Alfred Pennyworth (DC animated universe)

From Pop-Cult Guides

DC animated Universe: Chronology

Batman: The Animated Series | Superman: The Animated Series | Batman Beyond | The Zeta Project | Static Shock | Justice League | Movies

Characters: Heroes and Supporting · Villains · Minor · Organizations | Places and Props

Episodes | Movies | Web animation | Comics | Video games | Cast and crew | Broadcasting | Awards | Internet sites | DVD releases

Alfred Pennyworth
Played by Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Clive Revill Appeared in Batman: The Animated Series Justice League Static Shock First appearance On Leather Wings No. of appearances 72 episodes Three movies Current status Active Adapted from Alfred Pennyworth
Characteristics
Alter ego Alfred Pennyworth Affiliations Batman Family
Created by
Bob Kane Bill Finger

Alfred Pennyworth, a DC Comics supporting character of Batman, consistently appeared in Batman: The Animated Series, and several of the related series created by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, played by Efrem Zimbalist Jr. in all of his appearances but the episode in which he was played by Clive Revill.

Alfred is the butler, cook and driver of Bruce Wayne, but he is also a substitute father figure (Cold Comfort) and a confidant who participates in his master's secret activities as Batman. Actually his aid is indispensable to hold the two aspects of his master's life together, by organizing most aspects of his schedule as Bruce Wayne. In his interaction with his master as Batman, his most recurrent roles are as moral support, wound healer, perspective provider or comic relief, but he is often used as a narrative element, asking questions to Batman so that the audience gets to know key information. However, in certain rare occasions he is more involved in the episode as a protagonist or a victim (Eternal Youth, The Lion and the Unicorn).

After Batman, Alfred, who appears in 76 episodes and three movies, is the character that appears the most in Batman: The Animated Series and even in the DC animated universe.

Contents 1 DC animated universe history 2 Design 3 Action figure 4 Appearances 4.1 Movies 4.2 Cameos 5 Action figure 6 See also

[edit] DC animated universe history

This version of Alfred is largely based off in the post-Crisis comics continuity, but has certain elements from pre-Crisis. Alfred serves the Wayne family since before Thomas Wayne's death, took care of Bruce as a child along with Leslie Thompkins and even helped him develop the Batman identity.

Unlike Robin and the rest of the Batman family, he is introduced in the first episode, and is the main supporting character for most of the early episodes. However, save for the time he helps Batman in The Forgotten, his participation is very moderated in most episodes. In Eternal Youth, he becomes part of the plot and some aspects of his life are somewhat explored, as Maggie Paige is introduced. She is a friend to both Alfred and Bruce and has a flirting relationship with Alfred, who shows reserved towards her. When Bruce was invited to a spa secretly managed by Poison Ivy, he rejects the invitation and gives it to Alfred and Maggie, who comeback all exited about the new products and natural life style Ivy teaches them and eventually return to the spa. There they are both turned into plant hybrids along with the most influential people in Gotham responsible for deforestation issues (Bruce wasn't actually guilty, but it seems so to Ivy), and were saved by Batman. While on the products effects, Alfred is shown to be more responsive to Maggie's affection and friendship, but after this episode she never appears again and the fate of their relationship is never revealed.

In The Lion and the Unicorn, it revealed that as in the pre-Crisis comics continuity, Alfred used to be a former agent for British Intelligence. In the episode, he is set up by Frederick his former coworker, and both end up kidnapped by the Red Claw terrorist organization. They are both forced by the terrorists to reveal a secret code to launch missiles that would have destroyed London if not for the intervention of Batman.

In Cold Comfort, Mr. Freeze started a crime wave destroying things people care the most, when he attacks the Wayne manor, he almost freezes Alfred to death, pointing he is Bruce Wayne's father figure.

He is present in Superman's absent body funeral in Hereafter, but his last appearance is in the Justice League episode Starcrossed, in which he helps Batman host the Justice League in the Batcave and the Wayne manor after the Watchtower is destroyed by Thanagarians invasors. He also gives moral support to Hawkgirl after she betrays the invading race that originally sens her as a spy, in favor of the Earth.

[edit] Design

At first, in the first two seasons of Batman: The Animated Series, Alfred has white hair like Michael Gough, the actor who played the character in the Tim Burton films, which heavily influenced the series and Alan Napier, who played him in the Batman show from the 60s. The droopy eyes and nose, the small moustahce and the baldness are features of the original version of the character in the golden age before the droopyness is droped in favor of artistic interpretations modeled after William Austin, his portrayer in The Batman 1940s serial. The New Batman Adventures design is closer to the William Austin look in some aspects.

[edit] Action figure

An Alfred action figure was released by Kenner as part of the fout pack action figure set, Batman Animated Four-Pack, along with a Batman, Robin (Tim Drake), and Clayface. It is modeled after The New Batman Adventures design.

[edit] Appearances

1. On Leather Wings
2. Christmas With the Joker
3. Nothing to Fear
4. The Last Laugh
5. Pretty Poison
6. The Underdwellers
7. The Forgotten
8. Two-Face, Part II
9. Heart of Ice
10. Beware The Gray Ghost
11. Prophecy of Doom
12. Feat of Clay, Part I
13. Feat of Clay, Part II
14. Joker's Favor
15. Vendetta
16. The Clock King
17. Appointment in Crime Alley
18. Mad as a Hatter
19. Dreams In Darkness
20. Eternal Youth
21. Perchance To Dream
22. Robin's Reckoning, Part I
23. Robin's Reckoning, Part II
24. The Laughing Fish
25. Night of the Ninja
26. Cat Scratch Fever
27. The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne
28. Heart Of Steel, Part I
29. Heart Of Steel, Part II
30. If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?
31. Joker's Wild
32. Tyger, Tyger
33. Moon of the Wolf
34. Day of the Samurai
35. Terror in the Sky
36. What Is Reality?
37. I Am the Night
38. Off Balance
39. Mudslide
40. Paging The Crime Doctor
41. Zatanna
42. Harley and Ivy
43. Shadow of the Bat, Part I
44. Shadow of the Bat, Part II
45. Blind as a Bat
46. The Demon's Quest, Part I
47. The Demon's Quest, Part II
48. His Silicon Soul
49. Read My Lips
50. The Worry Men
51. A Bullet for Bullock
52. Avatar
53. House and Garden
54. Bane
55. Baby Doll
56. The Lion and the Unicorn
57. Make 'Em Laugh
58. The World's Finest, part I
59. The World's Finest, part II
60. The World's Finest, part III
61. Sins of the Father
62. Cold Comfort
63. Never Fear
64. Growing Pains
65. Torch Song
66. The Ultimate Thrill
67. Over the Edge
68. Mean Seasons
69. Old Wounds
70. Chemistry
71. Beware the Creeper
72. Judgment Day
73. The Demon Reborn
74. Hereafter, part I (Justice League)
75. Starcrossed, part II (Justice League)
76. Starcrossed, part III (Justice League)

[edit] Movies

1. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
2. Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero
3. Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman

[edit] Cameos

[edit] Action figure

Kenner produced an action figure of the character only available with The New Batman Adventures 4-pack.

[edit] See also

Batman: The Animated Series characters
Heroes:	Batman | Alfred | Robin / Dick Grayson | Batgirl | Robin / Tim Drake
Villains:	The Joker | Harley Quinn | The Penguin | Catwoman | Two-face | Poison Ivy | Rupert Thorne | The Scarecrow | Ra's Al Ghul | Talia | The Mad Hatter | The Ventriloquist and Scarface | Clayface | Killer Croc | Mr. Freeze | The Riddler | The Phantasm | Bane | Man-bat | Firefly | The Ninja | The Clock King | Baby Doll | Roxy Rocket | Hugo Strange | Doctor Milo | Maxie Zeus | The Terrible Trio | Calendar Girl | H.A.R.D.A.C. | Red Claw | Roland Daggett
Supporting Characters:	James Gordon | Harvey Bullock | Summer Gleeson | Leslie Thompkins | Lucius Fox | Renee Montoya | Earl Cooper | Hamilton Hill | Andrea Beaumont | Carl Beaumont | Matthew Thorne | Thomas and Martha Wayne
Other heroes:	The Creeper | Etrigan the Demon | Jonah Hex | Zatanna | Supergirl | Batwoman | The Gray Ghost