<Tr> <Th> Budget </Th> <Td> US $1.5 million </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $1.7 million (est . US / Canada rentals) </Td> </Tr> <P> Batman (often promoted as Batman: The Movie) is a 1966 American superhero film based on the Batman television series, and the first full - length theatrical adaptation of the DC Comics character Batman . Released by 20th Century Fox, the film starred Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin . The film hit theaters two months after the last episode of the first season of the television series . The film includes most members of the original TV cast, with the exception of Lee Meriwether as Catwoman, the character previously played by Julie Newmar in two episodes of the series' first season . </P> <P> When Batman and Robin get a tip that Commodore Schmidlapp is in danger aboard his yacht, they launch a rescue mission using the Batcopter . As Batman descends on the bat - ladder to land on the yacht, it suddenly vanishes beneath him . He rises out of the sea with a shark attacking his leg . After Batman dislodges it with bat - shark repellent, the shark explodes . Batman and Robin head back to Commissioner Gordon's office, where they deduce that the tip was a set - up by the United Underworld, a gathering of four of the most powerful villains in Gotham City: The Joker, The Penguin, The Riddler, and Catwoman . </P>

Who played catwoman in the original batman movie