Biography

He wrote the "bible" for "Batman's" other writers. (For example, Batman should never be shown breaking the law, not even to park in a no-parking zone during a crime-fighting emergency.) Semple came up with the idea for interspersing the show's fight scenes with colorful Pow! Zap! and Kapow! graphics. He named every device the "Bat"-this or the "Bat"-that. Robin's trademark "Holy (Fill in the Blank)!" was inspired by a similar phrase used by a character in the Tom Swift books.

After serving as an ambulance driver with the Free French early in the second world war, he later served in the American army and was awarded a Bronze Star.

During Batman's first season, he worked from Spain via mail and never met any of the actors.

One half, with Marcia Nasatir, of Reel Geezers, who provide pithy critiques of recent films primarily on Youtube and have gained an international cult following. They are old friends, and were first introduced in the 1960s by late New Yorker critic Pauline Kael.

Was hired by producer William Dozier to create the "Batman" superhero show for 20th Century Fox Television and ABC. Semple wrote only the first four episodes, but served as a script or story consultant on every other installment.