Butler to
Bruce Wayne, a.k.a. the
Batman. Alfred
Pennyworth and Batman appear in comics published by
DC
Comics.
Alfred Pennyworth originally started life wishing to be an
actor, but decided that he would follow in his father's
footsteps by becoming a butler. Alfred traveled from his
native England to the United States where he came into
the employ of Dr. Thomas Wayne and his wife, Martha.
Alfred served the Waynes for years, until the fateful night
that the Waynes were gunned down in cold blood. Alfred
took on the task of raising the Waynes' only son, Bruce.
When Bruce was older, he traveled the world to learn the skills
necessary to become the world's foremost detective and
crime fighter. While Bruce was on his journeys, Alfred
continued to watch over the Wayne family manor. When Bruce
returned and decided to embark on a career of as the costumed
hero Batman, he took Alfred into his confidence, making
Alfred one of the few people in the world who knows the identity
of Batman.
Alfred acts as Bruce Wayne's butler, chauffeur, cook, and
personal secretary. Alfred also maintains the equipment that
Bruce Wayne uses as Batman. Alfred has had training as an
army medic and often uses these skills to help his employer
after a hard night of battling the forces of evil.
The character of Alfred Pennyworth was portrayed by Alan Napier during the 1960's Batman television series. For the recent stint of movies, Alfred Pennyworth has been played by Michael Gough, who can recently be seen in the role hawking the On Star car system in television commercials.