Batman actor Kevin Conroy dies at the age of 66

Kevin Conroy: Voice of Batman Batman: The Animated SeriesNumerous animated productions as well as Injustice and Arkham video games franchises have all been lost to death at the age of 66.

Diane Pershing (a fellow voice actor), who voices Poison Ivy B:TAS, first shared the news on her Facebook page, writing “Our beloved voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, died yesterday. He’s been ill for a while but he really put in a lot of time at the cons, to the joy of all of his fans. He will be sorely missed not just by the cast of the series but by his legion of fans all over the world.”

DC Animation publicity confirmed Conroy’s death in a news release.

Conroy was a Juilliard student and studied acting alongside comedian Robin Williams. Before entering television in soap-opera and guest roles on series such as “Satellite”, Conroy started his professional career in New York’s theatre scene. Dynasty, CheersPlease see the following: Matlock.

According to Conroy’s own writing, he was in his 30s when his voiceover agent connected him with the production behind Batman: The Animated SeriesAndrea Romano, the legendary casting director. The 1992 series came to define Conroy’s career in an era when animated TV superhero adventures came far, far more frequently than any live-action production. This dynamic helped Conroy become the actor most associated with Batman over a decade.

“Kevin was far more than an actor whom I had the pleasure of casting and directing,” Romano said in DC Animation’s news release, “he was a dear friend for 30+ years whose kindness and generous spirit knew no boundaries.”

Conroy’s performance as Batman was rivaled only by Mark Hamill’s turn as the character’s nemesis, the Joker. Better known for his iconic live-action role as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise, Hamill once told Rotten Tomatoes, “When they offer me [Joker] roles now, I say, ‘Is Kevin doing it?’ […] I don’t even have to read the script, if Kevin’s doing it I’ll do it.”

Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill sit across from each other on a panel stage, chatting. — Conroy and Hamill, Fan Expo Canada 2016,

“Kevin was perfection,” Hamill said in DC Animation’s news release. “He was one of my favorite people on the planet, and I loved him like a brother. He truly cared for the people around him — his decency shone through everything he did. Every time I saw him or spoke with him, my spirits were elevated.”

After Batman: The Animated SeriesThe softly relaunched series is titled. The New Adventures of BatmanIts lauded feature film was titled “The Greatest Film Ever Made”. Batman: Mask of the PhantasmConroy was able to continue his relationship with the character. B:TAS spinoffs like Batman BeyondAnd Justice League UnlimitedAnimated Original Movies, and DC Universe Animated Movies. He voiced his signature superhero over 15 films in all, 15 different animated shows, and “two dozen video games,” according to DC Animation — most notably the Arkham franchise, which broke a legendary streak of terrible comic-book-to-video-game adaptations.

Conroy made his only appearance as a live-action version of Batman in 2019, playing an older version of Bruce Wayne in the CW’s Crisis on Infinite Earths event.

Many who were exposed to the highly influential, groundbreaking films as children will be grateful. Batman: The Animated Series, the sound of Conroy’s voice is inseparable from the character of Batman. A dozen Batman and Bruce Wayne actors later, Conroy’s performance is still distinguished by its realism and restraint, something he was known to chide film actors like Christian Bale over. It’s often pointed out that he had two distinct modes as Batman, both of which are simple variations on his natural speaking voice. To contrast his rich and light Bruce Wayne baritone, he had a drop-register Batman that was more pronounced with a slight growl. What’s less remarked upon is that he actually had a Middle You can also register for the performance: Batman in his cowl, Batman in his private cowl, Bruce Wayne in public. Not to mention his voice as his co-lead. elderly Bruce Wayne Batman Beyond.)

Conroy’s performance is legendary, but it’s less well known that his performance came directly from his experience as a gay man facing Hollywood adversity. In DC Comics’ DC Pride 2022Anthology Issue. Conroy wrote a nine page memoir about his life before landing the Batman role. It was drawn by J. Bone. With heartbreaking precision, the story details Conroy’s determination to achieve dreams of love And creative fulfillment, in spite of the setbacks of individual and systemic bigotry — set over the background of a deadly, ignored pandemic decimating his friends and colleagues.

Kevin Conroy and friends sit by the hospice bed of a friend in the final stages of AIDS. Narration boxes explain that they are easing him through dementia by pretending that they are rehearsing a play he wrote about being gay and living with AIDS in Hollywood, in DC Pride 2022.

“They talked me through the character,” he writes in the comic, of his Batman: The Animated Series audition. “Explained how young Bruce Wayne had seen his parents murdered in front of him in Crime Alley. His dual identities to manage the pain of childhood. There was one public mask that reflected his confidence and another private, racked with conflict and wounded. Could I relate to that, they asked.”

“Yes, I can relate.”