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 79) 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, animal welfare activist, and businessman. He is most famous for playing Dick Grayson's Robin. Robin is the loyal sidekick of Batman (played by Adam West).

Ward played Robin in the popular TV series Batman (1966–1968). 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). He even returned to the role in animated reunion films like Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders (2016) and Batman vs. Two-Face (2017). In 2019, he appeared in the live-action TV event Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Early life

Burt Ward was born Bert John Gervis Jr. on July 6, 1945. His birthplace was Los Angeles, California. His father, Bert Gervis Sr., owned a traveling ice show. It was called "Rhapsody On Ice."

When he was only two years old, Ward was listed as a professional ice skater. This was in a magazine called Strange as It Seems. As he grew up, he loved reading comic books. Some of his favorites were Superman and Superboy. He also enjoyed the action-adventure TV show Adventures of Superman.

In his youth, he got the nickname "Sparky." This might have been because of the sparks his skates made. Or it could have been because he was very energetic. He was excellent at sports in high school. He played football, ran track, and wrestled. He was also a member of the chess club. Ward also practices Taekwondo. After high school, he went to college. He also worked part-time for his father's real estate company.

Career

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

Ward as Robin

Unlike Adam West, Ward had to do many dangerous stunts himself. He was told this was because his costume showed more of his face. This made it hard for a stunt double to look like him. Ward later found out he was paid the lowest possible wage. His stunt double was paid for each stunt. So, having Ward do his own stunts saved money. Ward says he went to the emergency room many times while playing Robin.

When the Batman TV series was very popular, Ward recorded some songs. These included "Boy Wonder, I Love You" and "Orange Colored Sky." They were released as a single in 1966.

The Batman TV series lasted only three seasons. It had a total of 120 episodes. Ward said this was because the show was very expensive to make. Even though it had high ratings, the network was losing money. Another network offered to continue the show. But the offer was taken back when they learned the sets had been destroyed. West and Ward also played Batman and Robin in the movie Batman: The Movie. It came out in 1966.

After Batman ended in 1969, West and Ward became even closer friends. They often met at fan conventions and TV reunion specials. Ward also appeared with West in three cartoon episodes. These included The Simpsons (2002), SpongeBob SquarePants (2010), and Futurama (2013). West and Ward remained friends until Adam West passed away in 2017.

After Batman

After the Batman TV series ended, it was hard for Ward to find other acting jobs. He did act in over 40 made-for-television films.

In 1985, DC Comics honored Ward for his work on the Batman series. This was part of their 50th-anniversary celebration.

In 1995, Ward wrote a book about his experiences playing Robin. It was called Boy Wonder: My Life in Tights.

Ward often reunited with his co-star Adam West. They reprised their roles as the Dynamic Duo in an animated series. It was called The New Adventures of Batman. They also appeared in Legends of the Superheroes. West and Ward reunited again in the 2003 TV movie, Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt.

Starting in late 2017, 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 West's death.

On January 9, 2020, Burt Ward received a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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 giant-breed dogs, like Great Danes. They also rescue some smaller dogs.

Their work with Gentle Giants has been featured in many places. These include People magazine and ASPCA Animal Watch. It has also been shown on TV shows like Hard Copy, Inside Edition, and Entertainment Tonight. Ward was also seen in an episode of Animal Planet's Adoption Tales.

Business activity

Burt Ward also created a company called Gentle Giants. This company sells special dog and cat food.

Personal life

Ward's first wife was Bonney Lindsey. She was the daughter of conductor Mort Lindsey. Ward and Lindsey married in 1965 and divorced in 1967. They had one daughter in 1966.

From 1967 to 1969, he was married to actress Kathy Kersh. He met her when she played a villain on the Batman TV series. He was married to model Mariana Torchia from 1985 to 1989. Since 1990, Ward has been married to Tracy Posner. Their daughter was born in 1991.

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Burt Ward para niños