By Movie #2: The Quintessential Butler – Batman Begins
Year – 2005
Alfred Pennyworth (yes, non-comic book readers, he has a last name) is arguably the most famous butler in pop-culture. Always at the ready, he’s a combination of valet, field medic, and surrogate father. He’s also really good at making alibis on the spot.
In the comics, he’s something of a secret bad-ass. He’s a classically trained actor who is a master of disguise, a gift mimic, and Wayne Manor’s moral compass. While the films don’t have time to flesh out his backstory, casting Michael Caine goes a long way towards telling the average filmgoer that Alfred Pennyworth is capable of doing more than the laundry.