FIRST stepping into the iconic role of Batman/Bruce Wayne in the highly acclaimed and still revered Batman: The Animated Series from 1992-96, Kevin Conroy defined the character for generations of fans. He died late last night at the age of 66 after a battle with cancer.
In addition to that beloved cartoon, Conroy continued playing the character in nearly 60 different productions, spanning 15 films and 400 episodes of television as well as video games, including the Arkham series. He was also a prolific presence at comic conventions.
“Kevin was far more than an actor whom I had the pleasure of casting and directing – he was a dear friend for 30-plus years whose kindness and generous spirit knew no boundaries,” said casting and dialogue director Andrea Romano. “Kevin’s warm heart, delightfully deep laugh and pure love of life will be with me forever.”
Mark Hamill – Luke Skywalker to many – played Batman’s archrival the Joker opposite Conroy for many years, issued a warm statement honouring his frequent collaborator.
“Kevin was perfection,” he 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.”
Born on November 30, 1955, in Westbury, New York, Conroy studied acting at Juilliard – alongside on-screen Superman Christopher Reeve. He had a career onstage and on soap operas in the 1980s, as well as guest spots on a number of shows.
His career finally took off when Batman: The Animated Series debuted on September 5, 1992.
“I remember Mark and I were at the WB sound studio to do ADR work and we got to watch the opening credits,” Conroy told The Hollywood Reporter in 2017. “We hear the opening theme with the strings and the lush colors. It was incredibly dramatic. And I looked at Mark and said, ‘Did you have a clue this is what we were doing?’ He said, ‘No, I’m blown away!’ We both felt we were a part of something really special.”
While movie starts like Michael Keaton, Christian Bale and Ben Affleck played Batman on the big screen, with different takes on the character, with fans and detractors both, Conroy put a lot of thought himself into playing the character.
“Early on, I said, ‘This is the most famous and powerful guy in Gotham. Are you telling me he just puts on a mask and no one knows it’s him? Seriously? There’s got to be more to the disguise,’ ” Conroy told THR in 2017.
“My template for the two voices was the 1930s film The Scarlet Pimpernel. I played Bruce Wayne as sort of a humorous playboy to counteract the brooding nature of Batman.”
In 1993, he played Batman in the animated film Mask of the Phantasm, which has become a cult favourite over the years, and which Conroy has called his favourite performance.
Conroy is survived by his husband, Vaughn C. Williams, sister Trisha Conroy and brother Tom Conroy. – The Vibes, November 12, 2022
