- "This place is about to get cold!"
- ―Mr. Freeze[src]
Mr. Freeze was an enemy of Batman. Cold in appearance and personality, he decided to put all of Gotham on ice as well as avenge himself on Batman whom he blamed for his condition.
Biography
Later Schivel's skin began to turn blue.
Dr. Schivel (first name unknown) was a criminal scientist who during a fight with Batman was exposed to a solution of instant freeze, which turned him in to the diabolical Mr. Freeze. Now unable to live in an environment warmer then fifty-degrees below zero without the aid of a refrigerated suit, he sought revenge on Batman for his condition. In keeping with his new theme, Mr. Freeze began stealing finest diamonds, "ice" to him, in the city. After two clashes with Batman and Robin he successfully used his Freeze Gun to freeze them solid. It was only quick emergency care that saved the pair.
After this attempt failed, he had baseball pitcher Paul Diamante kidnapped so he would have a valuable "diamond" to trade for Batman. While Batman cooperated, he didn't count on Robin following him to Freeze's hideout. After a quiet dinner, Freeze decided to slowly freeze them, starting with Batman. Batman quickly stopped him however, thank to a special thermal layering under his suit. After a quick battle with Freeze's henchmen, Batman sent them and Freeze to prison so they could cool off.
Known Associates
Just as Batman and Robin do not go at crime-fighting alone, Mr. Freeze needs fellow partners in crime to assist him with his malicious schemes.
- Chill (portrayed by Troy Melton and Kem Dibbs) - Mr. Freeze's henchman.
- Nippy (portrayed by Guy Way) - Mr. Freeze's henchman.
- Moe (portrayed by Roy Sickner) - Mr. Freeze's henchman.
- Kolevator (portrayed by John Zaremba) - Mr. Freeze's henchman.
- Phony Batmen - Mr, Freeze's henchman.
- Phony Mr Freezes - Mr. Freeze's henchman.
- Shivers (portrayed by Nicky Blair) - Mr. Freeze's henchman.
- Frosty (portayed by Tom McDonough and H.M. Wynant) - Mr. Freeze's henchman.
- Glacia Glaze (portrayed by Leslie Parrish) - A female ice skater who assisted Mr. Freeze in capturing Professor Isaacson. Her real name is Emma Strunk.
- Chillblaine - Mr. Freeze's henchman.
- Nora Fries (Mentioned Only)
Quotes
- "Waiters, clear your trays and fill them up with real goodies...wild! (Green Ice, 1966)
- "You, a glacier? Darling Miss Iceland, never." (Green Ice, 1966)
- "Enough amusement for now...and so you don't do anything foolish like following us...everybody into the pool, please" (Green Ice, 1966)
- "Batman, but--but you were supposed to be a famous frostie freezie by now!" (Deep Freeze, 1966)
- "Inhuman? Demon? Wild! Why don't you join me in my frozen frigid world? Perhaps you would like to be the best iceman at our wedding? You and Robin!" (Deep Freeze, 1966)
- "What's the matter? First the commentator said the stock market went kaput and now the TV set went kaput." (Deep Freeze, 1966)
Appearances
Season 1
Season 2
Behind the scenes
Like Catwoman, Freeze was played by three different actors, George Sanders, Otto Preminger and Eli Wallach and the character's appearance would vary without explanation.
Trivia
- Unlike most villains of the Dozier series, this Freeze didn't bother with a standard death trap, but instead basically "just shot them" with his Freezing Gun. He admits he did want to toy with them longer, but was willing to finish them off if they forced him.
- Many years later the name of Dr Schivel would be changed to Dr. Victor Fries by Paul Dini in the Batman: The Animated Series episode Heart of Ice.
- Preminger's appearance was the basis of the Batman '66 comic version and nearly all merchandise, as his portrayal is the most compatible with the modern perception of the character.
- Preminger is the only version of the character that has red hair.
- George Sanders was briefly married to another actor who portrayed a Batman foe on the show, Zsa Zsa Gabor, who played the villainess Minerva.
- Adam West called Preminger "despicable" in his in his autobiography "Back to the Batcave".
- Alan Napier, who played Alfred in the series, recalled Otto Preminger in an interview: "I had worked before 'Batman' with Awful Otto Preminger in 'Forever Amber' as the English expert and dialogue director. Otto got me mad because if anyone dried up on a close-up, he would say, 'Why don't you concentrate?' Then he comes on the set of 'Batman'. Instead of looking six foot tall, as I thought, he looks five foot tall, because it is now my territory and he is playing Mr. Freeze. It happens that I was on the set while he was doing a series of close-up's. And in everyone of them Otto dried up and it was only because of the gentleman built into my nature that I didn't say: 'Otto, why don't you concentrate?'"
Gallery
Screencaps
