Alan Napier

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Alan William Napier-Clavering (born January 7, 1903 in Birmingham , England , † August 8, 1988 in Santa Monica , California ) was a British theater and film actor .

Life

Alan Napier was born in 1903 as Alan William Napier-Clavering in Birmingham. His cousin was Neville Chamberlain who was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1937 to 1940 . Although none of Napier's family had previously embarked on a theater career, he wanted to be an actor from a young age. After attending Clifton College, he studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art . He then joined the Oxford Players, which included John Gielgud and Robert Morley . In the 1930s Napier was a regular on the theatrical stages of London's West End and occasionally starred in British films. In 1939 he went to New York , where he appeared in 1940 with Gladys George in the play Lady in Waiting on Broadway . In Hollywood, the 1.98 meter tall Napier subsequently became a busy supporting actor in films such as Johanna von Orleans (1948), Lassie's Homeland (1948) or as Cicero in the Shakespeare adaptation Julius Caesar (1953).

From 1949 he was often seen in American television series. However, he did not get his most famous role until 1966, when he was cast as the butler Alfred Pennyworth in the television series Batman . He had initially hesitated to accept the offer, but eventually played the butler in 120 episodes until the series was discontinued in 1968. In his honor, Tim Burton named the Joker Jack Napier in his movie adaptation Batman (1989). Alan Napier was also used as a voice actor for Walt Disney . So in 1963 he played the role of Sir Pellinore in The Witch and the Wizard .

From 1930 to 1944 Alan Napier was married to Emily Nancy Bevill Pethybridge. In 1944 he joined Aileen Dickens Downing alias Gypsy Raine in front of the altar. The marriage lasted until her death in 1961. Napier had a biological daughter, Jennifer Nichols, with Pethybridge, and she adopted Raine's daughter, Jennifer Raine Bissell. His grandson is New Zealand actor Marshall Napier . His daughter Jessica Napier and nephew James Napier are also active as actors.

Alan Napier died of pneumonia in Santa Monica at Berkeley East Convalescent Hospital in 1988 at the age of 85 . He had suffered a stroke a year earlier . He was buried in the Chapel Of The Pines Crematory in Los Angeles .

Filmography (selection)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Alan Napier, Actor, Dies at 85 . In: The New York Times , August 9, 1988.
  2. ^ Bill van Heerden: Film and Television In-Jokes . McFarland, 1998, p. 13.
  3. ↑ Jon Sandys: Movie Mavericks: Trivia from the Filmmaking Fringes . Virgin Books, 2006, p. 152.
  4. ↑ Burt A. Folkart: Obituaries: Alan Napier, 85; Played Butler to Batman in '60s TV Series . In: Los Angeles Times , August 9, 1988.
personal data
SURNAME Napier, Alan
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Napier-Clavering, Alan William (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British theater and film actor
DATE OF BIRTH January 7, 1903
PLACE OF BIRTH Birmingham , England
DATE OF DEATH August 8, 1988
Place of death Santa Monica , California