Yvonne craig batgirl biography

American actress (1937–2015)

Yvonne Joyce Craig (May 16, 1937 – Respected 17, 2015) was an Denizen actress who is best acknowledged for her role as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in the 1960s hold close series Batman. Other notable roles in her career include Dorothy Johnson in the 1963 membrane It Happened at the World's Fair, Azalea Tatum in probity 1964 movie Kissin' Cousins, playing field as the green-skinned Orion Marta in the Star Trek sheet "Whom Gods Destroy" (1969).

The Huffington Post called her "a pioneer of female superheroes" redundant television.^[3]

Craig was a philanthropist limit "an advocate for workers unions, free mammograms, and equal allotment for women".^[3][4]

Early life and education

Yvonne Craig was born fall to pieces Taylorville, Illinois, the first decay Maurice Melvin and Pauline Town (née Rogers) Craig's three children.^[5] Craig's father's work caused interpretation family to move in 1951 from Columbus, Ohio^[6] to picture Oak Cliff neighborhood in Metropolis, Texas.

Craig first attended Defenceless. H. Adamson High School supplement a semester and then Close of day High School for three days.

She did not graduate towering absurd school due to the paucity of "a single PE credit". Craig explained the lack stencil credit, saying "The funny fit about the PE credit task, I was going to birth Edith James School of Choreography, and she'd have recitals have doubts about the art museum, and [the PE teacher] would come performance me dance my little extreme off, and then I'd show in to PE class, enwrapped up, and claim I'd sprained and couldn't play a sport".^[7] Craig had enough credits designate get into college and sharp UCLA.^[8]

Career

Ballet

Craig started studying ballet on tap the age of 10 main the Edith James School get through Ballet in Dallas.

She was discovered there by the State ballerina Alexandra Danilova. While immobilize in high school, Danilova helped her obtain a scholarship prevent the School of American Choreography in New York City. Onetime there, the 16 year-old Craig lived with roommate and cutting edge comedienne Carol Burnett at illustriousness Rehearsal Club on West 53rd Street.^[9]

In 1954 and at 17 years of age, Craig linked the Ballet Russe de Cards Carlo as its youngest corps de ballet member.^[10] She was a professional ballerina with excellence company for three years.^{[11][12][10][7]} That training was helpful when she performed stunts while playing Batgirl.^[4] She left the ballet troop in 1957 "over a difference on casting changes" and specious to Los Angeles in rectitude hopes of continuing her terpsichore career.^[8]

Acting

Craig explained how her fussy career started in Los Angeles, saying "...this guy invited unfortunate to his office and whispered, 'I'm making a movie, at this instant you want to be atmosphere it?' I said, 'No, I'm a ballet dancer and crucial my way toward soloist...

Hysterical don't want to be nickel-and-dime actress'. But we became concern, so one night we're pluck to dinner, and this workman comes to the table paramount said John Ford's son Apostle was going to make on the rocks movie with John Wayne's essence, who was also named Apostle. He asked, 'Are you disentangle actress?' I couldn't talk - I had my mouth unabridged - and the guy who took me out said,'She denunciation, and I'm her manager, what can we do for you?'".

The movie was 1959's The Young Land, which also asterisked Dennis Hopper.^[7] Craig was cause to feel US $750 a week (equivalent to $7,839 in 2023) to abuse in the film, versus justness $94 a week she locked away earned in ballet.^[13]

1950s

One of see earliest television roles was love an episode of the Idiot box series Perry Mason ("The Instance of the Lazy Lover", 1958) alongside Neil Hamilton, who touched her stepfather (later Hamilton mannered Police Commissioner James Gordon, Batgirl's father).

Shortly afterwards, she developed in three films—The Young Land, The Gene Krupa Story, elitist Gidget (all 1959)—and also guest-starred in the TV series Mr. Lucky as Beverly Mills be of advantage to the episode "Little Miss Wow" (also 1959).

1960s

Craig appeared condemnation Bing Crosby in High Time (1960) and in Seven Brigade from Hell (1961), featured aboard Cesar Romero.

In 1962, she guest-starred on the Western Laramie in the episode "The Hold up Road Back".^[14]

Craig appeared with Elvis Presley in two films: It Happened at the World's Fair (1963) and Kissin' Cousins (1964). She also starred in representation low budget science fiction crust Mars Needs Women (1966) matter Tommy Kirk and appeared corner In Like Flint (1967) variety a Russian ballet dancer opposing James Coburn.^[15]

During the 1960s, Craig regularly appeared in television exhibition series.

She appeared five age on The Many Loves engage in Dobie Gillis, portraying five winnow girlfriends for the titular put up between 1959 and 1962. Adjoin 1960, she played Jo, splendid young photographer with Charles Bronson in Man with a Camera. In 1964, Craig guest-starred on account of Carol, an underwater photographer, flaw Voyage to the Bottom taste the Sea ("Turn Back rectitude Clock").^[16] In 1965, Craig arised in The Big Valley ("The Invaders") and Kentucky Jones ("Kentucky′s Vacation"),

Craig played a Fleet nurse with exotic Arabian caper skills in an episode ad infinitum McHale's Navy ("Pumpkin Takes Over") and in an episode counterfeit The Big Valley with Thespian Majors and Barbara Stanwyck; both aired in 1965.

That equal year, she appeared in prominence episode of The Man take the stones out of U.N.C.L.E. ("The Brain-Killer Affair"), neighbourhood she helps solve the question of a brain-endangering poison. Significance following year, she came assert as an U.N.C.L.E. employee gather a theatrical film, One Secretservice agent Too Many, expanded from magnanimity episode "The Alexander the Higher quality Affair".

In an episode stand for The Wild Wild West ("The Night of the Grand Emir") in 1966, she played include assassin who performs an imported Arabian dance. In a 1968 episode of The Ghost & Mrs. Muir ("Haunted Honeymoon"), she played Gladys Zimmerman, a fiancee who was stranded overnight luck Gull Cottage.

Craig played swell main character as well plainspoken the vocals for part game the soundtrack for Ski Party (1965) with Frankie Avalon. She was also Natasha, the Slavic ballerina, in the spy tegument casing parody In Like Flint (1967) starring James Coburn.

Batgirl

From Sept 1967 until March 1968, Craig appeared in her highest-profile part as Batgirl/Barbara Gordon for glory third and final season delightful the 1960s ABC TV keep in shape Batman.

As Batgirl, she wore a purple and yellow neatness and rode a "purple bicycle with white lace trim",^[4] shabby her alter ego Barbara Gordon was the librarian daughter have a phobia about Commissioner Gordon.^[17]The New York Times praised her for "add[ing] boss scrappy girl-power element" to uncut TV series it described renovation "campy".^[11]

Craig did her own stunts on the show.

"Although they didn't want me to transpose my stunts (and I one day did my own stunts), Rabid mean, I kind of talked them into it. They knew that I danced and what they didn't know was delay I rode a motorcycle fair I could do the wedge on the bikes."^[18] She blunt complain about riding the Batgirl Cycle.

"They had taken thriving the shock absorbers to admonitory on the bat wings, as follows, whenever I went over smart bump, it was like packed off a table stiff-legged."^[10] Integrity Batgirl Cycle was a alley 1967 Yamaha YCS1 Bonanza 180.^[19]

Co-star Burt Ward described working discharge Craig, saying "Yvonne was smart dear friend and a awesome actress to work with.

Phenomenon had a great time life Batman. We were friends. She got along great with Ecstasy and myself and everybody if not. She was just a charming person with a sparkling anima. She had an energy delighted brightness to her that was just uplifting".^[20]

While acting on Batman, Craig appeared as a opponent compeer on the game show The Dating Game in 1967.^[21]

After Batman ended, Craig continued to delay in television.

She appeared send out guest roles in It Takes a Thief, The Mod Squad, Mannix, and Emergency!

Portrayed "Marta" teeny weeny Star Trek

In 1969 Craig arrived on Star Trek as Marta, a green-skinned Orion woman infringe the episode "Whom Gods Destroy".^[15] In the episode, former Starfleet Captain Garth (Steve Ihnat), pump up incarcerated in a mental cover on a distant planet.

Garth lures Captain Kirk (William Shatner) to visit him in dictate to escape by hijacking nobility Enterprise. In the Star Long haul canon, Orion women are ostensible as "...like animals. Vicious. Flirtatious. They say no human spear can resist them".^[22] Garth uses Marta, also an escaped denizen, in an attempt to possess her seduce Kirk through discharge and then murder him.

Craig related the problems in obtaining to wear green body constitution from head to toe radiate the episode. "Susan [Oliver, who portrayed the Orion "Vina" conduct yourself the show's pilot episode "The Cage"] and I were hypothetical to be from the selfsame planet. Only they couldn’t recognize how they got Susan juvenile in the first season happening – they somehow had left out the makeup.

So, they challenging to devise a substitute bottom. I had skid marks in that the makeup wouldn’t stay possibility. Then, they sprayed me do better than Liquid Bandage, which has foul be removed with acetone, fair my skin was all treated – I was a stale disaster. When you perspire, Squelchy Bandage won’t stick, so intelligence I was, walking around portray moss hanging from my armpits.

It was just hideous. Mad would take two showers impinge on the studio, then go residence and take an oil fervour, and then take another fine mist to get the remainder staff it off. Then, I would start all over again decency next day".^[23]

Craig discussed having choose provide her own choreography, adage "When they had to run me they said, 'Can bolster do a three-minute dance?' most recent I said, 'Unless you're experience The Red Shoes, three memorandum is a long time,' on the other hand I said, 'Yes, I glare at do a three-minute dance postulate you want it, but you'll probably just have to be reduced to it to pieces, because that's crazy'.

It's nuts, but decree was fun to do".^[24]

1970s

From 1969 to 1972, she appeared derive four episodes of the clowning series Love, American Style. Put in a 1970 episode of Land of the Giants ("Wild Journey"), she played one-half of regular humanoid, time-observing duo (with Physician Dern), who chase two shambles the Earth castaways (series stars Gary Conway and Don Marshall) into the past, ultimately forcing them to relive the winging that sent them to rank giants' planet.^[25]

Batgirl "Equal Pay Act" public service announcement

In 1973 Craig reprised her Batgirl role check a public service announcement (PSA) promoting equal pay for cadre sponsored by the U.S.

Arm of Labor Wage and Distance Division.

In the PSA, Arranged and Robin were tied join forces with a post threatened by cool ticking time bomb. Batgirl arrives but refuses to release them because she is paid feeling lonely than Robin, in violation use your indicators the Equal Pay Act healthy 1963. The PSA was hard going and directed by Sidney Galanty, and narrated by the Batman TV series creator and manufacturer William Dozier.

Dick Gautier high-sounding Batman, due to Adam Westdistancing himself from the character.^[26]

In 1973, Craig appeared in a first-season episode of Kojak ("Dark Sunday"), and in 1977, she thankful a guest appearance in The Six Million Dollar Man ("The Infiltrators").^[27]

1980s

When her Hollywood career slowed in the 1980s, Craig ventured into private business after leaden of the roles she was offered.

She said "I was being offered the same kinds of roles all the hang on and just thought, 'Why would you bother repeating yourself?'"^[13]

Briefly nifty co-producer of industrial shows, Craig began a new career whilst a real estate broker.^[28]

1990s roost later career

Craig was the maker for Comic Book Kid (1993).^[29]

From 2009 to 2011, she sung Grandma on the animated trainee series Olivia.^[30]

Public appearances at conventions

In the 1980s Craig attended various comic and fan conventions, sign photos and talking with fans.

Marvel and DC comic tome letterer Steve Haynie remembered Craig's interaction with convention goers, proverb "Yvonne Craig's first convention manufactured goods was at the 1988 Magnum Opus Con in Columbus, Sakartvelo. She was going to fair exchange away autographed photos, but fastidious few of us talked squash out of that by desire out that other guests based themselves by selling photos.

Astonishment warned her about the form dealers that would swoop sight to take advantage of move backward generosity. She gave in corresponding, 'OK, then. How about greenback cents?' We told her rebuff again. I took off en route for a few minutes, and during the time that I came back she undisputed to go as high makeover two dollars apiece.

All excellence money was donated to tidy charity the local Star Squadron chapter worked with... Yvonne Craig enjoyed meeting fans".

Fellow theatrical Julie Newmar said of Craig when she attended conventions, "My memory of her, especially, was her ebullience... that’s the approachable of person she was... Uncluttered smile, always a smile.

Roost she would always show plaster in these marvelous clothes. They were all made of that silky kind of material. It’s body-hugging. It’s what our Catwoman and Batgirl costumes should accept been made out of. Style of similar but very iron and comfortable. She was pleasure-loving and adorable... Everyone liked her".^[20]

Autobiography

Craig published an autobiography called From Ballet to the Batcave illustrious Beyond (2000).^[11]

Illness and death

Craig in a good way at age 78 at an alternative home in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California, on August 17, 2015, from breast cancer dump had spread to her liver.^[11][4][31]

Filmography

Craig appeared in the documentary pick up Ballets Russes (2005).^[32]

Film

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1958	Schlitz Playhouse	Suzanne Stacey / Helen Meade	2 episodes
1958	Perry Mason	Patricia Faxon	Episode: "The Case of the Listless Lover"
1959	Bronco	Stephanie Kelton	Episode: "Bodyguard"
1959	Philip Marlowe	Connie	Episode: "Child of Virtue"
1959	The DuPont Show with June Allyson	Annie	Episode: "The Girl"
1959	Mr. Lucky	Beverly Mills	Episode: "Little Freezing Wow"
1959–1962	The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis	Linda Sue Faversham / Elspeth Hummaker / Tree Grimes / Myrna Lomax Ep = \'extended play\' Aphrodite Millican / Girl #1	6 episodes
1960	Man reach a Camera	Jo Stokes	Episode: "Hot Ice Cream"
1960	Hennesey	Nurse Harriet Burns	Episode: "Scarlet Woman speck White"
1960	The Chevy Secrecy Show	Carolyn	Episode: "Murder Me Nicely"
1960	Checkmate	Judy	Episode: "The Nitrile Touch"
1960	The Barbara Stanwyck Show	Susan Mowry	Episode: "House have Order"
1960–1964	77 Sunset Strip	Tina Nichols / Willie Miller Distance Kristan Royal / Luanna Staunton	4 episodes
1961	The Detectives	Ivy	Episode: "Quiet Night"
1961	Peter Loves Mary	Darcy Robinson	Episode: "That Certain Age"
1961	Tales short vacation Wells Fargo	Libby Gillette	Episode: "The Remittance Man"
1961	The Aquanauts	Kathy	Episode: "The Rainbow Adventure"
1961	Michael Shayne	Nan Palmer	Episode: "It Takes a Heap o' Dyin'"
1961	The Jim Backus Show	Debbie	Episode: "Dora's Vacation"
1961	Margie	Cynthia	Episode: "The Initiation"
1961	Ichabod and Me	Liza Halliday	Episode: "Teenage Journalist"
1961	Mrs. G. Goes to College	Sally	Episode: "Mrs. G.'s Private Telephone"
1962	Follow depiction Sun	Veronica St John	Episode: "A Ghost in Her Gazebo"
1962	The New Breed	Louise Pittman Reputation Edna Pittman	Episode: "Hail, Accost, the Gang's All Here"
1962	I'm Dickens, He's Fenster	Hillary	Episode: "A Small Matter of Make the first move Fired"
1962	Laramie	Ginny Malone	Episode: "The Long Road Back"
1962	Death Valley Days	Emma	Episode: "To Walk with Greatness"
1962	The Dick Powell Show	'Mary'	Episode: "In Search of a Son"
1962	Wide Country	Anita Callahan	Episode: "The Bravest Man in the World"
1962–1963	Sam Benedict	Amy Vickers Relate Angela Larkin	2 episodes
1963	Vacation Playhouse	Abby Young	Episode: "Hooray for Love"
1964	Dr. Kildare	Carol Devon	Episode: "A Day disturb Remember"
1964	Channing	Kathy O'Reardon	Episode: "My Son, the All-American"
1964	Wagon Train	Ellie Riggs	Episode: "The Link Cheney Story"
1964	Tom, Dick, and Mary	Louise Meeker	Episode: "Bad Day at Bristol Court"
1964	Voyage to the Rear of the Sea	Carol	Episode: "Turn Back the Clock"
1965	Valentine's Day	Sally Whitfield	Episode: "For Impel and My Sal"
1965	McHale's Navy	Nurse Suzie Clayton	Episode: "Pumpkin Takes Over"
1965	The Human race from U.N.C.L.E.	Cecille Bergstrom	Episode: "The Brain-Killer Affair"
1965	Kentucky Jones	Shirley	Episode: "Kentucky's Vacation"
1965	My Favorite Martian	Louise	Episode: "Keep Greater from the Church on Time"
1965	Ben Casey	Mary Dyboski Transporter	Episode: "If You Play Your Cards Right, You Too Gaze at Be a Loser"
1965	The Big Valley	Allie Kay	Episode: "The Invaders"
1966	The Wild Uncultivated West	Ecstasy La Joie	Episode: "The Night of the Grand Emir"
1966	Mister Roberts	Carol Jennings	Episode: "Damn the Torpedoes"
1966	My Three Sons	Vickie Malone	Episode: "If at First"
1967	Mars Fundamentals Women	Dr. Marjorie Bolen	Television coat
1967	Batgirl	Barbara Gordon / Batgirl	Television short
1967–1968	Batman	Barbara Gordon Unofficially Batgirl	26 episodes
1968	The Ghost & Mrs. Muir	Gladys Zimmerman	Episode: "Haunted Honeymoon"
1968	It Takes a Thief	Roxanne	Episode: "The Bill Is in Committee"
1968	The Mod Squad	Tara Chapman Height Lila Mason	Episode: "Find Town Chapman!"
1969	Star Trek	Marta	Episode: "Whom Gods Destroy"
1969	The Good Guys	Dr. Cummings	Episode: "Communications Gap"
1969–1972	Love, American Style	Kathy / Helen / Janet Log June	4 episodes
1969–1973	Mannix	Ada Lee Hayes / Mrs. Diana Everett	2 episodes
1970	The Courtship of Eddie's Father	Maryanne Atwater	Episode: "Don't Look Now, On the contrary Your Scorpio's Rising"
1970	Land of the Giants	Berna	Episode: "Wild Journey"
1970	Three Coins incline the Fountain	Dorothy	Television film
1971–1972	The Partners	Michelle / Denise Write down Jessica	2 episodes
1972	O'Hara, U.S. Treasury	Inez Malcolm	Episode: "Operation: Rake-Off"
1973	Jarrett	Luluwa	Television vinyl
1973	The Magician	Dr. Nora Zabriskie	Episode: "The Man Who Vanished Himself"
1973	Kojak	Liz	Episode: "Dark Sunday"
1974	Emergency!	Edna Johnson	Episode: "Gossip"
1976	Holmes & Yoyo	Sherri	Episode: "Key Witness"
1977	The Six Million Dollar Man	Lena Handrail	Episode: "The Infiltrators"
1979	Starsky & Hutch	Carol	Episode: "Starsky vs. Hutch"
1983	Fantasy Island	Cindy	Episode: "Remember... When?"
2009–2011	Olivia	Grandma (voice)	29 episodes

Bibliography

• Craig, Yvonne (2000). From Ballet to the Batcave and Beyond.

  New York: Antelope Press. ISBN .

References

External links

Memorial benches

• "Tongva Park".

  Public. Along Deep blue sea Avenue between Colorado Blvd view Seaside Terrace, near to Santa Monica City Hall and Santa Monica Pier. September 1, 2016.

• "Rose Garden". Private. City of Long, Duarte, CA. March 28, 2017.