# Batman penguin costume help



## Spats (Sep 21, 2006)

This is a real pain. I tried to make a traditional Penguin outfit work one year - didn't have enough time and resources.

First thing you need to do is get a fat suit, rent one from a costume shop (unless you already have the Penguins build)
Then start googling formalwear at wholesale.
The original (and in my opinion, more accurate) Penguin wore a black tail coat with cream colored bowtie and vest, with gray striped nailhead slacks and white spats.
Burtons version actually wore what we call daywear or morningwear - a charcoal cutaway or swallowtail coat, with snowflake patterned cravat and vest, nailhead striped slacks and sadly,...

no spats.

Then there is the issue of the face. I've never seen a facial prosthetic for Burtons version, but the classic Penguin look is a long straight nose, often called a Cyrano, because the nose is made by makeup companies for that character on stage.

The hands are an issue. Burton gave him flippers in blacker rubber gloves.
The actual Penguin wore white dress gloves on his very normal hands.

Finally, start looking for a costume top hat and a monocle, which can be held in place with surgical adhesive if you can't 'squint' and hold it over your eye.

As for an umbrella, you are on your own there. Antique and pawn shops might be the best bet.

And if you don't have a cigarette in a cigarette holder, you've missed the point.
Bob Kane, the creator of Batman, thought up the idea of the Penguin while smoking a pack of Kools, which back in the day sported, as their logo...

a penguin.

Despite the fact I despise what a ruination Burton made of one of my favorite comic book villains, I can look at both versions with a technical eye and tell you it can be done, but it is a serious chore.
The Penguin represents high end costuming, like an accurate Ghostbusters rig or a full suit of accurate medieval armor.


----------



## Ripper666 (Aug 10, 2010)

i'm not gonna do burtons. Prob Burgess Meredith's penguin


----------



## Ripper666 (Aug 10, 2010)

Its a group effort I'm gonna be Penguin my Fiancees gonna be catwoman and my friends gonna be Joker. cant talk them into doing Cesare's Joker or Julies Catwoman so were doing different eras. I'm VINTAGE my friends comic book Joker and my fiancees Halle berry catwoman


----------



## Ripper666 (Aug 10, 2010)

what color top hat cream?


----------



## Ripper666 (Aug 10, 2010)

found this tailcoat.

http://www.etuxedo.com/tailcoats/tailcoat_99.htm

gonna look at thrift stores


----------



## Spats (Sep 21, 2006)

Ripper666 said:


> what color top hat cream?


Well, Black in the comics. To show black in a bright light, the highlight was sometimes painted purple.

I mention this because Burgess Merediths Penguin translated that literally, so that he had a bright purple top hat.

Me, I'd stick with black. Finding a purple one might be tricky.

Another note on Merediths Penguin - he had a long vest made of a white faux fur, to look more like an actual penguin, a choice the actor made.

He also had quit smoking years before the Batman TV series in the 60s, so when the smoke from the cigarette holder trickled down his throat, he'd clear his throat with that classic "Waah, wa-wah, wahhh" sound.
It became the Penguins catch phrase (catch noise?) and all Penguins, including Burtons, the animated versions, etc, have had their Penguin make that sound.
Bob Kane even started writing it into the Penguins dialogue for the comics.


----------



## The Real Joker (Sep 8, 2008)

This might help: 

http://www.therpf.com/f24/1966-penguin-costume-help-me-brothers-46724/


----------



## Spats (Sep 21, 2006)

As might this, way cheaper than Uniformal Warehouse.

http://www.myowntuxedo.com/default.aspx

BTW, Joker, good thread.


----------

