Marsha, Queen of Diamonds

Marsha, Queen Of Diamonds
Writer(s)	Stanford Sherman
Director(s)	James B. Clark
Season	2
Episode No	23
Series Episode No	57
Air Date	November 23, 1966

Plot

At Chief O'Hara’s orders, police officers are stationed outside "U. Magnum Diamonds", in lookout for Marsha, Queen of Diamonds’ possible attack. A motorcade approaches the officers where Chief O’Hara steps out of the silverRolls Royce with Marsha, stunning the officers. O’Hara and Marsha enter the jewelry store, taking the Pretzel Diamond from the jewelers inside the store, while O’Hara continues to profess his undying love with Marsha. Meanwhile, Batman and Robin, along with Alfred Pennyworth, are testing a gigantic "Bat-Diamond" in the Batcave when they get the call from Commissioner Gordon about the burglary as well as O’Hara’s alleged involvement. It turns out that Marsha, Queen of Diamonds, has O'Hara in a birdcage, and under her magic spell, along with at least three other victims. In order to get her victims, Marsha uses Cupid, a foot tall statue that throws darts equipped with a love potion, each dart is activated with a remote controlled device. Marsha now tries to find out the whereabouts of the "Bat-Diamond", and is eager to break into the Batcave and find out Batman's true identity, where the diamond is stored. Commissioner Gordon does not wait for Batman and Robin to arrive at Police HQ, instead he visits Marsha, asking about the whereabouts of O’Hara. Marsha activates the love dart, sending Commissioner Gordon under her spell and in captivity. Marsha visits her basement where Aunt Hilda, a witch specializing in new potions, resides; she asks Hilda about a special potion for Batman, knowing he is more resistant to ordinary potions.

Batman and Robin visit Marsha, where she activates the potion dart on Batman. Using “every ounce of willpower”, Batman resists the potion and escapes Marsha's clutches. An infuriated Marsha sends her men to do battle with Batman and Robin, during the fight Marsha plants another dart on Robin. Marsha extorts Batman by holding Robin hostage in exchange for the Bat-Diamond, including a visit to the Batcave. Batman refuses Martha’s demands, where he vows not to allow anyone else in the Batcave. But Marsha, wanting to bilk him out of all his money, gives Batman an ultimatum by giving another “vow”, she proposes marriage to Batman; thus allowing her to enter the Batcave and reveal his secret identity. Should Batman refuse the marriage offer, Robin, Commissioner Gordon and Chief O’Hara would all be under her captivity, forever. Thus, in order to save them, Batman has no choice to marry Marsha.

As the marriage is being televised on Gotham City TV, Alfred and Aunt Harriet ponder what to do about the impending marriage. The final scene shows the wedding ceremony between Marsha and Batman, where Marsha says “I do” but Batman is holding out whether he will say “I do” (and have the location of the Batcave and his true identity revealed), or say “I object”, and lose his only adoptive son, Robin for the rest of his life.

Trap

The trap in this episode is Batman deciding whether or not to say I do. If he does say it he'll be married to Marsha and give away the location of the Batcave, though if he says no he'll risk losing Chief O'Hara, Robin, and Commissioner Gordon forever as they'll stay in Marsha's clutches as she'll not have the Bat Diamond.

Cliffhanger Text

MR AND MRS BATMAN ??!!

THE DYNAMIC DUO MAY BECOME A TRIO!!

THE QUEEN OF DIAMONDS AIMS HIGH !

FIND OUT TOMORROW, WHETHER SHE MISSES. . .OR MRS. !!

SAME BAT-TIME, SAME BAT-CHANNEL. AND HANG ON TO YOUR RICE!

Appearances

Individuals

• Batman
• Robin
• Alfred
• Commissioner Gordon
• Chief O'Hara
• Mrs. Cooper
• Marsha, Queen of Diamonds
• Aunt Hilda

Technology

• Batcomputer

Miscellanea

• Batdiamond

Notes

• Zsa Zsa Gabor was originally going to play Marsha but was replaced by Carolyn Jones. Gabor eventually went on to portray the final villainess on the series, Minerva, in 1968.
• This is the first appearance of Carolyn Jones as Marsha, Queen of Diamonds. She appeared in five Batman episodes.
• In this episode, it is revealed that Commissioner Gordon and Chief O'Hara are both married while Alfred had never taken the plunge.
• Carolyn Jones previously appeared in the 1953 movie House Of Wax with fellow Batman alumni Vincent Price who played Egghead. She is best remembered by TV viewers as Morticia on The Addams Family (ABC, 1964–66).
• 2 other cast members of The Addams Family also appeared on Batman, John Astin, who played Gomez, would later portray The Riddler in "Batman's Anniversary/A Riddling Controversy" and Ted Cassidy makes a window cameo as Lurch in "The Penguin's Nest".

Batman Episodes

Season 1: Hi Diddle Riddle • Smack In The Middle • Fine Feathered Finks • The Penguin's a Jinx • The Joker Is Wild • Batman Is Riled • Instant Freeze • Rats Like Cheese • Zelda the Great • A Death Worse Than Fate • A Riddle a Day Keeps the Riddler Away • When the Rat's Away the Mice Will Play • The Thirteenth Hat • Batman Stands Pat • The Joker Goes to School • He Meets His Match, The Grisly Ghoul • True or False Face • Holy Rat Race • The Purr-Fect Crime • Better Luck Next Time • The Penguin Goes Straight • Not Yet, He Ain't • The Ring of Wax • Give 'Em the Axe • The Joker Trumps An Ace • Batman Sets the Pace • The Curse of Tut • The Pharaoh's in a Rut • The Bookworm Turns • While Gotham City Burns • Death In Slow Motion • The Riddler's False Notion • Fine Finny Fiends • Batman Makes the Scenes Season 2: Shoot A Crooked Arrow • Walk the Straight and Narrow • Hot Off the Griddle • The Cat and the Fiddle • The Minstrel's Shakedown • Barbecued Batman? • The Spell of Tut • Tut's Case is Shut • The Greatest Mother of Them All • Ma Parker • The Clock King's Crazy Crimes • The Clock King Gets Crowned • An Egg Grows In Gotham • The Yegg Foes In Gotham • The Devil's Fingers • The Dead Ringers • Hizzonner the Penguin • Dizzoner the Penguin • Green Ice • Deep Freeze • The Impractical Joker • The Joker's Provokers • Marsha, Queen Of Diamonds • Marsha's Scheme of Diamonds • Come Back, Shame • It's How You Play the Game • The Penguin's Nest • The Bird's Last Jest • The Cat's Meow • The Bat's Kow Tow • The Puzzles Are Coming • The Duo is Slumming • The Sandman Cometh • The Catwoman Goeth (A Stitch in Time) • The Contaminated Cowl • The Mad Hatter Runs Afoul • The Zodiac Crimes • The Joker's Hard Times • The Penguin Declines • That Darn Catwoman • Scat! Darn Catwoman • Penguin is a Girl's Best Friend • Penguin Sets A Trend • Penguin's Disastrous End • Batman's Anniversary • A Riddling Controversy • The Joker's Last Laugh • The Joker's Epitaph • Catwoman Goes to College • Batman Displays His Knowledge • A Piece of the Action • Batman's Satisfaction • King Tut's Coup • Batman's Waterloo • Black Widow Strikes Again • Caught In The Spider's Den • Pop Goes the Joker • Flop Goes the Joker • Ice Spy • The Duo Defy Season 3: Enter Batgirl, Exit Penguin • Ring Around the Riddler • The Wail of the Siren • The Sport of Penguins • A Horse of Another Color • The Unkindest Tut Of All • Louie, the Lilac • The Ogg and I • How To Hatch A Dinosaur • Surf's Up! Joker's Under! • The Londinium Larcenies • The Foggiest Notion • The Bloody Tower • Catwoman's Dressed to Kill • The Ogg Couple • The Funny Feline Felonies • The Joke's on Catwoman • Louie's Lethal Lilac Time • Nora Clavicle And The Ladies' Crime Club • Penguin's Clean Sweep • The Great Escape • The Great Train Robbery • I'll Be a Mummy's Uncle • The Joker's Flying Saucer • The Entrancing Dr. Cassandra • Minerva, Mayhem And Millionaires Other/Tie-In Media: Batman: The Movie • Batman '66 • Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders • Batman vs. Two-Face