“Hello, Master Bruce!” Batman fans love to hear those words, and so does the Caped Crusader. The courteous salutation always comes from Alfred Pennyworth, whose job title reads butler, yet he does much more. The former British spy is a friend, father figure, aide-de-camp, and occasional sidekick to Gotham’s greatest hero.
Unlike many other DC characters, Alfred first appeared on the screen before being introduced in the comics. He was first served tea in the 1943 15-chapter serial by Columbia Pictures before making his paper debut in the comic issue Batman #16 by Don Cameron and Bob Kane.
Since then, Alfred has appeared numerous times on screen, voiced, or portrayed by different actors. Ralph Fiennes and Ian Abercrombie handled the character perfectly in the animated space, but live-action actors have done even better, each of them leaning on their strengths. Apart from the actor performances, the live-action Pennyworths have all been sculpted differently by the screenwriters, hence they can be ranked from least to most interesting.
10 Douglas Hodge
Joker (2019)
In Joker, Arthur Fleck heads to Wayne Manor to look for Thomas Wayne, who he delusionally believes is his father. At the gate, he has a brief conversation with a young Bruce Wayne before Alfred realizes what’s going on. He orders Fleck to leave, resulting in a short confrontation where the struggling comedian strangles the butler. After the encounter, Alfred takes Bruce back to the manor.
Room for Improvement
Hodge’s Alfred could have done a better job advising Little Bruce not to talk to strangers, but that’s not why he ranks low. He ranks low because his version is a mere hors d’oeuvre. Appearing for less than two minutes, he has no proper dialogue or arc. He only exists as a bridge between the Joker and Bruce Wayne. This Alfred could move a few steps up the list if he gets fleshed out a bit more in Joker: Folie à Deux. Hodge would also need to give an extraordinary performance.
9 Ian Abercrombie
Birds of Prey (2002 – 2003)
Ian Abercrombie’s Alfred doesn’t have Master Bruce to banter with, since Birds of Prey is set years after the Caped Crusader abandoned Gotham. He now serves the heiress to the Wayne estate, Helena Kyle, aka Huntress. However, he is closer to Commissioner Gordon’s daughter, Barbara Gordon, aka, Batgirl/Oracle. He is often seen advising her, though she is never interested in hearing what he has to say.
A Lack of Chemistry
Birds of Prey might be one of the best Batman-themed live-action shows, but Alfred isn’t one of its greatest pillars. Abercrombie isn’t at fault for this. He looks just like a typical Alfred and gives a convincing performance. Alfred’s bond with the Birds of Prey isn’t as strong as his bond with Batman.
While Batman always listens to Alfred’s advice, the heroines keep promising to take his ideas into consideration only to avoid implementing them. He, therefore, never gets a proper chance to flaunt his leadership skills.
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8 William Austin
Batman (1943)
The first Alfred was portrayed by William Austin in the 1943 Batman serial. This version of the character is both a butler and a chauffeur. In the serial, he drives Batman and Robin around in a convertible Coupe as they chase after the Japanese villain Dr. Daka (created to fit into America’s WWII propaganda against Japan). Alfred is also the only person who knows Batman and Robin’s true identity.
The Model for Alfred’s Comic Appearance
Austin remains a celebrated figure in DC’s history because he is the inspiration for Alfred Pennyworht’s appearance. According to the book Batman: The Complete History, Don Cameron and Bob Kane modeled the comic Alfred after William Austin because they wanted him to resemble his screen counterpart. They made him slim and gave him a mustache, and the look has remained ever since.
Modern Batman fans might yawn while watching Austin’s Alfred because he is too basic. However, the shallow delineation is understandable because the creators of the serial didn’t quite know what to do with the character at the time. All the focus was on Batman, but with time, Alfred’s potential was recognized.
7 Jeremy Irons
DCEU (2016 – 2021)
Jeremy Irons’ Alfred serves as Batman’s butler and tech assistant for the entirety of the DCEU, appearing in Dawn of Justice, Justice League, and The Flash. Because his master is more of a team player, Alfred also gets the chance to interact and bond with numerous other members of the Justice League.
Too Smart?
Irons is one of the most talented actors to ever be cast as Alfred. His trophy cabinet has an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and an Emmy, among other trophies. Here, he maintains his form, giving one of the best performances in the DCEU. Regrettably, his character is poorly written. He is a know-it-all who is granted too many responsibilities, including the tech duties traditionally reserved for Lucius Fox.
It’s a mystery how he became such a polymath. Besides that, Irons’ Alfred is way too stern. His arguments with Bruce on several occasions create the impression of a toxic friendship.
6 Andy Serkis
The Batman (2022)
Andy Serkis’s Alfred disapproves of Bruce Wayne’s vigilantism but still supports him to ensure he remains safe. He runs Wayne Enterprises because Bruce is too busy fighting crime, and is happy to help the hero conduct investigations. In The Batman, he proves a great asset during Bruce’s mission to take down Falcone, Riddler, and Penguin.
Wiser and Physically Stronger
Unlike many of his counterparts, Serkis’ Alfred isn’t held back by the shackles of age. He showcases his strength and endurance by engaging Bruce Wayne in sparring sessions and being flexible enough to jump away from explosions. Additionally, Alfred is smart. Like sidekicks in detective shows, he sees clues where his master doesn’t. On top of that, he figures out things by himself. Initially, Bruce doesn’t trust him enough to tell him about his secret life. Alfred learns about it on his own.
What ultimately holds him back are the long periods of absence. He doesn’t even appear in the final hour. Nonetheless, Matt Reeves still has the opportunity to be less economical with the butler’s screen time in the sequel.
5 Michael Gough
Burtonverse and Schumacherverse (1989 – 1997)
Michael Gough stars as Alfred in Tim Burton’s Batman and Batman Returns as well as Joel Schumarcher’s Batman Forever and Batman & Robin. From packing “sandwiches for the road” to advising Bruce Wayne on how to be a better lover to Vicki Vale, Gough’s Alfred does a lot throughout the four movies, establishing himself as one of the most hands-on versions of the butler.
A Constant Face in a Changing Landscape
There’s a good reason why the high DC turnover in the ‘90s didn’t affect Gough. While the Caped Crusader switched faces from Michael Keaton to Val Kilmer and finally to George Clooney, Alfred never changed. Warner Bros. executives presumably recognized the warmth and poise that Gough brought to the character, so they kept him around. This Alfred strikes a fine balance between supporting Batman and calling him out for his poor choices.
4 Jack Bannon
Pennyworth (2019 – 2022)
Alfred had plenty of fun before Bruce Wayne was birthed, at least according to Pennyworth. The series is basically a three-season origin story, covering the character’s time in England when he served as a British SAS soldier, a bouncer at a high-end London club, and the owner of a security firm. Jack Bannon is also said to be a younger version of the iteration portrayed by Sean Pertwee.
Traces of Bond
Series creators Bruno Heller and Danny Cannon must have had long-time dreams of making a Bond movie. Their iteration of Alfred Pennyworth is heavily modeled after the fictional spy. He is a charming ladies’ man who enjoys wearing tuxedos and loves to leap before he looks. Even though Bannon doesn’t give an award-winning performance, the protagonist stays intriguing as he dodges one threat after the next.
Whether it’s a fascist group looking to topple the government or a greedy industrialist, Bannon’s Alfred stays with plenty on his plate. Moreover, he gets to enjoy the tailles of romance, something other Alfreds are deprived of because of their age.
3 Alan Napier
Batman (1966 – 1968)
Napier had no idea who Batman was when he was offered the role of Alfred Pennyworth. Well, he didn’t need to know. He was old, he was British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s cousin, and he was married to Charles Dickens’ granddaughter. Superheroes were the last thing in mind. Still, he took the role and nailed it, mostly because of the $100,000 paycheck attached to it.
Having Fun in the Role
The veteran actor is appreciated for adding both comic relief and authoritativeness to both the Batman movie and TV show (both released in 1966). How many Alfreds can boast of having had a swordfight with the Joker? Napier might have looked old and frail, but he sure did step up whenever he was tossed into the action.
Throughout the series, he impersonates Batman, drives the Batmobile like Dominic Toretto, and flaunts his archery skills. And he keeps making calls to Master Bruce…many of them.
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2 Sean Pertwee
Gotham (2014 – 2019)
Sean Pertwee’s Alfred is introduced in Gotham as Thomas Wayne’s former lackey. He grants himself the responsibility of raising a young Bruce Wayne after his parents get killed and, throughout the series, he acts as both a father figure and part-time vigilante. He takes on multiple villains, either to protect Bruce or to protect Gotham as a whole.
Action Hero
For once, viewers get to see a version of Alfred who is a proper action hero. Since Bruce is young in the series, Alfred earns a promotion from sidekick to principal character and steps up whenever danger arises. Thanks to his military training, he has an easy time knocking out teeth.
Despite being a middle-aged man, he holds his own against tougher opponents like the assassin Larisa Diaz and the recently resurrected Theo Galavan. Furthermore, Alfred’s arcs are so bulky that he dies and gets brought back to life at some point.
1 Michael Caine
The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005 – 2012)
Appearing in the entire The Dark Knight trilogy, Michael Caine did such a good job that he became a frequent Christopher Nolan collaborator. Caine’s version of Alfred watches Batman grow from a depressed boy to a formidable vigilante, offering him all the guidance he needs.
The Quip Maestro
“Why don’t you hire them and take the weekend off?” Alfred tells Bruce Wayne when he complains that Batman copycats are running around the city. Caine’s version of the butler is not loaded with expositions but is also the king of one-liners. Many of the best quotes from The Dark Knight trilogy can be traced back to him.
And like an ideal Alfred should be, he is heavily concerned about Batman’s well-being, so much so that he opts to quit when the Gotham hero puts his health at risk by coming out of retirement. Above all, he is played by one of the greatest actors of recent times.