Edward Nigma (Batman 1966 TV Series)

{{DC Database:Character Template
 * Theme                  = Batman
 * Image                  = Riddler (Batman 1966 TV Series) 004.jpg
 * RealName               = Unknown
 * CurrentAlias           = Riddler
 * Distinguish1           =
 * Distinguish2           =
 * Aliases                = The Prince of Puzzlers
 * Identity               = Secret
 * Alignment              = Bad
 * Affiliation             = Molehill Mob; River Rat Gang; United Underworld
 * Relatives              =
 * Universe               = Batman (1966 TV Series)
 * BaseOfOperations       = Gotham City


 * Gender                 = Male
 * Height                 =
 * Weight                 =
 * Eyes                   =
 * Hair                   = Brown
 * UnusualFeatures        =


 * Citizenship            = American
 * MaritalStatus          = Single
 * Occupation             = Professional criminal
 * Education              =


 * Origin                 =
 * PlaceOfBirth           =
 * Creators               = Bill Finger; Dick Sprang;  William Dozier; Robert Butler; Lorenzo Semple, Jr.
 * First                  = {{ed|Batman TV Episode: Hi Diddle Riddle}}
 * Last                   = Legends of the Superheroes (TV Special)
 * HistoryText            =

Overview
The Riddler was a criminal from Gotham City, a persistent nemesis of Batman and Robin.

Early Life
Not much is known about the Riddler's early life. On one occasion, it was mentioned that he was a high school dropout.

Criminal Career
The Riddler committed a wide variety of crimes over his life, some aimed purely toward profit and others toward destroying - or unmasking - his archenemy Batman. Unlike arch-criminals such as the Joker or the Penguin, who only occasionally sent clues hinting at their future crimes, the Riddler would always send Gotham's law enforcement a riddle before embarking on a crime spree.

The Riddler v. Batman
On one occasion, the Riddler attempted to destroy Batman by utilizing the law instead of opposing it. The wily criminal delivered two riddles pointing to a heist at the Peale Art Gallery, one attached to a bomb laid at the Gotham's World Fair and the other via a phone call to Batman. Upon arriving at the gallery, Batman and Robin saw the Riddler apparently taking a jeweled cross from the gallery owner at gunpoint, and immediately arrested the Riddler. Gleefully, the Riddler replied that he was innocent; the cross was his property, on loan to the gallery, and the "gun" was merely a lighter. The Riddler then sued Batman for false arrest, knowing that once the case went to court, Batman would have to remove his mask to testify. Both parties, however, were aware that the lawsuit would be invalidated if the plaintiff himself was arrested. Thus, the Dynamic Duo began to investigate the Riddler's plans in earnest, soon finding two more riddles hidden in the subpoena that the Riddler had issued. The riddles led the duo - as the Riddler had intended - to a nightclub that Robin was too young to enter. Once Robin was left outside to guard the Batmobile while Batman investigated alone, the Riddler and his underlings swooped in and drugged both into unconsciousness. The Riddler's plans for the Batmobile, however, were less successful; the car's defense systems foiled all attempts at theft or destruction. Pressed for time, the Riddler chose to kidnap the unconscious Robin instead.

Once he brought Robin back to his hideout, the Riddler produced a perfect mold of Robin's face, along with a replica of the Boy Wonder's costume. The Riddler used these items to disguise Molly as Robin, and challenged Batman to come retrieve his sidekick, planning to trick Batman into revealing his secrets to Molly. The ruse worked at first, but Batman eventually saw through the phony Robin; soon, he tracked down the Riddler's hideout and rescued the true Boy Wonder. Despite this setback, the Riddler successfully escaped the Dynamic Duo and initiated his real heist: stealing the Mammoth of Moldavia, a mammoth stuffed with priceless stamps that was on display at Gotham World's Fair. Though the heist's initial stages went smoothly, the Riddler and his men soon came face-to-face with Batman and Robin once again. A climactic battle ensued, during which the Riddler inadvertently fired his gun at a tank of flammable gas, igniting an explosion. Though the Riddler was apparently caught in the blast, his body was never found at the scene; nevertheless, he failed to appear in court on the designated date, and as a result, his lawsuit against Batman came to nothing.


 * Powers                 = The Riddler possessed no superhuman abilities.
 * Abilities              =
 * Strength               =
 * Weaknesses             =


 * Equipment              =
 * Pistol-Shaped Cigarette Lighter
 * Laughing Gas
 * Transportation         =
 * Weapons                =
 * Firearms


 * Notes                  =

Behind the Scenes
For the majority of the 1966 Batman series' run, the Riddler was played by American actor and comedian Frank Gorshin. Unlike many of his co-stars, Gorshin had been a fan of Batman comic books since childhood, and expressed a particular fondness for the Riddler. Rather fittingly, Gorshin's performance would firmly entrench the Riddler (who had appeared in only three comic book storylines prior to 1966) as one of Batman's most famous enemies.

Gorshin's Riddler was the main villain of Batman's very first episode, a move that allegedly stemmed from the fact that the Riddler was "safer" in appearance than more well-known villains such as the Joker or the Penguin. The Riddler's (relatively) mundane costume and physical features were supposedly meant to placate the ABC Network executives whom the show was being marketed to. According to Gorshin, he underwent no formal audition for the role of the Riddler. "The key," he recalled, "Had to be his [the Riddler's] laugh". To this end, Gorshin created a deranged, high-pitched cackle for the Riddler, which firmly established the character as simultaneously whimsical and menacing. The laugh proved to be incredibly iconic for Gorshin's Riddler, arguably even more so than that of Cesar Romero's Joker.

In addition to the laugh, Gorshin's portrayal of the Riddler established two even more iconic traits for the character. One was the "Riddle me this/riddle me that" catchphrase, which came to be associated with the character in general. The other was the Riddler's "alternative" costume: a bowler hat, tie, and green suit, all carrying question marks. Gorshin created the outfit himself and wore it whenever possible, as he disliked wearing the character's traditional spandex costume; today, the outfit has become widely accepted as the Riddler's primary costume.

Overall, Gorshin's Riddler was (and continues to be) widely lauded by audiences and critics alike as one of the greatest - if not the greatest - of the villains featured on the 1966 Batman series. During the show's first season, Gorshin's Riddler appeared in more storylines than any other villain, and was even nominated for an Emmy Award (for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series). However, despite the popularity of Gorshin's Riddler, strains began to appear between Gorshin and the producers of the show as the show entered its second season. Gorshin began to request a larger salary for his appearances, which the producers refused to grant, as the show was already undergoing budget cuts. During these negotiations, a storyline planned for the Riddler was re-tooled to instead feature a new villain, the Puzzler.

After the salary disputes drove Gorshin from the show entirely, the Riddler was re-cast with actor John Astin, best known for portraying Gomez Addams on The Addams Family. Astin's Riddler appeared in only one storyline - ultimately the only storyline in Batman's second season to feature the Riddler. Though Gorshin expressed his distaste at being replaced, he continued to maintain that the replacement had stemmed from the show's shooting schedule conflicting with his commitments to a nightclub. Eventually, after Batman had entered its third season, Gorshin's Riddler returned to the series for one more storyline.

The Riddler made his final appearance in the show's penultimate episode, alongside the Joker, the Penguin, Catwoman, Egghead, and King Tut. Like those of the Riddler's fellow arch-criminals, this appearance was played by an uncredited actor.

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