The old image of a ''Butler'' is a stiff person in a suit with a British accent, seen in shows such as Downtown Abbey and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air but oh how times have changed.
Butlers in present times do much more than just serve tea and receive guests. Over the past centuries the profession has evolved into something that can be better described as ''Estate & Lifestyle Manager''.
Responsibilities shifted from hovering around in a black and white tuxedo, to overseeing all tasks and projects ranging from finances to staffing to scheduling. At it's core, the modern-day butler's job is about making the household & lives of the principle run smoothly.
In the various Batman movies, Wayne Manor seemed to be single-handedly managed by Alfred Pennyworth. However, the most realistic scene in regards to his profession can be seen in the opening scenes of The Dark Knight Rises, where Alfred directs various servers, chefs and housekeepers in a way that the guests never see the effort involved.
If a butler is doing his or her job right, it will seem like they're doing nothing at all. They can be viewed as the ''invisible helpers'', the oil of the engine that keeps all the parts moving. When it comes to keeping the personal lives of the world's most rich and powerful people moving along, the famous old line turns out to be true:
''The Butler did it''
