Men Of Character Character Actors
Alan Napier
Batman (TV)/ Alfred The Butler
Hangover Square/ Sir. Henry Chapman
The Uninvited/ Dr. Scott
Joan Of Arc/ Earl Of Warwick
Per Quinlan's Character Stars:
Extremely tall, distinguished looking, somewhat gaunt, mustachioed performer of British aspect.
Alan Napier-Clevering was born in 1903 at Birmingham, England, UK, the son of Claude Gerald Napier-Clavering and Mary Millicent Kendrick, a first cousin once removed of Neville Chamberlain , the Prime Minister of England from 1937 to 1941.
He was educated at Packwood Haugh School and after graduating from Clifton College he studied at the Royal Academy Of Art.
Napier was engaged by the Oxford Players . His height (6' 6") played a critical part in his securing a position there but almost cost him staying there as well. Tyrone Guthrie was let go because of his height being too tall for many parts. However, J B Fagin who fired Guthrie hired Napier while sitting down. When he realized how tall Napier was, Fagin decided to honor his commitment.
His American debut was as a romantic lead opposite Gladys George in the play Lady In Waiting.
Napier's film career was begun in the 1930's in England but was never very successful.
He emigrated to America in 1939 and joined Hollywood's British community. Then he had much more success in films.
Napier was active in both films and television.
Some of Napier's film roles were:
Caste (1930) as Capt.Hawtree
Stamboul (1931) as Bouchier
In A Monastery Garden (1932) as Count Romano
Loyalties (1933) as General Canyage
Wings Over Africa (1936) as Redfern
For Valour (1937) as The General
Wife Of General Ling (1937) as Governor
The Secret Four (1939) as Sir Hamar Ryman
We Are Not Alone (1939) as Archdeacon
The Invisible Man Returns (1940) as Willie Spears
The House of the Seven Gables (1940) as Fuller
Confirm Or Deny (1941) as Updyke
Eagle Squadron (1942) as Black Watch Officer
Cat People (1942) as Doc Carver
Random Harvest (1942) as Julian
Assignment In Brittany (1943) as Sam Wells
Lassie Come Home (1943) as Jock
Madame Curie (1943) as Dr. Bladh
The Song Of Bernadette (1943) as Dr. Debeau
Lost Angel (1943) as Dr. Woodring
The Uninvited (1944) as Dr. Scott
Action in Arabia (1944) as Eric Latimer
The Hairy Ape (1944) as MacDougal, Chief Engineer
Ministry Of Fear (1944) as Dr. J M Forrester
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) as Mr. Parker
Dark Waters (1944) as The Doctor
Medemoiselle Fifi (1944) as The Count de Breville
Hangover Square (1945) as Sir Henry Chapman
Isle Of The Dead (1945) as St. Aubyn
Three Strangers (1946) as David Shackleford
House Of Horrors (1946) as F. Holmes Harman
A Scandal In Paris (1946) as Houdon De Pierremont
The Strange Woman (1946) as Judge Henry Saladine
Sinbad The Sailor (1947) as Aga
Fiesta (1947) as The Tourist
High Conquest (1947) as Tommy Donlin
Ivy (1947) as Sir Jonathan Wright
Adventure Island (1947) as Attwater
Lured (1947) as Detective Gordon
Driftwood (1947) as Dr. Nicholas Adams
Unconquered (1947) as Sir William Johnson
Forever Amber (1947) as Lansdale
The Lone Wolf In London (1947) as Monty Beresford
Macbeth (1948) as A Holy Father
Johnny Belinda (1948) as Defense Attorney
Joan Of Arc (1948) as Earl Of Warwick
Hills Of Home (1948) as Sir George
Criss Cross (1949) as Finchley
My Own True Love (1949) as Kittridge
Tarzan's Magic Fountain (1949) as Douglas Jessup
A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court (1949) as High Executioner
Manhandled (1949) as Alton Bennett
The Red Danube (1949) as The General
Master Minds (1949) as Dr. Druzik
Tripoli (1950) Khalil
Double Crossbones (1951) as Captain Kidd
Tarzan's Peril (1951) as Commissioner Peters
The Great Caruso (1951) as Jean de Reszke
The Highwayman (1951) as Barton
Across The Wide Missouri (1951) as Capt. Humberstone Lyon
The Blue Veil (1951) as Professor George Carter
The Strange Door (1951) as Count Grassin
Big Jim McLain (1952) as Sturak
Julius Caesar (1953) as Cicero
Young Bess (1953) as Robert Tyrwit
Desiree (1954) as Despreaux
The Court Jester (1955) as Sir Brockhurst
Miami Expose (1956) as Raymond Sheridan
The Mole People (1956) as Elinu, The High Priest
Until They Sail (1957) as Prosecution Attorney
Island Of Lost Women (1959) as Dr. Paul Lujan
Journey To The Center Of The Earth (1959) as Dean
Wild In The Country (1961) as Prof. Joe B Larsen
Tender Is The Night (1962) as Senor Pardo
Premature Burial (1962) as Dr. Gideon Gault
Marnie (1964) as Dr. Rutland
36 Hours (1964 ) as Col. Peter Mac Lean
Signpost To Murder (1964) as The Vicar
The Loved One (1965) as English Club Official
Batman: The Movie (1966) as Alfred
Crime Club (1973-TV) as John, The Butler
The Bastard (1978-TV) as Dr. Bleeker
Centennial (1979-TV Miniseries) as Lord Venneford
His most famous role was that of Alfred The Butler on the Batman TV series. Initially he was reluctant to sign for the role. However a friend told him that this show would make him the most famous butler in the world. So he signed!
And I am sure he's glad he did.
The series ran from 1966 to 1968.
Mr. Napier was very active on television appearing in such programs as Your Show Time, Fireside Theater, Chevron Theater, Cavalcade Of America, Biff baker USA, Four Star Playhouse, The Loretta Young Show, The Pepsi Cola Playhouse, Front Row Center, Lux Video Theater, The 20th Century Fox Hour, Soldiers Of Fortune, Panic, General Electric Theater, The Californians, Playhouse 90, The Third Man, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Detectives, The Case Of The Dangerous Robin, Adventures In Paradise, The Roaring 20's, Boris Karloff's Thriller, Checkmate, Tales Of Wells Fargo, Alcoa Premiere, The Twilight Zone, Breaking Point, The Rogues and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour,Laredo, Daniel Boone, The Beverly Hillbillies, Family Affair, Night Gallery, Ironside, Kojak, Walt Disney's Wonderful World Of Color, The Paper Chase and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour among others.
Napier finally retired in 1981 at age 78.
He married twice ( Emily Nancy Bevill Pethybridge and Aileen Dickens Hawksley) with both of his spouses dying. He had two children from the marriages. His second wife was a great granddaughter of Charles Dickens.
Alan Napier passed away in 1988 as the results of a stroke.
I always enjoyed this actor with his fine British accent. I particularly enjoyed him in the films Sinbad The Sailor, The Uninvited, The Invisible Man Returns, Lassie Come Home, Unconquered, Challenge To Lassie, Tarzan's Peril, The Premature Burial, Hangover Square, Journey To The Center Of The Earth, Tarzan's Magic Fountain and especially his role of Alfred The Butler in both the Batman movie and the TV series.
Louie The Movie Buff