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Alan Napier

Alan Napier

41 movies on Netflix

Biography

Alan Napier was an English actor who began on the London stage before building a long career in film and television on both sides of the Atlantic. Born in Birmingham, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and graduated in 1925, then worked with the Oxford Players and spent ten years in the West End. He moved to Hollywood in 1941, where his screen work included Random Harvest (1942), Cat People (1942), The Uninvited (1944), Macbeth (1948), Julius Caesar (1953) and Marnie (1964). He played Sherlock Holmes in a 1949 Your Show Time adaptation and later appeared on Alfred Hitchcock Presents. His best-known role came as Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne's butler, in the Batman television series from 1965 to 1968. He retired in 1981.

85years old at death

  • Born Kings Norton
  • Died Santa Monica
  • Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19
  • Also credited as Alan William Napier-Clavering

Movie Career

Films
41
Career span
33 years1933 to 1966

Genres

First and latest

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  1. A first

    In 1965, Napier became the first actor cast in the Batman TV series, playing Bruce Wayne's faithful butler Alfred Pennyworth until the show was canceled in 1968.

  2. Big break

    Napier had never read comics when he was hired for Batman. His agent told him he might play Batman's butler and that it could be worth over $100,000, so he took the part.

  3. A change of course

    Napier stood 6 ft, which he called "ridiculously tall." J. B. Fagan had dismissed Tyrone Guthrie for being too tall for most parts, and when Napier stood up, Fagan saw he was even taller, but kept his commitment.

  4. Behind the camera

    Napier wrote a three-volume autobiography in the early 1970s that went unpublished for decades, finally appearing in 2015 as Not Just Batman's Butler, annotated by James Bigwood.

Alan Napier movies on Netflix

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top of the page, the section list
  1. The Sword in the Stone1963 Adventure, Animation, Comedyas Sir Pellinorevoice

    IMDb rating 7.1116K votes

  2. Batman: The Movie1966 Adventure, Comedy, Familyas Alfred

    IMDb rating 6.538K votes

  3. Marnie1964as Mr. Rutland

    IMDb rating 7.158K votes

  4. The Uninvited1944as Dr. Scott

    IMDb rating 7.214K votes

  5. Journey to the Center of the Earth1959as Dean

    IMDb rating 7.022K votes

  6. Macbeth1948as A Holy Father

    IMDb rating 7.48.6K votes

  7. The Mole People1956as Elinu, the High Priest

    IMDb rating 5.14.3K votes

  8. The Premature Burial1962as Dr. Gideon Gault

    IMDb rating 6.55.5K votes

Most often with

Fritz Lang directed two of these films, Jean Negulesco two and Joe May two. George Sanders appears in six of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top of the page, the section list
George Sanders, 6 films togetherSee the 6 films with George SandersBoris Karloff, 4 films togetherSee the 4 films with Boris KarloffCedric Hardwicke, 4 films togetherSee the 4 films with Cedric HardwickeLeon Alton, 4 films togetherSee the 4 films with Leon AltonMorgan Farley, 4 films togetherSee the 4 films with Morgan FarleyRay Milland, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Ray MillandFritz LangDirector, 2 filmsSee the 2 films by Fritz LangJean NegulescoDirector, 2 filmsSee the 2 films by Jean NegulescoJoe MayDirector, 2 filmsSee the 2 films by Joe May

Films together

  • George Sanders6 films together, 1940 to 1955
    George Sanders's page
    • Moonfleet1955IMDb rating 6.6Napier as Parson GlennieSanders as Lord James Ashwood
    • Lured1947IMDb rating 7.0Napier as Detective GordonSanders as Robert Fleming
    • A Scandal in Paris1946IMDb rating 6.5Napier as Houdon De Pierremont, Police MinisterSanders as Eugéne François Vidocq
    • The Strange Woman1946IMDb rating 6.5Napier as Judge Henry SaladineSanders as John Evered
    • Hangover Square1945IMDb rating 7.3Napier as Sir Henry ChapmanSanders as Dr. Allan Middleton
    • The House of the Seven Gables1940IMDb rating 7.0Napier as FullerSanders as Jaffrey Pyncheon
  • Boris Karloff4 films together, 1945 to 1951
    Boris Karloff's page
    • The Strange Door1951IMDb rating 6.3Napier as Count GrassinKarloff as Voltan
    • Lured1947IMDb rating 7.0Napier as Detective GordonKarloff as Charles van Druten
    • Unconquered1947IMDb rating 6.9Napier as Sir William JohnsonKarloff as Guyasuta, Chief of the Senecas
    • Isle of the Dead1945IMDb rating 6.4Napier as St. AubynKarloff as Gen. Nikolas Pherides
  • Cedric Hardwicke4 films together, 1940 to 1949
    Cedric Hardwicke's page
  • Leon Alton4 films together, 1952 to 1966
    Leon Alton's page
    • Batman: The Movie1966IMDb rating 6.5Napier as AlfredAlton as Official
    • Marnie1964IMDb rating 7.1Napier as Mr. RutlandAlton as Party Guest
    • Désirée1954IMDb rating 6.3Napier as DespreauxAlton as Party Guest
    • Big Jim McLain1952IMDb rating 5.2Napier as SturakAlton as Reporter
  • Morgan Farley4 films together, 1948 to 1953
    Morgan Farley's page
    • Julius Caesar1953IMDb rating 7.2Napier as CiceroFarley as Artemidorus
    • The Strange Door1951IMDb rating 6.3Napier as Count GrassinFarley as Renville
    • Manhandled1949IMDb rating 6.6Napier as Alton BennetFarley as Doc, Police Lab Man
    • Macbeth1948IMDb rating 7.4Napier as A Holy FatherFarley as Doctor
  • Ray Milland3 films together, 1944 to 1962
    Ray Milland's page
    • The Premature Burial1962IMDb rating 6.5Napier as Dr. Gideon GaultMilland as Guy Carrell
    • Ministry of Fear1944IMDb rating 7.1Napier as Dr. JM ForresterMilland as Stephen Neale
    • The Uninvited1944IMDb rating 7.2Napier as Dr. ScottMilland as Roderick Fitzgerald
  • Fritz LangDirector, 2 films, 1944 to 1955
    All films by Fritz Lang
  • Jean NegulescoDirector, 2 films, 1946 to 1948
    All films by Jean Negulesco
  • Joe MayDirector, 2 films, 1940
    All films by Joe May
  • Also three films together10 more actors
    • John HoytMoonfleet (1955), Désirée (1954) and Julius Caesar (1953)
    • Cecil KellawayUnconquered (1947), The House of the Seven Gables (1940) and The Invisible Man Returns (1940)
    • Dan DuryeaCriss Cross (1949), Manhandled (1949) and Ministry of Fear (1944)
    • Michael PateThe Court Jester (1955), Julius Caesar (1953) and The Strange Door (1951)
    • Charles ColemanA Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1949), Lured (1947) and Hangover Square (1945)
    • Alec CraigThree Strangers (1946), Lassie Come Home (1943) and Cat People (1942)
    • Donald KerrManhandled (1949), Dark Waters (1944) and Cat People (1942)
    • Edith EvansonMarnie (1964), Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959) and Désirée (1954)
    • Skelton KnaggsMoonfleet (1955), A Scandal in Paris (1946) and Isle of the Dead (1945)
    • Rosalind IvanJohnny Belinda (1948), Ivy (1947) and Three Strangers (1946)

    When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Alan Napier's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

Top of the page, the section list

Combined worldwide box office

$76.2 million

12 of the 41 films have a worldwide figure.

Of the 41 films: 12 worldwide figure; 1 us gross only; 28 figure not found.

  • 12Worldwide figure
  • 1US gross only
  • 28Figure not found

Top grosser

The Sword in the Stone1963as Sir Pellinore (voice)$22.2 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 87% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

  1. 1
    The Sword in the Stone1963as Sir Pellinore (voice)
    $22M29.1% of the total
  2. 2
    Journey to the Center of the Earth1959as Dean
    $10M13.1% of the total
  3. 3
    Random Harvest1942as Julian
    $8.1M10.7% of the total
  4. 4
    Marnie1964as Mr. Rutland
    $7.0M9.2% of the total
  5. 5
    Unconquered1947as Sir William Johnson
    $6.7M8.7% of the total
  6. 6
    Lassie Come Home1943as Jock
    $4.5M5.9% of the total
  7. 7
    Cat People1942as Doc Carver
    $4.0M5.2% of the total
  8. 8
    Julius Caesar1953as Cicero
    $3.9M5.1% of the total
Batman: The Movie (1966), $3.9 millionThe Strange Woman (1946), $2.8 millionHangover Square (1945), $1.8 millionThe Premature Burial (1962), $1.2 million

$9.7 millionfrom the other 4 films with a worldwide figure, 13% of the total

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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