# RIP to an odd and brilliant man, Lorenzo Semple Jr **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 28, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-to-an-odd-and-brilliant-man-lorenzo-semple-jr/684791 "2014-03-28T21:43:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-to-an-odd-and-brilliant-man-lorenzo-semple-jr/684791/1 "2014-03-28T21:43:55Z")
The screenwriter & the creator of the Batman TV show (among may other things) died this morning at age 91. He was my uncle. > **[Lorenzo Semple Jr., Creator of 'Batman' TV Series, Dead at 91](https://www.thewrap.com/lorenzo-semple-jr-creator-batman-tv-60s-dead-91/)** > > Also wrote films including "The Parallax View," "Three Days of the Condor," "King Kong" and "Never Say Never Again" The video linked at the end was recorded a year ago, and it’s just HIM, in all his caustic bluntness. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-to-an-odd-and-brilliant-man-lorenzo-semple-jr/684791/2 "2014-03-28T21:45:35Z")
Your uncle was cool. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-to-an-odd-and-brilliant-man-lorenzo-semple-jr/684791/3 "2014-03-28T21:48:15Z")
_Three Days of the Condor!_ He was more than cool - he was awesome! ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-to-an-odd-and-brilliant-man-lorenzo-semple-jr/684791/4 "2014-03-28T22:27:56Z")
Holy cow, he did Batman, 3 Days, Never Say Never Again and Flash Gordon. Uncle Lorenzo entertained me for hours on end. Thanks, Unc! The five minutes I’ve heard of the interview so far - geez, that guy told it like he saw it. How long ago was the interview? He’s sharp as a tack. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-to-an-odd-and-brilliant-man-lorenzo-semple-jr/684791/5 "2014-03-28T22:31:53Z")
That interview was a year ago, August 2013! The man was way too smart for his own good 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-to-an-odd-and-brilliant-man-lorenzo-semple-jr/684791/6 "2014-03-28T22:55:26Z")
Oh, I’m sorry about your uncle. It sounds like he was an interesting guy to be around and talk to. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-to-an-odd-and-brilliant-man-lorenzo-semple-jr/684791/7 "2014-03-28T23:12:13Z")
Oh my. Wow. You are so lucky! None of my uncles were anywhere near as cool as your was. No… not cool. As **beowulff** aptly put it, he was awesome! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-to-an-odd-and-brilliant-man-lorenzo-semple-jr/684791/8 "2014-03-28T23:50:19Z")
Sorry to hear about his death. To be honest, though, I didn’t much care for the bulk of his work. I hated that Batman TV series, thought the 1976 King Kong remake was awful, and didn’t much care for Flash Gordon. I liked Never Say Never Again, though. Semple’s style was perfectly fitted to the needs of that Bond film. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2014, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-to-an-odd-and-brilliant-man-lorenzo-semple-jr/684791/9 "2014-03-29T03:34:43Z")
My kids (and their dad) loved Batman. The King Kong remake is my current husband’s favorite movie. What a cool guy to have in the family. And your great-uncle wrote The Philadelphia Story! I see Pretty Poison as one of his credits. Good movie, Tuesday Weld’s best. I wonder if TCM will do a retrospective. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-to-an-odd-and-brilliant-man-lorenzo-semple-jr/684791/10 "2014-04-01T00:40:35Z")
Thanks for letting me know. _Three Days of the Condor_ is a great spy flick. Here’s a discussion: ["Three Days of the Condor" question - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=714365) ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-to-an-odd-and-brilliant-man-lorenzo-semple-jr/684791/11 "2014-04-01T01:10:59Z")
Condolences on the loss of your uncle. He did some innovative (and highly entertaining) work.