Fine Feathered Finks

Infobox Television episode | Title = Fine Feathered Finks


Series = Batman
Season = 1
Episode = 3
Airdate = January 19, 1966 (ABC)
Production = 8703-Pt. 1
Writer = Lorenzo Semple Jr.
Director = Robert Butler
Guests = David Lewis,
Walter Burke,
Lewis Charles,
Robert Phillips,
Alex D'Arcy,
Johnny Jacobs,
Leslie Parrish,
Dan Tobi,
Special Guest Villain: Burgess Meredith as The Penguin
Prev = Smack in the Middle
Next = The Penguin's a Jinx

"Fine Feathered Finks" is a first-season episode of "Batman", first airing as its third episode on ABC January 19, 1966. It was repeated on August 31, 1966 and May 17, 1967. Burgess Meredith made his debut appearance here as The Penguin.

Plot Synopsis

Awaiting release from prison, The Penguin, that pompous, waddling master of fowl play, schemes to get his adversary, The Batman, to plan his crimes for him; his first step is to attract The Caped Crusader's attention. Penguin has his Finks Hawkeye and Sparrow distribute free umbrellas to patrons outside The House Of Ali Baba Jewelry Store and a local bank. The men passing them out call it a promotion, but the owners of the jewelry store and bank know that they weren't hired by them. While everyone's inside with the umbrellas, they explode and start spinning and cause a distraction, however even though it was the perfect setup for Hawkeye and Sparrow to commit a robbery, no heist was pulled. When Police Commissioner Gordon hears of it, he knows The Penguin's back in town and calls Batman and Robin in to investigate. Along with Warden Crichton, they view Penguin's surveillance tape from prison and were able to find out little on his next crime. The Dynamic Duo decide pay a call on The Penguin, who, under the alias K.G. Bird ("cagey bird"!!!") now operates an umbrella store. As soon as they leave, Penguin launches a monster umbrella, featuring a multicolored Batbrella (complete with Pengy's hidden transmitter) attached to its handle, from his store's roof!

The umbrella lands in the middle of the street, and The Caped Crusader Batclimbs up to the giant handle to retrieve the curious Batbrella. Convinced it's a clue to Penguin's next crime, Batman and Robin take the bumbershoot back with them to The Batcave to further examine it. Unable to discover a significance of The Batbrella, Batman goes in his normal guise as Bruce Wayne inside the umbrella store and, while the Penguin isn't looking, he plants a tiny transistor microphone (disguised as a spider) there so they can find out what he's up to. Unfortunately, Bruce apparently didn't count on The Penguin actually installing a burglar alarm in his store, and a siren goes off to alert there is a bug being placed in the room! The Penguin, Hawkeye and Sparrow immediately releases a net on Bruce Wayne and, unaware of his identity but mistaking him for a spy from a rival and competing umbrella store, and knocks him out with his Penguingas-umbrella. He then has Hawkeye and Sparrow tie him up and toss him into the furnace. Still entangled in the net, Bruce is placed on a conveyor belt that leads to the 12,000 degree furnace!!

Cliffhanger Text

OH, THE IRONY OF IT!
THE HORROR!
THE FLAMING END OF THE CAPED CRUSADER
CAN BRUCE POSSIBLY ESCAPE??
FOR BATMAN'S SAKE! KEEP YOUR BAT FINGERS CROSSED UNTIL TOMORROW! SAME TIME! SAME CHANNEL!!

Trivia

* Burgess Meredith later in 1968 portrayed the character of Elvis Presley's father Charlie Lightcloud in the MGM comedy film "Stay Away, Joe".
* Burgess Meredith and Cesar Romero were the most frequent "guest villains" as The Penguin and The Joker, respectively. In fact, whenever Meredith was in town the producers had a script waiting for him. He had given up smoking for years when he was cast in the role of The Penguin. The squawk in his voice came from the way the cigarette smoke affected his lungs and throat!
* Batman's origin was never specifically dealt with during the series. Bruce Wayne mentions the murder of his parents in episode #1, refers to an umbrella that belonged to his late father in #3, and recalls "the murder of my parents by dastardly criminals" in #82. In #62 Batman refers to his father's "law books" in the Penguin's trial. {This is a plot hole since in the original comics Bruce Wayne's father was a doctor}.
* Enter David Lewis's first appearance as Warden Crichton. Lewis previously worked on the other side of the fence in his portrayal as crime boss Otto Danzig in the 1962 movie "Kid Galahad" starring Elvis Presley.
* Mickey Rooney was considered for the role of The Penguin.
* Based on "Partners in Plunder!" from "Batman" #169 (February 1965), written by France Eddie Herron; the only difference being The Penguin steals the jeweled meteorite (which was mentioned in the comic), instead of kidnapping Dawn Robbins (who didn't appear in the comic).