Oscar Nominee Carol Kane Added To Gotham

TVLine reports that Academy Award nominee Carol Kane has been cast as Gertrude, mother of Oswald Cobblepot — future Batman nemesis The Penguin.  Gertrude will be introduced in episode 2 of Fox’s Gotham.

Carol Kane has had a long and illustrious career in theatre, television, and film.  Her credits include some of the most successful sitcoms in history (Taxi, Seinfeld, and Two and a Half Men).  Her portrayal of Simka Dahblitz-Gravas, wife of Latka Gravas, played by the late Andy Kauffman, earned her two Emmy Awards.  Highlights of her film career include Annie Hall (1977), Hester Street (1975), a role which earned her a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actress, Dog Day Afternoon (1975), The Princess Bride (1987), and Scrooged (1988).  Recently, she made a return to the stage and appeared in The Children’s Hour, Harvey, and Wicked.

Although the mother of The Penguin is canon to comic book lore, the specific character-name of Gertrude has never been mentioned.  In the comics, The Penguin’s mother has always been portrayed as an overprotective parent who owned numerous birds.  This overprotective personality was due to Oswald’s father dying from pneumonia.  Trying to prevent the same illness in her son, Gertrude would make the young Oswald carry an umbrella no matter the weather.  This leads to Oswald’s bullying by his peers.  With no friends, Oswald resorted to companionship with his mother’s pet birds.

With a history of playing eccentric characters, we all know why Kane was chosen to portray Gertrude.  By adding a heavy-hitter to an already impressive roster, Gotham is turning out to be one of the most anticipated new shows this fall.