"A Piece of the Action" is unusual in that, instead of the 'Special Guest Villain' we have a crossover with the fading GREEN HORNET series, starring Van Williams as wealthy newspaper publisher (and boyhood rival of Bruce Wayne) Britt Reid aka The Green Hornet, billed as 'Visiting Hero,' with Bruce Lee as chauffeur/sidekick Kato, billed as 'Assistant Visiting Hero' (the duo had previously contributed a Batclimb cameo five months earlier in "Tut's Case is Shut"). Authorities in Gotham City consider a new arch criminal is on the loose once they learn that The Green Hornet is in town, but the actual villain is Roger C. Carmel (Harry Mudd in two STAR TREKs) as Colonel Gumm, foreman of the Pink Chip Stamp Factory owned by Pinky Pinkston (Diane McBain, previously the moll for David Wayne's Mad Hatter), daughter of the late Pincus Pinkston, whose collection of rare stamps is missing the rarest and most valuable one of all, the Gotham Gothic. The Green Hornet and Kato pay a midnight visit to Colonel Gumm, in the middle of his usual snack of alphabet soup, clearly establishing themselves as potential accomplices out for 'a piece of the action' (later the title of a comic STAR TREK episode). In fact, Batman and Robin aren't sure about anything, apart from the suspicious behavior of Boris Sevaroff, actually Colonel Gumm in disguise, his employer unaware of his activities in stamp counterfeiting. Among the henchmen are familiar faces Seymour Cassel as Cancelled, and a young Alex Rocco as Block, whose beginnings in low budget horror ("Blood Mania" and "Stanley") would yield to blockbusters such as "The Godfather." The cliffhanger has The Green Hornet seemingly blocked, gummed, and perforated into a full sized stamp thumbtacked to the wall, with the Dynamic Duo next to be 'stamped out.' The flirtatious sexy models on display are played by Jan Watson and Angelique Pettyjohn, the latter in just her fifth television appearance, soon to appear as Shahna in STAR TREK's "The Gamesters of Triskelion."
4 Reviews
Despite Some Rubbish, This Is Cool
StuOz20 March 2010
In the 1970s and 1980s, this two-part Bat-episode was my only exposure to The Green Hornet and Kato. The Green Hornet series (1966-67) was never replayed in Australia and other places so I just could not get my hands on it until 1992.
Granted, this two-parter has some rubbish going on, but what was going on when the cameras stopped rolling is 50% of the episode's appeal: Bruce Lee went a bit crazy with Burt Ward when making part two! All in all, I would call this cool but not the best of Batman.
Granted, this two-parter has some rubbish going on, but what was going on when the cameras stopped rolling is 50% of the episode's appeal: Bruce Lee went a bit crazy with Burt Ward when making part two! All in all, I would call this cool but not the best of Batman.
The Best episode of Batman
tennischamp2001200127 September 2006
In this episode. The Green Hornet comes to town and tries to unfold a phony stamp making operation. Well as you know Batman & Robin is on the same case thinking that the Green Hornet & Kato is in on it. Little that they know that Green Hornet is a crime fighter too. In the end they wind up battling the bad guys and eventually each other. Both gets the best of each other, and it winds up to be the best action sequence ever in television history. I would love to see Batman on DVD so we can see history in the making. I'm sure everyone will enjoy if they can get a copy of this on DVD. You will love it as well as i do. The Green Hornet is already on DVD. Hopefully Batman will be too. The 1966 movie is on disc. Van Williams as the Green Hornet does a good job in this episode, as well as Bruce Lee as Kato. Will we ever see a display of action in day and age. I don't think so. Roger C. Carmel is good also as Col. Gumm. You will see Alex Rocco very good character actor as one of the henchmen. If it is available on disc then go out and get it your kids might just like it. It's better than what we have today on TV.
EVERYBODY WANTS A PIECE OF THE ACTION
tcchelsey18 December 2022
Credit regular series writer Charles Hoffman for coming up with this real camp classic episode, and of historical significance for completists. Hoffman was a veteran writer for Warner Brothers tv (77 SUNSET STRIP etc) and producer, so he definitely had the imagination. Van Williams and Bruce Lee make a cameo appearance as THE GREEN HORNET and KATO, from their own tv show --but this time Batman and Robin think they're a couple of crooks! That alone is one heck of a tease! The booty here is a priceless missing stamp collection, amassed by Pinky Pinkerton's late father. Pinky (who operates the Pink Chip Stamp factory) is played by lovely Diane McBain, in her second appearance on the show. Despite all her movie and tv roles, she's best remembered as one of Elvis Presley's gal pals in SPINOUT (1966).
The villain guest star here is Roger C. Carmel, who reminds me of Victor Buono (KING TUT), as he is so over the top and obviously having fun with his role. Victor Buono said in later years that playing King Tut on BATMAN was a blast because he could over act, yet make it all seem believable. Carmel plays Colonel Gumm, much in the same style, an eccentric stamp counterfeiter who dines on alphabet soup in his spare time! No doubt Carmel's unforgettable role as con-man Harry Mudd on STAR TREK lead to this characterization, stealing the show as the boisterous baddie. Alex Rocco, in an early role (of course forever remembered as gangster Moe Green in THE GODFATHER), plays a goon as does veteran actor Seymour Cassel, who has an interesting name called "Cancelled"! The question remains as to why THE GREEN HORNET did not last as long as BATMAN, and it just could be that the latter series was such a phenom the producers stuck with it and didn't look back. However, watching Williams as the Hornet and Lee as Kato is always a treat, especially for all of us long time cult fans. Watch for the hilarious finale as the Dynamic duo are literally glued to an enormous stamp pad by the Colonel --about to be pasted on a wall! Now that's original! SEASON 2 EPISODE 51 dvd box set in pink colorization!
The villain guest star here is Roger C. Carmel, who reminds me of Victor Buono (KING TUT), as he is so over the top and obviously having fun with his role. Victor Buono said in later years that playing King Tut on BATMAN was a blast because he could over act, yet make it all seem believable. Carmel plays Colonel Gumm, much in the same style, an eccentric stamp counterfeiter who dines on alphabet soup in his spare time! No doubt Carmel's unforgettable role as con-man Harry Mudd on STAR TREK lead to this characterization, stealing the show as the boisterous baddie. Alex Rocco, in an early role (of course forever remembered as gangster Moe Green in THE GODFATHER), plays a goon as does veteran actor Seymour Cassel, who has an interesting name called "Cancelled"! The question remains as to why THE GREEN HORNET did not last as long as BATMAN, and it just could be that the latter series was such a phenom the producers stuck with it and didn't look back. However, watching Williams as the Hornet and Lee as Kato is always a treat, especially for all of us long time cult fans. Watch for the hilarious finale as the Dynamic duo are literally glued to an enormous stamp pad by the Colonel --about to be pasted on a wall! Now that's original! SEASON 2 EPISODE 51 dvd box set in pink colorization!
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