For Throwback Tuesday we take a look back at another episode of the classic 1966 Batman TV-series starring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin.The two-parter “The Curse Of Tut” and “The Pharaoh’s In A Rut” introduced audiences to a new villain specifically created from the show. While King Tut isn’t the only original villain created for the series, he is the most well-known (today he even exits as a LEGO Batman Minifigure). Victor Buono stars as the former professor of Egyptology who, thanks to a blow on the head, believes he is the reincarnation of King Tut and Gotham is his kingdom. The episodes feature some smoke and mirrors with Tut using a large statue to proclaim doom and gloom to come while kidnapping Bruce Wayne and holding him for ransom. Batman is able extricate himself out of not one but two separate kidnappings, survive the pebble torture, and reunite with Robin to take down Tut.
Other than the introduction of Tut, the episodes are memorable for Batman preventing the villain’s torture by reciting the multiplication tables backwards, Tut stealing the Batmobile, and the villain hitting his head once more thanks to the Batmobile’s ejection seat. The resulting crash returns the super-villain to the more mild-mannered professor, although King Tut would return to trouble Gotham City again.
