A Riddle a Day Keeps the Riddler Away
- Episode aired Feb 16, 1966
- TV-G
- 25m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
543
YOUR RATING
When a visiting King is accosted by the Riddler, the Dynamic Duo pursues his subsequent complex trail of riddles to try to stop him.When a visiting King is accosted by the Riddler, the Dynamic Duo pursues his subsequent complex trail of riddles to try to stop him.When a visiting King is accosted by the Riddler, the Dynamic Duo pursues his subsequent complex trail of riddles to try to stop him.
Tristram Coffin
- Ambassador
- (as Tris Coffin)
Leon Alton
- Policeman
- (uncredited)
John Archer
- Club President
- (uncredited)
William Dozier
- Narrator
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
George Ford
- Club Member
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaActor Tristram Coffin appears in this episode as the Ambassador. Coffin was featured in many of the classic cliffhanger serials that inspired this television series, including the original Batman (1943) serial itself (which a revival of in the '60s caused the TV series to be born), wherein he was featured as one of the villain's main henchmen. He was also the first actor to don the famous "flying suit" as the eponymous serial crime fighter King of the Rocket Men (1949), which would later serve as an inspiration for The Rocketeer (1991).
- GoofsBatman and Robin don't solve The Riddler's riddle: "What is the beginning of eternity, the end of time and space, the beginning of every end, and the end of every race?" In the following episode, it's shown on a blackboard in the Bat Cave in a list of riddles. There's a check mark next to it indicating they solved it, but they never solved it on camera nor explained its relevance. (The answer, by the way, is the letter E.)
- Quotes
Robin: The riddle itself is pretty basic. A person is a piece of wood when he's a ruler.
[Chief O'Hara's jaw drops]
Commissioner Gordon: You figure it has something to do with King Boris?
Robin: Maybe.
Featured review
WHEN IS A PERSON LIKE A PIECE OF WOOD???
And many other intriguing riddles, as the nefarious Riddler (Frank Gorshen) returns, up to no good, OF COURSE. The Riddler is hiding out with his gang of sewer rats at the so-called Obsolete Water and Power plant. The gag seems to be that as long as he tosses out ridiculous riddles (and his riddles seem to have no end) he will continue to terrorize Gotham City. Pinky promise. First up, debonaire King Boris (played by veteran film star Reginald Denny) makes a special appearance in Gotham and is met with exploding flowers?
To note. Denny more than likely was a good friend of Neil Hamilton (Commissioner Gordon), as both starred in silent and sound films. Denny co-starred opposite such icons as Katherine Hepburn and Greta Garbo in the 1930s. During WWII he also became a pioneer inventor of radio plane target drones and ran a popular model airplane company in Hollywood. He died suddenly after appearing in the BATMAN movie the same year this episode was released, playing Commander Schmidtlapp.
Tossing out more zany riddles, the prince of puzzlers (as the Riddler has crowned himself) is able to lure the Dynamic duo to the abandoned water plant where they are tied to gigantic spinning wheels! A must see. He is aided by squeeky voiced Mousey, played by Susan Silo.
Silo went onto an enormously successful career doing voice over work for both video games and tv series. As of 2022, she was doing voice overs for the CURIOUS GEORGE cartoon series.
Look for some other veteran actors, such as John Archer (MY FAVORITE HUSBAND, WHITE HEAT). He had recently appeared in the chiller I SAW WHAT YOU DID, starring Joan Crawford. He was the father of actress Anne Archer. Also Tristram Coffin as the Ambassador, who was in the original 1940s BATMAN movie serial, and generally played villains for years.
Directed by Tom Gries, who handled such top tv shows as ROUTE 66 and COMBAT and went on to direct the iconc tv serial HELTER SKELTER (1976), all about Charles Manson and his gang.
By the way... did you notice Batman and Robin wearing their Bat Belts over their stomachs? Adam West said in later years that after lunch, especially if they ate too much, came a stomach bulge. Since their costumes were skin tight, the belt came in handy. Get it? SEASON 1 EPISODE 11, now restored on dvd and blu ray box sets.
To note. Denny more than likely was a good friend of Neil Hamilton (Commissioner Gordon), as both starred in silent and sound films. Denny co-starred opposite such icons as Katherine Hepburn and Greta Garbo in the 1930s. During WWII he also became a pioneer inventor of radio plane target drones and ran a popular model airplane company in Hollywood. He died suddenly after appearing in the BATMAN movie the same year this episode was released, playing Commander Schmidtlapp.
Tossing out more zany riddles, the prince of puzzlers (as the Riddler has crowned himself) is able to lure the Dynamic duo to the abandoned water plant where they are tied to gigantic spinning wheels! A must see. He is aided by squeeky voiced Mousey, played by Susan Silo.
Silo went onto an enormously successful career doing voice over work for both video games and tv series. As of 2022, she was doing voice overs for the CURIOUS GEORGE cartoon series.
Look for some other veteran actors, such as John Archer (MY FAVORITE HUSBAND, WHITE HEAT). He had recently appeared in the chiller I SAW WHAT YOU DID, starring Joan Crawford. He was the father of actress Anne Archer. Also Tristram Coffin as the Ambassador, who was in the original 1940s BATMAN movie serial, and generally played villains for years.
Directed by Tom Gries, who handled such top tv shows as ROUTE 66 and COMBAT and went on to direct the iconc tv serial HELTER SKELTER (1976), all about Charles Manson and his gang.
By the way... did you notice Batman and Robin wearing their Bat Belts over their stomachs? Adam West said in later years that after lunch, especially if they ate too much, came a stomach bulge. Since their costumes were skin tight, the belt came in handy. Get it? SEASON 1 EPISODE 11, now restored on dvd and blu ray box sets.
helpful•10
- tcchelsey
- Jun 18, 2023
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime25 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 4:3
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content