Bruce Lee vs. Batman
Before Enter the Dragon, enter the Green Hornet.
Amanda Uren
1966-67
Seven years before he achieved international fame in the 1973 film Enter the Dragon, martial arts legend Bruce Lee starred in TV's short-lived The Green Hornet. He played The Green Hornet's sidekick valet, Kato. And during Hornet's one-season run, Kato met Batman.Originally conceived as a 1936 radio series, The Green Hornet follows the secret identity of playboy publisher Britt Reid. Played by Van Williams, Reid wears a green coat, hat and mask to fight crime; Kato, his sidekick and chauffeur, drives their gadget-packed car, "Black Beauty." The Hornet and Kato pretend to be criminals to infiltrate and overthrow underworld gangs.What did Batman and The Green Hornet have in common? William Dozier, producer of the successful Batman TV series and the Batman spinoff film, both starring Adam West, also produced The Green Hornet show.And so it was that Bruce Lee (Kato) and Adam West (Batman) came to share the screen. The Green Hornet and Kato originally had a "window cameo" — they appeared at a window in a wall being climbed by Batman and Robin, in 1966's "The Spell of Tut." The following year they co-starred in two-part episodes "A Piece of the Action" and "Batman's Satisfaction." While The Green Hornet ran for only one season, it cemented the popularity of Bruce Lee with the American public, paving the way for his stellar martial arts acting success in the 1970s.
Another challenge for the Green Hornet, his aide <br>Kato, and their rolling arsenal, the Black Beauty. <br><br>On police records a wanted criminal, the Green Hornet is really Britt Reid, owner-publisher of <em>The Daily Sentinel</em>; his dual identity known only to his <br>secretary, and to the district attorney.<br><br>And now, to protect the rights and lives of decent citizens, rides the Green Hornet! - "Green Hornet" introduction monologue, narrated by producer William Dozier
