Arguably the most iconic supervillain ever, the Joker has enthralled countless audiences of various age groups ever since his first appearance in 1940, in a "Batman" comic penned by Bob Kane. His obsession with Batman, his inability to wear colors other than purple and green, and most memorably, his manic laughter, all helped to make the character as popular as he is today. But as the character’s been around for almost 80 years, it’s only natural that there are many (many many many many) different actors who each have a different interpretation of the Clown Prince of Crime.
So, who’s the best of the best? Is there truly one Joker to rule them all? Read on to see how I rank the top 10 best Joker performances of all time.
10. Frank Welker ("Super Friends").
Frank Welker’s Joker naturally has a more campy and less intimidating vibe, as "Super Friends" has children as the target audience. Despite this, Welker still manages to deliver a solid performance. His high, piercing voice dips down into a guttural, surprisingly frightening whisper when the Joker is angered, and his laugh, while more playful than other Jokers, is wild enough to find him a seat on this list.
9. Jeff Bennett ("Batman: The Brave and the Bold").
Jeff Bennett’s Joker also is featured on a children’s show, but what Bennett brings to the table that Welker fails to deliver is a Joker who actively tries to make Batman (and anyone in the surrounding vicinity) laugh. Jeff Bennett’s Joker is a ham, constantly trying to get the attention of any and all people surrounding him, whether it be negative or positive. This attention-seeking interpretation earns Bennett a spot at number nine.
8. Cesar Romero (‘66 "Batman").
The first live-action Joker on the list, Cesar Romero portrays a representation of the Joker very popular in the 1960s -- a guffawing prankster who’s idea of besting Batman more centered around campy tropes such as escaping prison via a catapult machine, or turning the UN leaders into dust and keeping them in a dustpan for safekeeping. Romero’s Joker is a period piece, the iconic representation of '60s comic super villains.
7. Kevin Michael Richardson ("The Batman").
Another animated Joker featured in a children’s TV show, Kevin Michael Richardson’s Joker can be downright terrifying. Sequences involving his using laughing gas often are captured by stuttered, strobe-like sequences in which the victim is left smiling uncontrollably and completely insane. Complete with bad jokes and a maniacal laugh, Richardson’s Joker looks bestial, and fights like a wild animal. His primal, insane performance earns him a spot just above Romero.
6. John Di Maggio ("Under the Red Hood").
John Di Maggio’s Joker is an absolute psychopath. His voice is chilling, seductive and oddly composed-- until he laughs, sending his entire body into an insane seizure. Di Maggio’s decision to stick to a lower, more calm voice only helps to increase the fear and mystery surrounding the character.
5. Jared Leto ("Suicide Squad").
The newest Joker on the block, Leto makes a solid performance on the Joker with enough of his own original flair to slide him right in the middle of this list. A complete wildcard, as any good Joker should be, Leto does his best to be unpredictable and completely ruthless. His interpretation, a sort of mob boss Joker, can be flirting one moment and killing the next. He gives the illusion of being invincible, always surrounded by cronies, and even coming back from his apparent death to free his queen, Harley Quinn. Leto’s Joker does an excellent job on capitalizing the C in crazy in his performance as the Clown Prince of Crime.
4. Jack Nicholson ("Batman: The Movie").
One of the most famous Joker incarnations, Nicholson’s Joker effortlessly blends the campiness of Romero’s Joker with the dark, twisted elements Burton introduced to the movie franchise. His juxtaposition of comedy with violence, along with bits such as his now-famous line, “ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?” have launched Nicholson’s Joker into extreme popularity. His murderous rampages often coupled with carnival music, Nicholson is one of the creepiest Jokers to date.
3. Michael Emerson ("The Dark Knight Returns").
Michael Emerson takes the traits of bizarre composure shown in Di Maggio’s Joker to a whole new level. A Joker set 20 years into the future with a past-his-prime Batman, this Joker is completely emotionless. Only when he laughs does he have any emotion, and even his laugh seeps with cold, mirthless cruelty. Emerson never even raises his voice while speaking, even as his Joker ends up intentionally snapping his own neck. This Joker is no-nonsense, and has one of the most unsettling and frightening performances I’ve ever seen.
2. Heath Ledger ("The Dark Knight").
The big man himself. The one you probably expected to see at either here or at number one. Heath Ledger’s Joker is one of the most original, dark and most violent Jokers of all time. A self-proclaimed anarchist, this Joker’s frenzied mannerisms and terrifyingly genius plans, all to force Batman to break his no killing rule, make him a force to be reckoned with. Heath Ledger is undeniably the greatest live action Joker of all time, and anyone who has watched "The Dark Knight" will eagerly advocate this sentiment.
1. Mark Hamill ("Batman: The Animated Series," "The Killing Joke").
Not only did Mark Hamill voice the Joker in "Batman: The Animated Series" and "The Killing Joke," he also starred as the Clown Prince in the video games, "Arkham Asylum" and "Arkham City." A fan favorite, Hamill (yes, the same Hamill that plays Luke Skywalker) was able to strike a perfect chord between the flashiness, flair and drama Romero’s Joker had and the dark humor and violent tendencies Heath Ledger’s Joker was prone to. Hamill’s laugh is an iconic one, as he has not one, but several laughs he uses for the Joker, each depending on the character’s mood. Mark Hamill’s Joker ultimately takes the top in his spot-on ability to toe the line between the elaborate prankster depicted in the comics of the '60s and the violent wildcard of a criminal kingpin that is more commonly seen in comics today.
