View source for Alfred Pennyworth

[[File:Efrem Zimbalist Jr.JPG|thumb|[[Efrem Zimbalist Jr.|Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.]] is known for voicing Alfred Pennyworth in the animated adaptation ''[[Batman: The Animated Series]]''.]]
'''Alfred Thaddeus Crane Pennyworth''', or simply called '''Alfred''', is a fictional character in the [[DC Comics]] universe. He is [[Batman]]'s loyal butler and assistant who helps him complete his missions.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Fleisher |first1=Michael L. |title=The Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes, Volume 1: Batman |date=1976 |publisher=Macmillan Publishing Co |location=New York City|isbn=0-02-538700-6 |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofco01flei/page/4/mode/2up |access-date=29 March 2020 |pages=5–14}}</ref> He took care of [[Bruce Wayne]] when he was a child after his parents were killed. Pennyworth gives Batman all the information he needs and the location where villains are held at. He has a [[United Kingdom|British]] accent.

==Background==
Before becoming a butler, Pennyworth was an actor and former member of [[Special Operations Executive]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Rob |last=Mackie |title=''Batman Begins'' review |url=http://arts.guardian.co.uk/filmandmusic/story/0,,1596464,00.html |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=October 21, 2005|access-date=February 20, 2007 |location=London, England}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Steve |last=Tilley |title=Michael Caine one tough butler |url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Movies/Artists/C/Caine_Michael/2005/06/13/1084190.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120629082518/http://jam.canoe.ca/Movies/Artists/C/Caine_Michael/2005/06/13/1084190.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-06-29 |newspaper=[[Edmonton Sun]] |date=June 13, 2005 |access-date=February 20, 2007 }}</ref> He is known for his sarcastic comments. He was nominated by the ''[[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]]'' Fan Award for Favorite Supporting Male Character in 1994.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://users.rcn.com/aardy/comics/awards/ |title=Comic Book Awards Almanac |publisher=Users.rcn.com |access-date=December 25, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107135948/http://users.rcn.com/aardy/comics/awards |archive-date=January 7, 2009 }}</ref>

The character first appeared in ''Batman'' #16 (April 1943), by writer [[Donald Clough Cameron|Don Cameron]] and artist [[Bob Kane]]. Alfred was created by the writers of the [[Batman (serial)|1943 Batman serial]] but DC Comics asked Don Cameron to write the first Alfred story, which was published before the serial's release.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Daniels |first1=Les |title=Batman: The Complete History |url=https://archive.org/details/batmanlifetimeso0000dani |date=2004 |publisher=[[Chronicle Books]] |location=San Francisco, California|isbn=978-0811842327}}</ref>

==Television==
Pennyworth was played by [[Alan Napier]], [[Ian Abercrombie]] and [[Sean Pertwee]] in television shows. He was voiced by [[Clive Revill]] and by [[Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.]] in ''[[Batman: The Animated Series]]'' and was voiced by [[Ralph Fiennes]] in ''[[The Lego Batman Movie]]''. English actor [[Jack Bannon (English actor)|Jack Bannon]] played a younger version of the character in the television series ''[[Pennyworth: The Origins of Batman's Butler|Pennyworth]]'' (2019-2022).

==Movies==
{{Multiple image|align=right|direction=horizontal|total_width=400|perrow=3
|image1=Alan Napier 1949 (cropped).GIF|caption1=[[Alan Napier]] was the first actor to play Alfred in a movie in the [[Batman (1966 movie)|1966 ''Batman'' movie]]
|image2=Dracula (1958) trailer - Michael Gough (cropped & flipped) (2).png|caption2=[[Michael Gough]] played Alfred in the [[Tim Burton|Burton]]/[[Joel Schumacher|Schumacher]] movies (1989&ndash;1997)
|image3=Michael Caine Cannes 2015.jpg|caption3=[[Michael Caine]] played the character in ''[[The Dark Knight Trilogy]]'' (2005&ndash;2012)
|image4=Jeremy Irons - Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) - 2013.jpg|caption4=[[Jeremy Irons]] plays the character in the [[DC Extended Universe]] (since 2016)
|image5=Andy Serkis by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg|caption5=[[Andy Serkis]] plays Alfred in ''[[The Batman (movie)|The Batman]]'' (2022)
|image6=Efrem Zimbalist Jr. 1971.JPG|caption6=[[Efrem Zimbalist Jr.]] voiced the character some animated movies and in ''[[Batman: The Animated Series]]''
}}
* Played by [[Alan Napier]]
** ''[[Batman (1966 movie)|Batman]]'' (1966)
* Played by [[Michael Gough]]
** ''[[Batman (1989 movie)|Batman]]'' (1989)
** ''[[Batman Returns]]'' (1992)
** ''[[Batman Forever]]'' (1995)
** ''[[Batman & Robin]]'' (1997)
* Played by [[Michael Caine]] in ''[[The Dark Knight Trilogy]]''
** ''[[Batman Begins]]'' (2005)
** ''[[The Dark Knight (movie)|The Dark Knight]]'' (2008)
** ''[[The Dark Knight Rises]]'' (2012)
* Played by [[Jeremy Irons]] in the [[DC Extended Universe]]
** ''[[Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice]]'' (2016)
** ''[[Justice League (2017 movie)|Justice League]]'' (2017)
*** ''[[Zack Snyder's Justice League]]'' (2021)
* Played by [[Andy Serkis]]
** ''[[The Batman (movie)|The Batman]]'' (2022)

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Batman}}
{{1989–1997 Batman film series}}
{{Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pennyworth, Alfred}}
[[Category:Batman characters]]
[[Category:Fictional characters introduced in the 1940s]]
[[Category:Fictional British people]]
[[Category:DC Comics characters]]