Francis Michael Gough ( ; 23 November 1916 – 17 March 2011) was a British actor who made more than 150 film and television appearances. He is known for his roles in the Hammer horror films, with his first role as Sir Arthur Holmwood in Dracula (1958), and for his recurring role as Alfred Pennyworth in the four Batman films directed by Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher (1989—1997). He also appeared in Burton's Sleepy Hollow (1999), and voiced Elder Gutknecht in Corpse Bride (2005) and the Dodo in Alice in Wonderland (2010).

Gough appeared extensively on British television. In 1957 he received a British Academy Television Award for Best Actor. In Doctor Who he played the titular villain in The Celestial Toymaker (1966) and Councillor Hedin in Arc of Infinity (1983), and in The Avengers episode "The Cybernauts" (1965) he played the automation-obsessed wheelchair user Dr. Armstrong.

At the National Theatre in London, Gough excelled as a comedian, playing a resigned and rueful parent in Alan Ayckbourn's Bedroom Farce (1977). When the comedy transferred to Broadway in 1978 he won a Tony Award. One of Gough's most well-received West End roles was as Baron von Epp in the 1983 revival of John Osborne's A Patriot for Me.

Early life Gough was born in Kuala Lumpur, Federated Malay States (now Malaysia) on 23 November 1916,Gough in the London Times, 23 June 1997: "There was some indecision as to when I was born. My sister said it was 1916. I'd lost my birth certificate". Gough's wife Henrietta confirmed 1916 (and not 1915) as her husband's birth year in 2010 (see Christian Heger: Mondbeglänzte Zaubernächte. Das Kino von Tim Burton. Marburg 2010). the son of English parents Francis Berkeley Gough, a rubber planter, and Frances Atkins (née Bailie).Michael Gough profile, Yahoo! Movies. Retrieved 2 November 2016. Gough was educated at Rose Hill School, Tunbridge Wells, and at Durham School. He moved on to Wye Agricultural College, which he left to go to The Old Vic. During World War II, Gough was a conscientious objector, like his friend Frith Banbury, although he was obliged to serve in the Non-Combatant Corps, a member of 6 Northern Company, in Liverpool.

Career In 1948, Gough made his film debut in Blanche Fury and thereafter appeared extensively on British television. In 1955, he portrayed one of the two murderers (the other was Michael Ripper) who kill the Duke of Clarence (John Gielgud), as well as the Princes in the Tower in Laurence Olivier's Richard III.

Gough became known for his appearances in horror films; following his performance as Arthur Holmwood in Hammer's original Dracula (1958), his horror roles mainly saw him feature as slimy villains, notably in Horrors of the Black Museum (1959), Konga (1961), The Phantom of the Opera (1962), Black Zoo (1963), Trog (1970), The Corpse (1971), Horror Hospital (1973) and Norman J. Warren's cheaply made Satanism shocker Satan's Slave (1976). He also spoofed his horror persona in What a Carve Up! (1961) as a sinister butler. He also appeared in the comedy film Top Secret! (1984), alongside Val Kilmer (the latter's first feature film), with whom he would also work later in the film Batman Forever.

Gough guest-starred in Doctor Who, as the titular villain in The Celestial Toymaker (1966) and also as Councillor Hedin in Arc of Infinity (1983). He was set to reprise his role as the Toymaker in the proposed 23rd-season story The Nightmare Fair, but the season and the serial were cancelled and never produced. He also played the automation-obsessed wheelchair user Dr. Armstrong in "The Cybernauts", one of the best-remembered episodes of The Avengers (1965), returning the following season as the Russian spymaster Nutski in "The Correct Way to Kill". He was introduced in the first-season episode "Maximum Security" of Colditz as Major "Willi" Schaeffer, the alcoholic second-in-command of the Kommandant (Bernard Hepton). In the Ian Curteis television play Suez 1956 (1979), he portrayed Prime Minister Anthony Eden. In 1981, he was reunited with Laurence Olivier in Granada Television's Brideshead Revisited, portraying the doctor to Olivier's dying Lord Marchmain. He played Mikhel, a slippery assistant to a slain British spy opposite Alec Guinness in the television adaptation of John le Carré's Smiley's People the following year. Gough also appeared in The Citadel (1983) as Sir Jenner Halliday, in 1985's Out of Africa as Lord Delamere and as the fictional deposed KGB spymaster Andrei Zorin in Sleepers.

Later roles Later in his career, Gough played Alfred Pennyworth in Tim Burton's blockbuster films Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992).Gough's best friend, actor Alan Napier, had played Alfred on TV in the 1960s and recommended Gough for the movie role. He returned to the role in Batman Forever (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997) for Joel Schumacher. Gough was one of two actors to have appeared in the four Batman films in the Burton/Schumacher series—the other being Pat Hingle as Commissioner Gordon. He also voiced the character in two BBC radio dramas—Batman: The Lazarus Syndrome (1989) and the 1994 adaptation of Batman: Knightfall. Gough reprised his role in a 1989 advertisement for Diet Coke, specially shot footage used for the original 1992 Warner Bros. Movie World Batman Adventure Ride, and in 2000, six television commercials for the OnStar automobile tracking system (informing Batman of the system's installation in the Batmobile).

Gough retired in 1999 after appearing in Burton's Sleepy Hollow. He would emerge from retirement twice more, both as a favour to Burton, to voice Elder Gutknecht in Corpse Bride and the Dodo in Alice in Wonderland.

Personal life Gough was married four times. He married his first wife Diana Graves in 1937; their son Simon Peter was born in 1942 and they divorced in 1948. His second wife was Anne Elizabeth Leon (born 1925 and half-sister of actor John Standing). They married in 1950, their daughter Emma Frances was born in 1953 and they divorced in 1962. His third wife was Doctor Who actress Anneke Wills, who portrayed the Doctor's companion Polly. Wills and Gough met at various times during her life, firstly during a theatre trip with her mother in 1952, but they first met formally on the set of Candidate for Murder and the attraction was instant. Gough adopted Wills's daughter Polly and in 1965 their son Jasper was born. Polly died in a car accident in 1982 at the age of 19. Gough married Henrietta Lawrence (his fourth wife) in 1981, and they remained together until his death.

Death Gough died aged 94 on 17 March 2011 at his home in Ashmore, Dorset. A memorial service was held, he was cremated, and his ashes were scattered in the English Channel. Michael Keaton, who played the title character in the first two theatrical Batman films opposite Gough, paid tribute to him, describing him as sweet and charming, and wrote "To Mick – my butler, my confidant, my friend, my Alfred. I love you. God bless. Michael (Mr. Wayne) Keaton."

Gough was added to In Memoriam at the 18th Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Awards and nominations Gough won Broadway's 1979 Tony Award as Best Actor (Featured Role – Play) for Bedroom Farce. He was also nominated in the same category in 1988 for Breaking the Code.

In 1957 Gough won the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor, and in 1972 he was nominated for a BAFTA Film Award for his work in The Go-Between.

Gough was nominated for a Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play in 1979 for Bedroom Farce and again in 1988 for Breaking the Code.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1948 Anna Karenina Nicholai Blanche Fury Laurence Fury Saraband for Dead Lovers Prince Charles 1949 Capt. Dick Stuart 1950 Ha'penny Breeze Uncredited 1951 Blackmailed Maurice Edwards No Resting Place Alec Kyle Michael Corland Night Was Our Friend Martin Raynor 1953 Twice Upon a Time Mr. Lloyd Duke of Buckingham Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue Duke of Montrose 1955 Richard III Dighton, the first murderer 1956 Reach for the Sky Flying Instructor Pearson 1957 Night Ambush Andoni Zoidakis The House in the Woods Geoffrey Carter 1958 Dracula Arthur Holmwood Abel 1959 Model for Murder Kingsley Beauchamp Horrors of the Black Museum Edmond Bancroft 1961 Konga Dr. Charles Decker Mr. Topaze Tamise What a Carve Up! Fisk, the butler 1962 Candidate for Murder Donald Edwards Edgar Wallace Mysteries Ambrose D'Arcy 1963 Black Zoo Michael Conrad Tamahine Cartwright 1965 Game for Three Losers Robert Hilary Edgar Wallace Mysteries Dr. Terror's House of Horrors Eric Landor (segment "Disembodied Hand") Auctioneer 1967 They Came from Beyond Space Master of the Moon Berserk! Albert Dorando 1968 One Night... A Train Jeremiah Curse of the Crimson Altar Elder Also known as The Crimson Cult 1969 Mad Monk Women in Love Tom Brangwen 1970 Julius Caesar Metellus Cimber Trog Sam Murdock 1971 Mr. Maudsley The Corpse Walter Eastwood Also known as Crucible of Horror 1972 Savage Messiah M. Gaudier Henry VIII and His Six Wives Norfolk 1973 Horror Hospital Dr. Christian Storm Emeric Belasco Uncredited 1975 Galileo Sagredo The Man from Nowhere Man Voice, Uncredited 1976 Satan's Slave Uncle Alexander Yorke 1978 Mr. Harrington L'Amour en question Sir Baldwin Credited as Michaël Gough 1981 Venom David Ball 1983 Frank Carrington 1984 Memed My Hawk Kerimoglu Top Secret! Dr. Paul Flammond Oxford Blues Doctor Ambrose 1985 Out of Africa Baron Delamere 1986 Caravaggio Cardinal Del Monte 1987 Maschenka Vater Sir Bernard Hemmings 1988 Dr. Earl "Schoonie" Schoonbacher Rarg Professor Short Film 1989 Strapless Douglas Brodie Batman Alfred Pennyworth Batman: The Lazarus Syndrome Voice 1990 The Garden 1991 Let Him Have It Lord Goddard The Wanderer Veteran Wanderer Short Film 1992 Batman Returns Alfred Pennyworth 1993 Wittgenstein Bertrand Russell Henry van der Luyden The Advocate Magistrate Boniface 1994 Uncovered Don Manuel Nostradamus Jean de Remy 1995 Batman Forever Alfred Pennyworth 1997 Batman & Robin 1998 What Rats Won't Do Justice Tomlin St. Ives Comte de Saint-Yves The Whisper Nikolay 1947 Short Film 1999 Feers Sleepy Hollow Notary James Hardenbrook The Strange Case of Delphina Potocka or The Mystery of Chopin The Doctor 2005 Corpse Bride Elder Gutknecht Voice 2010 Alice in Wonderland Uilleam the Dodo Bird Voice;final film role

Television