Alan Napier

Acting

Alan Napier

Born January 7, 1903 · Kings Norton, Birmingham, England, UK

Died August 8, 1988 · aged 85

Alan Napier (born Alan William Napier-Clavering) was an English actor. After a decade in London West End theatres, he had a long film career first in Britain and then in Hollywood. He eventually became widely known for portraying Alfred the butler in the 1960s live-action Batman television series.

Known For

Miami ExposéMiami Exposé · 1956
Miami Exposé
6.01956
MovieCrimeDrama
A police detective baits killer gamblers with a mob witness (Patricia Medina) in the Everglades.
My Fair LadyMy Fair Lady · 1964
My Fair Lady
7.51964
MovieComedyRomance
A snobbish phonetics professor agrees to a wager that he can take a flower girl and make her presentable in high society.
Mary PoppinsMary Poppins · 1964
Mary Poppins
7.51964
MovieComedyFamily
In turn of the century London, a magical nanny employs music and adventure to help two neglected children become closer to their father.
The Sword in the StoneThe Sword in the Stone · 1963
The Sword in the Stone
7.21963
MovieAnimationFamily
Wart is a young boy who aspires to be a knight's squire. On a hunting trip he falls in on Merlin, a powerful but amnesiac wizard who has plans for him beyond mere squiredom. He starts by trying to give him an education, believing that once one has an education, one can go anywhere. Needless to say, it doesn't quite work out that way.
MacbethMacbeth · 1948
Macbeth
7.31948
MovieDrama
Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis, receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth commits a treasonous act and takes the throne for himself.
UnconqueredUnconquered · 1947
Unconquered
6.51947
MovieDramaAdventure
England, 1763. After being convicted of a crime, the young and beautiful Abigail Hale agrees, to escape the gallows, to serve fourteen years as a slave in the colony of Virginia, whose inhabitants begin to hear and fear the sinister song of the threatening drums of war that resound in the wild Ohio valley.
Cat PeopleCat People · 1942
Cat People
6.91942
MovieMysteryHorror
A Serbian émigré in Manhattan believes that, because of an ancient curse, any physical intimacy with the man she loves will turn her into a feline predator.
FiestaFiesta · 1947
Fiesta
6.21947
MovieDramaMusic
When a matador leaves town to focus on his music, his twin sister takes on his identity in the bullfighting ring.

Movies

Miami ExposéMiami Exposé · 1956
Miami Exposé
6.01956
MovieCrimeDrama
A police detective baits killer gamblers with a mob witness (Patricia Medina) in the Everglades.
My Fair LadyMy Fair Lady · 1964
My Fair Lady
7.51964
MovieComedyRomance
A snobbish phonetics professor agrees to a wager that he can take a flower girl and make her presentable in high society.
Mary PoppinsMary Poppins · 1964
Mary Poppins
7.51964
MovieComedyFamily
In turn of the century London, a magical nanny employs music and adventure to help two neglected children become closer to their father.
The Sword in the StoneThe Sword in the Stone · 1963
The Sword in the Stone
7.21963
MovieAnimationFamily
Wart is a young boy who aspires to be a knight's squire. On a hunting trip he falls in on Merlin, a powerful but amnesiac wizard who has plans for him beyond mere squiredom. He starts by trying to give him an education, believing that once one has an education, one can go anywhere. Needless to say, it doesn't quite work out that way.
MacbethMacbeth · 1948
Macbeth
7.31948
MovieDrama
Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis, receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth commits a treasonous act and takes the throne for himself.
UnconqueredUnconquered · 1947
Unconquered
6.51947
MovieDramaAdventure
England, 1763. After being convicted of a crime, the young and beautiful Abigail Hale agrees, to escape the gallows, to serve fourteen years as a slave in the colony of Virginia, whose inhabitants begin to hear and fear the sinister song of the threatening drums of war that resound in the wild Ohio valley.
Cat PeopleCat People · 1942
Cat People
6.91942
MovieMysteryHorror
A Serbian émigré in Manhattan believes that, because of an ancient curse, any physical intimacy with the man she loves will turn her into a feline predator.
FiestaFiesta · 1947
Fiesta
6.21947
MovieDramaMusic
When a matador leaves town to focus on his music, his twin sister takes on his identity in the bullfighting ring.
BatmanBatman · 1966
Batman
6.41966
MovieActionComedy
The Dynamic Duo faces four super-villains who plan to hold the world for ransom with the help of a secret invention that instantly dehydrates people.
Journey to the Center of the EarthJourney to the Center of the Earth · 1959
Journey to the Center of the Earth
6.91959
MovieAdventureFantasy
An Edinburgh professor and assorted colleagues follow an explorer's trail down an extinct Icelandic volcano to the earth's center.
DriftwoodDriftwood · 1947
Driftwood
6.81947
MovieDramaFamily
An orphan helps a doctor fight an epidemic in a small western town, in one of Allan Dwan’s closely observed studies in Americana.
MarnieMarnie · 1964
Marnie
7.11964
MovieThrillerMystery
Marnie is a beautiful but emotionally withdrawn thief, stealing from employers before disappearing under new identities. When her new boss, Mark Rutland, discovers her secret, his fascination turns to obsession, and he blackmails her into marriage, convinced he can cure her. But as he probes deeper into Marnie’s fractured mind, long-buried fears and compulsions begin to surface.
Until They SailUntil They Sail · 1957
Until They Sail
6.31957
MovieRomanceDrama
Four sisters in New Zealand fall for soldiers en route to the Pacific theater in WWII.
Sinbad the SailorSinbad the Sailor · 1947
Sinbad the Sailor
6.01947
MovieAdventure
Daredevil sailor Sinbad embarks on a voyage across the Seven Seas to find the lost riches of Alexander the Great. His first stop is the port of Basra, where his ship is seized and scheduled for auction. In his attempt to win it back, he befriends beautiful concubine Shireen. But when her master, the nefarious Emir, calls her back to duty, Sinbad must interrupt his adventure to save the "Jewel of Persia."
Joan of ArcJoan of Arc · 1948
Joan of Arc
6.21948
MovieDramaHistory
In the 15th Century, France is a defeated and ruined nation after the One Hundred Years War against England. The fourteen-year-old farm girl Joan of Arc claims to hear voices from Heaven asking her to lead God's Army against Orleans and crowning the weak Dauphin Charles VII as King of France. Joan gathers the people with her faith, forms an army, and conquers Orleans.
Julius CaesarJulius Caesar · 1953
Julius Caesar
7.11953
MovieDramaHistory
The growing ambition of Julius Caesar is a source of major concern to his close friend Brutus. Cassius persuades him to participate in his plot to assassinate Caesar but both have sorely underestimated Mark Antony.
DésiréeDésirée · 1954
Désirée
6.61954
MovieDramaRomance
In Marseilles, France in 1794, Desiree Clary, a young millinery clerk, becomes infatuated with Napoleon Bonaparte, but winds up wedding General Jean-Baptiste Berandotte, an aid to Napoleon who later joins the forces that bring about the Emperor's downfall. Josephine Beauharnais, a worldly courtesan marries Napoleon and becomes Empress of France, but is then cast aside by her spouse when she proves unable to produce an heir to the throne.
The Loved OneThe Loved One · 1965
The Loved One
6.21965
MovieComedy
Newly arrived in Hollywood from England, Dennis Barlow finds he has to arrange his uncle's interment at the highly-organised and very profitable Whispering Glades funeral parlour. His fancy is caught by one of their cosmeticians, Aimee Thanatogenos. But he has three problems - the strict rules of owner Blessed Reverand Glenworthy, the rivalry of embalmer Mr Joyboy, and the shame of now working himself at The Happy Hunting Ground pets' memorial home.
The Court JesterThe Court Jester · 1955
The Court Jester
7.31955
MovieMusicAdventure
A hapless carnival performer masquerades as the court jester as part of a plot against a usurper who has overthrown the rightful king of England.
PlaymatesPlaymates · 1954
Playmates
1954
Movie
Monica is a lonely young girl who is schooled at home by her Uncle Stephen and his housekeeper. When Monica talks about her new playmates Mary and Elsie, her Uncle believes she is just imagining things. He grows more concerned when he himself begins to hear Monica's playmates throughout the house.
The Strange WomanThe Strange Woman · 1946
The Strange Woman
6.21946
MovieDramaThriller
In early 19th century New England, an unscrupulous woman uses her beauty and wits to seduce, deceive and control the men around her.
The UninvitedThe Uninvited · 1944
The Uninvited
6.91944
MovieMysteryHorror
A pair of siblings from London [Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey] purchase a surprisingly affordable, lonely cliff-top house in Cornwall, England. Only to discover that it actually carries a ghostly price, and soon they’re caught up in a bizarre romantic triangle from beyond the grave. Rich in atmosphere, The Uninvited, directed by Lewis Allen, was groundbreaking for the seriousness with which it treated the supernatural, haunted house genre, and it remains an elegant and eerie experience, featuring a classic score by Victor Young. A tragic family past, a mysteriously locked room, cold chills, bumps in the night - this gothic Hollywood classic has it all.
CasteCaste · 1930
Caste
10.01930
MovieDrama
The daughter of a Cockney drunkard marries a young aristocrat who is presumed killed in action in WWI. When she gets the news she goes to stay with her aristocratic in-laws.
Thirty Seconds Over TokyoThirty Seconds Over Tokyo · 1944
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
6.71944
MovieWarDrama
In the wake of Pearl Harbor, a young lieutenant leaves his expectant wife to volunteer for a secret bombing mission which will take the war to the Japanese homeland.

TV Shows

The Alfred Hitchcock HourThe Alfred Hitchcock Hour · 1962
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
7.81962
SeriesCrimeMystery
A continuation of the anthology series “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”, hosted by the master of suspense and featuring thrillers and mysteries.
IronsideIronside · 1967
Ironside
6.91967
SeriesCrimeDrama
When an assassin's bullet confines him to a wheelchair for life ending his career as Chief of Detectives, Robert T. Ironside becomes a consultant to the police department. Detective Sergeant Ed Brown and policewoman Eve Whitfield join with him to crack varied and fascinating cases. Ex-con Mark Sanger is employed by the chief as home help but eventually becomes a fully fledged member of the team also. Officer Whitfield leaves after 4 years service, and is replaced by Officer Fran Belding.
The Twilight ZoneThe Twilight Zone · 1959
The Twilight Zone
8.51959
SeriesSci-Fi & FantasyMystery
An anthology series containing drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, and/or horror, often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist.
BatmanBatman · 1966
Batman
7.31966
SeriesSci-Fi & FantasyComedy
Wealthy entrepreneur Bruce Wayne and his ward Dick Grayson lead a double life: they are actually crime fighting duo Batman and Robin. A secret Batpole in the Wayne mansion leads to the Batcave, where Police Commissioner Gordon often calls with the latest emergency threatening Gotham City. Racing to the scene of the crime in the Batmobile, Batman and Robin must (with the help of their trusty Bat-utility-belt) thwart the efforts of a variety of master criminals, including The Riddler, The Joker, Catwoman, and The Penguin.
Daniel BooneDaniel Boone · 1964
Daniel Boone
7.01964
SeriesWestern
Daniel Boone is an American action-adventure television series starring Fess Parker as Daniel Boone that aired from September 24, 1964 to September 10, 1970 on NBC for 165 episodes, and was made by 20th Century Fox Television. Ed Ames co-starred as Mingo, Boone's Cherokee friend, for the first four seasons of the series. Albert Salmi portrayed Boone's companion Yadkin in season one only. Dallas McKennon portrayed innkeeper Cincinnatus. Country Western singer-actor Jimmy Dean was a featured actor as Josh Clements during the 1968–1970 seasons. Actor and former NFL football player Rosey Grier made regular appearances as Gabe Cooper in the 1969 to 1970 season. The show was broadcast "in living color" beginning in fall 1965, the second season, and was shot entirely in California and Kanab, Utah.
The Beverly HillbilliesThe Beverly Hillbillies · 1962
The Beverly Hillbillies
6.91962
SeriesComedyFamily
Jed Clampett's swamp is loaded with oil. When a wildcatter discovers the huge pool, Jed sells his land to the O.K. Oil Company and at the urging of cousin Pearl, moves his family to a 35-room mansion in Beverly Hills, California.
ThrillerThriller · 1960
Thriller
6.71960
SeriesCrime
Thriller is an American anthology television series that aired during the 1960–61 and 1961–62 seasons on NBC. The show featured host Boris Karloff introducing a mix of self-contained, macabre weird-horror and morbid, hitchockian crime stories, in some of which he also starred.
KojakKojak · 1973
Kojak
7.21973
SeriesCrime
A bald, lollipop sucking police detective with a fiery righteous attitude battles crime in New York City.
Four Star PlayhouseFour Star Playhouse · 1952
Four Star Playhouse
6.81952
SeriesDramaComedy
Four Star Playhouse is an American television anthology series that ran from 1952 to 1956, sponsored in its first bi-weekly season by The Singer Company; Bristol-Myers became an alternate sponsor when it became a weekly series in the fall of 1953. The original premise was that Charles Boyer, Ida Lupino, David Niven, and Dick Powell would take turns starring in episodes. However, several other performers took the lead from time to time, including Ronald Colman and Joan Fontaine. Blake Edwards was among the writers and directors who contributed to the series. Edwards created the recurring character of illegal gambling house operator Willie Dante for Dick Powell to play on this series. The character was later revamped and spun off in his own series starring Howard Duff, then-husband of Lupino. The pilot for Meet McGraw, starring Frank Lovejoy, aired here, as did another episode in which Lovejoy recreated his role of Chicago newspaper reporter Randy Stone, from the radio drama Nightbeat.
Family AffairFamily Affair · 1966
Family Affair
6.71966
SeriesComedyFamily
Family Affair is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from September 12, 1966 to September 9, 1971. The series explored the trials of well-to-do civil engineer and bachelor Bill Davis as he attempted to raise his brother's orphaned children in his luxury New York City apartment. Davis' traditional English gentleman's gentleman, Mr. Giles French, also had adjustments to make as he became saddled with the responsibility of caring for 15-year-old Cissy and the 6-year-old twins, Jody and Buffy. The show ran for 138 episodes. Family Affair was created and produced by Don Fedderson, also known for My Three Sons and The Millionaire.
Tales of Wells FargoTales of Wells Fargo · 1957
Tales of Wells Fargo
7.11957
SeriesWesternDrama
Jim Hardie helps Wells Fargo agents battle the bad guys.
Night GalleryNight Gallery · 1970
Night Gallery
7.81970
SeriesSci-Fi & FantasyMystery
Rod Serling narrates an anthology of fantasy, horror and sci-fi stories from a set resembling a macabre museum. A chilling work of art serves as the connective link between the stories.
Alfred Hitchcock PresentsAlfred Hitchcock Presents · 1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
7.81955
SeriesMysteryDrama
A television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock featuring dramas, thrillers, and mysteries.
Telephone TimeTelephone Time · 1956
Telephone Time
6.51956
SeriesDrama
Telephone Time is an American anthology drama series that aired on CBS in 1956, and on ABC from 1957 to 1958. The series features plays by John Nesbitt who hosted the first season. Frank C. Baxter hosted the 1957 and 1958 seasons. The program was directed by Arthur Hiller.
CheckmateCheckmate · 1960
Checkmate
4.81960
SeriesCrimeDrama
Checkmate is an American detective television series starring Anthony George, Sebastian Cabot, and Doug McClure. The show aired on CBS Television from 1960 to 1962 for a total of 70 episodes and was produced by Jack Benny's production company, "JaMco Productions" in co-operation with Revue Studios. Guest stars included Charles Laughton, Peter Lorre, and Lee Marvin, among many other commensurately prominent performers.
Adventures in ParadiseAdventures in Paradise · 1959
Adventures in Paradise
6.11959
SeriesDrama
Adventures in Paradise is an American television series created by James Michener which ran on ABC from 1959 until 1962, starring Gardner McKay as Adam Troy, the captain of the schooner Tiki III, which sailed the South Pacific looking for passengers and adventure. USA Network aired reruns of this series between 1984 and 1988. The plots deal with the romantic and detective stories of Korean War veteran Troy. The supporting cast, varying from season to season, features George Tobias, Guy Stockwell, and Linda Lawson.
The 20th Century Fox HourThe 20th Century Fox Hour · 1955
The 20th Century Fox Hour
6.01955
SeriesDrama
The 20th Century Fox Hour is an American drama anthology series televised in the United States on CBS from 1955 to 1957. Some of the shows in this series were restored, remastered and shown on the Fox Movie Channel in 2002 under the title Hour of Stars. The season one episode Overnight Haul, starring Richard Conte and Lizabeth Scott, was released in Australia as a feature film.
Shirley Temple's StorybookShirley Temple's Storybook · 1958
Shirley Temple's Storybook
6.51958
SeriesFamilySci-Fi & Fantasy
Shirley Temple's Storybook is an American children's anthology series hosted and narrated by actress Shirley Temple. The series features adaptations of fairy tales like Mother Goose and other family-oriented stories performed by well-known actors, although one episode, an adaptation of The House of the Seven Gables, was meant for older youngsters. Temple's three children made their acting debuts in the last episode of the first season, "Mother Goose".
LaredoLaredo · 1965
Laredo
6.41965
SeriesWestern
Laredo is an American Western television series that aired on NBC from September 16, 1965, to April 7, 1967. Laredo stars Neville Brand, William Smith, Peter Brown, and Philip Carey as Texas Rangers. It is set on the Mexican border about Laredo, Texas. The program was produced by Universal Television. The pilot episode of Laredo aired on NBC's The Virginian under the title, "We've Lost a Train". It was released theatrically in 1969 under the title Backtrack. Three episodes from the first season of the series were edited into the 1968 feature film Three Guns for Texas.
DaktariDaktari · 1966
Daktari
7.31966
SeriesFamilyDrama
Daktari is an American children's drama series that aired on CBS between 1966 and 1969. The series, an Ivan Tors Films Production in association with MGM Television, stars Marshall Thompson as Dr. Marsh Tracy, a veterinarian at the fictional Wameru Study Centre for Animal Behaviour in East Africa.
The DetectivesThe Detectives · 1959
The Detectives
6.71959
SeriesDrama
The Detectives is an American crime drama series which ran on ABC during its first two seasons, and on NBC during its third and final season. The series, starring motion picture star Robert Taylor, was produced by Four Star Television. Captain Matt Holbrook (Robert Taylor) is head of the detective division of a large metropolitan police force—a man whose devotion to duty, professional brilliance, and quick judgment are reflected in his 20-year career on the force. His aides, Lt. Johnny Russo (Tige Andrews), Lt. Otto Lindstrom (Russ Thorson), and Sgt. Chris Ballard (Mark Goddard) form a team that is both proficient and warmly human. The stories stress the interrelationships between the men as well as the solutions to crimes and the apprehension of criminals, adding a dimension of human drama to the excitement, action, and suspense inherent in each story of the detectives' difficult, sometimes thankless, and frequently dangerous assignments.
CentennialCentennial · 1978
Centennial
7.71978
SeriesDrama
The economic and cultural growth of town of Centennial, Colorado, through the intertwining lives of the brave men and women inhabiting it. Spanning two centuries from the settling of the area in the 1700s, to the late 1970s.
The Wonderful World of DisneyThe Wonderful World of Disney · 1954
The Wonderful World of Disney
7.91954
SeriesAnimation
Walt Disney Productions has produced an anthology television series under several different titles since 1954. The original version of the series premiered on ABC, Wednesday night, October 27, 1954. The show, which was hosted by Walt Disney until his death and then from 1996 to 2002 by then-CEO Michael Eisner (with one-off hosts or no hosts during other periods) has since aired continually as either a weekly program or an irregular series of specials on several networks and streaming services, most recently on ABC and Disney+. The show is the second longest showing prime-time program on American television, behind its rival, Hallmark Hall of Fame. However, Hallmark Hall of Fame was a weekly program only during its first five seasons, while Disney remained a weekly program for more than forty years.
The Third ManThe Third Man · 1959
The Third Man
7.21959
SeriesDrama