13. Lewis Wilson
The very first actor to play Batman, Lewis Wilson appeared in the character’s self-titled 1943 movie serial. The limitations of the time meant that his Batsuit wasn’t all that convincing and his Batman wasn’t all that intimidating. That being said, he fared better as Bruce Wayne, portraying the man behind the mask as a suave gentlemen who would make rather intentionally shallow excuses for his whereabouts whenever he went off on his crimefighting escapades.
He didn’t have a lot to work with, but he did what he could with the role, and he certainly etched his place in history as the first ever actor to bring the dear Dark Knight (and his more human alter-ego) to life on the screen.
12. Robert Lowery
When the Dynamic Duo returned to the screen for their second movie serial six years later (aptly titled Batman and Robin), they were recast. This time, Robert Lowery took over the role of the Caped Crusader and he had a much more convincing costume than Wilson, which automatically gave him more to work with. Sure, it was still limited and hasn’t aged well, but it was a bit less cosplay with a much better cape.
Like Lowery, he also delivered a solid performance as Bruce Wayne, giving off refined gentleman like many of the leading men of the 1940s. The character wasn’t as nuanced as he would become, but Lowery was more than convincing in the role and did a good job with the limited material.