Legends of the Superheroes

Television specials of DC comic book characters

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Legends of the Superheroes

Directed by| Bill Carruthers
Chris Darley
Narrated by| Gary Owens
Composer| Fred Werner
Country of origin| United States
Original language| English
No. of episodes| 2
Production
Executive producer| Joseph Barbera
Producer| Bill Carruthers
Cinematography| Greg Brunton
Editors| Harvey Berger
Andy Shubert
Running time| 100 minutes
Production companies| Hanna-Barbera Productions
DC Comics
Original release
Network| NBC
Release| January 18 (1979-01-18) –
January 25, 1979 (1979-01-25)
Related
Super Friends

Legends of the Superheroes is an umbrella title for two 60-minute live-action television specials produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that aired on NBC on January 18 and 25, 1979. The series was loosely based on Hanna-Barbera's Super Friends animated series, then airing on Saturday mornings on ABC; it served as a reunion of sorts for the 1960s' Batman TV series, as it brings back together two of its stars reprising their respective roles. The specials were produced like standard variety shows of the time: on videotape and with a laugh track.[1]

## Cast

[edit]

Legends of the Superheroes starred Adam West and Burt Ward, reprising their roles as Batman and Robin. The show also had a large ensemble cast that included Garrett Craig as Captain Marvel, Howard Murphy as Green Lantern, Rod Haase as Flash, Bill Nuckols as Hawkman, Barbara Joyce as Huntress, Alfie Wise as Atom, and Danuta Wesley as Black Canary.

### Cast

[edit]

* Adam West as Batman (both specials)
* Burt Ward as Robin (both specials)
* William Schallert as Scarlet Cyclone (both specials)
* Mickey Morton as Solomon Grundy (both specials)
* Jeff Altman as Weather Wizard (both specials)
* Charlie Callas as Sinestro (both specials)
* Howard Murphy as Green Lantern (both specials)
* Aleshia Brevard as Giganta (both specials)
* Garrett Craig as Captain Marvel (both specials)
* Howard Morris as Doctor Sivana (both specials)
* Danuta Wesley as Black Canary (both specials)
* Bill Nuckols as Hawkman (both specials)
* Rod Haase as The Flash (both specials)
* Gabriel Dell as Mordru (both specials)
* Barbara Joyce as Huntress (both specials)
* Frank Gorshin as Riddler (1st special)
* Ruth Buzzi as Aunt Minerva (2nd special)
* Ed McMahon as Himself (2nd special)
* Alfie Wise as Atom (2nd special)
* June Gable as Rhoda Rooter (2nd special)
* Pat Carroll as Esther Hol (2nd special)
* Brad Sanders as Ghetto Man (2nd special)
* Gary Owens as Narrator (uncredited, both specials)
* Marsha Warfield as Woman in Phone Booth (uncredited, 1st special)

## Episodes

[edit]

### The Challenge

[edit]

In the first special, the Justice League of America (Batman, Robin, The Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Captain Marvel, Huntress, and Black Canary) unite at the Hall of Heroes to celebrate Scarlet Cyclone's birthday. The party is interrupted by the Legion of Doom (Riddler, Weather Wizard, Sinestro, Mordru, Doctor Sivana, Giganta, and Solomon Grundy), who announce they have hidden a deadly bomb in a secret location, and the heroes must follow clues to find it. It's all actually a ruse to trick the heroes into drinking Sivana's de-powering potion. Despite the fact that they now lack powers, the heroes fight the villains, and manage to both disarm the bomb and recover their powers. Only after the whole battle is over, and the heroes have proven victorious, does Scarlet Cyclone arrive to give his aid.

### The Roast

[edit]

The second special is a celebrity roast of the superheroes hosted by Ed McMahon. All of the major characters from the first episode return, with the exception of the Riddler. New characters featured include Ghetto Man, an African-American superhero who performs a stand-up comedy routine; Aunt Minerva, an enemy of Captain Marvel who seeks a sixth husband from among the male superheroes; Rhoda Rooter, an entertainment reporter who snags an exclusive interview with Giganta and the Atom; and Esther Hol, Hawkman's mother.

## Home media

[edit]

Warner Home Video's Warner Archive Collection released the specials on DVD on October 19, 2010.[2]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "A History of Batman on TV". IGN. Retrieved August 15, 2010.
2. ^ "Legends of the Super Heroes (1979) DVD - Warner Bros. Archive: WBshop.com - The Official Online Store of Warner Bros. Studios". WBshop.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2019. Retrieved December 25, 2010.

## External links

[edit]

* Legends of the SuperHeroes homepage!
* Legends of the SuperHeroes In Lurid Videotape!
* Information about the series by Comics 101
* Legends of the Superheroes at IMDb
* Legends of the SuperHeroes History & Pics at Legions of Gotham
* Television Obscurities » Blog Archive » Legends of the Superheroes
* Legends of the Superheroes fan page

* v
* t
* e

Justice League

* Gardner Fox

Affiliated teams|

* Extreme Justice
* Just'a Lotta Animals
* Justice Guild of America
* Justice League 3000
* Justice League Dark
* Justice League Elite
* Justice League Europe
* Justice League International
* Justice League Queer
* Justice League Task Force
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* Young Justice

Publications|

| Storylines|

* "JLApe: Gorilla Warfare!"
* "World War III"
* "JLA: Tower of Babel"
* "JLA: Earth 2"
* "Justice Leagues"
* "JLA: Pain of the Gods"
* "The Lightning Saga"
* "Blackest Night"
* "Justice League: Origin"
* "Throne of Atlantis"
* "Trinity War"
* "Darkseid War"
* "Endless Winter"

|

Previous series|

* Justice League International
* Justice League Europe
* Justice League Quarterly
* Justice League Task Force
* Extreme Justice
* JLA
* Justice League Dark
* Justice League United
* Justice League 3000
* Justice League Odyssey

Limited series|

* DC Comics Two Thousand
* JLA: Act of God
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* JLA: Destiny
* JLA: The Nail series
* JLA: Shogun of Steel
* Justice
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* Justice League: Generation Lost
* Justice Riders
* Identity Crisis
* DCeased
* Dark Knights of Steel
* The Jurassic League

Crossovers|

* JLA/Avengers
* JLA/The 99
* Justice League/Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
* JLA/Cyberforce

Related articles|

* A.R.G.U.S.
* Bizarro League
* Snapper Carr
* JL8
* Justice League (Smallville)
* Justice League in other media
* Justice Society of America
* List of Justice League members
* List of Justice League titles
* Rocket Red Brigade
* Squadron Supreme

* v
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Justice League International

* Keith Giffen
* J. M. DeMatteis

Initial members|

| Pre-Flashpoint|

* Batman
* Black Canary/Dinah Laurel Lance
* Blue Beetle/Ted Kord
* Booster Gold
* Captain Marvel
* Doctor Fate
* Kent Nelson
* Linda Stauss
* Doctor Light/Kimiyo Hoshi
* Green Lantern/Guy Gardner
* Martian Manhunter
* Mister Miracle

|

The New 52|

* August General in Iron
* Booster Gold
* Fire
* Godiva
* Green Lantern/Guy Gardner
* Ice
* Rocket Red/Gavril Ivanovich
* Vixen

Supporting characters|

* L-Ron
* Catherine Cobert
* Maxwell Lord
* Oberon
* Superman

Enemies|

| Antagonists|

* Anti-Monitor
* Black Hand
* Darkseid
* Despero
* Doomsday
* Kite Man
* Lobo
* Magog
* Major Disaster
* Manga Khan
* Maxwell Lord
* Neron
* Queen Bee
* Signal Men
* Sinestro
* Starbreaker
* Weapons Master
* Weather Wizard
* Wizard

|

Organizations|

* Cadre
* Extremists
* Injustice League
* Royal Flush Gang
* Suicide Squad

Publications and storylines|

* Legends
* Formerly Known as the Justice League
* Justice League: Generation Lost

Spinoff teams|

* Extreme Justice
* Justice League America
* Justice League Europe
* Justice League Task Force

* v
* t
* e

Captain Marvel / Shazam

* C. C. Beck
* Bill Parker

Creators and
key personnel|

* Ed Herron
* Mac Raboy
* Otto Binder
* Marc Swayze
* Pete Costanza
* Kurt Schaffenberger
* Denny O'Neil
* E. Nelson Bridwell
* Don Newton
* Roy Thomas
* Jerry Ordway
* Alex Ross
* Jeff Smith
* Judd Winick
* Geoff Johns

Marvel/Shazam
Family|

* Captain Marvel / Shazam (Billy Batson)
* Mary Marvel (Mary Batson/Bromfield)
* Captain Marvel, Jr. / Shazam Jr. (Freddy Freeman)
* Lieutenant Marvels
* Tawky Tawny
* The Wizard Shazam
* Steamboat
* Hoppy the Marvel Bunny
* Uncle Marvel (Uncle Dudley)
* Black Alice
* Kid Eternity
* Black Adam
* Isis
* Osiris

Enemies|

* Black Adam
* Blaze and Satanus
* Captain Nazi
* Doctor Sivana
* Ibac
* King Kull
* Mister Atom
* Mister Mind
* Monster Society of Evil
* Oggar
* Sabbac
* Seven Deadly Enemies of Man
* Superboy-Prime

Publications
and publishers|

| Fawcett Comics
Fawcett Publications|

* Captain Marvel Adventures
* Hoppy the Marvel Bunny
* Master Comics
* Whiz Comics
* Wow Comics

|

DC Comics|

* Shazam!: The New Beginning
* The Power of Shazam!
* Shazam! Power of Hope
* Superman/Shazam: First Thunder
* 52
* The Trials of Shazam!
* The New 52
* DC Rebirth
* Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam!

Affiliated teams|

* Justice League
* Justice Society of America
* Secret Society of Super Villains
* Squadron of Justice

Locations|

* Rock of Eternity

In other media|

* Adventures of Captain Marvel
* Legends of the Superheroes
* SheZow
* The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam!
* Teen Titans Go! To the Movies

| The Shazam!/Isis Hour|

* Shazam! (TV series)
* The Secrets of Isis

|

DC Universe Animated
Original Movies|

* Justice League: The New Frontier
* Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
* Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
* Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam
* Injustice

DC Animated
Movie Universe|

* Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox
* War
* Throne of Atlantis
* Apokolips War

Lego DC|

* Lego DC Batman: Family Matters
* Lego DC: Shazam!: Magic and Monsters

DC Extended Universe|

* Shazam!
* soundtrack
* Black Adam
* soundtrack
* Fury of the Gods
* soundtrack

Miscellaneous|

* National Comics Publications, Inc. v. Fawcett Publications, Inc.
* Bananaman
* Miracleman/Marvelman
* Man of Miracles

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Black Canary

* Robert Kanigher
* Carmine Infantino

Alter-ego|

* Dinah Drake
* Dinah Laurel Lance

Supporting
characters|

* Arsenal/Red Arrow
* Barbara Gordon
* Batman
* Green Arrow/Oliver Queen
* Green Lantern/Hal Jordan
* Huntress (Helena Bertinelli)
* Kurt/Larry Lance
* Starling
* Starman (Ted Knight)
* Sin
* Speedy
* Mia Dearden
* Vixen
* Wonder Woman
* Wildcat
* Zatanna
* Zealot

Enemies|

* Hannibal Bates
* Cheshire
* Count Vertigo
* Cupid
* Harpy
* Lady Shiva
* Malcolm Merlyn the Dark Archer
* Tommy Merlyn
* Music Meister
* Tigress
* Twelve Brothers in Silk
* White Canary
* Wizard

Teams|

* Birds of Prey
* Justice League
* Justice League International
* Justice Society of America
* Team 7

Publications|

* Flash Comics
* Action Comics
* World's Finest Comics
* Black Canary
* Green Arrow and Black Canary
* Batgirl and the Birds of Prey

In other media|

* Birds of Prey (TV series)
* Arrow
* Laurel Lance
* Sara Lance
* Dinah Drake
* Birds of Prey (film)

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Batman (TV series)

Episodes|

* "Hi Diddle Riddle"
* "Smack in the Middle"
* "Fine Feathered Finks"
* "The Penguin's a Jinx"
* "The Joker Is Wild"
* "Batman Is Riled"
* "Instant Freeze"
* "Rats Like Cheese"
* "Zelda the Great"
* "A Death Worse Than Fate"
* "The Joker Goes to School"
* "He Meets His Match, The Grisly Ghoul"
* "True or False-Face"
* "Holy Rat Race"
* "The Penguin Goes Straight"
* "Not Yet, He Ain't"
* "Shoot a Crooked Arrow"
* "Walk the Straight and Narrow"
* "Hot Off the Griddle"
* "The Cat and the Fiddle"
* "Marsha, Queen of Diamonds"
* "Marsha's Scheme of Diamonds"
* "The Zodiac Crimes"
* "The Joker's Hard Times"
* "The Penguin Declines"
* "Enter Batgirl, Exit Penguin"
* "The Londinium Larcenies/The Foggiest Notion/The Bloody Tower"

Characters|

* Egghead
* Green Hornet
* Kato
* King Tut

Spin-off media|

* Batman (1966 film)
* The New Adventures of Batman
* Legends of the Superheroes
* Batman '66
* Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders
* Batman vs. Two-Face

Other|

* "Batman Theme"
* "Holy..."
* Batusi

Related|

| Television|

* The Green Hornet
* "Crisis on Infinite Earths"

|

Films|

* Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt
* The Flash

| Parodies|

* The Wild World of Batwoman
* Bat Pussy
* Batman XXX

|

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Batman franchise media

Live-action television|

* Batman
* episodes
* Batman OnStar commercials
* Birds of Prey
* Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt
* Gotham
* episodes
* season 1
* 2
* 3
* 4
* 5
* characters
* Pennyworth
* Batwoman
* Gotham Knights
* The Penguin
* "After Hours"
* "Inside Man"
* "Bliss"
* "Cent'Anni"
* "Homecoming"
* "Gold Summit"
* "Top Hat"
* "A Great or Little Thing"

Live-action films|

| Serials|

* Batman (1943)
* Batman and Robin

|

* Batman (1966)

1989–1997 film series|

* Batman (1989)
* Batman Returns
* Batman Forever
* Batman & Robin

|

The Dark Knight Trilogy|

* Batman Begins
* The Dark Knight
* The Dark Knight Rises

DC Extended Universe|

* Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
* Batgirl (unreleased)

* The Batman

Animated television|

* The Batman/Superman Hour
* The Adventures of Batman
* The New Adventures of Batman
* The Batman/Tarzan Adventure Hour
* The Animated Series

* episodes

* The New Batman Adventures
* Batman Beyond

* episodes

* The Batman

* episodes

* The Brave and the Bold

* episodes

* Beware the Batman
* Batwheels
* Caped Crusader

Animated films|

* Mask of the Phantasm
* SubZero
* Return of the Joker
* Mystery of the Batwoman
* The Batman vs. Dracula
* Gotham Knight
* Public Enemies
* Under the Red Hood
* Apocalypse
* Year One
* The Dark Knight Returns
* DC Super Heroes Unite
* Son of Batman
* Assault on Arkham
* Animal Instincts
* Batman vs. Robin
* Monster Mayhem
* Bad Blood
* The Killing Joke
* Mechs vs. Mutants
* Return of the Caped Crusaders
* The Lego Batman Movie
* Batman and Harley Quinn
* Batman vs. Two-Face
* Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave and the Bold
* Gotham by Gaslight
* Batman Ninja
* Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
* Hush
* Family Matters
* Soul of the Dragon
* The Long Halloween
* Battle of the Super Sons
* The Doom That Came to Gotham
* Merry Little Batman
* Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires
* Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League

Animated shorts|

* Chase Me
* Strange Days
* Death in the Family

Novels|

* The Ultimate Evil
* Enemies & Allies
* Wayne of Gotham
* Batman: Resurrection

Podcasts|

* Batman: The Audio Adventures
* Batman Unburied

Enemies in other media|

* Bane
* Joker
* Mr. Freeze
* Penguin
* Riddler
* Scarecrow
* Two-Face

Supporting characters
in other media|

* Barbara Gordon
* Catwoman
* Robin

Related topics|

* Batman & Bill
* Bruce Wayne (unproduced series)
* Batkid Begins
* Batman action figures
* Lego Batman
* Batman Total Justice
* Batman Unlimited
* Bat phone
* Bat-Manga!: The Secret History of Batman in Japan
* List of Batman films cast members
* List of Batman television series cast members
* List of Batman video games
* List of Batman children's books
* Batman music
* Batman Live
* Holy Musical B@man!
* Batman '89 (comic book)
* The Riddler: Year One

* v
* t
* e

Live-action TV series based on DC Comics publications

TV series|

| Former|

* Adventures of Superman (1952–1958)
* Batman (1966–1968)
* Shazam! (1974–1977)
* The Secrets of Isis (1975–1977)
* Wonder Woman (1975–1979)
* Superboy (1988–1992)
* Swamp Thing (1990–1993)
* The Flash (1990–1991)
* Human Target (1992)
* Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993–1997)
* Smallville (2001–2011)
* Birds of Prey (2002–2003)
* Human Target (2010–2011)
* Arrow (2012–2020)
* Gotham (2014–2019)
* The Flash (2014–2023)
* Constantine (2014–2015)
* iZombie (2015–2019)
* Supergirl (2015–2021)
* Legends of Tomorrow (2016–2022)
* Lucifer (2016–2021)
* Powerless (2017)
* Black Lightning (2018–2021)
* Krypton (2018–2019)
* DC Daily (2018–2020)
* Titans (2018–2023)
* Doom Patrol (2019–2023)
* Swamp Thing (2019)
* Pennyworth (2019–2022)
* Batwoman (2019–2022)
* Watchmen (2019)
* Stargirl (2020–2022)
* Superman & Lois (2021–2024)
* Sweet Tooth (2021–2024)
* Naomi (2022)
* DMZ (2022)
* Gotham Knights (2023)
* Bodies (2023)
* Dead Boy Detectives (2024)
* The Penguin (2024)

|

Current|

* Peacemaker (since 2022)
* The Sandman (since 2022)

Upcoming|

* Lanterns (2026)

Unsold pilots|

* The Adventures of Superpup
* The Adventures of Superboy
* Aquaman
* Wonder Woman
* Scalped

TV films and
specials|

* Wonder Woman
* Legends of the Superheroes
* Justice League of America
* Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt

See also|

* DC Extended Universe
* DC Studios
* Warner Bros. Television
* Arrowverse
* List of unproduced projects
* films

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