Kevin Conroy, best known for voicing Batman, died Thursday at the age of 66 after a short battle with cancer.
The Peter Mayhew Foundation confirmed on Twitter that Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy passed away:
"Members of the Batman animated family are reporting that Kevin Conroy has passed away. We had the privilege of attending conventions alongside Kevin over the years and are heartbroken by this news."
Diana Pershing, who voiced Poison Ivy in Batman: The Animated Series, shared a heartfelt tribute to Conroy on Facebook:
"Very sad news: 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. Below are pictures of Kevin with Loren Lester who plays Robin another with me and Tara Strong who is in the later episodes of Batman cartoons. And then finally, one of Kevin and me in front of the huge audiences we used to get when we did our panels. RIP, friend."
Paul Dini, the producer of Batman: The Animated Series, paid tribute to Conroy by posting an image of the Dark Knight from the show:
In an official release from Warner Bros. Discovery, Dini shared his heartfelt thoughts about Conroy:
"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. A hero in every sense of the word. Irreplaceable. Eternal."
Batman: The Animated Series casting and voice director Andrea Romano, via Gizmodo, offered her kind words to Conroy, describing him as someone who has a "warm heart, delightfully deep laugh, and pure love of life:"
“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. Kevin’s warm heart, delightfully deep laugh and pure love of life will be with me forever.”
Mark Hamill, who starred opposite Conroy's Batman as the Joker, said in his tribute that "Kevin was perfection:"
“Kevin was perfection. 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.”
The Star Wars legend continued by providing an emotional statement about his "ideal partner:"
"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."
Tara Strong, who voiced Harley Quinn in the animated series, opened up about Conroy's death on social media:
"I don’t have the words. Not today. My heart is broken. There will never be another. He IS #Batman. #RIPLEGEND"
DC Studios head James Gunn briefly reacted to the news about Conroy's death with a simple praying emoji.
Conroy served as the voice of the Dark Knight in various media, such as Batman: The Animated Series and Justice League. The actor also portrayed a live-action Bruce Wayne in the Arrowverse's Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover.
Conroy also voiced Batman in a number of video games including the Arkham series, LEGO DC Super-Villains, and Injustice: Gods Among Us.
The legendary voice actor also published a heartfelt story in DC Comics’ 2022 Pride Anthology, talking about his experiences as the only openly gay actor to play the Dark Knight. The story, “Finding Batman,” discusses his struggles to find work in the film industry as a gay man, and how becoming Batman was a turning point in his life and for his identity.
Aside from his voice acting career, Conroy had a stellar run in films and TV, with iconic roles in Search for Tomorrow, Dynasty, Ohara, and Tour of Duty. The actor also served as a guest star on shows, such as Cheers, Search for Tomorrow, Matlock, and Murphy Brown.
In the 1980s, Conroy acted in a plethora of theater plays, including the Broadway productions of Lolita and Eastern Standard.
Conroy's final performance as Batman was for DC's MultiVersus video game.
For many, Conroy is the definitive Batman since his incredible portrayal perfectly showcased the DC hero's attributes.
Conroy is survived by his husband Vaughn C. Williams, sister Trisha Conroy, and brother Tom Conroy.
(Kevin Conroy image via Simon King - Wikimedia Commons)
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