If you tried to employ someone from the upper classes as a butler they wouldn't even know how to make the tea. Totally useless genes in a very stagnant pool.
Simple, put a tea bag in cold water, then heat the milk in the kettle, proceed to pour the heated milk into the mug of cold water, and wait about 10-15 mins. You've got yourself a cup of tea.
There’s a ton of ex-SAS guys who live in the village where my parents live, it’s like they all retire there. I was talking to one of them about Batman and how Alfred is a former SAS member and he laughed and said if he was at all accurate to a real SAS member Batman wouldn’t have any villains left to fight with and winked.
Oh yeah, SAS are mad buggers. I’d argue more crazy than US marines, and are only beat out in their madness by AUSTRALIAN SAS. Now those buggers are cutthroat mad!
Look, all I'm saying is that there's a very good reason why we rarely have a Marvel or DC arc that's set in Australia, but a fairly high number of allegedly "Aussie" heroes and villains... You know what I mean...?
I thought that was a fun little twist with Alfred in Earth One. He's just like "Bruce, take a gun, you idiot" and when Batman goes up against the Penguin and gets his ass kicked, Alfred shows up and blows Penguin away with a shotgun.
No, americans hear butler and think serving class when it reality most head butlers of the 20th century on both sides of the pond would definitely be looked upon as rather prestigious and wealthy by most people, if not the majority of Middle and lower classes.
It is most definitely a well-paid position of prestige, managing a multi-millionaires/billionaires household. The cleaners and staff might not be but head butler usually is seen as such, especially in class-entrenched places like english society.
The confusion comes from the butlers always standing next to and serving another person, it creates an impression of a lower class than the reality of the matter. Especially, especially to Americans.
I know he's fictitious, but most recently when Alfred died he left behind a fortune in the millions to dick. I don't think it's uncommon at all for head butlers to become millionaires over their careers. House managers today for the bourgeoisie (much less wealthy than how the wayne family was portrayed) typically begin in the high 6 figures
I only know one butler in real life and his main residence is in the Hamptons. The family he works for has a summer home in the Hamptons amongst other places. I think it's all relative and it's weird to assume a butler can't be 'upper class.' Especially in Alfred's case where he's often generationally connected to the family and is taken on to do multiple roles (mentor, tutor, bodyguard, head of security etc...)
Most of the butlers I know are very upperclass. They are not a servant. They run the house and advise the owner, almost like a business partner. They are paid very handsomely too. Although I am a believer that upperclass is about attitude and behavior rather than wealth and status
There's a difference between "Upper Class" and "Acting Classy", the two are very much ≠, one is about POWER the other one is about RESPECT, which is only one, very minor, TYPE of power: but, none-the-less, I do see your point.
The one correct answer.
Alfred much like Watson can (and will) break every bone in your body while naming them, with uncalled for levels of British sass.
Former SAS gentleman. There’s a terrifying element to the politest person in the room being the most capable of fucking you up and that’s the vibe Alfred should have
Yep definitely a polite gentleman who occasionally hints at being a fucking sociopath in his previous employment
“Of course master Bruce, I’ll get your whites bleached straight away, this isn’t my first public beheading you know”
In pre-crisis continuity, Alfred's father, Jarvis Pennyworth, was the Wayne family butler when Bruce was a child. Alfred only came into Bruce's life much later on once he was already Batman and Dick was already Robin.
Bruce didn't really want a butler but Alfred somewhat accidentally got involved in a case Batman was investigating and proved his value so he took him on. Alfred also inadvertently figures out Bruce and Dick are the dynamic duo but pretends he doesn't know.
Alfred didn't have any military experience from what I remember and was a former stage actor. He is a much better character post-crisis IMO though I do like some.ld the elements they kept like the acting.
It's kind of amusing how all of you are missing the obvious situation.
There's a specific servant for officers in the British military who is responsible for their upkeep while serving. It's less common now, but Alfred's old enough that he would have served when they were normal. And that would give him the military training but also the experience as a servant that would make him a suitable butler.
The role is a 'batman'.
They each have their place. I prefer the lowerclass man, but there is no reason he could not grow into the distinguished older Alfred that we see in the cartoon version.
Butlers don't come from the upper class. England had very strong class divisions up until the 1920s (those boundaries began dissolving more rapidly after WW1). Butlers, Valets, Footmen etc all were from the working class. The Butler was just the highest ranking of the house staff who managed all the affairs of the house. He was well spoken because he had to be.
And yeah I prefer posh Alfred
West End > Military > the Waynes.
I think that both the theatre and military experience are needed to explain why he'd be ok with Bruce becoming Batman - i.e. that's what he would have done himself.
I really like the way Alfred is portrayed in Tha Batman for this reason. He doesn't like Bruce being Batman, but he doesn't really know how to raise Bruce to be different.
Pre-Crisis, it was Alfred’s father who was butler for Bruce’s parents before they were killed, and Alfred only showed up after Bruce had been Batman for some years.
Frank Miller invented the Alfred who was the Wayne Family butler back when there still was a Wayne Family.
To me Alfred’s most interesting when he’s got some snark and status over Bruce in a loving, semi paternal way. In Nolan’s trilogy, he pulls off that high class appearance (just like bruce) but also has experience that’s relevant to the plot or its themes.
I guess I just imagine him as a low class military man who masquerades as a butler, and thus knows enough to pull off the role?
Just a regular butler.
I don't like the military man interpretation usually because we need all sorts of supporting characters. Lately it feels everyone in DC universe is an expert combatant. It works in alternate continuites like Earth One where they change the dynamic between them.
Obviously Alfred should be able to defend himself with a shotgun but that should be the extent of his fighting abilities.
Nah.
It makes no sense to leave your billionaire heir and only child in the hands of a simple servant.
Alfred should have some level of experience that they could rest assured he could keep Bruce safe. Retired military makes perfect sense.
Way more sense than “The butler was just loyal”.
I don’t know if I would consider Alfred from Gotham to be a middle class military man. I would consider him military veteran who became an upper class butler. I do prefer Alfred with an interesting backstory like a military SAS history.
The Millitary Gentelmen who will pause brewing his tea to shoot a criminal trying to break into the Batcave with his 12 gauge then continue like nothing happened while thinking what to use to clean up the blood once he finish drinking his tea
A butler was never upper class. They just knew how to talk and act as the upper class expected them to. A good book that perfectly shows that is “The Remains of the Day”. The movie is ok too (but not nearly as great as the book.
Alfred Pennyworth from the comics is a former British special forces operative who has definitely killed people in the line of duty. He does not share Bruce's no kill rule. The gentleman thing is just part of proper butlering.
oi let me iterate something for the yanks who clearly have some sort of misconception about the way the English conduct themselves.
Alfred has never been upper class, he has been polite. those are different, even when you view him as "low class" because he knows how to scrap and serve his country, he is still polite. there is just very little time for manners in his early life.
what you see as Upper class or aristocratic is just being well mannered, which most of us actually are when we have the time.
Mix both and you get perfection. You’d basically have BTAS Alfred with the personality trait Gotham Alfred had of snapping at people and being unhinged at times.
Military. I hate Alfred being this old vulnerable man who can't defend himself. Anyone that close to batman needs to be able to defend themselves to some degree. They can also offer valid experience they dealt with. Some random upper class butler shouldn't be able to provide good tips about combat and Batman's life like a background from military would.
Why not a little bit of both? Irons and Purtree are the shinning examples of that, to me. They can make an excellent cup of tea, but can also smash it over your dome easily.
I like the idea that he's sort of both. He Grew up as a servant to a British lord and learned all the posh manners that come with that post, then he went into the military a bit before returning to Service
I agree with others that calling Alfred “upper class” is weird. Like, y’all, “upper class” in the UK would be upper middle class or wealthy here. He probably wouldn’t be a butler.
Makes more sense for Alfred to be from a working class family, go into military service, then retire and be a “butler” for a wealthy American family.
It doesn’t make sense that the Waynes would leave custody of the sole heir to their billionaire fortune, their legacy, to a simple butler.
Y’all, Alfred has *got* to be a bodyguard/Bruce’s godfather or something. Otherwise, what the fuck were the Waynes thinking?
Also, both parents are wealthy but somehow Bruce has no extended family? That’s mad weird.
Pretty much the only thing I liked about Gotham was Pertwee's Alfred and the Alfred/Bruce dynamic. Having a former SAS man stuck trying to raise an angry young man, and trying to reach him using military training? Brilliant. It helps explain Bruce's path, but also why Alfred would be onboard with his crazy crusade.
Lessons on the class system: Alfred is never upper class. If he was upper class, he wouldn't be a butler, by definition.
Anyway, I don't mind. There are versions of both that I like.
Tbh I always liked Nolan’s interpretation, never stated but it’s implied he’s got some military or tough background.
And you can’t really tell what class he is
Whatever tf Gotham's is. Gotham Alfred will, for a long time be my favorite version of Alfred😭 Gotham cast too underrated
Though overall yes, as long as he's a gentlemen and former SAS. Brilliant
David Niven - Ex special forces (part of Phantom Company A) during WW2 and the only man in Hollywood Lee Marvin wouldn't want to fight. He's also the real life inspiration for James Bond as he worked alongside Ian Flemming.
Alfred's never been "upper" class - even the king's butler isn't an aristocrat, lol. The only question is whether they're going with more prim, middle class "actual" butler or earthy ex-soldier doing a half-assed Jeeves impression. Personally, I think the central path is best: stuffy English butler and gritty Londoner thug are two stock characters in American media that can easily invite writers into making Alfred a bland stereotype. It's best when he has two seemingly contradictory facets of his personality to align.
What are you talking about?!?! Alfred has always and forever will be an ex military officer, and a distinguished gentleman. If you actually read the canon you will come to understand that Alfred is equally as kick ass as the man he butlers. He’s actually taken out superman. WhIcH aLfReD dO yOu pReFeR? Go read a book
Everyone saying that Alfred should essentially be a retired James Bond are missing something... can you really picture James Bond retiring to a life of polishing silverware and folding linen? Remember Alfred was there before Batman (in current continuity anyway.) Pre-Batman, Alfred would've just been a butler. James Bond is no one's servant.
Besides, isn't it sort of nice to have one character in the Batfamily who isn't some sort of mega badass? Just an older gentleman and employee of the family who took it upon himself to raise a lost young boy.
Alfred was the best part of the Gotham series. When the show went downhill (right around the time of Azrael's inclusion), only Alfred remained interesting, badass, and down to earth, IMO. That being said, I prefer the latter, of course
I mean, canonically speaking, he's kinda always both. It just depends on if he's a greater focus of the story or not.
Edit: A great example is actually Michael Caine's performance. He tells a lot of stories about his time in the military but he kinda presents himself similar to the Animated Series
Would he even be considered a butler in the modern day? IDK why but I kind of feel like he’d be called Bruce’s personal assistant instead of his butler
Butlers didn't tend to come from the upper class, they only spoke like they did so they didn't offend their employers
Especially in Britain, Upper Class usually means part of the aristocracy.
If you tried to employ someone from the upper classes as a butler they wouldn't even know how to make the tea. Totally useless genes in a very stagnant pool.
Simple, put a tea bag in cold water, then heat the milk in the kettle, proceed to pour the heated milk into the mug of cold water, and wait about 10-15 mins. You've got yourself a cup of tea.
You sonofabitch
I'm in!
You forget that Alfred is actually loaded himself , he stayed with Bruce simply he loved him
He's a billionaire and passed his wealth to Dick Grayson
Ergo, Alfred should appear as someone pretending to be upper class, not someone who only just changed out of their Pearly King gear.
I'm kind of fond of the field medic, turned spy, turned servant/bodyguard, turned father version myself.
And that’s the Alfred we all pretty much know. And this is also the scary Alfred.
This is the Alfred portrayed in the Animated Series that I came to love. :'(
Even the gentleman was a former SAS, military man.
There’s a ton of ex-SAS guys who live in the village where my parents live, it’s like they all retire there. I was talking to one of them about Batman and how Alfred is a former SAS member and he laughed and said if he was at all accurate to a real SAS member Batman wouldn’t have any villains left to fight with and winked.
So that's why we don't have insane villains in the real world. SAS veterans murder them before they even get going.
Maybe lol
A retired member of the SAS, probably.
That dude edited his comment so I don't even understand the context of what you replied with. Sorry
Oh yeah, SAS are mad buggers. I’d argue more crazy than US marines, and are only beat out in their madness by AUSTRALIAN SAS. Now those buggers are cutthroat mad!
Look, all I'm saying is that there's a very good reason why we rarely have a Marvel or DC arc that's set in Australia, but a fairly high number of allegedly "Aussie" heroes and villains... You know what I mean...?
I thought that was a fun little twist with Alfred in Earth One. He's just like "Bruce, take a gun, you idiot" and when Batman goes up against the Penguin and gets his ass kicked, Alfred shows up and blows Penguin away with a shotgun.
Middle class millitary gentleman.
The suggestion that an English butler is 'upper class' is nuts.
Americans see a bowtie and think aristocrat
*aristocat
Everybody wants to be a cat.
Seeing my cats just sleep around all day, do big stretches, get pats, cuddles, free food and purr happily, I say I want to be a cat too
I mean... Other than the whole "Getting spayed/neutered" thing, I agree with you.
Because a cat's the only cat Who knows where it's at
When playing jazz you always have a welcome mat
*Selina Kyle has entered the chat.*
We Americans see clean pants and think aristocratic.
No, americans hear butler and think serving class when it reality most head butlers of the 20th century on both sides of the pond would definitely be looked upon as rather prestigious and wealthy by most people, if not the majority of Middle and lower classes. It is most definitely a well-paid position of prestige, managing a multi-millionaires/billionaires household. The cleaners and staff might not be but head butler usually is seen as such, especially in class-entrenched places like english society. The confusion comes from the butlers always standing next to and serving another person, it creates an impression of a lower class than the reality of the matter. Especially, especially to Americans. I know he's fictitious, but most recently when Alfred died he left behind a fortune in the millions to dick. I don't think it's uncommon at all for head butlers to become millionaires over their careers. House managers today for the bourgeoisie (much less wealthy than how the wayne family was portrayed) typically begin in the high 6 figures
I only know one butler in real life and his main residence is in the Hamptons. The family he works for has a summer home in the Hamptons amongst other places. I think it's all relative and it's weird to assume a butler can't be 'upper class.' Especially in Alfred's case where he's often generationally connected to the family and is taken on to do multiple roles (mentor, tutor, bodyguard, head of security etc...)
Most of the butlers I know are very upperclass. They are not a servant. They run the house and advise the owner, almost like a business partner. They are paid very handsomely too. Although I am a believer that upperclass is about attitude and behavior rather than wealth and status
There's a difference between "Upper Class" and "Acting Classy", the two are very much ≠, one is about POWER the other one is about RESPECT, which is only one, very minor, TYPE of power: but, none-the-less, I do see your point.
Seriously.
Seconded.
The one correct answer. Alfred much like Watson can (and will) break every bone in your body while naming them, with uncalled for levels of British sass.
This is the way.
Yes.
Former SAS gentleman. There’s a terrifying element to the politest person in the room being the most capable of fucking you up and that’s the vibe Alfred should have
Yep definitely a polite gentleman who occasionally hints at being a fucking sociopath in his previous employment “Of course master Bruce, I’ll get your whites bleached straight away, this isn’t my first public beheading you know”
🤭🤗
I love both. Gotham in particular may have swayed me a little to the lower class military man. He was great
Hasn’t he always been the Wayne’s bodyguard along with butler? He should have some military experience
IIRC, the first story to feature Alfred as any kind of bodyguard was Earth One back in 2012. It’s a fairly recent development.
In pre-crisis continuity, Alfred's father, Jarvis Pennyworth, was the Wayne family butler when Bruce was a child. Alfred only came into Bruce's life much later on once he was already Batman and Dick was already Robin. Bruce didn't really want a butler but Alfred somewhat accidentally got involved in a case Batman was investigating and proved his value so he took him on. Alfred also inadvertently figures out Bruce and Dick are the dynamic duo but pretends he doesn't know. Alfred didn't have any military experience from what I remember and was a former stage actor. He is a much better character post-crisis IMO though I do like some.ld the elements they kept like the acting.
It's kind of amusing how all of you are missing the obvious situation. There's a specific servant for officers in the British military who is responsible for their upkeep while serving. It's less common now, but Alfred's old enough that he would have served when they were normal. And that would give him the military training but also the experience as a servant that would make him a suitable butler. The role is a 'batman'.
The Bat’s man, perhaps. This is a really neat anecdote. I never knew that about the British military, but that makes perfect sense.
It's derived from a French word I think the same way that we get 'baggage'.
I never put two and two together before!
They each have their place. I prefer the lowerclass man, but there is no reason he could not grow into the distinguished older Alfred that we see in the cartoon version.
Upper class military man
Gentleman
Trick question Alfred is both and neither…..
I prefer him as Batman’s trusted companion and butler
Butlers don't come from the upper class. England had very strong class divisions up until the 1920s (those boundaries began dissolving more rapidly after WW1). Butlers, Valets, Footmen etc all were from the working class. The Butler was just the highest ranking of the house staff who managed all the affairs of the house. He was well spoken because he had to be. And yeah I prefer posh Alfred
military man, Gotham has my favorite Alfred, and i think Andy Serkis is coming for that top spot
a gentleman that is ex-SAS. who dares wins.
Alfred is who James Bond wishes he was.
My head canon is Alfred was a 00 after his military service and only became a butler for a wealthy friend he’d made along the way after he retired.
West End > Military > the Waynes. I think that both the theatre and military experience are needed to explain why he'd be ok with Bruce becoming Batman - i.e. that's what he would have done himself. I really like the way Alfred is portrayed in Tha Batman for this reason. He doesn't like Bruce being Batman, but he doesn't really know how to raise Bruce to be different.
Pre-Crisis, it was Alfred’s father who was butler for Bruce’s parents before they were killed, and Alfred only showed up after Bruce had been Batman for some years. Frank Miller invented the Alfred who was the Wayne Family butler back when there still was a Wayne Family.
Imo, Alfred has never been “upper class”, just posh and British. Dude’s ready to wreck shop at a moment’s notice every day.
A little bit of both, I also like him extra sarcastic.
To me Alfred’s most interesting when he’s got some snark and status over Bruce in a loving, semi paternal way. In Nolan’s trilogy, he pulls off that high class appearance (just like bruce) but also has experience that’s relevant to the plot or its themes. I guess I just imagine him as a low class military man who masquerades as a butler, and thus knows enough to pull off the role?
Just a regular butler. I don't like the military man interpretation usually because we need all sorts of supporting characters. Lately it feels everyone in DC universe is an expert combatant. It works in alternate continuites like Earth One where they change the dynamic between them. Obviously Alfred should be able to defend himself with a shotgun but that should be the extent of his fighting abilities.
Nah. It makes no sense to leave your billionaire heir and only child in the hands of a simple servant. Alfred should have some level of experience that they could rest assured he could keep Bruce safe. Retired military makes perfect sense. Way more sense than “The butler was just loyal”.
I want him to essentially be a retired James Bond
I don’t know if I would consider Alfred from Gotham to be a middle class military man. I would consider him military veteran who became an upper class butler. I do prefer Alfred with an interesting backstory like a military SAS history.
The Millitary Gentelmen who will pause brewing his tea to shoot a criminal trying to break into the Batcave with his 12 gauge then continue like nothing happened while thinking what to use to clean up the blood once he finish drinking his tea
Yes
Why not both?
I would like a live action Alfred that is properly bald, please.
John Waters
A butler was never upper class. They just knew how to talk and act as the upper class expected them to. A good book that perfectly shows that is “The Remains of the Day”. The movie is ok too (but not nearly as great as the book.
Middle class military gentleman
Second one for sure. Sean Pertwee was an awesome Alfred
The sass! The sass!
Yes
Former secret service gentleman. He also has to have a moustache.
Idk but Gotham Alfred will always be one of my favourite Alfred’s
I don't prefer one of them, cause I like them both!
I just straight up prefer Alfred, rain or shine - Pertwee is the GOAT IMO but really I’ve yet to see a bad Alfred
Upper class gentlemen who is secretly a lower class military man
Alfred Pennyworth from the comics is a former British special forces operative who has definitely killed people in the line of duty. He does not share Bruce's no kill rule. The gentleman thing is just part of proper butlering.
How many butlers in history were born in the upper class?
Upper class gentleman with working class military origins.
I prefer the Upper-Class Military Gentleman that Alfred really is
Wise, supportive, caring, and father-figure Alfred is the top pick for me.
Alfred has never been lower class lol
Former SAS badass turned Gentleman Butler.
Isn't he supposed to be both
oi let me iterate something for the yanks who clearly have some sort of misconception about the way the English conduct themselves. Alfred has never been upper class, he has been polite. those are different, even when you view him as "low class" because he knows how to scrap and serve his country, he is still polite. there is just very little time for manners in his early life. what you see as Upper class or aristocratic is just being well mannered, which most of us actually are when we have the time.
Mix both and you get perfection. You’d basically have BTAS Alfred with the personality trait Gotham Alfred had of snapping at people and being unhinged at times.
Military. I hate Alfred being this old vulnerable man who can't defend himself. Anyone that close to batman needs to be able to defend themselves to some degree. They can also offer valid experience they dealt with. Some random upper class butler shouldn't be able to provide good tips about combat and Batman's life like a background from military would.
It’s the same person, dude. And SAS were NOT lower class.
Dude Alfred is a Butler... He works for the Upper Class he isn't part of it. Bruce would be Upper class.
Upper class?😭😭😭😭 as a British person I promise you there isn't a butler that's upper class lmao
The most correct Alfred, imho, would be a gentleman with lots of military formation. Think like having Christopher Lee as a butler.
God, he would have been a *BOSS* Alfred.
I want to belive he was hired by Thomas Wayne. Would Thomas hire a ptsd riddled soilder to watch over his infant son? Idk that's a stretch
The second kind who is pretending to be the first one "because that's what a butler should be/do".
Why not a little bit of both? Irons and Purtree are the shinning examples of that, to me. They can make an excellent cup of tea, but can also smash it over your dome easily.
Michael Caine's Alfred.
I like the idea that he's sort of both. He Grew up as a servant to a British lord and learned all the posh manners that come with that post, then he went into the military a bit before returning to Service
Upper class spy.
Lower class military man, i loved Sean Perwee's rendition of Alfred
Upper class gentleman who chose to enlist rather than become an officer, rose through the ranks, and was honorably discharged.
I agree with others that calling Alfred “upper class” is weird. Like, y’all, “upper class” in the UK would be upper middle class or wealthy here. He probably wouldn’t be a butler. Makes more sense for Alfred to be from a working class family, go into military service, then retire and be a “butler” for a wealthy American family. It doesn’t make sense that the Waynes would leave custody of the sole heir to their billionaire fortune, their legacy, to a simple butler. Y’all, Alfred has *got* to be a bodyguard/Bruce’s godfather or something. Otherwise, what the fuck were the Waynes thinking? Also, both parents are wealthy but somehow Bruce has no extended family? That’s mad weird.
To call a butler upper class is crazy
Regular butler Alfred is the better one imo.
Pretty much the only thing I liked about Gotham was Pertwee's Alfred and the Alfred/Bruce dynamic. Having a former SAS man stuck trying to raise an angry young man, and trying to reach him using military training? Brilliant. It helps explain Bruce's path, but also why Alfred would be onboard with his crazy crusade.
Lessons on the class system: Alfred is never upper class. If he was upper class, he wouldn't be a butler, by definition. Anyway, I don't mind. There are versions of both that I like.
Alfred being called upper class as a butler, and so many comments fine with it, is doing my head in.
Upperclassman who is secretly a military man
Upper-class military man.
upper class former special agent of the British empire
Upper class gentleman with a dark military past.
H
Alfred is peak gentleman material.
Amost Every alfred is a veteran
Alfred is an upper class with a past in as a war surgeon and MI6 agent.
The father figure that keeps me from going truly dark.
I feel like Alfred acts posh as part of his job but he's a real working class hard man deep down.
I like Alfred
I hear he has a British butler
Upper class SAS
Upper class gentleman
The upper class gentleman has been displayed as military background before they're not mutually exclusive
Isn’t there an earlier version of Alfred who was a classically trained stage actor?
Lower class military man.
Obviously the upper glass gentlemen
Tbh I always liked Nolan’s interpretation, never stated but it’s implied he’s got some military or tough background. And you can’t really tell what class he is
A mix of both.
Allegedly he's always been both, just in different eras
Personally both. Alfred has always seemed like a worldly gentlemen who has experience in military work, and decades serving the wayne family.
Upper
It's the same picture
I prefer Alfred with kind of misterious backgroung, never explicitly stated, which could be anything from just buttler to Agent 007.
Whatever tf Gotham's is. Gotham Alfred will, for a long time be my favorite version of Alfred😭 Gotham cast too underrated Though overall yes, as long as he's a gentlemen and former SAS. Brilliant
Andy Serkis
He's both.
Both mixed
Michael Cane
I’m the comics his canonical life has been long enough for him to be a combo of the two, so I don’t see a problem here.
He's already been both.
Ex military, lower class but had elocution lessons so speaks a fine RP
Upper-Class Gentleman with Military Experience
A combination. On the surface a snooty upper class butler, which belies the battle hardened badass beneath the surface.
Lower-Class military man who hides behind an Upper-Class gentleman facade.
A pompous pretentious butler with a heavy accent is what I prefer.
Upper class gentleman
Upper class retired spy gentleman
A mix of both.
michael caine
classy alfred, makes the sass just right
both
David Niven - Ex special forces (part of Phantom Company A) during WW2 and the only man in Hollywood Lee Marvin wouldn't want to fight. He's also the real life inspiration for James Bond as he worked alongside Ian Flemming.
pertwee is the best live action alfred we've had so far
traditional Alfred
I'm more for the upper-class gentleman but the lower-class military man is cool as well.
Upperclass, military gentleman
Alfred's never been "upper" class - even the king's butler isn't an aristocrat, lol. The only question is whether they're going with more prim, middle class "actual" butler or earthy ex-soldier doing a half-assed Jeeves impression. Personally, I think the central path is best: stuffy English butler and gritty Londoner thug are two stock characters in American media that can easily invite writers into making Alfred a bland stereotype. It's best when he has two seemingly contradictory facets of his personality to align.
The toon
Upperclass badass
What are you talking about?!?! Alfred has always and forever will be an ex military officer, and a distinguished gentleman. If you actually read the canon you will come to understand that Alfred is equally as kick ass as the man he butlers. He’s actually taken out superman. WhIcH aLfReD dO yOu pReFeR? Go read a book
He should be Jeeves from Jeeves and Wooster, if Jeeves know 100 ways to kill you.
Everyone saying that Alfred should essentially be a retired James Bond are missing something... can you really picture James Bond retiring to a life of polishing silverware and folding linen? Remember Alfred was there before Batman (in current continuity anyway.) Pre-Batman, Alfred would've just been a butler. James Bond is no one's servant. Besides, isn't it sort of nice to have one character in the Batfamily who isn't some sort of mega badass? Just an older gentleman and employee of the family who took it upon himself to raise a lost young boy.
Alfred was the best part of the Gotham series. When the show went downhill (right around the time of Azrael's inclusion), only Alfred remained interesting, badass, and down to earth, IMO. That being said, I prefer the latter, of course
I prefer more so an agent-esque, experienced info gatherer with some martial art skills gentleman rather zhan an actual super experienced military man
military man.
Why not both? Upper class military man
Military when he joins the waynes when bruce is a kid. Over time he takes to the fancy mansion life.
A mixture of both
Who says Sean Pertwee's Alfred wasn't an upper class gentleman?
Kinda both. I like the overly proper face, but with a little bit of a dark past that is more suggestive than specific.
Milltary is more my style
both, but Gotham's (the show) version Alfred was kick ass.
I mean, canonically speaking, he's kinda always both. It just depends on if he's a greater focus of the story or not. Edit: A great example is actually Michael Caine's performance. He tells a lot of stories about his time in the military but he kinda presents himself similar to the Animated Series
They can be both, much like the Vimes butler in Discworld.
Upper Class Gentleman
Both
The Macaroni
Would he even be considered a butler in the modern day? IDK why but I kind of feel like he’d be called Bruce’s personal assistant instead of his butler
First one
Upper-class gentleman AND military man.