Holy Depression, Batman!

Adam West faced some tough villains as TV's Batman, but the actor's biggest foe over the years has been mental illness.

"He's always struggled with depression," daughter Nina says of the '60s pop icon on an upcoming A&E Biography (Sept. 4, 8 pm/ET). "He's struggled very hard with it, but he's definitely overcome it... because he wants to."

Nina says that the West clan has a long history of alcoholism and manic depression. The star's mother, Audrey, is portrayed in the documentary as a would-be singer and farmer's wife who was driven to drink.

Still, those close to West describe the former Caped Crusader as a beloved family man who's always quick with a joke. "My father has always been very intellectual and hard-working, and at the same time a total goofball," says Nina of her dad, who has lived outside the Hollywood spotlight in remote Ketchum, ID, since 1988.

While West has enjoyed his share of career highs (Batman) and lows (1977's The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington) nothing has quite matched the runaway success of Batman (1966-68). "He complains from time to time about [him] being typecast, but I think that if he had to go back and do it again he would accept the role just because he's had the opportunity that most people don't get," says Nina. "He's a hero to millions of people and he's taught so many good lessons to children that he wouldn't trade that for anything."