**Pat Hingle (1923-2009)** was an American actor recognized for his long and prolific career as a versatile film and television character actor. With a robust and often gruff screen presence, Hingle excelled at portraying authority figures, from police officers to judges, from military personnel to stern yet paternal characters.

He is perhaps most famous for portraying **Commissioner James Gordon** in four films of the Batman saga: *Batman* (1989), *Batman Returns*, *Batman Forever*, and *Batman & Robin*. Hingle was also a frequent collaborator of Clint Eastwood, appearing in films such as *Hang 'Em High*, *Sudden Impact*, and *Tightrope*, often lending his face to law enforcement or influential figures. His reliability and ability to embody characters both upright and ambiguous made him a recognizable and appreciated figure in the Hollywood landscape.