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JOKER/JACK NAIPER - Jack Nicholson

The Joker - rarely the most stable person under any circumstances - is not happy. Formerly known as Jack Napier, one of Gotham's prominent thugs, he emerged from a horrible accident with a malevolent new persona. Now, his face bone-white, his hair green, his lips scarlet and his body outfitted in a grotesque variation of the traditional clown's costume, The Joker's sinister plans for the citizens of Gotham are in constant dnger of being thwarted by Batman's strength and cunning. ''Can somebody tell me,'' sneers the Joker, ''what kind of a world we live in where a man dressed up as a bat gets all of my press?!?!'' moments after shooting a TV-set showing news about Gotham's spectre.

For the role of the Joker - who mixes clownish humor and chilling evil - the filmakers knew whom they wanted… and that was Jack Nicholson. Producer Jon Peters, who had previously worked with Nicholson on ''The Witches Of Eastwick'' approached the actor, who finally became seriously interested and flew over to England to meet with Peters. ''He met Tim (Burton) and saw Beetlejuice, which he loved'', remembers Peters. ''When we told him we wanted Michael Keaton for Batman, Jack liked the idea immediately because it was an out-of-the-ordinary choice''.

Thus Nicholson donned white face and costume to bring The Joker to screen life. ''In a way'', explains director Tim Burton, ''the two characters of Batman and The Joker are related, one the flip side of the other. It's that particular theme, which is from the comic book, that we wanted explored even more in the film.'' He describes Jack Nicholson as ''perfect cating - almost too perfect. He simply is The Joker.'' With a record number of Oscar nominations plus two actual awards there are very few actors who would have brought so much expertise to such a mammoth project. His previous roles in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, The Shining, The Witches of Eastwick have laid the best foundations for roles of psychopaths. (Batman creator) Bob Kane says, ''I have always considered Jack to be the ideal Joker.'' He is one of the few actors who cvan convey both wickedness and fun in the twinkle of an eye.

The balancing of the performances of Nicholson and Keaton was absolutely imperative in Burton's vision of the film: ''It would have been too easy for Jack top dominate the action - Michael's energy is very important - they have a very similar style, they even have the same eyebrows!''

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BOSS CARL GRISSOM - Jack Palance

He is the murderous head of Gotham's underworld, a job his deputy, Jack Napier, would dearly love. Grissom realizes Napier's plans of killing him to replace him as head of the ''family'' and tries to dispose of him. However, Napier survives and re-emerges as the Joker, and kills Grissom. Jack Palance is an old hand at playing villains and heroes, and his credits include I Died A Thousand Times and Dracula. He received an Oscar Nomination for the classic western Shane.

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ALICIA HUNT - Jerry Hall

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BOB - Tracey Walter

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