Yvonne Craig, the actress most famous for playing Batgirl in the 1960s Batman TV show, has passed away at the age of 78, her family announced on Wednesday.
As a trained ballet dancer, Craig brought her own acrobatic skills to the role, and she is celebrated among many comic book fans for her insistence to the show’s producers that she perform her own stunts and personally ride Batgirl’s motorcycle instead of handing the task over to a double.
And in the early 1970s, she returned to play Batgirl in a public service announcement for an important cause: Equal pay for female superheroes.
“Quick, Batgirl, untie us before it’s too late,” said Batman, portrayed by an unknown actor standing in for Adam West, over the sounds of a ticking bomb.
“It’s already too late!” Batgirl responded. “I’ve worked for you a long time — and I’m paid less than Robin.”
“Holy discontent!” said Robin, reprised by the original actor, Burt Ward.
“Same job, same employer, means equal pay for men and women.”
“No time for jokes, Batgirl,” Batman responded.
“It’s no joke — it’s the federal equal pay law.”
“Holy act of Congress!”
“Will Batgirl save the dynamic duo? Will she get equal pay?” asked the announcer (the returning voice of Batman series creator William Dozier!) before advising viewers to contact the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor.
Craig also appeared in the original Star Trek series, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and many other classic TV shows, and co-starred in two movies alongside Elvis Presley, It Happened at the World’s Fair and Kissin’ Cousins.
