Kevin Conroy | |
---|---|
![]() Conroy at the 2021 GalaxyCon Raleigh | |
Born | Westbury, New York, U.S. | November 30, 1955
Died | November 10, 2022 New York City, U.S. | (aged 66)
Education | Juilliard School (BFA) |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1978–2022 |
Spouse | Vaughn C. Williams |
Website | realkevinconroy |
Signature | |
![]() |
Kevin Conroy (November 30, 1955 – November 10, 2022)[1] was an American actor. He appeared in a variety of stage performances, television series, and television films, but earned worldwide fame for his voice portrayal of the DC Comics superhero Batman in various animated media, beginning with the acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series in 1992.[2][3] Conroy went on to voice the character for multiple animated television series, feature films, and video games over the next three decades.
Conroy was born on November 30, 1955, in Westbury, New York,[1] into an Irish Catholic family. He moved to Westport, Connecticut, when he was about 11 years old. He had three older siblings.[4]
Due to the tumultuous environment in his home, Conroy lived with a family friend during his last year of high school. Conroy's father was an alcoholic and once attempted suicide while Conroy was in high school.[5] In adulthood, Conroy was estranged from his father for many years but reconciled shortly before his death. He was at both his mother's side and his father's side when they died.[6][7]
Conroy moved to New York City in 1973 when he earned a full scholarship to attend the Juilliard School's drama division, studying under actor/director John Houseman. While there, he roomed with Robin Williams, who was in the same group as both Conroy and Kelsey Grammer.[8] After graduating from Juilliard in 1978, he toured with Houseman's performing group The Acting Company, and the following year he went on the national tour of Ira Levin's Deathtrap.[9][4] Conroy and his co-star Brian Bedford did not get along, and got into an on-stage brawl during the opening night performance of Deathtrap at the Kennedy Center.[6]
In 1980, after playing the role of Jerry Grove in the New York-based daytime soap opera Another World, Conroy moved out to California to pursue further work in television. Conroy became associated with the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, California, where he performed in productions of Hamlet and A Midsummer Night's Dream. From 1980 to 1985, he acted in a variety of contemporary and classic theater pieces, including the Broadway productions of Edward Albee's adaptation of Lolita and Eastern Standard. He told The New York Times that, as a gay man living in New York in the time of the AIDS epidemic, he "went to so many funerals that [he] felt such a sense of obligation" to portray the character of a TV producer secretly living with AIDS in Eastern Standard.[4]
Conroy returned to television in the 1985 TV film Covenant and had a role on another daytime soap drama, Search for Tomorrow. Conroy played gay lawyer Bart Fallmont on Dynasty from 1985 to 1986.[10] He was a series regular on Ohara in 1987, and as the company commander on Tour of Duty from 1987 to 1988, before starring in a series of television films. Though initially cast as one of the show's main characters, his role on the show was reduced while it filmed in Hawaii and he ended up spending much of his time making portraits of tourists on the Honolulu boardwalk. Conroy also guest starred on shows such as Cheers, Search for Tomorrow, Matlock and Murphy Brown.[11]
As a voice actor, Conroy is best known for his starring role in Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995).[12][13] He was notably the first voice actor to alter his voice tone between portraying Batman and Bruce Wayne, which Michael Keaton had previously done in Tim Burton's live-action Batman films.[9] However, Conroy based his dual-voice performance on Leslie Howard in the 1934 film The Scarlet Pimpernel.[14] He continued to voice Batman in various animated spin-off productions, which collectively took place in what is known as the DC Animated Universe (DCAU). These spin-offs include the TV shows The New Batman Adventures (1997–1999), Batman Beyond (1999–2001, in which he portrays an elderly Bruce Wayne retired from crimefighting), Justice League (2001–2004), and Justice League Unlimited (2004–2006), as well as the theatrical film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993),[15][16] and the direct-to-video films Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero (1998), Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000), and Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (2003). He also voiced Batman in guest appearances in Superman: The Animated Series, Static Shock and The Zeta Project.[17]
I often marveled at how appropriate it was that I should land this role. As a gay boy growing up in the 1950's and 60's in a devoutly Catholic family, I'd grown adept at concealing parts of myself. Of putting aspects of myself in a separate box and locking it away.
—Kevin Conroy, from his autobiographical comic Finding Batman[18]
Conroy went on to voice Batman in the direct-to-video DC Universe Animated Original Movies: Batman: Gotham Knight (2008), Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009), Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (2010), Justice League: Doom (2012), Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013), Batman: Assault on Arkham (2014), Batman: The Killing Joke (2016), Batman and Harley Quinn (2017), and Justice League vs. the Fatal Five (2019).[11][19][20] He later returned to voicing Batman on TV for the animated series Justice League Action (2016-2018),[21] along with guest appearances on Teen Titans Go! and Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?. In a tally of the actor's performances that include his every episode and film portrayal of Batman, Conroy portrayed the character longer than any other actor in live-action and animation.[22] The previous record-holder was Olan Soule, who voiced Batman in various animated works between the late 1960s and early 1980s (including Super Friends).
After the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City, Conroy participated in relief efforts by volunteering to cook for police officers and firefighters. During an audio commentary on Batman: Gotham Knight, Conroy expressed his surprise at the reaction of the emergency service workers to his presence. At the behest of another cook, Conroy called out from the kitchen to the dining area in his "Batman voice", reciting the iconic line, "I am vengeance! I am the night! I am Batman!" (from the BTAS episode "Nothing to Fear"[23]). This was greeted by cheers and applause from emergency service personnel, many of whom had been fans of Batman: The Animated Series during its airing in the 1990s. Conroy confessed to being humbled and deeply flattered by the reaction.[24]
Conroy also voiced Batman for multiple video games, including the Batman: Arkham series. Following the release of Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009) and Batman: Arkham City (2011), he stated at the 2013 Dallas Comic Con that he had been working on "the next Arkham", leading to rampant speculation that he would reprise his role in Batman: Arkham Origins. In June 2013, however, it was confirmed that Conroy would not be involved in Arkham Origins (Batman was instead voiced by Roger Craig Smith in that game), meaning Conroy may had been referring to a yet-unannounced game from the Arkham series.[25] He would ultimately reprise the role for the fourth game in the series, titled Batman: Arkham Knight (2015).[26] The forthcoming game, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will mark his final performance as Batman.[27]
He confirmed on Twitter in October 2013 that he had filmed a role on Tim Daly's web series The Daly Show,[28] where Conroy parodied his role as Batman in a fight with Daly parodying Superman (whom Daly previously voiced in Superman: The Animated Series).[29]
Conroy portrayed Bruce Wayne of Earth-99 in live-action in the Batwoman episode of Arrowverse crossover "Crisis on Infinite Earths". This was his only live-action portrayal of the character.[30]
Mark Hamill, Conroy's frequent voice actor co-star as the Joker, spoke highly of working with Conroy. Regarding his willingness to be involved in a Batman-related project, Hamill says, "When they offer me roles now, I say, 'Is Kevin doing it?' ... I don't even have to read the script, if Kevin's doing it I'll do it."[31]
In a 2016 interview with The New York Times promoting the animated adaptation of The Killing Joke, Conroy revealed that he was gay.[4] As part of DC Comics' 2022 Pride anthology, Conroy wrote "Finding Batman", a story that recounted his life and experiences as a gay man. It received critical acclaim upon release.[32] He was married to Vaughn C. Williams at the time of his death.[33][34]
Conroy made an effort to conceal his homosexuality throughout most of his career. He spoke in "Finding Batman" about the discrimination he faced once potential collaborators and employers found out about his homosexuality. Conroy said that on multiple occasions he had been removed from consideration for acting jobs due to his sexual orientation.[35][36]
In the 2016 United States Presidential Election Conroy supported Hillary Clinton, and described Donald Trump as "a xenophobic, narcissistic clown, who's only interested in himself".[37]
Conroy made frequent appearances at comic book conventions; his last convention was in Connecticut in July 2022.[38]
Conroy died at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City from intestinal cancer on November 10, 2022, at age 66. He did not publicly disclose that he was ill.[39] Conroy's death was announced in a press release issued by parent company Warner Bros. Discovery.[40] Upon news of his death, DC Comics gave free online access to "Finding Batman" as a way to honor Conroy. “Finding Batman” went on to win the 2023 Eisner Award for Best Short Story.[41] His co-stars, such as Mark Hamill[42] Tim Daly,[43] Clancy Brown and numerous other figures paid tribute on social media.[44]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1992 | Chain of Desire | Joe | [45] |
1993 | Batman: Mask of the Phantasm | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice role[17] |
1998 | Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero | Voice role, direct-to-video[17] | |
2000 | Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker | ||
2003 | Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman | ||
2005 | The Complete Robin Storyboard Sequence | ||
2008 | Batman: Gotham Knight | ||
2009 | Superman/Batman: Public Enemies | ||
2010 | Superman/Batman: Apocalypse | ||
2012 | Justice League: Doom | ||
2013 | Jay & Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie! | The Mayor of Red Bank | Voice role[46] |
Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice role, direct-to-video[17] | |
Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics | Himself[47][48] | Documentary | |
I Know That Voice | |||
2014 | Russian Yeti: The Killer Lives | Narrator | Voice role, documentary[49] |
Alfred | Alfred | Short film | |
Batman: Assault on Arkham | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice role, direct-to-video[17] | |
2015 | Batman vs. Robin | Thomas Wayne | Voice role, direct-to-video[50] |
2016 | Batman: The Killing Joke | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice role, limited theatrical release[17] |
Yoga Hosers | Canadian Bat, Man! | [51] | |
2017 | Batman and Harley Quinn | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice role, direct-to-video[17] |
2019 | Justice League vs. the Fatal Five |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1978 | How to Pick Up Girls! | Bartender | Television film[52] |
1980 | Another World | Jerry Grove | Recurring role[53] |
1982 | Born Beautiful | Stan[54][55] | Television film |
A Midsummer Night's Dream | Lysander[56] | ||
1983 | A Fine Romance | Phil [57] | |
Kennedy | Ted Kennedy | Miniseries[58] | |
1984 | George Washington | John Laurens | 1 episode[59] |
1984–85 | Search for Tomorrow | Chase Kendall | 79 episodes[53] |
1985 | Covenant | Stephen | Television film[60][61] |
1985–86 | Dynasty | Bart Fallmont | Recurring role; season 6[46] |
1986 | Matlock | Clark Harrison | Episode: "The Affair"[46] |
Kay O'Brien | David | Episode: "Princess of the City" | |
Spenser: For Hire | Gallagher | Episode: "Shadowsight"[62] | |
1987 | Ohara | Captain Lloyd Hamilton | Main role; season 1[46] |
1987–88 | Tour of Duty | Captain Rusty Wallace | Recurring role; season 1[46] |
1988 | Killer Instinct | Dr. Steven Nelson | Television film[63] |
1990 | So Proudly We Hail | Francis Crosby | Television film[64] |
1989–90 | Cheers | Darryl Mead | 2 episodes[65] |
1990 | The Face of Fear | Frank Dwight Bollinger | Television film[66] |
WIOU | Lenny Lubinsky | Episode: "Pilot"[67] | |
1991 | Murphy Brown | Roger Harris | Episode: "Terror on the 17th Floor"[65] |
Hi Honey – I'm Dead | Brad Stadler | Television film[68] | |
1992 | Rachel Gunn, R.N. | Dr. David Dunkle | Main role[69] |
The Secret Passion of Robert Clayton | Hunter Roy Evans | Television film[70] | |
Battle in the Erogenous Zone | Mondo Ray | Television short[71] | |
1992–95 | Batman: The Animated Series | Bruce Wayne / Batman, additional voices | Voice role, main role[17] |
1994 | Island City | Colonel Tom Valdoon | Television film[72] |
1994 | The New Adventures of Captain Planet | Army Corps of Engineers Official | Voice role, episode: "Jail House Flock"[65] |
1995 | The Office | Steve Gilman | Main role[66] |
1996 | The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest | Hardman | Voice role, episode: "Manhattan Maneater"[65] |
1997–99 | The New Batman Adventures | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice role, main role[17] |
Superman: The Animated Series | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice role, recurring role[17] | |
1999–2001 | Batman Beyond | Bruce Wayne / Batman, Stage Batman | Voice role, main role[17] |
2001 | The Zeta Project | Bruce Wayne | Voice role, episode: "Shadows"[17] |
2001–04 | Justice League | Bruce Wayne / Batman, additional voices | Voice role, main role[17] |
2002–04 | Static Shock | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice role, 5 episodes[17] |
2004–06 | Justice League Unlimited | Bruce Wayne / Batman, Joe Chill | Voice role, main role[17] |
2006 | The Batman | John Grayson | Voice role, episode: "A Matter of Family"[17] |
2008 | Ben 10: Alien Force | Bellicus, Warrior #2 | Voice role, episode: "X = Ben + 2"[17] |
2009, 2013 | The Venture Bros. | Captain Sunshine | Voice role, 2 episodes[65] |
2010 | Batman: The Brave and the Bold | Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, Phantom Stranger | Voice role, 2 episodes[17] |
2013 | DC Nation Shorts: Tales of Metropolis | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice role, episode: "Lois Lane"[73] |
2014 | DC Nation Shorts: Batman Beyond | Voice role, television short[74] | |
DC Nation Shorts: Batman: Strange Days | Voice role, television short [75] | ||
DC Nation Shorts: Shazam! | Zeus | Voice role, episode: "Wisdom"[76] | |
2015 | Turbo Fast | Stinger | Voice role, episode: "The Sting of Injustice"[17] |
2016–18 | Justice League Action | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice role, main role[17] |
2018 | Teen Titans Go! | Voice role, episode: "Real Orangins"[17] | |
2019 | Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? | Voice role, episode: "What a Night, For a Dark Knight!"[77] | |
Welcome to the Wayne | Prismal | Voice role, 7 episodes[17] | |
Batwoman | Bruce Wayne (Earth-99) | Episode: "Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Two";[78] Final on-screen role | |
Crisis Aftermath | Himself | Guest;[79] Final appearance | |
2021 | Masters of the Universe: Revelation | Mer-Man | Voice role, episode: "The Most Dangerous Man in Eternia"[80] |
2022 | He-Man and the Masters of the Universe | Hordak | Voice role, episode: "The End of the Beginning (Part 2)"[81] |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | Ollie & Scoops | The Creature (voice) | Posthumous release |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1980 | Hamlet | Performer | Old Globe Theatre[93] |
1981 | Lolita | Performer | Broadway[94] |
1982 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Performer | Old Globe Theatre[95] |
1989 | Eastern Standard | Peter Kidde | Broadway[39] |
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2001 | Annie Award | Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Male Performer in an Animated Television Production | Batman Beyond, "Out of the Past" | Nominated | [96][97] |
2015 | Play Legit's Best | Best Actor | Batman: Arkham Knight | Won | [98] |