Carl Grissom was a notorious crime boss who appeared in Tim Burton's 1989 Batman film. He was portrayed by the late Jack Palance.
At some point, Boss Grissom discovered that his top lieutenant Jack Napier was having an affair with his mistress Alicia. His plans for revenge against Jack coincided with the DA Harvey Dent's attempts to connect him with Axis Chemicals, and so Grissom orders Jack to lead a group to the chemical plant to seize the evidence left there before the cops find it. Grissom then calls Max Eckhardt, his inside man with the police, and orders him to arrest Napier.
When Eckhardt and his squad raid Axis, the lieutenant is killed by Napier and Napier himself is confronted by Batman. After being injured and falling into a vat of chemical waste, Napier is assumed dead, but the crazed gangster survives and is reborn as the Joker.
Death[]
Batman 1989 The Joker kills Carl Grissom
After the raid on Axis, Grissom has just come out of the shower and settles down at his desk when Jack returns. Grissom feigns relief but Napier isn't about to be fooled again and points a gun at the old man. Grissom tries to cut a deal with Jack but is mortified when Jack steps into the light, revealing his new identity as the Joker. The Joker then shoots Grissom repeatedly until he dies in his office.