It takes great wit, technique, and perhaps even a little madness to take on the role of the Penguin, a well-known nemesis to the beloved Batman character. 

Here are the actors who’ve put on the famous Penguin suit and stepped into the shoes of one of Gotham’s most iconic villains.

Burgess Meredith 
Meredith took on the role of the villain in the 1969 TV series Batman. Being the first actor to take on the live-action version of the Penguin, Meredith set the tone of what the Penguin would look and sound like in the real world. He was also noted for his signature cigar-holding scenes. Meredith has been described as a virtuosic and esteemed actor, and his role as the Penguin will forever be iconic. Could we call him the Penguin father?

“Penguin? Waugh, waugh, waugh! No, my name's Schmidlapp, old boy, Schmidlapp.” 

Danny DeVito
All ‘90s kids will remember DeVito’s iconic role as the Penguin in the 1992 movie Batman Returns. His short stature made it seem like he was born for the role. DeVito’s hilarious, cruel, and menacing ways made him stand out as the Penguin. The makeup in the movie was highly exaggerated, cleverly bringing the comic book character to life, and die-hard comic book fans absolutely loved it. 

“They wouldn’t put me on a pedestal, so I’m laying them out on a slab.”

Paul Williams
Williams is an accomplished singer, composer, and a man of many voices. He voiced the Penguin in the 1992 Batman: The Animated Series, and then again in the 1997 series, The New Batman Adventures. While William’s face may not be recognised by the audience, his iconic voice lives on decades later in the heads of avid fans of the series.

“Gentlemen, and I use that term loosely, after you.”

Robin Lord Taylor
Taylor took on the role in the 2014 TV series Gotham, a prequel series that focused on the early years of Batman. Taylor’s version broke the comic’s depiction of the Penguin as a stout character, and made him slim and younger. Despite this change, he was just as ruthless, and the eccentric personality that Taylor brought to the Penguin earned him a worthy spot in fans’ hearts.

“I’m not a criminal, you know? I’m just insane.”

Colin Farrell
Perhaps the most shocking depiction of the Penguin to date is Farrell’s version. We first saw him in The Batman, and gawked at his glorious transformation into the character. In the new series, the Penguin only gets darker, more sinister, and far more complex than you could ever imagine. In an interview with celebrity entertainment YouTube channel, Hey U Guys, Farrell said: “I couldn't believe it got as dark as it gets."

"I am an acquired taste.”

Gotham City awaits you. Watch The Penguin on Mondays Express from the US at 03:00, or in prime time at 21:00 on M-Net 101.

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