Jack Nicholson played Jack Napier
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Jack Napier
The 1989 Batman movie with Michael Keaton as Batman. Directed by Tim Burton.
Alan Napier was born of prestigious stock. He was the cousin of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and a direct descendant of Charles Dickens. Though his acting career spanned six decades, his most visible part to American audiences was that of Alfred Pennyworth, Batman's butler in the 1960s television series. Napier was reluctant to take the part at first until a friend told him he would become the most famous butler in the world. In honor of Napier, Tim Burton named the Joker's alter ego Jack Napier, in the feature film Batman (1989).
The Joker's real name is Jack Napier in the cartoon and 1989 film and he first appeared in Batman #1 in 1940.In the comics, the Joker is never given a full name, although the name Jack is used in "Batman: Confidential" issues 7 to 12 (2007).
There doesn't appear to be any connection between Hugo E. Blick and Jack Nicholson, but they do look a lot alike. Apparently, it was just a case of really good casting - finding a young actor that had the same kind of manic/cheeky grin that Nicholson. This is from an interview he did a while back: "I was a writer working on a project at Pinewood. Legend has it that Nicholson saw me wondering the corridors. I do remember being called to meet Tim Burton where he had me say this weird line and grin."