Bat-Villains in Live Action "Batman" Films Quiz

Answer: J. Carrol Naish

In his first appearance on the big screen, Batman faced off against Dr. Daka, a Japanese saboteur during World War Two. Though the character of Daka was Japanese, the actor who portrayed him, J. Carrol Nash (1896-1973), was not. Naish was known during his career for playing characters of dozens of ethnicities and races, which was not as controversial in the first half of the twentieth century as it would be in the twenty-first century.

In the film serial, Dr. Daka and his henchmen were attempting to steal the radium supply of Gotham City in order to power a extremely deadly "ray gun".

Some early posters for the film suggest that the intention was originally for Naish to portray the Joker.

Answer: Leonard Penn

Leonard Penn (1907-1975) would play two roles in "Batman and Robin" (1949): the villain, The Wizard, and Carter, the twin brother of the Wizard. Since the Wizard wore a hood for most of the serial, the fact that he and Carter were brothers was not known until late in the serial.

The Wizard does not utilize magic, but instead utilizes an electrical device which can take control of automobiles and some other vehicles. Though the production values of this serial are not noticeably better than the 1943 serial, "Batman and Robin" at least avoids the unfortunate racism of "Batman".

Answer: Jack Nicholson

Jack Nicholson's (born 1937) portrayal of the Joker was the second live-action portrayal of the character (after Cesar Romero's turn in the 1966 "Batman" television series). Nicholson actually received top billing for the movie, over that of Michael Keaton as Batman/Bruce Wayne.

In the film, it is suggested that Batman played an inadvertent role in transforming Jack Napier into the Joker. This movie would lead, in part, to the development of "Batman: The Animated Series".

Answer: Danny DeVito

In "Batman Returns", Danny DeVito (born 1944) portrayed the Penguin. In the film, Penguin plots to kill all the first-born sons of Gotham City. He is a sometime ally of evil tycoon Max Shreck and Selina Kyle/Catwoman. It took four-and-a-half hours to get Devito into costume, which included flipperish prosthetics for his hands, a padded torso, and a beak-like nose. DeVito generally received critical praise for his portrayal of Penguin, which greatly influenced future portrayals of the characters in comics and television.

Answer: Tommy Lee Jones

Tommy Lee Jones (born 1946) portrayed Two-Face/Harvey Dent in "Batman Forever", though interestingly Billy Dee Williams portrayed Harvey Dent in "Batman" (1989). The film showed how Harvey Dent was attacked and driven insane as the Two-Face persona developed.

As a criminal, Two-Face was often accompanied by two female assistants, Sugar and Spice, representing good and bad parts of his personality, reflecting the duality that was at the character's core. Though the film received mixed reviews, Jones was generally praised for his portrayal of Two-Face.

Answer: Jim Carrey

Partnering with Two-Face in "Batman Forever" was the Riddler, portrayed by Jim Carrey (born 1962). In the film, the Riddler has developed a device known as the box that can transfer the brainwaves and mental energy of other people into his own brain. Eventually, Batman is able to destroy the Box, taking the mental energy away from the Riddler and driving him insane. Like Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey generally received critical praise for his portrayal of the Riddler.

Answer: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger (born 1947) portrayed Mr. Freeze/Victor Fries in the final film of the Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher series. The makeup and prosthetics required to portray Mr. Freeze as a man who must live in a sub-zero environment took six hours to apply each day.

The character has a relatively sympathetic story with Freeze searching a cure for a fatal disease that his wife suffers. As part of the generally negative reviews the film received, Schwarzenegger was nominated for the Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actor.

Answer: Liam Neeson

Liam Neeson (born 1952) portrays the dual roles of Henri Ducard/Ra's al Ghul. In the movie, he introduces Bruce to the League of Shadows and plays a role in his training as Batman. Seemingly allies for much of the film, Batman and Ra's al Ghul split over the latter's belief that Gotham City is beyond redemption and should be destroyed.

In the film, Ra's al Ghul attempts to inspire mass hysteria in the city through the release of a chemical through the city's water supply.

Answer: Heath Ledger

The late Heath Ledger (1979-2008) received critical acclaim (as well as the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor) for his portrayal of the Joker in "The Dark Knight" In the film, the Joker is an agent of anarchy, pitting various criminal agents against each other in addition to agents of law against the underworld.

Heath Ledger himself directed the Joker's video clips that appear periodically throughout the film. In the film, the Joker is responsible for the death of Batman's friend Rachel and the creation of Two-Face as a villain.

Answer: Tom Hardy

Tom Hardy (born 1977) portrayed the villain Bane, described in the Batman universe as one of a few who have broken Batman both physically and mentally. Bane, who is both mentally and physically strong, attempts to manipulate the markets to destroy Bruce Wayne's financial empire.

In the film, Bane's costume was designed to look somewhat militaristic, but makeshift. Various critics have argued that the role of Bane in the film is mention to be a criticism of both right-wing and left-wing politics.