Alan Napier

Cousin of Neville Chamberlain (British Prime Minister, 1937-1940).

Attended and graduated from Clifton College in Bristol, England.

Attended and graduated from Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

Maternal stepgrandfather of actor Brian Forster.

Immigrated to the United States on April 28, 1939.

Father of Jennifer Nichols.

Best remembered by the public for his role as Alfred Pennyworth on the television series "Batman" .

Following his death, his ashes were spread out on his rose garden at his home in Pacific Palisades, California.

In Tim Burton s remake Batman , the Jokers alter ego is named Jack Napier, in Alan Napiers honor.

Henry Daniell suffered a fatal heart attack while working on My Fair Lady , and the role was completed by Napier.

Close friends with Michael Gough , who later played Alfred Pennyworth in Batman , Batman Returns , Batman Forever and Batman & Robin .

Had appeared with George Sanders in eight films: The House of the Seven Gables , Appointment in Berlin , Action in Arabia , Hangover Square , The Strange Woman , Forever Amber , Lured and Moonfleet .

He was initially reluctant to sign on to play Bruce Waynes butler, Alfred Pennyworth, on "Batman" before a friend pointed out to him that the series would make him the most famous butler in the world.

In the early seventies, he wrote an autobiography, which was not published at the time. "Not Just Batmans Butler" was finally published in September, 2015 by McFarland Press with annotations and additional chapters by James Bigwood, who first met him in 1975, when profiling him for "Films in Review".

Shortly before the "Batman" series premiered, the character of "Alfred" was killed off in the comic books (replaced by "Aunt Harriet"). With the popularity of the TV series and of Napiers performance, "Alfred" was brought back in the comics.

I had never read comics before I [was hired for "Batman" (1966) ].