Actor/impressionist Frank Gorshin, best remembered by a generation of fans as the evil Riddler on the 1960s TV show 'Batman' has died at the age of 72. The cause of death was lung cancer and emphysema.
Gorshin's wife Christina was by his side when he died Tuesday at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center according to a statement released by Gorshin's agent and close friend Fred Wostbrock. The couple had been married for 48 years.
Gorshin's interpretation of the Riddler earned him an Emmy nomination. He wore a green jump suit with black question marks all over it and a bowler hat to play one of Batman's arch nemeses.
While critics of the series which ran from 1966-1969 have called it campy and over the top, Gorshin was aware of the impact it had on his career. 'It really was a catalyst for me,' Gorshin told the Associated Press in 2002. 'I was nobody. I had done some guest shots here and there. But after I did that, I became a headliner in Vegas, so I can't put it down.'
Adam West, who played Batman on the series released a statement saying, 'Frank will be missed. He was a friend and fascinating character.'
In addition to his Emmy nomination for playing the Riddler, Gorshin was also nominated for a guest spot he did on the original 'Star Trek' series in an episode called 'Let That Be Your Last Battlefield.' The episode first aired in 1969 and was an allegory on race relations and the violence that was ongoing in American cities during the late 1960s.
Before playing the Riddler, Gorshin was best known for doing impressions. He got his first big break by performing on 'The Ed Sullivan Show' where he did more than 40 impressions including Al Jolson, Kirk Douglas and James Cagney.
In 2002, Gorshin played George Burns in a one-man Broadway show called 'Say Goodnight Gracie.' Always the impressionist, he used little makeup and no prosthetics.
Gorshin's funeral will be private and he will be buried in a family plot in Pittsburgh. In addition to his wife, Gorshin is survived by his son Mitchell and his sister Dottie Roland.
