ALFRED PENNYWORTH: BUTLER EXTRAORDINAIRE [bio]
"The past can talk to the future... if the present has ears to hear and eyes to see with. ''
--ALFRED PENNYWORTH
Who is ALFRED PENNYWORTH?
ALFRED PENNYWORTH is a DC Comics character frequently appearing in Batman related books. The character's first appearance was in Batman #16 (April–May 1943), and was created by writer Bob Kane and artist Jerry Robinson. ALFRED serves as Batman’s (and Bruce Wayne's) tireless butler, assistant, confidant, and surrogate father figure. In modern interpretations, this has gone to the point where ALFRED was Bruce's legal guardian following the death of his parents.
When ALFRED first appeared, he was overweight and clean-shaven. When the 1940s Batman serial was released, the actor who played ALFRED, was trim and sported a thin moustache, DC editors wanted the comic ALFRED to resemble his cinematic counterpart. In Detective Comics #83 (January 1944), ALFRED vacationed at a health resort, where he slimmed down and grew a mustache.
In his early appearances, ALFRED made bungling attempts to be a detective, often managing to solve a crime and catch the culprits entirely by accident.
ALFRED has been the Wayne family butler all of Bruce's life, he was Bruce's legal guardian following the deaths of his parents.
ALFRED would help Bruce establish his superhero career as Batman, and extended his help to Batman's associates.
Even with Batman's strict code of not using a gun, he allows ALFRED to carry his own firearm.
ALFRED is also a capable fighter, which is not regularly shown but he can handle himself in hand-to-hand combats.
He is a competent medic, always stitching up open wounds and tending to broken bones of his Master Bruce and at times extends the use of his skills to others.
ALFRED is an able leader, in the absence of Batman; ALFRED took the role of leader of the Outsiders directing them remotely.
ANIMATED APPEARANCE/S
Batman/Superman Hour
In The Batman/Superman Hour, Olan Soule voice-played ALFRED in that animated series.
Challenge of the Super Friends
ALFRED appeared in the episode "Wanted: The Superfriends" in the Challenge of the Super Friends animated series. William Callaway voice-played ALFRED in the show.
DC Animated Universe
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.
The Batman
This incarnation of ALFRED has his grandfather serving the criminal Penguin's obnoxious family in England, but was mistreated and then fired. He sometimes likes to watch television while dusting. As in other media, ALFRED is portrayed as being far from being weak or feeble as he is able to fight, use the Bat Computer or even impersonate Batman when he needs to. While recent incarnations of the Batman franchise have depicted ALFRED as elderly, The Batman presents a younger version of the character, presumably in his late-40s or early-50s.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
ALFRED PENNYWORTH had several appearances in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by James Garrett.
Young Justice
ALFRED appears in the Young Justice episode "Downtime", voiced by Jeff Bennett.
Batman: Gotham Knight
Mr Pennyworth then appeared in the DC Animated Original features Batman: Gotham Knight.
He also made some appearances in:
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
Batman: Under the Red Hood
LIVE MEDIA APPEARANCE/S
William Austin
William Austin was the first to portray ALFRED in live media in the 1943 serial Batman. Austin's appearance influenced the change of ALFRED's design from the original fat, clean-shaven ALFRED.
Eric Wilton
Eric Wilton was the butler ALFRED in the 1949 serial Batman and Robin.
Alan Napier
Alan Napier played ALFRED in live-action in the TV series Batman starring Adam West and Burt Ward, he also reprise his role in the 1966 movie.
Michael Gough
Michael Gough portrayed ALFRED in director Burton and Shumacher's Batman movie series.
Ian Abercrombie
Ian Abercrombie portrayed ALFRED in the short-lived live-action TV series Birds of Prey.
Michael Caine
The latest to portray the wise ALFRED is Michael Caine in Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy
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POWERS & ABILITIES
Note: Due to the nature of comicbooks being an on-going tale, the character's powers along with his appearance, is in a constant state of flux.
ALFRED PENNYWORTH has no superhuman powers
Abilities
A former field medic, ALFRED is capable of performing minor surgery and stitching wounds for Batman. His skills of disguise and acting mean that he can work undercover on cases for Batman, and his ability for vocal mimicry means he can impersonate Bruce Wayne on the telephone convincingly.
ALFRED is a skilled fighter and retains those abilities.
ALFRED is a pioneer in and has also mastered several fields of rose breeding (even creating his own, the "Pennyworth Blue")
computer programming
computer engineering
electrical engineering
chemical engineering
mechanical engineering
nanotechnology
biotechnology
ALFRED single-handedly builds, programs, and maintains much of Batman's next-generational technology such as the Batcomputer.
Sources : http://www.comicvine.com/alfred/29-5556/ : http://www.comicvine.com/alfred/29-5556/movie-alfred/108-15249/ : http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Alfred_Pennyworth_(New_Earth) : http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Alfred_Pennyworth_(New_Earth)/Quotes : http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Alfred_Pennyworth_(New_Earth)/Gallery : http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Batman_Vol_1_16 : http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Alfred_Pennyworth : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Pennyworth : http://nothingbutbatman.blogspot.com/2009/12/alfred-part-i.html
This is the 113th article in my Know Your CBM Character series. Any requests and suggestions for an article for this series write it down in the comment section BELOW.
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