Alfred Pennyworth was created by the writers of the 1943 Batman serial—Victor McLeod, Leslie Swabacker, and Harry Fraser—and that DC Comics asked Don Cameron to write the first Alfred story, which was released earlier to the serial's airing. In Alfred's first appearance, he was overweight and clean-shaven; however, when the 1943 "Batman" serial was released, William Austin, the actor who played Alfred, was trim and sported a thin moustache. DC editors wanted the comic Alfred to resemble his cinematic counterpart, so in "Detective Comics" #83 (January 1944), Alfred vacationed at a health resort, where he slimmed down and grew a mustache. This
Alfred Butler in his own right, being appointed Portcullis Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary in 1926, and promoted to Windsor Herald of Arms in Ordinary in 1931. He was also made the Genealogist of the Order of the Bath in 1930, and Honorary Genealogist of the Royal Victorian Order in 1938. He resigned from both of these offices shortly before his death. He was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists in 1944. Alfred Butler was also a member of the council of the Harleian and British Record Societies, and of the Croft Lyons committee of the Society of Antiquaries,