Best Joker

[rocklobster]

If there's any villain who's considered synonymous with Batman, it's definitely the Joker. But who played him best? I'll leave that to you.
Here are my thoughts:
Cesar Romero: His version was almost like a clone of the Riddler. Definitely the worst.
Jack Nicholson: A great performance. In fact, it's his version of the Joker that made me a fan of Nicholson. He's still one of my all-time fave actors.
Mark Hamill: He was an excellent voice for the Joker. He captured the madness and humor very well.
Heath Ledger: I just saw this and I loved it! Ledger's probably the only one who's come closest to the comic book version of the character (although Hamill's is also pretty close too.). It's a real shame he's dead, he was an excellent actor for the role.

[Lil_Ninja]

I'd def' vote Ledger.

[Nate]

Cesar Romero: Definitely the worst.

[Tarnish]

Ledger's probably the only one who's come closest to the comic book version of the character (although Hamill's is also pretty close too.).

WHICH comic book version? There are what, 30 different versions of the Joker? The closest to Ledger's probably being the one in The Killing Joke (don't quote me, I'm no Batman expert), but even then, they're pretty darn different.

Anyway. Mark Hamill is the *only* Joker, as far as I'm concerned.

[Gabriel 9.0]

All of the above were, great as the Joker, Health Ledger did a very remarkable performance as him, so did the the others, so its hard to say for me

[Scarecrow]

You couldn't have picked an easier one like, who was the best Catwoman? Between Ledger and Nicolson, its too hard to choose. I finally went with Nicolson cause he was first and Batman had the better soundtrack

[K. Ayato]

Hamill gets my vote 'cause he's the first Joker I really got exposed to.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Mark Hamill for the animated Joker, Heath Ledger for the live-action Joker.
I never found Jack Nicholson's Joker to be any good. He wasn't creepy, he wasn't evil. He was just Nicholson with too much make-up.

[K. Ayato]

True, that.

[Fish and Chips]

I didn't watch Adam West's Batman, I just know Caesar Romero refused to shave off his signature moustache for his Joker, which means this thread is already over.

I have to go with Mark Hamill. A superhero sequel is built on its villain, and Ledger's performance is what made the Dark Knight, but Hamill's voice is just straight iconic. Accept no substitutes.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

Personally, I think I just need more Harley Quinn in my life.

[Cognitive Gear]

+1 Hammil.

Ledger gave a fantastic performance, but Hamill's Joker is the definitive version.

[Ingemar]

I voted for Jack.

Interestingly, I did a thought experiment where I mentally cast TDK's Joker as Jack Nicholson. To my surprise, that Joker did just as good a job as Ledger. While Ledger mostly made that performance his own, I think he channelled a little bit of Nicholson for that role.

[Stephen]

I voted Ledger. While Hammils voice might be great...I don't think he could ever be even slightly scary as Joker.


I can't see anything with the blastshield down.
But I wanted to go to Toshis station for power converrrrrters.

[KagayakiWashi]

I grew up watching Batman '89, so I'm somewhat biased (it is my favorite movie)....but they're all great actors for what they were trying to do with the character (yes, even Romero).

[Maledicte]

Hamill definitely. Funny and creepy at the same time. If you don't think he's creepy enough you haven't seen the flashback scene in Return of the Joker.

[ADXC]

I would have to say Heath Ledger.

[Nate]

This is a very difficult question. The people who have portrayed the Joker, are all very excellent Jokers all in their own way. If we're talking about these four, that is, since I notice other people to portray the Joker (such as Frank Welker or Larry Storch) aren't on the poll.

Caesar Romero was fantastic, and anyone who wants to discount him just because he was in the cheesy 60's Batman series is simply too short-sighted to see the man for what he was. Come on, Joker singing a silly song and laughing as he tells his henchmen to choke Batman and Robin to death? How is that not the personification of the Joker?

He was silly, and it fit well. Yeah he had bizarre capers, but first of all, you have to remember the atmosphere of the show, and second, the Joker IS actually insane, and for him to make ridiculous crimes just to amuse himself is perfectly within the realms of insanity.

Jack Nicholson is, in my opinion, probably my favorite Joker (though not necessarily the best). The movie set him up perfectly as Batman's nemesis, and he was just excellent for the role. Again, the best? Maybe not, but he's certainly fantastic, and I'm pretty sure he's my favorite.

Mark Hamill, I feel it's not really fair putting him on here because he only did the voice. But WHAT a voice he gave, an excellent one that is certainly the best of any of the animated series, and could not be pulled off by anyone else in my opinion. For being a cartoon, he's the best, but in my mind he cannot be considered the best Joker, period, because he did only do the voice.

Heath Ledger. I know I'll probably get hammered by fanboys if I say that his death made his performance more favorable, but I think it's true. I'm not saying he did a bad job, or even a mediocre job. Ledger certainly did a great job, but again, I think that perhaps his portrayal wouldn't have received quite so high marks if it wasn't for his untimely death. High marks, certainly, but not AS high.

The problem I feel Ledger's Joker had is that he was psychotic, VERY much so, but he wasn't quite as lighthearted as he should have been. Nicholson, Hamill, Romero...all of them were good at being insane, but also very silly. After all, he is the JOKER. Being delightfully insane is what sets him apart from other villains. Ledger did a good job, but let's be honest...aside from the lines about "You know how I got these scars?" the role of the Joker could have been played by any random psychotic person. They only made it the Joker because the Joker is the defining Batman villain. If it'd been someone without makeup just called "Crazy Eddy" everyone would've been like "Why this guy? Why couldn't they have done the Joker?" It wouldn't have been the Joker without the makeup.

Again, not saying Ledger is bad. He wasn't. He was extremely good. I just think he gets praised far too highly when he doesn't exactly deserve it. He was an excellent, amazing, unparalleled ACTOR in the role. His ACTING was absolutely top-notch. But the best Joker? I think not.

Finally, remember what Tarnish said:

WHICH comic book version?

which is absolutely right. There have been a lot of different versions of the Joker in the comics. For example, the first Joker was just a typical murderer who looked kind of funny. In later comics, the Joker became more of a joke, hardly a criminal threat at all.

The Joker has changed a lot based on who's writing the comic at the time, much like Batman himself. For example, the original Batman actually did use guns and had no problem killing anyone...quite a different picture from the Batman portrayed in the Christopher Nolan movies, and quite different as well from the "Bat Shark Repellant" Batman of the 60s TV show.

Kind of like how the original Superman comics, Superman didn't think twice about killing, but the modern Superman is an absolute Boy Scout.

Anyway, that's my long post, and you're free to disagree with me, but that's how I feel.

EDIT: In the end, I'm voting for Nicholson, again, because while he may not have been the best necessarily, he was good enough for me to vote for him.

[Sheol777]

...Heath Ledger. I know I'll probably get hammered by fanboys if I say that his death made his performance more favorable, but I think it's true. I'm not saying he did a bad job, or even a mediocre job. Ledger certainly did a great job, but again, I think that perhaps his portrayal wouldn't have received quite so high marks if it wasn't for his untimely death. High marks, certainly, but not AS high....

I must respectfully disagree sir.

I am using this snippet to represent your defense of your opinion. You bring up many good points, most of which I agree with Romero was a fantastic Joker for his time, he embodied the Joker of the early years and I enjoyed him for what he was.

Hamill was my favorite until Ledger. I also caught Batman: TAS on its first run and Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (unedited version) certainly is not to be missed if you like Hamill. Hamill did many sides of the Joker and had many chances to do so.

Let me also start out by saying that this poll is kinda also unfair because of all the recent buzz in the zeitgeist about the current Batman movie and the huge success of it and Ledger specifically.


Ledger however did a Joker I always wanted to see. This side of the Joker is fantastic. Psychotic, dark humored. I went into it with a blank opinion, even though I was wary of what I had seen in the previews. His death did not influence my opinion one way or another (although I think it influenced the Oscar committee...but I digress).

When he was on the screen the movie was all his. Lets face it, The Dark Knight was the Jokers movie...not Batmans. The way he would lick his scars, the way he would flash his eyes, his facial expressions and word inflections....fantastic. Honestly I didn't think Ledger had it in him to do this type of role when I see him as "that Knight's Tale kid"

Your opinion is valid Nate and you make a good case. My take on it is there are many Jokers, and given the choices above I'd choose Ledger.

[CAAOutkast]

This is a very difficult question. The people who have portrayed the Joker, are all very excellent Jokers all in their own way. If we're talking about these four, that is, since I notice other people to portray the Joker (such as Frank Welker or Larry Storch) aren't on the poll.

Caesar Romero was fantastic, and anyone who wants to discount him just because he was in the cheesy 60's Batman series is simply too short-sighted to see the man for what he was. Come on, Joker singing a silly song and laughing as he tells his henchmen to choke Batman and Robin to death? How is that not the personification of the Joker?

He was silly, and it fit well. Yeah he had bizarre capers, but first of all, you have to remember the atmosphere of the show, and second, the Joker IS actually insane, and for him to make ridiculous crimes just to amuse himself is perfectly within the realms of insanity.

Jack Nicholson is, in my opinion, probably my favorite Joker (though not necessarily the best). The movie set him up perfectly as Batman's nemesis, and he was just excellent for the role. Again, the best? Maybe not, but he's certainly fantastic, and I'm pretty sure he's my favorite.

Mark Hamill, I feel it's not really fair putting him on here because he only did the voice. But WHAT a voice he gave, an excellent one that is certainly the best of any of the animated series, and could not be pulled off by anyone else in my opinion. For being a cartoon, he's the best, but in my mind he cannot be considered the best Joker, period, because he did only do the voice.

Heath Ledger. I know I'll probably get hammered by fanboys if I say that his death made his performance more favorable, but I think it's true. I'm not saying he did a bad job, or even a mediocre job. Ledger certainly did a great job, but again, I think that perhaps his portrayal wouldn't have received quite so high marks if it wasn't for his untimely death. High marks, certainly, but not AS high.

The problem I feel Ledger's Joker had is that he was psychotic, VERY much so, but he wasn't quite as lighthearted as he should have been. Nicholson, Hamill, Romero...all of them were good at being insane, but also very silly. After all, he is the JOKER. Being delightfully insane is what sets him apart from other villains. Ledger did a good job, but let's be honest...aside from the lines about "You know how I got these scars?" the role of the Joker could have been played by any random psychotic person. They only made it the Joker because the Joker is the defining Batman villain. If it'd been someone without makeup just called "Crazy Eddy" everyone would've been like "Why this guy? Why couldn't they have done the Joker?" It wouldn't have been the Joker without the makeup.

Again, not saying Ledger is bad. He wasn't. He was extremely good. I just think he gets praised far too highly when he doesn't exactly deserve it. He was an excellent, amazing, unparalleled ACTOR in the role. His ACTING was absolutely top-notch. But the best Joker? I think not.

Finally, remember what Tarnish said:

which is absolutely right. There have been a lot of different versions of the Joker in the comics. For example, the first Joker was just a typical murderer who looked kind of funny. In later comics, the Joker became more of a joke, hardly a criminal threat at all.

The Joker has changed a lot based on who's writing the comic at the time, much like Batman himself. For example, the original Batman actually did use guns and had no problem killing anyone...quite a different picture from the Batman portrayed in the Christopher Nolan movies, and quite different as well from the "Bat Shark Repellant" Batman of the 60s TV show.

Kind of like how the original Superman comics, Superman didn't think twice about killing, but the modern Superman is an absolute Boy Scout.

Anyway, that's my long post, and you're free to disagree with me, but that's how I feel.

EDIT: In the end, I'm voting for Nicholson, again, because while he may not have been the best necessarily, he was good enough for me to vote for him.

Y'know Nate and I usually don't agree on a lot of things, However this time we do.

Caesar Romero was good. I'm one oF the few who thought the Adam West Batman show was entertaining.

Mark Hamill's Joker was great. Luke Skywalker really knew how to play as the Clown Prince of Crime. Batman:TAS is my favorite 90's cartoon.

Jack Nicholson was really awesome because he was a realistic Joker. Nicholson really does make a convincing bad guy. Batman the Movie is one of my all-time favorites.

I haven't seen the Dark Knight yet,so I can't say anything about Heath Ledger's Joker. So Jack Nicholson gets my vote as the best Joker.

BTW,I'm surprised you didn't include The Batman's Joker.

[Robin Firedrake]

Heath ledger hands down.

[Fish and Chips]

BTW,I'm surprised you didn't include The Batman's Joker.

You can't be serious.

[Robin Firedrake]

^ Why so serious?

[Sheol777]

^ Why so serious?

You win.

----

..and The Batman Joker was the worst version ever...in first season. Then he got better.

[Tarnish]

14 votes for Ledger? Wow.

I wonder how many of those votes have only seen Ledger/are 13 years old.

[Stephen]

Yes, because anyone who disagrees with you must be 13.

[Robin Firedrake]

You win.

----

..and The Batman Joker was the worst version ever...in first season. Then he got better.

What do I win? =D

14 votes for Ledger? Wow.

I wonder how many of those votes have only seen Ledger/are 13 years old.

So I can't make proper desicions because I'm thirteen? Ledger was brilliantly scary. He plays a stark raving mad character VERY well. You're gonna hafta live with it.

[Sheol777]

What do I win? =D

One internet.

[Nate]

I wonder how many of those votes have only seen Ledger/are 13 years old.

I was just thinking that the other day.

Yes, because anyone who disagrees with you must be 13.

As much as I hate to use this phrase, "Ooh, a strawman!"

The point Tarnish was making is this. How can a person who has never seen Cesar Romero's Joker, or Jack Nicholson's Joker, say that Heath Ledger is the best? There's no basis for comparison.

It'd be like if I said, "Metal Gear for the NES is the best Metal Gear game ever made, all the other ones suck" and you asked, "Have you played any of the other Metal Gear games?" "Well, no...but it doesn't matter, they suck."

He plays a stark raving mad character VERY well.

And here, my friends, is where we come to the problem with this.

Heath Ledger DOES play a stark raving mad character very well. However, in my opinion, he does not play the JOKER well. And when the Joker is the character you are supposed to be portraying, it matters little how well you can act if you aren't portraying the character properly.

Let's look at Danny DeVito in the movie Batman Returns. He acted extremely well. He was good at playing a short, scraggly, psychotic reject. However, this is not what the character of the Penguin is like at all. The Penguin is a distinguished gentlemen who dresses sharply and is polite and cunning.

Danny DeVito acted amazingly. However, his acting has nothing to do with how true to the character it is. Imagine if you will a fantastically animated sequence in Fruits Basket where Tohru punched the ground and make the earth split in half. That'd be AWESOME! But it would be out of character and therefore NOT a good portrayal of her. It doesn't matter how cool it is, it isn't true to the original.

I'd wager a good portion, not all, but a good portion of the people voting here have never seen the original Batman TV series, nor even Tim Burton's masterful film Batman. They may never have even seen the wonderfully done Batman: The Animated Series cartoon.

I will have to say that yes, Mark Hamill IS the best Joker, though I voted for Nicholson. It's not fair, since he only did a voice, but WHAT a voice. It was so definitive for the Joker that when I read my copy of The Killing Joke, Hamill's voice and distinctive laugh are what I heard in my mind for the Joker's speech. I've also noticed that the people in this thread that actually read comics also voted for Mark Hamill...coincidence? I doubt it, as the people who have read the source material are most intimately familiar with the character and know how he should best be portrayed...and they have said, Ledger is not the best portrayal.

Still, it's very difficult to compare the Jokers at all. Cesar Romero was light-hearted and silly, and of course, his version of the Joker would look ridiculously out of place in The Dark Knight. It would be awful. But by the same token, Ledger's Joker would look just as out of place in the original Batman TV show. It's hard to compare the two when they are written so very differently, for different time periods and different audiences.

The interesting thing is that Nicholson's Joker would fit in EITHER situation, both Dark Knight and the 60's show. Does this make him the best Joker? Well, not exactly (though I think he's the best of the three live-action choices), but to me it means he was the best WRITTEN Joker.

To those who still say Ledger's Joker is the definitive interpretation, I have only this to say. In Batman, if you took off Jack Nicholson's makeup, and just left him named Jack Napier, but left everything else exactly the same, people would watch the movie and say, "This guy acts just like the Joker. Why didn't they just use the Joker?"

Now, let's say there was no Joker card at the end of Batman Begins. There were no rumors of Joker being used. No one ever heard anything about Joker being in Dark Knight. Heath Ledger didn't wear makeup or the purple suit, but everything else was exactly the same. How many people would say "This guy acts just like the Joker"?

Maybe, possibly, a handful. But that's the difference. Everyone would have recognized Nicholson for the Joker even without the makeup, but hardly anyone would have recognized Ledger for the Joker without it.

That isn't Ledger's fault, and I'm not saying he's a bad actor. He's an EXCELLENT actor, and I think he did the best job he could have done in that movie. I think almost nobody else could have acted as well as he did in Dark Night. The problem lies on the writers and the producer and director for making a Joker that was not true to the comics, not Ledger.

So when I say Ledger was far from the best Joker, not even close, I am not slamming Ledger's acting ability. I am praising it, as it deserves to be praised. Rather, I am slamming the writers and makers of Dark Knight for straying so far from the source material, same as everyone else seems to do for most other comic book movies.

*gets off soapbox*

[Robin Firedrake]

I've seen all of em...