Adam West, star of the popular 1960s television series “Batman”, died on Friday in Los Angeles at the age of 88, after a battle with leukemia, said reports. His family issued a statement about his death, and then posted a tweet from his official account:

“Our dad always saw himself as the Bright Knight and aspired to make a positive impact on his fans’ lives,” West’s family said in a statement. “He was and always will be our hero.”

Adam West, real name William West Anderson, became popular for his ‘kooky, exaggerated portrayal’ of the superhero Batman, in a show which ran for three seasons, said The Guardian. The show declined in popularity and went off air after three seasons, but continued to have frequent re-runs. However, it appeared on DVD only in 2014.

After Batman came to an end, West struggled to find work, complaining that people who were hiring were “dinosaurs” who thought Batman was a “big accident”. However, he later found fame as the voice of Mayor West on the animated series Family Guy.

Batman’s sidekick, who also became famous was “Robin, the Boy Wonder”, initially played by Dick Grayson, reported CNN. The list of individuals who played opposite West was long and illustrious – actor Julie Newmar, Eartha Kitt and Lee Meriwether as Catwoman; Cesar Romero as the Joker, Burgess Meredith as the Penguin, and Frank Gorshin and John Astin as the Riddler.

Newmar paid a rich tribute to West on his passing. “Stellar, exemplar, a king to the end. He was bright, witty and fun to work with. I will miss him in the physical world and savor him always in the world of imagination and creativity. He meant so much to people. A friend said: ‘The father that we wanted.’ That is a great gift, no matter how you live it,” she was quoted as saying.

Scottish-American actor, singer, dancer, presenter and writer John Barrowman wrote on Facebook: “Adam West my after-school hours were filled with excitement watching you battle fantastic villains. You were a delight to meet on the convention circuit.”