- "Doggone it, Batman. You cheated, you know we ain't no good in a fair fight."
- ―Shame[src]
Shame was a villain and enemy of Batman in the Batman 1960s TV Series. He was portrayed by Cliff Robertson.
History
Shame was known as the conniving cowboy of crime with his trademark white stetson and trusty six shooters, who was quite clever despite his dimwitted look. Though his complete background is not known, Shame has claimed that he had to be good with a six-shooter where he came from. He has a reputation for always showing bravado and daring, but he often embraces cowardice when facing Batman. He usually tries to win fights by outnumbering his opponents and using firearms, but Batman always prevailed nevertheless. Shame wears a rather colorful outfit compared to most bandits, sporting a bright purple polka-dotted bandana during hold-ups. He has a quick temper, and when he loses it he begins screaming and throwing objects around the room.
His first nefarious scheme was to build a super-powered truck that could outrace the Batmobile and then steal four prize Black Angus Bulls each worth $300,000 on display at the Gotham rodeo. However, the Dynamic Duo knew that he would steal the bulls and figured out that he would need to feed them. After a blazing gun battle, Shame and his gang were defeated and sent to prison.
Later on, Shame escaped from prison with help of his fiancee Calamity Jan and formed a new gang.
He started with stealing a priceless diamond pendant and a $22,000 bankroll from famous singers at the Gotham City Opera house, then went on to steal old money on a train that was being transferred to the Gotham Treasury for destruction. Batman decided to allow Shame's pride to be his downfall by challenging him to a showdown in the codemned tenement district. Shame attemped to doublecross him by telling his gang to wait in a nearby alley and open fire on his signal but the gang were captured by Robin and Batgirl. After a fierce fight, Batman captured Shame and he and his gang returned to prison.
His hideouts have included Westernland Amusement park and Gotham City Central Park Stables. Even though he was always quick on the draw, Batman was always quick with his mind. This always lead to his defeats because he could only use his guns, not his fists.
Weapons and Equipment
While Shame relied mainly on his trusty guns, he did use a cattle stampede and fear gas to outwit Batman and the others.
- Six-Shooter Handgun- Shame claims it's all he needs.
- Fear gas- Turns the victim into a total coward, no matter how brave they were beforehand.
Known Associates
Shame always had members in his gangs, some of which played a major part in his schemes:
- Okie Annie- Shame's perky female assistant, always eager to help bushwack somebody; the only female member in his first gang.
- Messy James- Simple Henchman.
- Rip Snorting- Simple Henchman.
- Laughing Leo- Unscrupulous used car salesman and a secret member of Shame's first gang for a short time before being taken to jail. When Batman and Robin drove in to ask him questions, he offered to buy the Batmobile, claiming that it was looking a bit tacky.
- Calamity Jan- Shame's girlfriend and partner. Claims she missed him plenty while he was in jail; a member of his second gang.
- Frontier Fanny- Calamity Jan's mother. Constantly asks Shame when he plans to marry Jan, and won't let them kiss until he does. She helped Jan release him from prison and was the second female member of Shame's second gang.
- Fred (Full name Fernando Ricardo Enrique Dominquez)- A Mexican with a British accent and member of Shame's second gang. He is called Fred to save time. He claims to be from Mexico, but his accent seems to place him somewhere in England.
- Chief Standing Pat- An Indian who converses in smoke signals issued by his cigar. A member of Shame's second gang.
Appearances
- Batman (1960s series)
- Come Back, Shame
- It's The Way You Play The Game
- The Great Escape
- The Great Train Robbery
- Batman: The Brave and the Bold
In Other Media
Shame on Batman: The Brave and the Bold
- Shame appears on Batman: The Brave and the Bold in the episode "Day of the Dark Knight!". He is leading a large group of supervillains trying to escape Iron Heights, but was foiled by Batman and Green Arrow. It should be noted that the other convicts that Shame escapes with are either common criminals, the show's supervillains, or other villains from the Adam West series including Egghead, King Tut, Marsha, Queen Of Diamonds, the Bookworm, and Louie the Lilac. He later reappears in "Mayhem of the Music Meister!" as one of the many convicts held at Blackgate Penitentiary caught under the hypnotic spell of The Music Meister. When the musical villain used a blast from his energy cane to open the penitentiary doors, Shame escaped and helped the Music Meister overpower Batman. He has not been seen since.