The Actor best known for his role as Alfred Pennyworth in the Burton/Schumacher Batman films has died at the age of 94. Those films saw a decline in quality after the first two, but Gough was the only cast member to maintain his role through the four films.
Gough made his film debut back in 1947 in Blanche Fury and went on to appear in early episodes of Doctor Who as ‘The Celestial Toymaker’.
He achieved cult status in horror fan circles for his roles in the Hammer horror films of the 1960s, featuring in Dracula, The Phantom of the Opera and Anglo-Amalgamated’s Horrors of the Black Museum.
After the Batman films, Gough maintained contact with director Tim Burton, working on films such as Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Alice In Wonderland.
This was the best Alfred ever – as much as I like the Michael Caine version, I think of him as a younger version of Michael Gough. He just embodied the Alfred support role. He had a perfect balance of personality while still staying understated in his support role.
I am not familiar with the rest of his work, but if he put half the effort into those roles as he did with Alfred Pennyworth, I am sure they were incredible.
94 is no spring chicken, and he lived a full life. Rest in peace sir.
