Alfred Pennyworth (Burtonverse)

Alfred Pennyworth


Alias(es)	Al Uncle Alfred
Appeared in	Batman (1989) Batman Returns Batman Forever Batman & Robin
Status	Alive
Actor	Michael Gough Jon Simmons (Young)

Alfred Pennyworth is Bruce Wayne's butler at Wayne Manor. He knows that Bruce is Batman and aids him.

Biography[]

Early life[]

Alfred Pennyworth was raised in England. He had a brother named Wilfred, and a younger sister named Margaret. For a time he served as a butler in Buckingham Palace. He eventually came to live in Gotham City, employed as a butler by Dr. Thomas Wayne and his wife Martha.

Batman[]

Alfred Pennyworth had served the Waynes ever since Bruce was a child. When his parents died, Alfred raised him, becoming more like a father figure than butler. He supported Bruce's decision to become Batman and has helped him on a few occasions. He also continues to give Bruce guidance even when he is Batman. When the Joker began to terrorize Gotham, it was Alfred who helped Bruce deduce who he was and helped him identify the deadly toxins in the Jokers household products. When the lovely Vicky Vale came into Bruce's life, he was confused about telling her that he was Batman. Through Alfred's wise words, he convinced him to do so, although it was Alfred who eventually told her.

Batman Returns[]

When Oswald Cobblepot, a deformed man who had been abandoned in the sewers by his parents when he was an infant, decided to run for Gotham City's mayor office, Batman and Alfred didn't believe that it was his actual goal to be Mayor so they began to research his background. They discover the Penguin's true intent was to kidnap all of Gotham City's firstborn children and toss them into the sewer just as his parents did to him.

At the same time, Catwoman had been roaming around Gotham City. This mysterious Catwoman had destroyed Shreck's apartment and flirting with Batman. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne had been romancing Selina Kyle, lowly assistant to Max Shreck. Alfred was somewhat relieved that Bruce had found someone after Vicki Vale left.

Batman set out to stop The Penguin whilst Alfred received the coordinates for The Penguin's lair and directed Batman to it. The Penguin had sent penguins armed with rockets to the city center. Batman instructed Alfred to redirect the rockets back to The Penguin's lair. Alfred jammed the signal sent by The Penguin to the penguin rockets and re-routed them at The Penguin's hideout.

After The Penguin had been stopped, Catwoman was presumed dead after electrifying herself and Max Schreck to death. But while driving through Gotham City, Bruce Wayne saw Catwoman's shadow and tried to find her. Upon returning to the car Alfred tried to cheer up Bruce by saying "Merry Christmas Mr. Wayne."'to which Bruce replied "And good will toward men.....and women."

Batman Forever[]

Alfred still serves Bruce. When the young Dick Grayson comes to live with them in the manor, Alfred perhaps sees a little of Bruce in him and offers him guidance. While Bruce is out one night, Alfred helps Grayson settle in. Picking up his bike helmet, Alfred noticed a robin airbrushed on its surface. Dick said he got the name after saving his brother's life quoting "I flew in like a robin." When Dick discovers that Bruce is Batman, he wants to help although Batman declines. Through Alfred's help and design, Dick becomes Robin to which Batman then accepts him to the team.

Batman & Robin[]

Alfred, after years of service to Bruce, is stricken with a rare disease. His niece, Barbara, comes to visit him at the manor. After careful research, it is known that Alfred has come down with McGreagor's Syndrome and the only person who can cure it is Dr. Victor Fries aka Mr. Freeze. As Batman and Robin search for Freeze, Alfred tells Barbara to give his brother a disc saying "Only family can be trusted". Through Barbara's computer skills, she learns of Bruce's and Dick's alter egos and decides to help. Infiltrating the Batcave, a computer simulated Alfred creates a suit for her and she becomes Batgirl. After Batman finds Freeze, he is able to get the antidote from him and introduces it into Alfred's system.

The next morning, Alfred is cured and Batgirl joins the team. At the end of the film, Alfred quips, "We're gonna need a bigger cave."

Relationships[]

Appearances/Actors[]

Burtonverse (4 films)
- Batman (First appearance) - Michael Gough
- Batman Returns - Michael Gough
- Batman Forever - Michael Gough
- Batman & Robin - Michael Gough and Jon Simmons (Young)
Burtonverse (1 comic)
- Batman '89