Why The Addams Family's John Astin Took Over Frank Gorshin's Batman Role As The Riddler

ABC's "Batman" marked the first time many of the Caped Crusader's classic foes had been brought to life in live action — including the Riddler, whose role on the show was once thrown into question by a pay dispute.

The Riddler made only one appearance in the second season of the classic 1960s series, in the two-part story "Batman's Anniversary"/"A Riddling Controversy." Even then, these episodes saw the character's usual actor, Frank Gorshin, replaced by John Astin, who's better known for playing Gomez Addams on "The Addams Family."

Following the first season of "Batman," Gorshin's performance as the Riddler had landed him a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Comedy. While it's never been confirmed whether this was a factor in the ensuing pay dispute, it was following this nomination that Gorshin's new agents requested a $5,000 fee for his return as the Riddler. In a letter to Gorshin posted on Martin Grams' blog, "Batman" producer William Dozier said the show's "budget just can't stand it, as much as we shall dislike having to recruit another Riddler." This led to Astin's recasting in the second season, as well as the introduction of the Puzzler (Maurice Evans) during another episode originally intended for the Riddler.

John Astin's appearance as the Riddler in the second season of "Batman" was the only time he played the character, as production on the show's third season saw a change that led to Gorshin's return. The first two seasons of "Batman" had aired two episodes a week, which the series' writers used to their advantage by making almost every story a two-parter. For those seasons, villains would receive a flat rate of $2,500 for each two-parter — and no residuals. For the third season, the guest star salary was raised to $2,000 per episode. It may not have been the $5,000 fee that Gorshin had originally demanded, but this was apparently enough to convince him to return.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times (via MeTV), Astin opened up about his time as the Riddler. "It's just a guest shot as far as I'm concerned," he said. "I had very little knowledge of how Gorshin played the role." Explaining how he had chosen to approach the character, Astin added: "I figure the guy's got to be in love with himself — a narcissist. I play him this way. You know, striding around. Striking a few muscle poses. It was fun."