Cesar Romero

In the 1989 movie Batman, Jack Nicholson brought his trademark sarcasm to the role of the Joker, perhaps Batman’s greatest foe.  Nearly 20 years later, Heath Ledger inhabited the role, giving a performance of a diabolical, insane, delusional villain....

All in the Mafia Family

In 1985, ABC debuted Our Family Honor.  Ultimately short-lived, it lasted half of the 1985-86 television season.  Our Family Honor presented the classic format of two families battling each other, with star-crossed lovers from each family complicating matters;...

The Green Hornet and Batman

In the superhero multiverse, Batman and the Green Hornet parallel each other. First, they’re not really superheroes.  As mortals, they rely on cunning, logic, and detective work to solve crimes. Second, they each have younger sidekicks.  Batman has Robin.  The...

1960s Spy Cartoons

James Bond ventured onto the silver screen in Dr. No in 1962, during the height of the Cold War.  Sean Connery’s portrayal of the British agent gave audiences an escape from the era’s harsh realities.  The Bond franchise inspired an onslaught of fictional...

James Bond: Spoofs, Parodies, and Parallels

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then James Bond should be very flattered indeed. Bond’s popular culture icon status inspired spoofs, parodies, and parallels aplenty.  Roger Moore portrayed Bond in the 1970s and 1980s.  He also portrayed a Bondish...