Date of Birth
24 October 1915,
New York, New York, USA
3 November 1998,
Los Angeles,
California,
USA (natural causes)
Robert Kahn
Spouse
Trivia
Kane also created the television cartoon characters Courageous Cat, Minute Mouse and Cool McCool.
Created the comic superhero Batman in May 1939.
He created Batman from a combination of Zorro (a wealthy playboy/masked hero), the Shadow (a dark superhero), and Dracula (a bat-like creature).
The Name 'Bruce Wayne' is derived from Scottish history's 'Robert the Bruce' and Revolutionary War General "Mad" Anthony Wayne.
Stated in "Cinescape" magazine that of all the actors who played Batman, he felt that Val Kilmer did it the best.
His famous comic book character 'Batman' made his debut in Detective Comics # 27 in May 1939. It is now a collector's classic and a near mint comic book can fetch upto $ 350,000 (in 2003).
Personally recommended Jack Nicholson for the role of the Joker in the original Batman (1989).
In 1939 he was a freelance artist with a small studio of artists to assist/ghost pencil his work. Among these young comic creators was the writer of the group, Bill Finger. They were hired by Kane, not National and all work to come out of the studio was credited to Bob Kane. When National Comics (eventually DC Comics) editor Vin Sullivan asked him to create the next "Superman", he created "The Batman," who he drew in a red outfit, a mask in the style of Zorro, and a glider based on a sketch by Leonardo Da Vinci and the 1932 film, The Bat Whispers (1930). He asked Finger for advice. It was Finger who suggested giving Batman a scalloped cape and an eared cowl, and he changed the costume from red to gray. He also introduced the detective aspect to Batman's character. He wrote the first Batman comic and many more. Yet he died poor and uncredited. Years later Kane expressed regret over this, yet he never allowed Finger to be credited as a co-creator.
Gave Adam West, who portrayed Batman on the 1960s TV series, a drawing of Batman with the inscription "To my buddy Adam, who breathed life into my pen and ink creation."
When signing a print of Batman and Robin in flight for an old friend, signed it "Bats Wishes Always".
The character Alfred Pennyworth was patterned after the servant Bernardo in the Zorro series. Sir Anthony Hopkins appeared in The Mask of Zorro (1998), at one point pretending to be the servant Bernardo. Hopkins was later offered the role of Alfred in Batman Begins (2005), but turned it down.
Was set to have a cameo in Tim Burton's first Batman film, but had to back out due to poor health. He sketched the picture of the man-bat shown to Knox (Robert Wuhl) that appears in the film.
In his later years Kane was married to actress Elizabeth Sanders, who had minor roles in three Batman films: Batman Returns (1992), Batman Forever (1995), and Batman & Robin (1997).
[Talking about director Tim Burton]: "Tim has a great vision. Unfortunately he gets so involved with the characterization of the villains, and the scenic backgrounds, that at times he forgets about the story line."
