- "Mercy Alive!"
- ―Harriet Cooper[src]
Harriet Cooper is a character in the Batman (1960s series).
Biography[]
Harriet Cooper became one of Gotham City's elite as her nephew Dick Grayson became the ward of millionaire Bruce Wayne. She devotes much of her time to work with community groups, such as the Gotham City Film Decency League. She is also a member of the Gotham City Gourmet Society, an organization she is quite active in. For instance, at one time she was in charge of their annual tea-tasting. But being a well-rounded person, she is a baseball fan, and also enjoys a good boxing match.
It is well known that she is a huge fan of Batman and Robin; everyone at the Gotham City Ladies Bridge Club has heard about the time she received a kiss from the Dynamic Duo. At around the same time as Batgirl's entry onto the Gotham crimefighting scene, Harriet embarked on a long journey to New Hebredes, followed by a North Cape cruise.
Trivia[]
- Harriet Cooper been introduced to the comics in 1964, and she gave Bruce and Dick a reason for secrecy about their crime-fighting activities by her presence; otherwise they could have lounged around in Batcostumes, which would have been somewhat undercutting of the drama. But William Dozier mistakenly claimed that she had been included in the series to prevent the Bat-Duo from appearing to be gay. Had that been true, or even hinted at, in the stories, it would have sent "pearl-clutching" moralists up in arms in the 1960s, which were, unfortunately, infamously homophobic years.
- Unlike the comics which had traded Alfred for Aunt Harriet, the Batman television series and associated 1966 movie featured both Alfred and Aunt Harriet as regular characters, although Harriet's participation reduced over time due to actress Madge Blake's declining health. During the show's third season, she appeared in only two episodes.
Gallery[]
