The Bookworm
Roddy McDowall
.

Bookworm, What are you up to ???
It's a curious old recipe I discovered,
how to steam a bat !!!

The Bookworm, A villain who had an affinity for books. Any book. He constructed his crimes from a book and even used a giant book to try and kill the Dynamic Duo. In the series, The Bookworm was played by Roddy McDowall.

Roddy was born in England Sept.17, 1928. He began his film career as a child actor in British films. He came to the United States due to the bombing of England during World War Two. He made his mark as the owner of a famous dog, Lassie in the movie, Lassie Come Home in 1942. He continued to be in a ton of movies. Unlike many child actors his career did not diminish when going into adulthood. He starred in quite a few movies before Batman and was quite a celebrity at the time of the series. Roddy on his appearance in Batman.
"It was a show everyone wanted to
do at that period . It was such fun.
They were larger than life cartoon characters, which are very interesting to play. I loved being part of the whole series. The costume, though, was very hot to wear. It was a wonderful part. I think there was talk of doing three episodes, but I don`t know what happened, because there was only one segment. I don't know whether they changed their minds about the Bookworm or whether I was doing other things "
He was a wonderful villain and did a great job of being mean and interesting.
He went on after the series to be in a billion movies ( not really that many ) some of which were, The Planet of the Apes (67), The Poseidon Adventure (71), The Cat From Outer Space (78), Overboard(87), Double Trouble (92).His last apperance was Unlikely Angel a made for TV movie in 1996.

Actor Roddy McDowall Dies

The Associated Press

Oct. 3 1998— Actor Roddy McDowall, who starred in numerous films, television, and theater productions, ranging from Camelot to The Planet of the Apes, died Saturday morning in his Studio City, Calif., home. He was 70 years old.

     McDowall was diagnosed with cancer in April. A family friend said the disease was declared incurable in August.

     McDowall left Britain during the London blitz and became a child film star in such movies as How Green Was My Valley and Lassie Come Home.

     Dennis Osborne, a friend who said he had cared for the actor in his final months, said McDowall died peacefully and that "it was exactly the way he planned." The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced earlier this week that it will honor McDowall for his illustrious acting career and critically acclaimed photography by naming its photo archive after him.

From London to Los Angeles

He was born Roderick Andrew Anthony Jude McDowall on Sept. 17, 1928, in London. His father was Scottish, his mother Irish. Educated at St. Joseph's school, he made his film debut at 8 in Murder in the Family.

     In 1940 he was placed under contract with 20th Century Fox and later moved to MGM. His schooling took place mainly on the Fox lot, although he was graduated from University High School in West Los Angeles in 1947.

     The young actor proved popular in films with animals, notably My Friend Flicka and Lassie Come Home. Among his other features as a child: Son of Fury, The Pied Piper, The White Cliffs of Dover and The Keys of the Kingdom.

     He also appeared as Malcolm in Orson Welles' MacBeth.

     McDowall spent most of the 1950s in New York, making his Broadway debut in 1953 in Misalliance His film career enjoyed a rebirth in the 1960s, notably in three epics: Cleopatra (as Octavian Caesar), The Longest Day (as a soldier), The Greatest Story Ever Told (as Matthew). He also spent a year on Broadway in the musical Camelot.

     "I still have the actor's disease," he admitted at the time. "I always think I'll never get another job."

Always a Busy Actor

Despite his fears, McDowall remained one of the busiest actors in films and television. His most successful film was the 1968 Planet of the Apes,and he appeared in the ape makeup in three sequels.

     Among his other films: Inside Daisy Clover, Midas Run, Five Card Stud, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, The Poseidon Adventure, Funny Lady and Only the Lonely.

     He also became a favorite in horror films such as Cult of the Damned, The Legend of Hell House, Fright Night and It!

     McDowall, who never married, was an accomplished photographer who produced five coffee table books, starting with Double Exposure in 1966. He photographed Elizabeth Taylor—his lifelong friend and costar of Lassie Come Home—in a nude layout for Playboy magazine in 1963.

     A longtime student of film, he gathered one of the largest private collections of old movies.

     He was survived by his sister, Virginia McDowall of Los Angeles, Osborne said. No services have been planned.<Picture>

Copyright 1998 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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