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Roland Daggett was an adversary of Batman. He made his debut appearance in Batman: The Animated Series as a corrupt and powerful businessman, and was voiced by Edward Asner. The President of Daggett Industries, a pharmaceutical company, Daggett was depicted as a large, physically imposing man with smoothed back reddish-brown hair and blue eyes.

History[]

As crooked as most businessmen, Roland Dagget was as crooked as they got. He's Gotham City's Lex Luthor, only creepier and more deviant. While Dagget attempted to give the image as an honest man to his colleagues and employees, most considered him a crooked and double-dealing man. Dagget was even responsible for creating Clayface. Daggett also unsuccessfully tried to spread a disease for which he only had the antidote for, which in doing so infected Selina Kyle, nearly killing her.

He went to prison, while his lawyers tried to find a loophole that would free him.

Feat of Clay Part I[]

Daggett Industries developed "Renuyu", a face cream which enabled the user to modify their face to their desire, and which Daggett was secretly going to sell through direct marketing since it would be rejected by stores for its addictive qualities. The only man addicted to the compound was Matt Hagen, an actor who was disfigured in a car accident and who committed crimes (in disguise) for Daggett in return for supplies of the formula. After Hagen botched an attempt to steal incriminating evidence from and kill Lucius Fox, Daggett plotted to have Hagen killed due to Batman's interference. He cut off Hagen's Renuyu supply, knowing that he would come to steal some. The plan worked, and Daggett's henchmen Raymond Bell and Germs force-fed untested fluids down his mouth and left him for dead. However, Hagen did not die. Instead, the chemicals morphed Hagen into a vengeful shapeshifter named Clayface.

Feat of Clay Part II[]

Daggett made preparations to take over Wayne Enterprises, by sending his henchman Germs to kill Fox in the hospital (although Batman foiled him). At the same time, Daggett went on television on the talk show Gotham Insider where he hoped to advertise the Renuyu as a mere face cream, but Clayface ambushed him during the show and attempted to kill him after he mentioned the addictive effects of Renuyu when he was disguised as a woman. Batman intervened and managed to stop Clayface (who secretly escaped by faking his death) and subdued Daggett. Daggett was mentioned to have been taken into custody after that.

Appointment in Crime Alley[]

In that episode, Daggett's main objective was to destroy Crime Alley with explosives with the help of arsonists Crocker and Nitro and blame it on the rupturing of an underground gas line, with the alibi of giving a speech somewhere else. The speech Dagget gave was how he planned to buy most the old buildings in Park Row with the intent of urban renewal. His speech also said a shopping mall would be built in its place, which looked like a chance for Gotham's unemployed. Batman, after he received information from a man who witnessed Crocker and Nitro tie up Dr. Leslie Thompkins (who saw them planting explosives) in a building rigged to explode, managed to disconnect some of the bombs, which reduced the number of destroyed buildings. Batman berated Daggett in public view about his hands in the explosion, and told him that he would be sent to prison once Crocker and Nitro confessed. Daggett, however, played his wits right, denied any involvement, and gave the image as a pillar of the community. Crocker and Nitro were taken to prison while Daggett went free. Although Batman was enraged that Daggett got away scot-free, Dr. Thompkins consoled Batman to let it go, and that "Daggett won't escape the law forever", a prediction that came true in the next episode where he was the villain.

Cat Scratch Fever[]

Daggett's next and possibly biggest scheme was to release a virus in Gotham that would make innocent cats and dogs into bloodthirsty predators, with the help of Professor Milo. Daggett enlisted two goons named Paunch and Jessy in his conspiracy to pose as animal control officers and capture as many stray animals as they could. One of them turned out to be Isis (the cat of Selina Kyle/Catwoman) who took matters into her own hands and investigated despite Batman's warnings that Selina could be arrested for probation violation and that Daggett was a dangerous man. However, Batman eventually came to Catwoman's aid, mostly because of his obvious personal concern for her. When Catwoman fell ill by being infected from the virus, Batman searched for a cure, whereupon he deduced the scam. When Batman accused Dagget of "concocting the poison and antidote in the same lab", Dagget fully admitted to this conspiracy, which would serve to increase his assets and bolster his business reputation, smirking that it "will make a hero, and a fortune as well".

Batman and Catwoman managed to put an end to Daggett's scheme, but that time they successfully acquired implicating evidence which went public. The newspaper had a headline that stated that Daggett had been arrested for medical fraud (though he quoted underneath his picture "I'm Innocent). Daggett was forced to declare bankruptcy, presumably because the virus conspiracy had ruined his company's reputation.

The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne[]

Daggett was only mentioned in that episode, although it was established that he had connections to Dr. Hugo Strange.

Batgirl Returns[]

In a desperate attempt to restore his image and company, Daggett stole a Jade Cat from a museum and hoped to sell it on the black market. Naturally, the police targeted Catwoman. Catwoman worked with Batgirl and tracked Daggett to an old lab (the same lab where Matt Hagen was turned into Clayface). Daggett's men captured Batgirl and Catwoman, who managed to escape with Robin's help. Catwoman resolved to kill Daggett there and then by dropping him into a vat of acid, but Batgirl and Robin convinced her otherwise, and she spared him. Daggett was then finally sent to prison. Although it was stated that his army of lawyers constantly tried to find a loophole that would set him free, Daggett was not seen or mentioned again in DCAU until The New Batman Adventures comic, Batman: Gotham Adventures.

Appearances[]

Batman: The Animated Series[]

Batman: Gotham Adventures[]

Behind the Scenes[]

Daggett takes many influences from different characters in comics, notably in personality and his status as a corrupt but untouchable businessman. He notably shares a number of similarities with the Modern Age Lex Luthor, particularly in personality. His design and demeanor also bears a striking similarity to Spider-Man villain Norman Osborn (minus the "Osborn Cornrows"). Daggett's actions in An Appointment in Crime Alley is similar to the amoral operations of infamous historic public official Robert Moses (1888-1981) who worked to bulldoze poor and marginalized neighbourhoods in New York City for his own buildings.

Some sources have claimed that Daggett was intended to serve as placeholder for Max Shreck, the secondary antagonist in Batman Returns. However, The Animated Series creators have dismissed this as a rumor, claiming that they had now intention of adapting the character.[citation needed]

Alongside crime boss Rupert Thorne, Daggett was one of the main recurring antagonists of the series who wasn't a member of the Rogue's Gallery, and was considered to be a possible forerunner to Batman Beyond villain, Derek Powers.

Trivia[]

  • Daggett and Daggett Industries were featured in The Dark Knight Rises, although Daggett's first name was changed to John instead of Roland. Several fan-theories have claimed that Roland was probably John's father.

References[]

External links[]

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