Adam West

LOS ANGELES — “Batman” only aired for three seasons in the 1960s, but Adam West would remain associated with the role forever.

“You get terrible typecast playing a character like that,” West told The Associated Press in a 2014 interview. “But in the overall, I’m delighted because my character became iconic and has opened a lot of doors in other ways, too.”

West, who died late Friday at age 88, initially chafed as being typecast after “Batman” went off the air, but in later years he acknowledged he was happy to have had a role in kicking off a big-budget film franchise by showing the character’s appeal.

His straight-faced portrayal of Batman in the campy TV series lifted the tight-clad Caped Crusader into the national consciousness, and inspired future wearers of the superhero’s cape and cowl. The TV show was among the most popular in 1966, the year of its debut, and some of the era’s top actors signed on to play villains. Burgess Meredith squawked as the Penguin. Eartha Kitt purred as Catwoman. And Cesar Romero cackled as the Joker.

Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale and Ben Affleck have since portrayed Batman on-screen.

“Adam West exemplified heroism,” Affleck wrote on Twitter Saturday. “Kind, funny and an all around great guy.”

West remained friends with the actor who played Batman’s trusty sidekick, Robin. Burt Ward said he and West were friends for more than 50 years.

“We shared some of the most fun times of our lives together, Ward told the entertainment trade paper Variety.

Julie Newmar, who played Catwoman to West’s Batman, said, “He was bright, witty and fun to work with.

A whole new generation of fans knew West as the voice of nutty Mayor Adam West on the long-running animated series “Family Guy.” In April 2012, West received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.