Frank Gorshin (b. April 5, 1933 – d.May 17, 2005) portrayed Riddler on the 1966 series Batman and the related 1966 film Batman.
During the series' second season, Gorshin requested a larger salary. Due to this impasse, the Riddler stories prepared for the season were impacted, with John Astin filling in as the Riddler for the episodes "Batman's Anniversary" and "A Riddling Controversy"; and the episodes "The Puzzles Are Coming" and "The Duo Is Slumming" being re-written for a one-off villain, the Puzzler.
However, Gorshin returned to the role for the third season episode "Ring Around the Riddler"[1], which would be the character's last appearance in the series.
In 1977 he portrayed Orlich Hoffman for the episode "The Deadly Toys" of the series Wonder Woman.
In 1979 he reprised his role as the Riddler for the TV comedy specials Legends of the Superheroes and Roast of the Superheroes.
In 1995 he portrayed "Sharpie Lawyer" for the episode "Whine, Whine, Whine" of the series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
In 2003 he played a bizarre mix of himself and the Riddler in Return to the Batcave.
He also voiced Professor Hugo Strange for three episodes of the animated series The Batman, a role that passed to Richard Green after Gorshin's death.
Work History
Acting Credits
| Batman | 1966-1968 | Riddler |
|---|---|---|
| "Hi Diddle Riddle" | January 12, 1966 | Riddler |
| "Smack in the Middle" | January 13, 1966 | Riddler |
| "A Riddle a Day Keeps the Riddler Away" | February 16, 1966 | Riddler |
| "When the Rat's Away, the Mice Will Play" | February 17, 1966 | Riddler |
| "The Ring of Wax" | March 30, 1966 | Riddler |
| "Give 'Em the Axe" | March 31, 1966 | Riddler |
| "Death in Slow Motion" | April 27, 1966 | Riddler |
| "The Riddler's False Notion" | April 28, 1966 | Riddler |
| "Enter Batgirl, Exit Penguin" | September 14, 1967 | Riddler |
| "Ring Around the Riddler" | September 21, 1967 | Riddler |
| Batman | July 30, 1966 | Riddler |
|---|
| Wonder Woman | 1975-1979 | Orlich Hoffman |
|---|---|---|
| "The Deadly Toys" | December 30, 1977 | Orlich Hoffman |
| Legends of the Superheroes | 1979-1979 | Riddler |
|---|---|---|
| "The Challenge" | January 18, 1979 | Riddler |
| "The Roast" | January 25, 1979 | Riddler |
| Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | 1993-1997 | Sharpie Lawyer |
|---|---|---|
| "Whine, Whine, Whine" | May 14, 1995 | Sharpie Lawyer |
| The Batman | 2004-2008 | Hugo Strange |
|---|---|---|
| "Meltdown" | June 25, 2005 | Professor Hugo Strange |
| "Strange Minds" | September 3, 2005 | Professor Hugo Strange |
| "Fistful of Felt" | October 8, 2005 | Professor Hugo Strange |
- ↑ Eisner, Joel (1986). The Official Batman Batbook. Contemporary Books. ISBN 0-8092-5035-7