Sad news for Batman fans today as word has come longtime Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy has passed away. Details are scarce at the moment, but it seems he was suffering from an unspecified illness and passed away yesterday.
Conroy has had a long acting career, from the stage, television and animation. His first major job was in the 1980s soap opera Another World and went on to star in Search for Tomorrow, Dynasty, Tour of Duty and guest starred in sitcoms such as Cheers and Murphy Brown. The role he is most known for, however, is Batman/Bruce Wayne beginning with the 1992 show Batman: The Animated Series.
Conroy’s performance is a very beloved one among fans for how he was able to capture so many aspects of Batman’s character, from the differences between his Dark Knight and playboy Bruce Wayne personas to his gruff grittiness and compassion. He would go on to play Batman in Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, a BTAS theatrical release that explored how Bruce Wayne became Batman in a story many regard as one of the best Batman films ever made, live-action included. As DC expanded its world in animation to the DC Animated Universe, Conroy continued to voice Batman in Superman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, The Zeta Project, Static Shock, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited.
Even when the DCAU ended, Conroy continued playing the Dark Knight in several DC animated films that often reunited him with his co-stars Tim Daly and Susan Eisenberg. Conroy also returned for the popular Batman: Arkham video game franchise which includes Arkham Asylum, Arkham City and Arkham Knight, voicing alongside returning fan-favourite Mark Hamill as The Joker in the three games, as well as the Injustice video games. He played Batman regularly again in Justice League Action and guest starred as Batman in Teen Titans GO! and Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?.
Conroy’s legacy within the world of Batman is so legendary that he also guest starred as Dick Grayson/Robin’s father in The Batman animated series and the Phantom Stranger in an episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold. He finally got the chance to play Batman/Bruce Wayne in live-action in a brief guest appearance during the CW Arrowverse crossover Crisis on Infinite Earths, playing a version of Batman in the multiverse who was severely jaded.
In his personal life Conroy was gay, having seen the importance of coming out during the 80s AIDS epidemic and played a gay lawyer in Dynasty. Before passing he made his first foray in comic writing in DC Comics’ 2022 Pride Anthology with ‘Finding Batman’, an autobiographical story about his life and career as a gay man.
Many of Conroy’s colleagues have spoken out about his tragic passing. Batman: The Animated Series creator Paul Dini, voice director Andrea Romano and Mark Hamill released statements through DC.
— Paul_Dini (@Paul_Dini) November 11, 2022
“Kevin brought a light with him everywhere, whether in the recording booth giving it his all, or feeding first responders during 9/11, or making sure every fan who ever waited for him had a moment with their Batman,” Dini said. “A hero in every sense of the word. Irreplaceable. Eternal.”
“Kevin was far more than an actor whom I had the pleasure of casting and directing – he was a dear friend for 30+ years whose kindness and generous spirit knew no boundaries,” said Romano. “Kevin’s warm heart, delightfully deep laugh and pure love of life will be with me forever.”
“Kevin was perfection,” Mark Hamill said. “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. Kevin was a brilliant actor. For several generations, he has been the definitive Batman. It was one of those perfect scenarios where they got the exact right guy for the exact right part, and the world was better for it. His rhythms and subtleties, tones and delivery – that all also helped inform my performance. He was the ideal partner – it was such a complementary, creative experience. I couldn’t have done it without him. He will always be my Batman.”
RIP to Kevin Conroy and condolences to his family and friends.
Ricky Church – Follow me on Twitter for more movie news and nerd talk.
