Best Batman actor

[rocklobster]

We've had several people play Batman over the years. Who do you think is the best?

[shooraijin]

Keaton. My assessment is, it's not who plays Batman, because he's just some gravelly voiced manly-man in body armour and a cape. It's who plays Bruce Wayne, and I think Keaton had the most nuanced performance.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Its Christian Bale not Christopher Bain by the way. Christian Bale is my favourite. And not just because he has the same Christian name as me! (lol)

[shooraijin]

I fixed it.

[Michael]

Christian Bale. Keaton will always have my respect as a good Batman, but Bale nailed him perfectly.

[Solid Ronin]

Pros and Cons

Michael Keaton -

+ Made a Great Brunce Wayne
- Didn't make a scary enough Batman
- Kaetons' Batman movie lacked action
+ But if memory serves right had more of a Detective feel

Christian Bale -

+ Made a Great Batman
+ Made a Good Bruce wayne
+ Had Good action AND NINJAS!!!
- Lost that Detective feel which Batman should be all about

Verdict -

Bale

[Stephen]

Keaton. But Bale did do an awesome job.

[termyt]

I thought Keaton was a very good Bruce Wayne, but there's more than a cape and cowl to Batman. It's all about attitude and stage presence and I don't think Keaton had either of those.

Of the recent Batman actors, Bale has, IMHO, done the best at transitioning between the Batman and Bruce Wayne roles. Batman is the true identity, Bruce Wayne is the mask and Bale delivers on that very convincingly. I loved the scene in the hotel where he went swimming in the fountain.

Still, none of them hold a stick to Adam West. Understand that Batman was a very different character in the 60's than he is today. You should try to keep in mind that they weren't trying to make Batman scary or even intimidating. The show was campy and kind of silly at times, but Adam West played both the Batman and the Bruce Wayne roles brilliantly.

[ShiroiHikari]

Personally, I thought Micheal Keaton's portrayal of Bruce Wayne was too timid or something. He did a decent job, but...like Termyt said, he just didn't have the stage presence. Or screen presence. Whatever you want to call it XD

So, my vote goes to Christian Bale.

[Maledicte]

I had to choose between Christian Bale and Kevin Conroy...but since the cartoon's been around longer I put Conroy first >.<

Nice of you to remember him and put him on the list, but WHY did you do that to me? *cries*

[Yojimbo]

I truly don't know. I've watched both Keaton movies and seen Batman Begins in the last 2 months but I still can't decide.

[Arnobius]

Adam West of course was the best. Michael Keaton was the worst Batman.

[ShiroiHikari]

I wouldn't go so far as to say Keaton was the worst. I think that title goes to George Clooney XD

[Nate]

I think I'm going to go with Christian Bale.

I haven't seen the first two Batman movies in ages, so I can't comment as to how well Keaton played Bruce Wayne (since everyone seems to say that Keaton was a better Bruce Wayne). I will admit Christian Bale wasn't a GREAT Bruce Wayne, but he was good, at least. The swimming pool scene was indeed a good scene, and the line, "Well, I'm buying this hotel, and I'm changing a few rules" sounds exactly like something a spoiled rich kid who didn't earn the money would say...and that's who Wayne is supposed to be.

I don't remember Adam West being Bruce Wayne at all. Therefore, he probably didn't do the role of Wayne very well, putting him very low on the list for me.

Kevin Conroy did an EXCELLENT job as Batman. However, ultimately acting is a bit harder than simply providing a voice, so as stellar as a job as Conroy did, I can't put him at the top.

Val Kilmer and George Clooney are just...no.

So, Bale is the top one for me, simply because I haven't seen the first two Batman movies recently (if I watch them and change my mind, I will post here to state as such).

[bigsleepj]

Bob Kane, who created Batman, said before he died that he considered Val Kilmer to be the best Batman so far.

I think George Cloony would have been a good Batman if the movie he worked on would have been better.

[bigsleepj]

My vote goes to Christian Bale

[Scribs]

Holy chunks of clam, Batman!

I have to go with west, because he is most humerous.

[rocklobster]

The whole reason I put Conroy on the list was because the cartoon version brought Batman back to his roots. It was the most faithful version ever. It even threw in some of the lesser-known baddies like Ventriloquist (loved his puppet, Scarface!), Two-Face, and Poison Ivy. We didn't see Two-Face or Poison Ivy in the movies until they appeared in the cartoon version. Okay, so I like the cartoon version better than the movie (somehow making her an eco-terrorist seemed more plausible.). And they added Harlequin to the gallery, a welcome addition. (I loved her relationship with Joker)

[SailorDove]

Adam West got my vote.


For those who'd actually like to know why, read on...

Sure Keaton & Kevin Conroy are good, and did their parts quite well. My heart belongs to a time, when it was ok to have a little fun & beat the bad guy at the same time.

I'd take old time serial & good hearted campy to slick dark pathoes anytime.

[Jeikobu]

Ouch, I just can't decide between Keaton and Conroy. I'll vote Conroy since he has less votes, but it's too hard to compare the two, since their categories are too different. Bale was also an excellent Batman, but Keaton will always be my favorite live action Batman. I'm surprised West has any votes. I hate how Batman used to be. He was far too cheesy and light. The Tim Burton movies made Batman into the super hero king he is today. And after the screw ups with the Schumacher films, thank God for Batman Begins.

[Rachel]

I voted Adam West. If I ever get to see Batman Begins, I would probably have voted Christian Bale because all the commercials and previews it seemed as though he did an excellent job. Also, I used to think Adam West was pretty hot. Haha!

[termyt]

The Tim Burton movies made Batman into the super hero king he is today.

Actually, Frank Miller made Batman who he is today in the ground-breaking series "The Dark Knight Returns." This landmark series returned Batman to the dark, brooding hero we all know today.

[Crossdive]

Kevin Conroy for animated related stuff and Michael Keaton for live-action related. Christian Bale is a very close second for live-action.

[mitsuki lover]

There is only one true Bruce Wayne/Batman and that is Adam West.
Sure today the tv series looks a bit campy,even then it was called
campy,but it was also innovative.It was literally Pop Culture.
Plus West had some of the best guest villians:Julie Newmar as
Catwoman,Meredith Burgess as The Penguin,Frank Gorshin as
The Riddler,Cesar Romero as The Joker.None of the movies could
do any better.

[shooraijin]

Catwoman was Lee Meriwether. I know, because she mentioned it in passing while being interviewed for the Mission: Impossible dossier (she had several recurring guest star appearances during the 4th season).

[SailorDove]

I believe you're both right. Actually there were 3 different actresses who played catwoman.

TV Show

Julie Newmar
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/1391/bpVill-CatwomanJN.html

Earla Kitt
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/1391/bpVill-CatwomanEK.html

TV Show & Movie

Lee Meriweather
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/1391/bpVill-CatwomanLM.html

[shooraijin]

Eartha Kitt was also Catwoman? Wild.

[termyt]

Julie Newmar will always be Catwoman to me. She was the best.

Lee Meriweather came in to do the movie because of some kind of conflict that still remains sketchy today.

Eartha Kit played Catwoman in the final season. She's by far the most catty of the cat women. She really played up the part well and was fun to watch.

[Todeskreuz]

I had to choose between Christian Bale and Adam West...haha just kidding... but I think Bale made the best batman cuz he was scary as Batman and clever and sleezy yet mysterious as wayne and made it believable

[mitsuki lover]

The only bad thing about the '60s Batman series I remember when I was growing up was that part of it was on opposite of Lost In Space.