Frank Gorshin Dies

[filkertom]

Shit.

Frank Gorshin, a superb character actor and impressionist best known for portraying The Riddler in the 1960's Batman TV series, has passed away at the age of 72.

Mr. Gorshin was one of my heroes, almost but not quite on the Henson-Blanc-Jones level. Rich Little did more voices, but Gorshin acted while doing his, and the value of that has stuck with me for forty years.

My favorite line in Batman: The Movie is, of course, everyone's favorite line: Batman saying, "Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb!" But that movie also features one of the most beautiful acting moments I know of. Testing the Polaris missile in their war surplus nuclear submarine, the Riddler has, completely by accident, shot down the Batcopter. While his fellow villains are cavorting madly at the impending demise of Batman and Robin, the Riddler freezes in a profile shot, his face filled with dawning wonder as he whispers, "I got 'em." A lot of that show was a knowing, gleeful exercise in camp, but for that moment the camp was shut off, and the Villain had taken down the Hero, and I was chilled, and thrilled.

He was still working. He's gonna be on the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation season finale tomorrow night.

Here's the story at CNN.com, and here's his IMDB listing.

Shit.

Comments

[annathepiper]

Sniffle. R.I.P., Frank!

And indeed, "Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb!" was the crowning line of that movie.

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

Well, crap. We're never going to hear that marvelously insane laugh of his again....

[dragonscholar.livejournal.com]

His laugh was just marvelous - part little kid giggle, part psychotic laughter. A clown with sharp edges.

Damn. It just makes me think of how much FUN the guy was whatever he did.

[teddywolf.livejournal.com]

I liked the camp, and I especially liked the job he did as Riddler.
And yes, I've liked the other things he's been in that I've seen too. Very good guy.

[drzarron.livejournal.com]

Ah.. so sad.

Back in the day, when the "BATMAN" was the top show on TV and I was a Batman happy kid, my parents took me over to the "Top Hat" in Windsor (Ontario, Canada) for a Saturday afternoon show to see Frank Gorshin's act. Sure, a lot of his bits were over my head, but I was in AWE! It was the Riddler! Tell ME jokes! And singing and dancing... for ME! Several times he smiled my way, cause I doubt a lot of 7 year olds came to his shows.

Afterwards I got to shake his hand and get him to autograph my glossy "BATMAN" picture book.

See.. GEEKY MEDIA FAN from birth!

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Heh. Mom used to sing at the Top Hat. I'll have to ask if she knew him, and, if so, why did she introduce me to Rich Little but not him?

[ericcoleman]

Cross posted on thenickatoms's LJ

My favorite Frank Gorshin moment wasn't on Batman

He was on some talk show in the late 60s early 70s. I want to think it was The Merv Griffin Show. In any case it was one of those shows were everyone stayed on the stage as the next guests came on.

The attention had shifted, not a good idea, never have a standup comic stay on your stage unless you expect him to do his best to take back the spotlight.

Folks were talking, Frank picked up a microphone and proceeded to do an absolutely incredible blues harp impression. Everything stopped.

[sdelmonte]

Gorshin's Riddler was not only a very good reworking of an once minor villain, but also the best acting job for any Batvillain aside from perhaps Mark Hamill.

He was also funny.

RIP, Mr. Gorshin.

[janet-coburn.livejournal.com]

If no one else is going to mention Gorshin's appearance on the original Star Trek, I will. I know that the episode is nearly universally loathed for its simplistic premise and its lame script, but the episode's flaws were never Gorshin's fault. I cannot enjoy the episode now, but at the time I was delighted to see Gorshin in a role besides the Riddler.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Hey. He was nominated for an Emmy for that role (as he was for the Riddler). Absolutely the high point of that episode.