"The Curse of Tut" marked the introduction of an arch criminal created especially for the TV series, with the unforgettable Victor Buono seemingly born to play the role of the larger than life Egyptian pharaoh, formerly a renowned Yale professor of Egyptology who was bopped on the head during a school riot and awoke believing himself to be a modern day reincarnation of the boy king, and to reclaim Gotham City as his kingdom. A mysterious sphinx appears in Gotham Park to announce his presence, Tut's goal to kidnap Bruce Wayne for a handsome ransom, while eliminating Batman and Robin. His lovely queen is the enchanting Nefertiti (Ziva Rodann), who makes cryptic pronouncements written on cue cards to keep the populace in terror (my favorite: "home, toots!"). His main henchman is the Grand Vizier, played by longtime Western veteran Donald Barry, who would return as one of Tallulah Bankhead's goons in "Black Widow Strikes Again"/"Caught in the Spider's Den." This and the second Tut two parter were the only scripts contributed by the team of Robert C. Dennis and Earl Barret. For once, the cliffhanger is actually literal, the kidnapped Bruce Wayne tied to a gurney and hurtling toward a 300 foot drop!
Review of The Curse of Tut
