Carey Rottman, one of those injured in last Friday's shooting at a theatre showing The Dark Knight Rises, posted two photos of himself with Bale on his Facebook page. Hospital staff also posted a Facebook photo of the actor with some staff members.

An online campaign had urged Bale to visit survivors of the shooting.

After visiting The Medical Centre of Aurora, Bale and his wife Sibi Blazic stopped by a makeshift memorial to the victims near the movie theatre. He walked among the 12 crosses erected for each of the slain victims.

Many people there didn't realise who he was or chose to leave him alone.

A Warner Bros. spokeswoman told The Denver Post that Bale was representing himself, not the movie studio.

Bale, who stars as Batman in The Dark Knight Rises, previously issued a written statement saying: "Words cannot express the horror that I feel. I cannot begin to truly understand the pain and grief of the victims and their loved ones, but my heart goes out to them."

President Barack Obama and members of the Denver Broncos also have made hospital visits to some of the survivors.