Batman, Liberace and Treylane???

[toonloon]

Hi everyone.

I was watching an episode of Batman '66 last night and Liberace of all people had dual rolls as the guest villain(s) and I couldn't help but think of William Campbell's portrayal of Treylane as I watched Liberace in his house coat at the piano.

Take a look at it if you are able. I defy you not to think of Treylane. I wonder if Mr Campbell based the flamboyant side of Treylane on Liberace or whether it's just a coincidence or it's just me.

 

[velour]

It's not just you. I don't know about the Batman episode. But I did happen to catch "The Squire of Gothos" on the ME channel a couple of weeks back. As I was watching Trelane play the piano, I couldn't help but wonder if he was doing his best impression of Liberace.

Trelane was definitely flamboyant and a dandy. I don't know if the portrayal of Trelane was the actor's interpretation of how the character should be or if his portrayal was as the writer's intended it to be. Whatever the case, the actor did a decent impersonation of Liberace.

 

[Push The Button]

It sure seemed like Trelane was based on Liberace, or maybe even written for Liberace...?

 

[CrazyMatt]

Yup, Trelane as Liberace or Liberace as Trelane....

"Captain Kirk... these are some of my favorites.... " (starts to play polka)

 

[Drone]

Well, his voice wasn't as shrill as Liberace's could be and obviously the latter never came across as threatening in his act, but during those extreme moments of gaiety, yes one can certainly see a resemblance. I wonder how strongly the perception would come across if Trelane didn't have his trusty harpsichord, though.

 

[Marsden]

Certainly plausible, but a dandy is a dandy, there is bound to overlap. I don't think Liberace ever attacked anyone with a sword, but I might be wrong on that one.

 

[Doug Otte]

Certainly plausible, but a dandy is a dandy, there is bound to overlap. I don't think Liberace ever attacked anyone with a sword, but I might be wrong on that one.

Not that there's anything wrong with that!

On topic, it does seem like a natural comparison, but I'd never thought of it before. I wonder if it was intended...

 

[drt]

Heh, I'm pretty sure when I was a little kid in the early 70s I thought Trelane was played by Liberace.

 

[Captain Rob]

I remember watching Liberace on Batman as a little kid around 1970 or so. In the early 70's Liberace was on TV everywhere.
Then again there was a lot of weird stuff on TV in the early 70's.

 

[toonloon]

That's a fascinating thought. There's no evidence of it in the memos but that doesn't mean that Gene Coon didn't think of Liberace as a possible casting. I do think it's unlikely, but as I said, not impossible. If "Squire" was a third season episode, you can bet your ass Fred Freiberger would have cast Liberace. He liked stunt casting to up the ratings.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

That's a fascinating thought. There's no evidence of it in the memos but that doesn't mean that Gene Coon didn't think of Liberace as a possible casting. I do think it's unlikely, but as I said, not impossible. If "Squire" was a third season episode, you can bet your ass Fred Freiberger would have cast Liberace. He liked stunt casting to up the ratings.

My take on this is that probably no one thought of Liberace for Trelane when the episode was being planned, and we are only thinking of him because of the way William Campbell handled the part.

And Campbell might have been influenced by Liberace, but I doubt it. His fancy coat and playing music are probably a total coincidence.

 

[mb22]

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/ee/fb/e2/eefbe259aba3ebe9920e4935d27ab572.jpg

I can't think of any third season "stunt casting" aside from Melvin Belli and his son in "And the Children Shall Lead", who else was there?

 

[drt]

Yvonne Craig, maybe? But that's really no different than using Julie Newmar in S2.

 

[mb22]

Of course. Both Craig and Newmar were actresses who regularly appeared in other shows.

 

[Greg Cox]

As a kid back in the sixties, I kinda thought Trelane was played by Liberace, too.

 

[The Old Mixer]

I can't think of any third season "stunt casting" aside from Melvin Belli and his son in "And the Children Shall Lead", who else was there?

Both Craig and Newmar were actresses who regularly appeared in other shows.

Maybe...but Campbell and Craig both situated Trek two degrees of separation from the King:

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Yvonne gets bonus points for also being a degree of separation from the Godfather of Soul:

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[mb22]

More Elvis/Trek actors:
http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Elvis_Presley

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[The Old Mixer]

Bill Bixby as J. J. Jamison...!

Nothing buzzkills Elvis and TOS like randomly throwing some Voyager in....

 

[toonloon]

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/ee/fb/e2/eefbe259aba3ebe9920e4935d27ab572.jpg

I can't think of any third season "stunt casting" aside from Melvin Belli and his son in "And the Children Shall Lead", who else was there?

Perhaps "stunt" was the incorrect term. A fairer one would be "casting aimed at improving the ratings". A good example is that they blew almost their entire casting budget on Frank Gorshin because having him the cast would gurantee coverage from the press, which it did.

 

[MANT!]

Yeoman Colt was also attached to "The King", Laurel Goodman played a major role in "Girls! Girls! Girls!"

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