Friday, July 6, is Burt Ward’s birthday, so in tribute, I’ve compiled a short list of things I bet you didn’t know about the actor who portrayed Robin, The Boy Wonder, on the original Batman television series.

• In the late 1960s, Burt released a series of Frank-Zappa-produced singles, including “Boy Wonder, I Love You,” a spoken-word song that comes off either as a mildly homophobic joke, or as a tongue-in-cheek commentary on fanboys… depending on how you read it.

Hi, kids! It’s me, your pal, the Boy Wonder, taking this opportunity to catch up on my fan mail. Even as a Boy Wonder it’s really hard to read all the tons of mail I get. Here is a happy letter from someone just about your age.

Dear you, wonderful, fabulous, magnificent, exquisite Boy Wonder, A cold chill runs up my spine every time I see you sock a villain, and, oh, how I cry when you’re even scratched. Please, don’t send me a mimeograph copy of interesting facts about you, I want your handwriting. I have a whole wall on my room dedicated to you.

Oh, Boy Wonder, I’m making a gum wrapper chain to symbolize my love for you. It’s going to be as long as I am tall, and I’m 5 foot 10 inches in stocking feet. Please, Boy Wonder, PLEASE, come next Saturday and sleep for a week or two. I will feed you breakfast in bed, I will make your bed for you, and I like you so much that I want you to spend the whole summer with me.

I hope you know this is a girl writing.

• In 1995, Burt published a tell-all book, Boy Wonder: My Life in Tights, about his wild sexual escapades during the Batman era.

This is the cover of the book. I apologize for the lack of forewarning.

• Burt made other forays into the Batman franchise as Robin, The Boy Wonder: On the 1977 Batgirl TV show, The New Adventures of Batman cartoon in 1977, the Tarzan and the Super 7 cartoon in 1979, and the comically-awful Hanna-Barbera live-action show, Legends of the Superheroes, in 1978. Legends featured the mightiest heroes from the DC Comics stable, including Green Lantern, Hawkman, The Flash, and guests such as… Ghetto Man.

Don’t shoot the messenger. I didn’t make this up.

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