Per a statement from his agency, Kevin Conroy, the voice of Batman in Batman: The Animated Series, and several other DC Animated Universe TV shows and films, has died following a short battle with cancer. He was only 66 years old. Widely regarded as the definitive Batman actor, Conroy also voiced the Dark Knight in numerous non-DCAU projects, including Rocksteady Studios’ Arkham video game trilogy, and portrayed a live-action version of the character for 2019’s CW crossover “Crisis on Infinite Earths.”
Conroy was born in Westbury, New York, on November 30, 1955, and trained at the Juilliard School for performing arts, where he studied alongside actors like Christopher Reeve, Frances Conroy (no relation), and his roommate Robin Williams. He performed Shakespeare and Miller on stage in Broadway and San Diego during the 1980s, when he also began to break into TV with roles on Dynasty, Cheers, Murphy Brown, Matlock, and many more.
It was in 1992 that Conroy debuted as the voice of Bruce Wayne/Batman on Batman: The Animated Series, a role that he would reprise on Superman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, Justice League, Static Shock, and more, as well as films like Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Return of the Joker, and Justice League vs. the Fatal Five. He continued to portray Batman in films, TV shows and video games set in and outside the DCAU, and lent his vocals to different characters in other DC projects like Batman: The Brave and the Bold. At the time of his passing, he was planning to return as the DCAU’s Batman once again for an audio podcast revival written by series producer Alan Burnett.
Conroy’s post-Batman roles also included voicing characters in The Venture Bros, Ben 10, and Masters of the Universe: Revelation. He was also renowned for volunteering to cook for 9/11 first responders. Earlier this year, Conroy, who was openly gay, wrote about his experiences as a young gay actor in the 1970s in the “DC Pride 2022” story ‘Finding Batman,’ illustrated by J. Bone with lettering by Aditya Bidikar. He is survived by his husband Vaughn C. Williams, sister Trisha Conroy, and brother Tom Conroy. Many of Conroy’s colleagues have paid tribute to him, including Mark Hamill, who regularly sparred with Conroy as the Joker during his appearances as Batman.
“Kevin was a brilliant actor,” Hamill said. “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.”
Andrea Romano, casting and dialogue director on much of Conroy’s Batman projects, said, “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.” Paul Dini, one of the DCAU’s lead writers, added, “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.”
