Original Batgirl Actress Dead at 78

She may have been the first female superhero on television. Certainly, she was a pioneer. Yvonne Craig played Batgirl in the classic 1960’s Batman television show, awakening male libido in teenage viewers over several generations. Craig also played a green Orion slave girl in an episode of Star Trek, another iconic role from the era. She passed away on Monday. From Variety:

She had been suffering from breast cancer that metastasized to her liver…

Her guest appearances on TV include “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” “Fantasy Island,” “The Mod Squad” and “The Many Lives of Dobie Gillis.”

She also starred in two movies opposite Elvis Presley, “It Happened at the World’s Fair” and “Kissin’ Cousins.”

Batgirl was introduced in Batman’s second season in an effort to expand the show’s appeal. Subsequent onscreen iterations of the character have been sparse, and none as memorable as Craig’s original portrayal.