Lewis Wilson


Lewis Gilbert Wilson was an American actor, who was most famous for being the first actor to play DC Comics character Batman on screen in the 1943 film serial Batman.

Life and career

Wilson was born in Framingham, Middlesex, Massachusetts, the son of Lucile and John Henry Wilson. He grew up in Littleton, Massachusetts, where his father was minister of the First Unitarian Church from 1927-1945. Wilson graduated from Worcester Academy in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1939. His family had long roots with the school and his father and grandfather were graduates.
Following the entry of the United States into World War II, in 1943 Columbia Pictures created the first Batman live action series, simply called Batman. Wilson was cast as the title character in the 15-episode serial against J. Carrol Naish who portrayed a Japanese spy called Dr Daka who headed a group of American traitors in a fight to take over America for Japanese control. It was Wilson's screen debut at the age of 23. A sequel to the serial was made in 1949, but Robert Lowery replaced Wilson as Batman.
After the war concluded, Wilson and his family moved to California and he and his wife joined the Pasadena Playhouse. His final film was the Jerry Hopper film, Naked Alibi, in 1954. He then left show business and worked for General Foods for many years.
Wilson married novelist and actress Dana Natol, and they had a son, Michael G. Wilson. They met while attending the Academy of Dramatic Arts at Carnegie Hall in New York, but separated and divorced after moving to California.
In retirement, he lived in North Hollywood, California. He died in San Francisco, California, at age 80.

Filmography