Michael Gough

Francis Michael Gough (/ˈɡɒf/ GOF; 23 November 1916 – 17 March 2011) was an English character actor who made over 150 film and television appearances. He is known for his roles in the Hammer Horror Films from 1958, and for his recurring role as Alfred Pennyworth in all four films of the Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher Batman series.

Early life and career

Francis Michael Gough was born in Kuala Lumpur, Federated Malay States (now Malaysia), the son of British parents Frances Atkins (née Bailie) and Francis Berkeley Gough. Gough was educated at Rose Hill School, Tunbridge Wells, and at Durham School, he moved onto 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 and was a member of No. 6 Company, NCC, in Liverpool. Gough made his film debut in 1948 in Blanche Fury, and thereafter appeared extensively on British television. In 1955, he portrayed one of the two murderers 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 appearances in horror films including Dracula (1958), Horrors of the Black Museum (1959), The Phantom of the Opera (1962), Black Zoo (1963), Trog (1970), The Corpse (1971), Horror Hospital (1973) and Norman J. Warren's stockbroker-Satanism debut Satan's Slave (1976). He also appeared in the comedy film Top Secret! (1984), alongside with Val Kilmer (the latter's first feature film), with whom he would also work later in the Batman franchise.

Gough guest-starred on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who, as the villain in the serial The Celestial Toymaker (1966) and also as Councillor Hedin in Arc of Infinity (1983). He also played the automation-obsessed, wheelchair-bound 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 played Prime Minister Anthony Eden. He 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 the 1991 BBC three part series, Sleepers.

Later roles

His later roles included Alfred Pennyworth for director Tim Burton, including Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992). He also reprised his role as Alfred in the 1994 BBC radio adaptation of Batman: Knightfall and in Batman Forever (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997) for director Joel Schumacher. Gough was one of two actors to have appeared in the four Batman films in the Burton/Schumacher series; the other actor was Pat Hingle (as Commissioner Gordon). Gough worked for Burton again in 1999's Sleepy Hollow and 2005's Corpse Bride. He also briefly reprised his Alfred role in six 2001 television commercials for the OnStar automobile tracking system, informing Batman of the system's installation in the Batmobile. Other commercial appearances famously included Gough as Alfred in a 1989 advertisement for Diet Coke. As a favour to Burton, Gough came out of retirement once more to appear in Burton's Alice in Wonderland.

He 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.

He won a BAFTA TV Award in 1957 and was nominated for a BAFTA Film Award in 1972 for his work in The Go-Between.

He 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.

Personal life

Gough was married four times—one of his ex-wives is Anne Elizabeth Leon (born 1925). They married in 1950, their daughter Emma Frances was born in 1953 and they divorced in 1964. Another ex-wife is Doctor Who actress Anneke Wills, who played the Doctor's companion Polly. Wills had encountered him 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. Gough was close friends with actor Alan Napier, who played Alfred Pennyworth in the Batman (TV series). Actress Rachel Gurney was the mother of Gough's daughter-in-law, Sharon Gurney.

Death

Michael Gough died on 17 March 2011, in London, after a short illness. He was cremated, a memorial service was held and his ashes were scattered at sea. He was survived by his fourth wife, Henrietta, daughter Emma and sons Simon (who is married to actress Sharon Gurney, the daughter of the Upstairs, Downstairs actress Rachel Gurney) and Jasper. Michael Keaton, his co-star in the first two theatrical Batman films, said that Gough was 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 in In Memoriam at the 18th Screen Actors Guild Awards.