Burt Ward facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Burt Ward
Ward speaking at the Phoenix Comicon in June 2014
Born	Bert John Gervis Jr. (1945-07-06) July 6, 1945 (age 80) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor animal welfare activist businessman
Years active	1965–present
Known for	Batman The New Adventures of Batman
Spouse(s)	Bonney Lindsey ​ ​ (m. 1965; div. 1967)​ Kathy Kersh ​ ​ (m. 1967; div. 1969)​ Mariana Torchia ​ ​ (m. 1985; div. 1989)​ Tracy Posner ​ (m. 1990)​
Children	2
Awards	Inkpot Award (2014)

Burt Ward (born Bert John Gervis Jr. on July 6, 1945) is an American actor. He is also known as an animal welfare activist and a businessman. Burt Ward is most famous for playing Robin, Batman's sidekick. He played Robin in the popular TV series Batman from 1966 to 1968.

He also appeared as Robin in the 1966 theatrical feature film. Later, he voiced Robin in the animated series The New Adventures of Batman (1977). Burt Ward continued to play Robin in other shows and animated movies. These included Legends of the Superheroes (1979) and the animated films Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders (2016) and Batman vs. Two-Face (2017). He even appeared in the live-action TV event Crisis on Infinite Earths in 2019.

Burt Ward's Early Life and Interests

Burt Ward was born Bert John Gervis Jr. in Los Angeles, California, on July 6, 1945. His father, Bert Gervis Sr., owned a traveling ice show. It was called "Rhapsody On Ice." When Burt was just two years old, he was recognized as a professional ice skater. This was mentioned in a magazine called Strange as It Seems.

Growing up, Burt loved reading comic books. He enjoyed stories about Superman and Superboy. He also liked the action-adventure TV show Adventures of Superman. In his youth, he earned the nickname "Sparky." This might have been because of the sparks from his ice skates or his energetic personality.

Burt was very good at sports in high school. He played football, ran track, and wrestled. He was also a member of the chess club. He practices Taekwondo, a martial art. After finishing high school, he went to college. He also worked part-time for his father's real estate business.

Becoming Robin: Burt Ward's Acting Career

In October 1965, Burt Ward tried out for the role of Robin. He and Adam West were chosen to play Robin and Batman. Burt decided to change his name for acting. He thought his birth name, Gervis, was hard to say. So, he took his mother's maiden name, Ward. He also changed "Bert" to "Burt" to make it sound stronger.

Ward as Robin

Unlike Adam West, Burt Ward often had to do his own dangerous stunts. He was told this was because his Robin costume showed more of his face. This made it hard for a stunt double to look like him. He later found out that doing his own stunts saved the show money. Burt says he went to the emergency room many times while playing Robin.

During the show's popularity, Burt Ward recorded some songs. These included "Boy Wonder, I Love You" and "Orange Colored Sky." These songs were released as a single in 1966.

The Batman TV series lasted for three seasons, with 120 episodes. Burt Ward said the show was very expensive to make. Even though it had high ratings, the ABC network was losing money. Another network, NBC, wanted to continue the show for a fourth season. However, the offer was canceled because the show's sets had already been taken down.

Burt Ward and Adam West also played Batman and Robin in the 1966 movie Batman: The Movie. They remained good friends until Adam West passed away in 2017. They reunited many times for conventions and TV specials. They also appeared together in episodes of The Simpsons, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Futurama.

After the Batman TV Series Ended

After Batman finished, Burt Ward found it challenging to find other acting roles. He did appear in over 40 made-for-television films.

In 1985, DC Comics honored Burt Ward. They included him in their 50th-anniversary publication, Fifty Who Made DC Great. This was for his important work on the Batman series.

In 1995, Burt Ward wrote a book about his experiences. It was called Boy Wonder: My Life in Tights. The book shared stories from his time playing Robin.

Burt Ward often reunited with Adam West. They reprised their roles as the Dynamic Duo in the animated series The New Adventures of Batman. They also appeared in The Batman/Tarzan Adventure Hour and Tarzan and the Super 7. In 2003, they reunited for the TV movie Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt.

In 2012, Bluewater Comics planned a comic book series about Burt Ward. It was called Burt Ward, Boy Wonder. The series would feature Burt Ward and his crime-fighting rescue dogs. Part of the first issue was released on Free Comic Book Day in 2012.

Starting in late 2017, Burt Ward began promoting the Batman TV series. He also promoted other classic TV shows on the MeTV television network.

In 2016 and 2017, West and Ward reunited one last time. They voiced Batman and Robin in the animated movies Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders and Batman vs. Two-Face. The second movie was released after Adam West's passing.

On January 9, 2020, Burt Ward received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This is a special honor for people in the entertainment industry.

Burt Ward's Charity Work

In 1994, Burt Ward and his wife, Tracy Posner Ward, started a charity. It is called Gentle Giants Rescue and Adoptions, Inc. This organization rescues large dog breeds, like Great Danes. They also help some smaller dogs. Their work has been featured in magazines like People and on TV shows like Entertainment Tonight. Burt Ward also appeared on Animal Planet's Adoption Tales.

Burt Ward's Business Activities

Burt Ward also created a company called Gentle Giants. This company sells special food for dogs and cats.

Burt Ward's Family Life

Burt Ward has been married four times. His first marriage was to Bonney Lindsey from 1965 to 1967. They had one daughter. From 1967 to 1969, he was married to actress Kathy Kersh. He met her when she appeared on the Batman TV series. He was married to Mariana Torchia from 1985 to 1989. Since 1990, Burt Ward has been married to Tracy Posner. They have a daughter who was born in 1991.

Burt Ward's Film and TV Roles

Film Appearances

Television Appearances

See also

In Spanish: Burt Ward para niños