R.I.P. Yvonne Craig aka Batgirl

Actress Yvonne Craig, best known for her role as Batgirl in the 60s Batman TV series, died this past Monday at age 78 from cancer.

She originally trained to be a ballet dancer before finding success in TV shows like The Man From U.N.C.L.E, McHale’s Navy, and of course, Batman. That, coupled with her later role on Star Trek as the infamous green slave girl who wanted to kill Captain Kirk, permanently etched her in the minds of fans not only as a huge crush, but a woman of empowerment. In a few words from her family, they state that she wished, “no one waste a moment of their time in mourning for her loss in sadness but instead celebrate the awesome life she had been fortunate enough to live.”

It’s funny to think that the Batman series only aired for three seasons from 1966 to 1968, as even for those of us who grew up after the fact usually carry some fond memories of its campy nature and over-the-top characters. Still, there’s something special about a person who’s contributed to the legend of Batman over the years, whether it be comic, show or film. As per Craig’s wishes, she will most certainly be celebrated in that regard.