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Alfred Pennyworth is a fictional supporting character in the DC Comics' Batman series. Created by writer Bob Kane and artist Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Batman #16 (April-May 1943). Alfred serves as Batman’s tireless butler, assistant, and confidant, and has been called "Batman's batman." In the current DC Comics continuity, Alfred looked after Bruce Wayne after the death of his parents. Alfred also provides comic relief, as his sometimes sarcastic cynical character often adds humour to dialog occurring between himself and the obsessed Batman.

An important part of the Batman mythos, Alfred has appeared in most other media adaptations of the character.

Fictional character biography

When Alfred first appeared, he was overweight and clean-shaven. However, when the 1943 Batman serial was released, William Austin, the actor who played Alfred, was trim and sported a thin mustache. DC editors wanted the comic Alfred to resemble his cinematic counterpart, so in Detective Comics #83 (January 1944), Alfred vacationed at a health resort, where he slimmed down and grew a moustache. This look has remained with the character ever since, even surviving his death and resurrection.

Alfred was originally conceived as a comedic foil for Batman and Robin. In most early tales, he made bumbling attempts to be a detective on a par with the young masters. He was given a four-page feature of his own, and the feature lasted ten issues. The stories followed a simple formula with Alfred somehow managing to solve a crime and catch the culprits entirely by accident. After that, the comedic aspects of the character were downplayed.

Pre-Crisis

The Pre-Crisis comics (i.e., comics published by DC Comics between 1938 and 1986) established Alfred as a retired actor and intelligence agent who followed the deathbed wish of his dying father, Jarvis, to carry on the tradition of serving the Wayne family. To that end, Alfred introduced himself to Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson at Wayne Manor and insisted on becoming their butler. Although the pair did not want one, especially since they did not want to jeopardize their secret identities with a servant in the house, they did not have the heart to reject Alfred.

Initially, Alfred discovered their identities by accident. While fighting a burglar in Batman #16 (Alfred's first appearance), he accidentally hit a switch and opened a sliding panel leading to the Batcave. This was revised in Batman #110 (September 1957). His first night at Wayne Manor, Alfred awoke to moaning and followed the sound to the secret door to the staircase to the Batcave and met his would be employers in their superhero identities (Batman had been injured while out in the field). As it turned out, the wounds were actually insignificant, but Alfred's care convinced the residents that their butler could be trusted. Since then, Alfred included the support staff duties of the Dynamic Duo on top of his regular tasks.

Ironically, Alfred's loyalty would lead him to become a member of Batman's rogue's gallery. While pushing Batman and Robin out of the way of a falling boulder, Alfred was seemingly killed in Detective #328 (June 1964). It was revealed in Detective #356 (October 1966) that he had been revived by a mad scientist, whose attempt at regeneration resulted in a dramatic change: Alfred awoke from his apparent death with pasty white skin with circular markings, superhuman powers, including telekinesis, and a desire to destroy Batman and Robin. Calling himself The Outsider, he indirectly battled the Dynamic Duo on a number of occasions, using others as his puppets – the Grasshopper Gang in Detective #334, Zatanna in Detective #336, and even the Batmobile itself in Detective #340 – and generally only appeared as a mocking voice over the radio. He did not physically appear in the comics until Detective #356, when he is bathed again in the rays of the regeneration machine during a struggle with Batman, and returns to normal, with no memory of his time as a supervillain.

Alfred was later reunited with his long-lost daughter, Julia Remarque, though this element was not included in Post-Crisis comics. Her mother was the DC war heroine Mademoiselle Marie, whom Alfred had met while working as an intelligence agent in occupied France during the Second World War.

Post-Crisis

In the Post-Crisis comics' continuity, Alfred has been the Wayne Family butler all of Bruce's life, and had helped his master establish his superhero career from the beginning. Unfortunately, like so many others Alfred's history has been retconned several times over the years, creating assorted versions. In one such version Alfred was hired away from the British Royal Family by Bruce's parents, and virtually raised him after they were murdered.

Meanwhile another version of Alfred's Post-Crisis life was slightly more linked closely to his pre-Crisis counterpart. In this version Alfred was an actor on the English Stage, who agreed to become the Waynes' butler, only so as to honor the dying wish of his father. At the time he begins working for the Waynes, Bruce is but a young child. After several months, Alfred voices the desire to quit and return home to continue his life as an actor. However, these plans are momentarily forgotten when young Bruce returns home, after getting into a fight with a school bully. Alfred teaches Bruce to handle the bully strategically, rather than using brute force and following Alfred's advice, Bruce manages to take care his bully problem. Upon returning home, Bruce then requests that Alfred stays, which Alfred agrees to without a second thought. He would again, raise Bruce following the death of his family.

Alfred would later aid Bruce in raising Dick Grayson, Jason Todd and Tim Drake, all of whom would be adopted by Bruce Wayne and become his partner Robin. He also had close friendships with other members of the Bat-Clan including Barbara Gordon and Cassandra Cain.

Although Alfred is often seen as a servant, that is in no way the case. Instead he acts more as a father-figure to Bruce, and a grandfather to Dick, Jason and Tim. However, due to his rather cold personality, Bruce Wayne makes sure that at least some degree of the business relationship between the two always exists. He is also highly respected by those heroes who are aware of his existence, including Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and the original Teen Titans. Alfred has also been romantically linked to Dr. Leslie Thompkins, though unfortunately his relationship with her never came to anything, particularly after she let Stephanie Brown die from neglect. He also developed feelings for Tim Drake's stepmother, but again, nothing came of it.

His resourcefulness came to the fore in the No Man's Land storyline, especially in Legends of the Dark Knight #118. Batman is missing for weeks, leaving Alfred alone to watch his city for him. He uses his skills as an actor, storyteller, medic, and spy to survive and collect information on the recently destroyed society. Alfred even uses hand-to-hand combat in a rare one-panel fight sequence between him and a pair of slavers that ends with his rescue by Batman.

Name

Alfred introduced himself as the son of a butler named Jarvis in one of his early appearances, and the convention being that British butlers are known by their surnames, it was unclear whether Jarvis was his father's first or last name, the latter case which would have made Alfred's name Alfred Jarvis. His name was later given officially as Alfred Beagle. This name was subsequently given to the an alternate version of the character from the world of Earth-Two, and Pennyworth became Alfred's accepted surname in the mainstream continuity. Alfred has also used the alias “Thaddeus Crane”, which is derived from his middle names. His full name of Alfred Thaddeus Crane Pennyworth was depicted on his tombstone in Superman/Batman: Generations.

The Beagle surname was brought back into continuity (post-Crisis on Infinite Earths but pre-Infinite Crisis) as Alfred's original name as an actor and cold war spy. He adopted the "Pennyworth" surname after his brief intelligence career, based on a comment from his handler that his life wasn't even worth a penny (in reference to a cyanide pill concealed within a fake penny).

It has been suggested that Edwin Jarvis, the Avenger's butler, was named for the first name given to Alfred.

Skills, resources and abilities

Alfred primarily keeps-up day-to-day operations of Batman’s home of Wayne Manor and maintains much of the equipment of the Batcave beneath it. A former actor, he can use his acting skills to help Batman in the field when necessary, and is even capable of impersonating Bruce Wayne on the telephone convincingly. He has also provided first aid up to and including suturing wounds and removing bullets, as well as occasional tactical support.

While not as skilled at hand-to-hand combat as Bruce Wayne, Alfred is still nearly as resourceful. During a time at which he was kidnapped, he readily escapes and overcomes his captors without disturbing the cut of his suit. It was later mentioned that he had been kidnapped unsuccessfully 27 times (It should be noted, however, that these events take place in the Gotham Adventures comics, based on the animated adventures of Batman, and not within the standard DCU continuity). Presumably due to his lack of superpowers, the advanced combat training Bruce's other associates have, and Alfred's age, Alfred is the only member of the "Batman Family" that Bruce does not mind using a firearm, in his case favoring a shotgun.

In other media

• Michael Gough as Alfred. Michael Gough as Alfred.
• Michael Caine as Alfred. Michael Caine as Alfred.
• Ian Abercrombie as Alfred. Ian Abercrombie as Alfred.

Film

• William Austin was the first actor to portray Alfred, in the 1943 Batman serial.
• Eric Wilton portrayed Alfred in the 1949 serial Batman and Robin.
• Alan Napier portrayed Alfred in the 1966 Batman film starring Adam West and Burt Ward.
• Michael Gough portrayed Alfred in the movies Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992), Batman Forever (1995), and Batman and Robin (1997). In Batman & Robin, he was visited by his niece, Barbara Wilson, who becomes Batgirl. He is also a skilled technologist, as he programs his brain algorithms into the Batcomputer. Gough also portrayed Alfred in the BBC radio-drama presentation of the "Knightfall" story arc from the Batman comics, in a series of Onstar commercials featuring Batman, and a Diet Coke commercial from 1989.
• Michael Caine portrays Alfred in the movie Batman Begins and its sequel The Dark Knight. Despite Bruce Wayne's lifelong rebellion and frequent departure from home as shown in the film, Alfred never loses faith in his master. He also has a flair for both sarcasm and fatherly banter, a frequent source for comic relief in the film.

Television

• Alan Napier portrayed Alfred on the 1960s TV series starring Adam West and Burt Ward.
• Bill Callaway provided the voice of Alfred in the Challenge of the Super Friends.
• Clive Revill provided Alfred's voice on Batman: The Animated Series for the characters first three appearances in the first season before he had to leave due to a previous commitment.
• Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. provided Alfred's voice on Batman: The Animated Series (replacing Revill), Justice League and Static Shock. This version of Alfred combines elements from pre-Crisis and post-Crisis continuities; Alfred has been serving the Wayne family since before Thomas Wayne's death and helped his young charge assume the Batman identity, but was also revealed to be a former agent for the British intelligence agency MI-6. Zimbalist continued to voice Alfred in later guest appearances on the other DCAU shows.
• Alfred does not appear in the series Batman Beyond. It can be assumed that he is dead, as Bruce Wayne himself is extremely old. Many of the support roles that Alfred filled are now handled by Bruce Wayne, and Terry McGinnis wears the costume. (Ironically, Terry's cover is that he works for Wayne, essentially as a valet.) The character has not been forgotten, however. When Terry's friend Maxine "Max" Gibson tells Terry she wants to be his partner, she says that she won't be Robin, and he responds by calling her "Alfred."
• Ian Abercrombie portrayed Alfred on the short-lived TV series Birds of Prey.
• Alastair Duncan provides Alfred's voice on the animated TV series The Batman. In this incarnation, Alfred's grandfather served Penguin's family in England, but was mistreated and then fired.

Print

• In the online writing community Subreality, Alfred occasionally appears as the janitor of the Writer's Café.

Awards

The character has been consistently popular over the years, having received a nomination for the R.A.C. "Squiddy" Award for Favorite Supporting Character in 1994 and for Best Character in 2001. He was also nominated for the Wizard Fan Award for Favorite Supporting Male Character in 1994.

References

1. Mackie, Rob (2005-10-21). "Batman Begins review". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-02-20. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
2. Tilley, Steve (2005-06-13). "Michael Caine one tough butler". CANOE. Edmonton Sun. Retrieved 2007-02-20. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
3. Detective Comics #328 in 1964
4. Detective Comics #356 in 1966
5. Batman #22 (April-May 1944)
6. Batman #32 (December 1945-January 1946)
7. Detective Comics #96 (February 1945)
8. Batman #216 (1969)
9. Batman #92 (June 1955)
10. Batman: Gotham Adventures #16
11. "The Writer's Café, Subreality"
12. Comic Book Awards Almanac

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• DC Comics supporting characters
• Fictional butlers
• Fictional actors
• Fictional secret agents and spies
• Fictional English people