Friday the 13th – My Lucky Number!
The Bat Cave Location: “The signal is coming from Culver City-Robin”– Bronson Cave, a must visit for T.V buffs.
Main Lot on Ince Blvd, Stock Units is The Allen Warehouse. Set Walls get reused and stored inside.
Bioscope is a word used to describe early film projectors -silent films.“Villains hide inside these dilapidated buildings and False Fronts”…says Robin!
No Trespassing Desilu Studios…“Gomer Pyle must be filming at Desilu / Paramount today Batman.” says an excited Caped Crusader.
“Keep an eye out in these False Fronts -Robin,” barks Batman.
“Is that the Rail Depot from Gone with the Wind Batman?”…”Indeed Robin, You know your Bioscope History I see” says the older crusader.
Base Camp for this episode with crew taking it all in. Batman’s Trailer – Gray -complete with a license plate for towing to locations, 3 back sliding windows and an air conditioner on the roof. Parked in area also used for Mayberry R.F.D. Sam’s Farm House is on the front side of trailer.
“They have fallen into my trap ” says this masked villain.
Showdown – Downtown Mayberry/Gotham City/Culver City!
“Batman How do you track him so well ?” says yellow cape to the purple cape. “Just follow the dust- Robin!” “He’s hiding in these False Fronts with his False Faces-Batman”
“THAT”S STALAG 13 BATMAN !”
“I SEE NOTHING !”
Has the Dynamic Duo been obliterated ? Or– was this an inflatable Batmobile? A False Car tricks a False Face.
“Can’t trick tricksters – False Face-Give up, escape is impossible “
Unless you got a motorcycle…
“Cut through these false fronts…it’s a short cut.”
Cut through here…This really does cut from Western Street to the Middle East Sets built for King of Kings in 1927.
“He could be hiding inside any of these old False Walls and fake props” yells The Boy Wonder
Up those stairs, I had a fort, decorated with props from Stalag 13.
A Devious Villain indeed…
Reinforcements-Chief O’Hara arrives to see a toasted Bat Car Frame. But wait, is that really Chief O’Hara ?
“What do we do now BATMAN?”
“Holy Mole Richardson Arc Lights Batman”… as old as Gotham City itself!
“Stretch this rope from Gone With the Wind across the road from the movie light to this tree -Robin.” “This backlot has more tricks up it’s sleeve than my utility belt!”-says a determined Batman.
“There is no where left to hide on this ranch False Face-Give yourself up!”
“False Batman – I can lose myself in the old west!”
“Rustlers ay-I’ll help you guys out”…says this lone Cowboy.
“Holy Horse Crap-this cowboy is False Face!”
Can’t fool Batman, especially at a saloon…
“You could help Robin ! “
When I took this photo in 1973, I was picturing this Batman episode filmed on this same spot… Batman Ambrosia never wears off.
One final toss-through a window no-less…
“Confounded Caped Crusader!”
Commissioner Gordon is right handed-yet he’s holding his handkerchief with his left hand- Batman suspects the Chief.
“Lucky the sheriff didn’t catch ya…he hangs criminals”
“One villain at a time” is how this haunted studio backlot operates, luckily law enforcement includes – Sheriff Taylor, Elliott Ness, Superman, and The Green Hornet.
The old west return to being refuge to neighboring kids who just happen to have a fort upstairs in this building. It even has a phone to that calls “Off Lot.” Visitors Welcome…
Conclusion:
Folks- this is the best episode ever using this backlot. Any series ever, this is Golden Age Hollywood stuff! Nowhere else will you see so much Desilu backlot.
This series screams-The Sixties…
It jumps of the screen, colors like comic book pages. It made you go buy a ” Color T.V,” The T.V revolution is in full force, every twisted turn in this episode winds through iconic television exterior sets. Never will you cut through buildings like this again, exactly as I used to operate here-.inside False Fronts. I stalked BATMAN, first on my Schwinn bicycle from outside the fences-looking in, wearing garments such as a cape and mask, bought with (a million- Blue Chip Stamps)...what a bargain.
Yes I saw the Caped Crusader, they sped by kicking up a trail of dust as I melted into the studio fence. Like a dream coming true-I had -Bat Goose Bumps as my heart fluttered. Little did I know in 1967, much more Batman was ahead for me.
My Bat Evolution
In the mid-Eighty’s, I worked on the first 3 features made by Warner Brothers using Universal’s backlot. Sure, these were super high budgeted features with villains such as Danny DeVito as the Penguin and Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze. Sets built both on stage and on the backlot made the original look like a kids imagination. These were more evil and ruthless, yet rich in flavor.
As the days and nights of filming took place, talking to the crew working this film, my past meets my future. I was the only person on this modern film version with the direct link to the past when Bruce Wayne was Adam West and every episode was two-parts must see T.V.
All Things BATMAN- June 13,1966 My 6th Birthday. The Caped Crusader was there on my T-Shirt I refused to take off., ever. Soon after this party, I would see the dynamic duo actually film a few segments in real life-Living Color. 60 years of Batmobiles, Capes, Masks and Villains – that’ s are so cool – you would like to meet each one personally, I never expected the candles to still be burning in 2026.
Written and Lived by…Donnie Norden
Phantom of the Backlots 