with the fire that belched out the back, and the way that road sign would come down, and he would come out speeding down the road, with no one knowing that is the entrance to the secret Bat Cave. Well, I had a chance to actually enter the Bat cave, and meet the original Batman
Christopher Winkler & Adam West aka Batman
The chance came at the GKIC InfoSummit this year with a super hero theme. While I don’t have any of my older childhood stuff anymore for him to autograph, I did enjoy finally meeting him and hearing his story of how he came up from nothing to be a famous spaghetti western hero, television star, and at one time was considered for a James Bond role. He started out a guy who dreamed of making it big in the movies, and after years and years of struggle, he finally got his big break in show biz when he was hired to be on radio in Hawaii.
So with all his money, he flew there, and started his career making nothing and wondering if it was worth it. I am sure all his friends and family were saying, Adam, why don’t you get a real job with security. Well, how can you tell Batman to get a real job??? That’s like all my friends and family telling me to get a real job when I started EyeSpyPro because I lost my job. Finishing up our 6th year and was just acquired by DVRSystems.net, so I have outlasted many of them.
The Batmobile
Anyway, after slugging it out in the ultra competitive Hawaiian market, West was given a chance to go to Hollywood, and saved enough money to fly to LA. At first he was a starving actor, like so many in the city of Angels, and through perseverance, and raw determination, he started getting parts in westerns. He never gave up and hung in there until he ended up starring in a few spaghetti Westerns as the lead man. He says he made over 100 movies, and only 2 good ones!
That was enough to get an audition for the Batman role, and well, the rest is history. He talked about when you see an opportunity, you must act quickly and move on it, or it will fade away. And “when you are riding the tiger, don’t jump off because you will be eaten.” I like that as much as “Ride the horse the way it’s going.”
After that, he ended up auditioning for the Batman part, and the rest is history. He mentioned that the future has no guarantees, and that if you want to make it, you have to go for it, grab the bull by the horns, pull up your underwear, blah, blah, blah, and don’t give up on your dream. He helped reinforce what I already know, that if you want anything in life, you need to create it, unlike what the current President says. You gotta build your future because no one will do it for you. I am not the kind of guy that wants a handout, and I have worked and struggled just like he has all his life.
Inside the mint condition Batmobile.
West went on to record 120 episodes of Batman, and after the show was finished, he ended up carrying the Batman legacy with him, and was even at one time considered to be James Bond with his rugged good looks. It didn’t get him down, or hold him back like it does to other typecast actors. He ended up embracing Batman, and leveraging it to his advantage. He always took advantage of an opportunity or chance to get his foot in the door, and that’s a great idea to embrace. He left us with his ability to make fun of himself, which really shows people you are human. “Don’t be afraid to make fun of yourself from time to time. People like it.”
The best part was going over all the cool gadgets and spy gear that Batman uses. While the comic books and movies have products that could not exist in reality, like the finger Taser, the REAL Batman had some cool gadgets, like his Batmobile above, the Bat Boat, and my favorite, the Bat Phone.
Chris Winkler calling Commissioner Gordon next to some old show prop.
The original Bat Phone
Oh yeah, I forgot, had a chance to meet the legendary John Carlton, who is such a brilliant marketer. The short time he spoke really opened my eyes to what I am doing and I vow to change the way I look at telling you about what we do.
Christopher Winkler & John Carlton
Also met the millionaire maker, Dan Kennedy. Had a great time, made a couple new friends, and now ready to get out of the Batcave, into my Batmobile, and fight some crime!
Christopher Winkler & Dan Kennedy
Later…
Christopher Winkler
Spy Gear & Surveillance Products Expert
1-877-339-3-EYE-SPY
Eyespypro.com/Spy Gear
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