BATMAN: TAS Actor Kevin Conroy Dead at 66
Actor Kevin Conroy, best known for his work as the voice of Batman in a number of animated projects, has died at the age of 66 after a battle with cancer.
Representatives confirmed the news this morning after rumors started to circulate online last night. Conroy’s co-stars, Adrienne Barbeau and Diane Pershing, each had posted the news, although Barbeau’s Instagram post quickly disappeared (it’s now back on Instagram).
Conroy established records as the voice of the Dark Knight Detective, performing in nearly sixty productions in animation and video games. In total, his work as Batman covered fifteen films, nearly 400 episodes of Batman: The Animated Series and its successor, more than one hundred hours of television. He also appeared as a multiverse version of Bruce Wayne in live action during the CW’s Arrowverse crossover event “Crisis On Infinite Earths” based on the 12-issue comic book event from DC.
“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 Emmy Award winning casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano. “Kevin’s warm heart, delightfully deep laugh and pure love of life will be with me forever.”
Born in 1955, Conroy began his acting career on stage at age 17, making his way to the prestigious Julliard School, where he studied with John Houseman alongside classmates Christopher Reeve and Robin Williams. He received rave reviews for his performances in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Last Yankee, Eastern Standard, and Hamlet, where he played the title role. His career in film and television began with recurring and guest roles on shows such as Another World, Dynasty, Matlock, Ohara, and Murphy Brown.
But it was his iconic performance as Bruce Wayne/Batman in TAS that shot him to stardom. For many fans, Conroy’s is the definitive Batman — grim when necessary, compassionate when you least expect it, and three-dimensional as both sides of the character.
“Kevin was perfection,” recalled Mark Hamill, who redefined the Joker playing opposite Conroy’s Batman. “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 brought a light with him everywhere,” said Paul Dini, producer of Batman: The Animated Series, “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.”
Pershing wrote on her Facebook page, “…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.”
Conroy is survived by husband Vaughn Williams, sister Trisha Conroy, and brother Tom Conroy. Memorial services are pending.
