Action Figures of the 1960s and 1970s Quiz

Answer: Batman

Adam West caught the attention of "Batman's" producer, William Dozier, while he was playing Captain Quik, a James Bond-type character, in milk commercials for Nestle's Quik.

Adam West fell in love with the script during the audition which portrayed the superhero with witty humor and a detective theme. West signed the contract on the spot with the condition that he would have a say in choosing the actor that played Robin.

West went along with the director's choice with Burt Ward as Robin. He valued Ward's experience with stunts but was hesitant with Ward's inexperience with acting. Ward proved to be faithful as a team player.

West and Ward became known as the "Dynamic Duo" for their portrayal of Batman and Robin. In the "Batman" show, Batman would often fight unexpected surprises with tools from his utility belt, followed by Robin's remark of "Holy Batman!". The show was known for its fight scenes, riddles, and humor. It also rotated through many villains and scenarios, which kept the shows entertaining for their viewers.

West and Ward lead the "Batman" show to be nominated for an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Comedy Series" in its first year in 1966. It lost to "The Dick Van Dyke Show."

The "Batman" show became a huge part of Adam West's fame and legacy. According to "The Hollywood Reporter", when "Batman" ended, West shared with his fans, "When Batman was canceled, the only thing I thought is that it would be the end of me, and it was for a bit. But then I realized what we created in the show. We created this zany, lovable world." (The Hollywood Reporter, "Adam West Dies At 88")

(Information from "The Hollywood Reporter", "Reuters", and "NBC News")

Answer: Superman

Producers spend three years searching for an actor to play the role of Superman. Many well-known actors were considered including Sylvester Stallone and Paul Newman. However, Richard Donner did not feel like they fit the flying role. Donner wanted someone who would bring the childhood dream to life without making it too serious or too cartoonish.

When he met Christopher Reeve, Donner felt like he met the part in every way except for his size, weight, and muscles. Additionally, Reeve added to his audition with his piloting skills and moves. He showed a love for the character and added his own emphasis to bringing the storyline to life.

The staff proposed a muscle suit, but Reeve refused. Reeve promised to go through an extensive muscle training regime before the show's production deadline. Reeve went from 170 lbs to 212 lbs when the show's production began.

"Superman" became one of 1978's biggest hits, making over $300 million worldwide. Reeves was nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards for his performances in "Superman I", "Superman II", and "Superman III". He was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1997.

Hollywood was shocked when Reeve suffered from a horse-riding accident in 1995, which paralyzed him from the neck down. Unable to continue his acting career, Reeve became a speaker for people with severe disabilities. He set up a foundation to research cures and treatments for spinal cord injuries. Reeve believed he find a way to walk again, but he passed away at the age of 52.

(Information from "The Hollywood Reporter", "Biography", "The Washington Post", and "Christopher Reeve Foundation")

Answer: Darth Vader

His character was not a hero, but David Prowse brought lots of memorable action and success to the "Star Wars" franchise during the 1970s. "Star Wars" became one of the highest-watched movies.

At the end of his audition, George Lucas gave Prowse the choice of playing Chewbacca or Darth Vader. He was liked for both parts because of his towering size. Prowse instantly took the role of Darth Vader. When he was questioned on why, Prowse responded, "Everyone remembers the villain, George." (Sources, "Awesome Con Interview: David Prowse", "Hollywood Reporter Interview: George Lucas")

Prowse played the role of Vader for the entirety of the original "Star Wars" trilogy. Although he did not voice the character (the voice was provided by James Earl Jones), he became one of the most well-known characters in the series.

On top of being a great actor, David Prowse was also a gym owner and a bodybuilder. Directors called upon him to train other actors that were new to the field. One of these actors was Christopher Reeve though Reeve needed significant training when he first got to Hollywood to fulfill his acting roles. David Prowse teamed up with him to build Reeves into the muscular actor the directors needed. The two became close friends over the experience. Prowse also trained actors John Barrowman ("Doctor Who" star) and Cary Elwes ("The Princess Bride" star).

David Prowse passed away from COVID-19 complications in 2020.

(Information from "The Hollywood Reporter", "IMDb", and "Star Wars: The Official Star Wars Website", "Awesome Con David Prowse Interview" "Hollywood Reporter Interview: George Lucas Remembering David Prowse")

Answer: True

Harrison Ford began his acting career in the 1960s with the movies "Ironside" and "The Virginian". However, when his acting career did not take off, he turned to a career in professional carpentry.

Harrison Ford met the Hollywood producer Fred Roos through his carpentry handiwork. Roos was famous for working on the "Andy Griffin Show", "The Godfather", "The Godfather II", and "American Graffiti". He took a special interest in Harrison Ford.

Ford's big break came when he landed a role as Han Solo in the "Star Wars" series. Fred Roos was determined to cast Harrison Ford in a "Star Wars" role but had been rejected by George Lucas because of the other films Ford had starred in. Lucas did not want his characters to be overshadowed by other films in the industry, but Roos insisted Ford would be perfect for the Han Solo part. Fred Roos arranged for Ford to build doors in the offices where George Lucas was having auditions for the "Star Wars" films. His plan worked in arranging the two together. Ford played Han Solo in four sequels over the next forty-two years.

Harrison Ford used his skills as a carpenter to build doors and do handiwork for other producers, which helped him build relationships. In addition to his success with "Star Wars", he continued his career with another high-profile performance in the "Indiana Jones" series.

In 2003, he was given the honor of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

(Information from: "Far Out Magazine", "Cinema Blend News", "IMDb", and "The Hollywood Reporter")

Answer: Green Lantern

"The Legend of the Superheroes" was a mini-series that featured multiple heroes and villains from the DC series. It allowed Adam West and Burt Ward to reprise their roles on "Batman" and introduced Captain America, Flash, Wonder Woman, Atom, The Huntress, Green Lantern, Hawkman, and Black Canary.

Howard Murphy was a college student at the University of Southern California when he found out about the TV auditions in The Hollywood Reporter.

At the auditions, Murphy had been given several scripts from well-known comedy shows. When Murphy found out he had gotten the "Green Lantern" role he was very surprised. He went to the bookstore and searched through as many comic books as he could find.

As a child, he remembered admiring the character's ring. In the comics, Green Lantern used his willpower to empower his ring's power. Green Lantern's weakness was fear. Murphy was inspired by the character's courage. During auditions and practices, he mimicked the ring poses of Hal Jordon from the comic strips.

In the "Legend of Superheroes", the heroes worked together to solve a mystery. Murphy's character of Green Lantern told jokes and was a lighthearted friend to the other heroes.

After the show's ending, Murphy went on to perform in "Chips" (1979) and "Murder She Wrote" (1984).

(Information from "Noblemania: Howard Murphy Interview" and "IMDb")

Answer: Hulk

Lou Ferrigno was the first actor to portray the green comic book legend, Hulk.

The TV plotline was slightly altered from the comic book series. Dr. Bruce Banner was traumatized from the loss of his wife and became a mad scientist infatuated with the science of gamma radiation. He doused himself with dangerously high levels of gamma radiation which turned him into a dangerous monster when he became angry. Banner tried to control his condition at first but eventually used the monster for good.


"The Incredible Hulk" was Ferrigno's first acting role. Unlike many actors that have portrayed Hulk in the 2000s, Ferrigno was not assisted by computerized technologies in his costume or appearance. He was selected for his role based on his reputation as a bodybuilder and his muscular appearance. He underwent a strict diet and several muscular routines to tone up for his part.


"The Incredible Hulk" lasted from 1977 to 1982. It won a Primetime Emmy in 1979.

Ferrigno followed up his performance with the "Incredible Hulk" with other bodybuilding roles such as "Hercules".

Ferrigno has returned to the screen to help out in other "Hulk" movies. He played the voice of Hulk in "The Incredible Hulk" movie in 2008. Although he didn't play the movie's main role, he played a security guard in "Hulk" in 2003.

(Information found from "Screen Rant" and "IMDb")

Answer: Dr. Strange

The 1978 "Dr. Strange" TV film was the project of writer, director, and producer Philip DeGuere. With multiple DC superhero shows doing well and the success of "The Incredible Hulk", the movie was expected to expand into a TV series and be a Marvel hit with the CBS network. The production team wanted to go into great detail with special effects and magic scenes.

The film was ahead of its time and many of the special effects tried to portray a storyline that wasn't feasible. In the comics, Dr. Strange was originally a neurosurgeon who lost his career due to a car accident that damaged his hands. The doctor traveled to Tibet, where he found renewed purpose under the guidance of the Ancient One, a sorcerer who teaches Strange the ways of magic and martial arts. The TV series couldn't afford the portrayal of Dr. Strange's accident or Tibet trip, so they portrayed the doctor as a psychiatrist and simplified the magic realms as magic spells.

CBS found the plot boring compared to the comic books and the main character unappealing. When the movie flopped, they rejected the series because of production costs and because the main character was hard to understand. Superheroes such as the Hulk and Spider-Man already had shows, were more familiar with audiences, and had high ratings.

Dr. Strange was Peter Hooten's first major acting role. Hooten was not a household name, but DeGuere pushed for an unknown star because he wanted to make a success story similar to other superhero actors at the time. However, the theory of promoting an unknown actor did not work because Dr. Strange was a relatively unknown character that needed promotion.

Kusatsu (who played Dr. Strange's assistant), told "The Hollywood Reporter" the public was not ready for that kind of otherworldliness. He explained that most superhero shows were very primitive without much technology. "If you looked around that time, if you look at the old Hulk thing, it was pretty primitive. We did the best we could without a lot of green screens, CGI, and all of that stuff. It was a great experience."

With the film's collapse, Hooten continued in his Hollywood career, making several movies. He never found a big break or reached a well-known status. He retired from acting in 2017 and moved to Florida.

(Information from "The Hollywood Reporter", "IMDb", "Mental Floss")

Answer: Wonder Woman

"Wonder Woman", the TV series, was based on the 1942 comic strip by Charles Moulton. At the time Moulton created Wonder Woman, there had been many male superheroes, but no female heroines. He created Wonder Woman to inspire little girls the same way Batman and Superman had inspired others.

The creators of "Wonder Woman" picked up on the same idea at a time when many TV superheroes were male. The first pilot of "Wonder Woman" with Kathy Lee Crosby was a flop. When Lynda Carter picked up the show, she was aware that the future of the show was on the hinges.

Carter followed a vigorous exercise routine and kept to a strict diet to gain a muscular form, similar to the preparation Reeve did for Superman. She portrayed the character with poise and a serious role, contrary to other superhero shows that had more humorous characters. The show stuck faithfully to the comic book narration of a superheroine in a World War II setting.

The show starred Carter as Princess Diana, a fighting Amazon warrior that saved the life of Maj. Steve Trevor, United States Army Air Corps, who crash-landed on the Amazon's island after an air battle with a Nazi fighter plane. He revealed the current state of the world, which resulted in the Queen's decision to send him back to the outside world with an Amazon, to battle alongside the Allies. Diana won the contest in disguise and was awarded special armor to fight evil. She returns to the human world to help the soldiers and fight in World War II.


After the show proved to hold its popularity against "Bionic Woman" and other regular scheduled superhero shows, ABC committed to holding the program. As Carter's popularity grew, she went from her original pay of $3,500 per episode to making one million dollars per season.

Carter's husband, Ron Samuels, managed her career. Using his experience as a talent agent, he controlled Carter's contracts and decisions. Eventually, Samuels became jealous of his wife's success and claimed all Carter's decisions went through him as "man of the house". Carter filed for divorce in 1982.

(Information from "The Hollywood Reporter", "IMDb", and "USA Today")

Answer: Sean Connery

Sean Connery was the first actor to portray James Bond and starred in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. The role boosted Connery's career in action and adventure films.

Connery eventually grew tired of the role because people made the character synonymous with his identity. Although he had many other successful roles and movies in his career, it upset him that Bond was the main role people recognized him for.

Sean Connery made a big impact on his peers while he was filming. Many actors considered him a gentleman for his courteous mannerisms and his professional attitude. Harrison Ford, Kevin Costner, and Christopher Lambert, were just a few out of many Connery influenced and became friends with through his acting roles.

Queen Elizabeth II gave Connery an honorary knighthood in 2000. Connery retired in 2006 and retired to the Bahamas. He died at the age of 90 in 2020.

(Information from "BBC", "Biography", and "New York Times")

Answer: Sound of Music

Nicholas Hammond starred in "The Sound of Music" as Friedrich von Trapp in 1965. After the movie's production, he remained close friends with his "Sound of Music" friends and stars, which became like family.

In 1977, he landed the lead role of Peter Parker in the TV series, "The Amazing Spider-Man". Most of the stunts were performed by the stuntman, Fred Waugh. The directors clashed over many of the scripts and stunts being too "juvenile". Like most superhero shows of the 1960s and 1970s, directors struggled to balance the appropriateness between adults and children. Superhero shows were still in the beginning stages of transitioning from cartoons to live television. Although the series had high ratings, it was canceled because of the overflow of superhero series at the time.

After the "Spider-Man" series ended, Hammond floated as a guest on other TV drama shows. In 1986, he moved to Australia and became a citizen. He became a TV writer and made guest appearances with his "Sound of Music" co-stars.

(Information from "The Hollywood Reporter", "IMDb", "Broadway World News")