The George Barris Auction
at the Petersen Automotive Museum
05-13-05
Where to begin on such a day? I was slated to arrive at the
museum and start at 12:00. I arrived at about 11:30 but was unable
to find anybody who could tell me where I could change into my
Bat-suit. With much wandering, I eventually bumped into the museum
director, Dick Messer, who led me upstairs to their offices where I
could change and keep my personal items behind. The rest of the
people in the office had no idea what was going on, so when I
emerged from the bathroom as Batman, heads certainly turned.
The event itself was supposed to be a two day affair. Friday
was to be the VIP press conference preview of the items going up for
auction from George Barris’ collection as well as a few added in
items. Then Saturday would be the day of the auction itself. At
first I thought it was going to be held in the museum in the
wonderful air conditioning that protected us from the dismal Los
Angeles heat we were experiencing. I was wrong. It was going to be
held in a new annex that basically a permanent tent with NO AIR!
Good gosh, I was committed to eight hours with Barris and I had
never been in the suit for more than the four hour sweat fest in San
Diego last year.
I arrived to the tent of doom and met the Barris people at the
table just inside the door. There, I met up with Kathy who was the
lady I had been talking to on the phone in arrangement of the whole
escapade. Ever since George approached me while I was waiting in
line in costume at a Burt Ward signing a few weeks earlier and said,
“I need you for a gig at the Petersen Automotive Museum…Call me,”
my days have been one voice mail after another getting the details
and agreements together. She seemed to be very impressed with my
costume and seemed somewhat stunned when I started talking in what
has become known as “the voice.” Us die-hard Adam fans would easily
say that I don’t sound a thing like Adam, but it’s the rhythm,
delivery and more importantly the things that I say in character
that seems to pay off.
I was led to where George was on the floor and he was quite
happy to see me. “You made it! Great!” For those of you who have
never had the honor of meeting him, let me just say that he is
enthusiastic, energized, excited and other words that start with the
letter “E” on just about anything. He pointed over to a stage
across the way where I saw a Batcycle on it flanked by some Dr.
Suess style vehicles. “We’re going to do some press stuff over
there in a second so stand by when I call to you.” This was very
different from any other outing that I’ve done in the suit. All the
other times, I was simply a fan walking through conventions or
Halloween parades and walked around as I pleased. Here, I was now a
person representing and working for a client and needed to perform
on call. Would the press talk to me? What was I suppose to say?
What was I NOT to say? At least Adam had a script and a
teleprompter.
My fears soon went away. George was sitting on the edge of the
stage in front of the cycle and talking to KABC Channel 7 for the
local news station. Other press photographers were milling about
the rest of the enormous tent and looking at various other cars like
“Grease Lightning,” the “Back to the Future” Delorean and the
Flintstone’s mobile. George motioned to me to come up and I walked
up to the stage to take my position in the driver’s seat of the
bike. I walked up the steps and went to the bike that I had only
seen in the movie and show and had to look like I owned it and knew
it as part of my personal crime fighting arsenal. Heck, I’ve never
even rode on a motorcycle in my life. But I quickly thought that
Adam would probably swing his leg over while throwing his cape over
it as well as if he was Zorro getting on a horse, so I tried to do
the same. As soon as I sat and looked up, I was blinded by the
twenty or so flashbulbs that all seemed to be going off in rapid
fire at once. All the photographers had
congregated in front of the
stage by the time I had gotten to the bike. Boy, they were quick.
George came over and sat down in the Robin side card “go cart” and
then the flashes went off all over again.
I kept hearing, “Batman! Look over this way!” To which I
couldn’t tell where it was coming from at anytime because their
mouths were covered by their professional sized cameras. To which I
said, “ I can hear your voice but you’ll probably have to wave,
please.’ There was a pause after they heard “the voice,” and the
cameras started off again. The reporter for ABC then asked me why I
was parting with my Batcycle after all these years to which I said,
“Well, my cape seems to keep getting caught in the rear wheel and I
don’t think my cowl would pass the current helmet laws.” They
chuckled a bit. Then he asked how I liked being in Los Angeles away
from Gotham City. I said, ‘It’s such an honor to be in a fine city
filled with so many good citizens.” That really got a laugh from
the press. You can never go wrong with using ‘good citizens” in
your Bat-speak. More photos were taken and then we got off of the
bike and stage.
After that the next hour or so became a huge blur of “excuse
me...” “can we...” “can you stand here please…’ and “just one more
this way.”
Eventually, I noticed that Wally had come through the door.
So I found a lull in the initial wave and met up with him. I
noticed he was in a pair of faded jeans and blue Adidas sneakers.
He was clearly dressed to stand next to the Starsky and Hutch Grand
Torino that was being auctioned. I had brought my digital camera
and had it stored safely with Barris’ crew and asked Wally if he
could take some pics for me as needed and we would see if I could
steal away for a moment to take pictures of him at the car outside
of the tent. I also asked him if he could please snap in my cape to
my back since I couldn’t reach there earlier by myself. He marveled
over my new Billy belt and we talked about it for at least five
minutes straight. Ah, there’s nothing like a pair of Bat-suit geeks
comparing notes.
Shortly thereafter, we came across Jason “RTTBC’s Burt Ward”
Marsden. He came right over and we talked a bit. He liked the suit
as well.
George came over and suggested that we go over to the stage
for another photo op with Jason in the cycle. Another volley of
flashes took place and various people were coming and going from the
stage for photos with us. Wally managed to take a few pics between
my camera, his camera and Jason’s own camera while he was holding
his huge Starsky sweater. Whattaguy.
I couldn’t seem to find a moment to really break away to
help Wally with getting his picture taken with the Grand Torino, but
he did manage to rope Jason to help him out. I was told that Jason
even shot some video of Wally around the car as well.
During this time, I was asked by a British film company, Bread
and Butter Films, if I would do an interview with them. We went
over to the replica Batcycle built by Eric Seltzer and I sat on that
one for the footage. A short interview and a couple program plugs
and then the next film maker for PBC came over for his turn. His
first question was as follows,” So…was Burt Ward the Batman on TV
and Adam West the one in the films?” The rest of the interview kind
of went downhill from there. I think the guy would be too
embarrassed to use it in the end other than the program plugs. But
that’s how those things go. He just didn’t know enough of
the program or even the character to go anywhere with the interview,
but I tried to keep it flowing and avoided to make him or myself
look like fools. But the first question really set the pace.
Everybody seemed to be complaining about how hot it was in the
tent and then they would see me and go, ‘Oh my, you must be
melting.” I probably was, but never really got to take much time to
notice it. It was shuffle off here, shuffle off there, stand close
by to George’s proximity in case he needed me to step in for a shot,
which was fairly often. The only time I think the heat started to
sink in was when Wally came over to me to give me my camera back and
I tried to show him how the Starsky pictures turned out. I was
holding the camera and I noticed how badly my hands were shaking.
Wally asked me if I needed a candy bar or something, but I simply
asked for some water. I hadn’t had any the entire time up to that
point. What an amazing thing in a cool drink of water.
Wally eventually left but was going to return that evening for
the VIP party/shindig. No more than fifteen minutes after he left
did things slow down for a bit and George and I decided it was fine
for me to go for the day an rest up for tomorrow’s event. And then
he said, “Do you want to go over to the Batmobile now?” He then
looked over his shoulder to his two photographers that had been
following and documenting his every move, Lance and Christina. They
were two very nice people to work around and with. I told George
that would be great without somehow jumping out of my skin in the
process. But before we went into the museum, I went back to the
place where I stored my camera and a little something I brought with
me to show George. It was a copy of Keyboard magazine that featured
my “Bat-controller” keyboard that I made based on George’s Batmobile
and was featured as “Keyboard of the Month.” I also included two
prints of the Keyboard to give him for his archives. He was very
impressed and autographed the page in the magazine and had me
autograph the pictures that I was giving to him. That was a much
cherished moment in itself. Who knew that when I was inspired to
build the thing that I would ever get to share my creation with the
man who created the Batmobile and that he would like my adaptation
as well. WOW!
George and I walked into the museum flanked by the two
photographers. We passed by gleaming car after car and turned
around corner after corner through the building. My anticipation
was kept me wondering what I would see around the next bend until we
came to our target, the original Number One Batmobile. It was
polished mirror black and its fluorescent red pinstripes were
piercing. The security guard instantly recognized George and let
him do and go where he wanted. George told him to move the rope
barricades away and to clear a nice view of the classic crime
fighting vehicle. He instructed Lance and Christina to be sure and
get the fenders in the shots.
This man knew the angles that sell this car. We stood near
the front of the car for a few pictures but then George went over to
the driver’s seat door and opened it up for me and told me to stand
behind the door. My eyes were sucked into looking at the interior
and the various details of the car and almost zoned out from the
people taking our pictures. Unlike the fiberglass replica that I
had gotten my picture taken with before almost a year prior, this
was all metal and the door felt like a refrigerator that could crush
your leg. As I posed for the pictures I tried to keep myself from
grinning ear to ear like a kid who just got his favorite toy for
Christmas.
George stepped away so I could get some pictures done solo and
then came the big one for me. I stepped into the vehicle and behind
the driver’s seat. I just tried to soak in the moment. So many
things rushed through my head as I held the steering wheel and
looked across the gauges and various details in the car. The fact
that this all happened from the simple fact that I chose to wear my
suit to a Burt Ward signing and George saw me there. The fact that
this was the car I watched in all those episodes for so many years
and imagined what it would be like to have a costume like that and
to have a car like that. To say that it was a childhood dream come
true would be putting it mildly. Here I was, a lifelong fan of the
show who finally decided to buy a cowl a little over a year ago and
it all snowballed into memories and events that will forever be peak
moments in my life. I felt truly lucky and grateful to be in the
seat of the original Batmobile in full costume and feel like Batman
for a day.
The picture taking continued and I was aware that I couldn’t
sit in the thing all day as much as I wanted to. But George did let
me take my time. To him I am eternally grateful. When I got out of
the car, Christina suggested that we should get some pictures next
to the 1989 movie Batmobile that was right next to the classic.
George kind of looked like, “That one? I guess so.” I kind of felt
the same way. Although it is a nice car as well in it’s own right,
it never had the mystique and hold on me as the original. It seemed
like George felt the same way too. But I knew there would be some
who might like to see the “crossover” and we got some shots in as
well. I wish some of my friends in their rubber suits could
have been there for these shots.
Soon after, George and I discussed the coming schedule for
the next day. I told him that it had been a real thrill and honor
and that I looked forward to it. He said, “it is pretty fun isn’t
it?” That was the understatement of the day.
I tried to find my way back through the building to offices
where my street clothes were and finally found an elevator. Of
course, I entered the elevator to surprised patrons of the museum.
The looks I got were priceless. But it was back into the street
clothes and out into the world as Scott Sebring.
I went back down to the tent area and took the time to check
out the wide variety of the collection of cars. There was the
“Starsky and Hutch” Grand Torino, the “Dukes of Hazard” General Lee,
the Delorean from “Back to the Future,” Kitt from “Knightrider” and
even a Green Hornet “Black Beauty.” The list just kept going on and
on since there were eighty or so cars that were going to be
auctioned off.
I checked back at the tent desk with one of Barris’ people,
Kelly, to make sure it was okay for my wife and I to attend the
evening’s VIP party. I realized that I might not have been on the
list since my costume was pretty much my invitation into the event.
Of course she was stunned to see me out of costume and didn’t
recognize me at all. But my name was added and I went down the
street to pick up Vickie who worked in the area and made calls to
Wally for the evening’s plans.
The party itself was quite enjoyable and fun. It would be
very hard to not have fun when Wally’s around. George was still in
full swing and being the ever diligent host and promoter. I hope I
have that kind of energy when I get to be his age. He is a true
example of age is only a state of mind. I occurred to me as well
that George had never seen me out of costume before and wouldn’t
recognize me at all. So before we left to go to a restaurant, I
went up to George to do the ceremonial shaking of hands as so many
people had been doing with him that evening and I told him I was
Batman. He was floored and laughed, “GET OUT OF HERE!!??” He
pulled me over to get a picture with me as myself. I got him good.
After a fun evening at an Italian eatery with some
entertaining Karaoke, it was the long drive home to get a little
rest for the Saturday event.
The next day came and I was ready to tackle another day as
the caped crusader. I washed up the tights and packed my cape again
for the day of the auction. Vickie came along to help out with any
costume needs I might have during the event. It’s always good to
have somebody near who is familiar with the suit in case capes go
askew or belts need extra tightening in the back. It’s especially
helpful when getting ready because the cape needs to be snapped in
seven places in the back and is quite difficult for some and
impossible for others by your self. My left arm was still sore from
trying to the day before. I eventually had to ask Wally to snap in
the final two snaps when he arrived on Friday.
We arrived at the museum again and with Vickie’s help, I was
dressed in record time to fight crime. We met up with the Barris
people and checked in. In talking with Christina, she asked me if I
would be interested in participating in the upcoming Joyride charity
event. I told her I would be interested, so stay tuned…
Since this wasn’t specifically a promotional day but a
selling day, the emphasis was on the auction itself. But before the
auction took place, George and I made our rounds and mingled and
posed for pictures with friends and buyers together. One particular
lady whose age was undeterminable but she should have stopped dying
her hair red at least twenty years prior was quite “amusing.” She
said to me, “Hey Bat-guy! You’ve got cute legs, but do you know
what you’re doing wrong? You’re too stiff and proper and polite.
You should be flapping your cape and scaring people. You’re
BAT-GUY!!”
The layout for the auction was where the tent structure
served its true functionality. Sections of the canvas walls would
be pulled away to create openings on opposite sides of the stage
area. The Batcycle was still on the stage, but vehicles would drive
in and stop in front of the stage to the sound of each piece’s
appropriate theme song since they were all film and TV cars. The
cars would then kill their engine for the auctioneer to announce the
car as described in the auction catalog. George would then tell a
little more about each vehicle and then the bidding would begin. As
each bid was finished the car would then be pushed out the other end
on the tent by a crew of five or six guys. Possibly to avoid any
engines that wouldn’t turn over again to exit or plumes of exhaust.
Then the next theme would ring out and so on…
I stood on the sidelines and watched for any cues from George
if he needed me while occasionally taking time for the usual,
“Excuse me, but can we… “And “Would you mind if we…” I never
minded, of course. But then, one of the auction house’s people came
up to me and said, “We’re going to be selling that motorcycle on the
stage next. We need you to go up on the stage and sit on it since
we can’t bring it down.”
On the cue of the Batman theme, I came running ( more of a
jog) from the sidelines and up onto the stage where I once again got
on the Batcycle and once again got blinded by the many camera
flashes and saw video camera after cel phone camera emerging from
the audience. It seemed to go over well.
George came up to my side and shook my hand and we stood by
as the bidding commenced. The bike sold for $45,000 to the Petersen
Automotive Museum. I was glad to hear that, since it would mean
that it got to stay in the same place as the Number One Batmobile.
But at that very moment the same fellow came over to whisper in my
ear, “the other bike will be getting wheeled to the front of the
stage so when the music plays, go sit on that one.” It’s always
nice to have direction. As soon as the music came on, I perked up
in the seat of the Batcycle and looked side to side as if something
was going on and jumped off of the stage to jump on top of the Eric
Seltzer Batcycle. Since this one was on the ground in front of the
stage. People actually got in front of it to take pictures and
video.
With Eric Seltzer's replica
George proceeded to praise Eric’s fine work on this replica
and stated that you would not find one better. It sold for a
respectable $20,000. I got off of the bike and waved the men on as
it was taken away and then jogged away from the scene.
From that point I felt that my work was truly done. I stuck
close by in case I may be needed for something. But a major surprise occurred when William Shatner came up to George
in front of the stage to help auction off a motorcycle for one of
his charities. The center of the universe in that room completely
shifted and the press suddenly crowded around Shatner and Barris by
no further than three feet away from their faces. The room went
nuts. They managed to get the bike auctioned off and the press
proceeded to follow Shatner to the other side of the tent. Nobody
could probably tell you what the next three cars were or sold for,
because all attention was on this Star Trek legend. I kept a
respectable distance, since I didn’t think he wanted to deal with a
different set of pointy ears, but within George’s sight just in case
he had plans otherwise. But, no photos of him and I were to be and
I was fine with that. But it certainly was cool to see him there.
After another hour or so and I had a moment to check in with
George while the auction was still going on, we both figured it was
probably fine for me to go. But he added, “Don’t forget, there’s
that other gig with a Batmobile I wanted to talk to you about.”
Stay tuned…
Until next time...Same Bat Time...Same Bat Channel