4. Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
Efrem Zimbalist Jr. may not have played Alfred Pennyworth in a live-action film, but he did play him on the big screen, voicing the character in 1993’s Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm. But let’s be honest here, even if he hadn’t, we still would have included him on this list.
First bringing him to life in Batman: The Animated Series back in 1992, he went on to voice him in all subsequent DC Animated Universe offerings, including The New Batman Adventures, Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League – and he even reprised the role for two other animated films.
From “I bloody well ought to” to “I think you better hurry”, he delivered some fine lines throughout his tenure in the DCAU, giving us an Alfred that was wise, firm and affectionate. And, on that note, his interpretation of the iconic butler had a touching kinship with Bruce (that often played a part of some of the show’s integral moments), and the soothing tones of his polite, soft voice added a great deal to them.
Zimbalist Jr. is, without a doubt, the voice of Alfred. Much like the case with his Batman: The Animated Series co-stars Kevin Conroy and Mark Hammill (who voiced Batman and The Joker respectively), it’s difficult to read Alfred’s lines in a comic book without hearing his voice in your head – which in itself highlights how much of an impression he made.
His contributions to the character’s legacy are unprecedented and he is, in many ways, the definitive version of Alfred Pennyworth.