Batman: Every Live-Action Robin Ranked From Worst To Best

5. Douglas Croft - Dick Grayson (Batman 1943)

Robin Burt Ward Chris O'Donnell Brenton Thwaites
Columbia Pictures

This 1943 serial holds the distinct luxury of being the first-ever live-action Batman project, and it really shows. Not only does it look cheap and awkward (like the previous entry), but it also features the painfully racist villain Prince Daka, who hailed from Japan. Overall, it is not a good watch, but it at least has a version of Robin who is ever-so-slightly better than the follow-up.

Douglas Croft was the inaugural actor to play the role, and he took it at the age of sixteen - making him a literal Boy Wonder. There's a youthfulness to him that makes him somewhat likeable, and he delivers in a fight, even saving Batman multiple times. Sadly, that's about all the good there is.

Again, like Duncan, this version of Dick Grayson is utterly dull and lifeless. He only ever serves as a lackey to the titular hero, meaning he never gets any chance to develop as a character in himself, despite the near four and a half hour runtime.

Although Croft could have had a boyish charm, the character fell entirely flat thanks to the awful script and terrible costume. Not a great debut for the iconic sidekick.

Contributor

Michael is my name, overanalysing comedy is my game! Anime, wrestling, TV, movies and video games all live in my head rent free!