Kevin Conroy | |
|---|---|
 Conroy in 2019 | |
| Born | November 30, 1955 Westbury, New York, U.S. |
| Died | November 10, 2022 (aged 66) New York City, U.S. |
| Education | Juilliard School (BFA) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1978–2022 |
| Spouse(s) | Vaughn C. Williams |
| Signature | |
| File:Signature of Kevin Conroy.png | |
Kevin Conroy (November 30, 1955 – November 10, 2022) was an American actor. He appeared in a variety of stage performances, television series, and television films, but earned fame for voicing the DC Comics superhero Batman in various animated media, beginning with Batman: The Animated Series in 1992. Conroy went on to voice the character for dozens of animated television series, feature films, and video games over the next three decades.
Early life[]
Kevin Conroy was born on November 30, 1955, in Westbury, New York, into an Irish Catholic family. He moved to Westport, Connecticut, when he was about 11 years old. He had three older siblings. Conroy held dual American and Irish citizenship.
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. 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.
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. 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. 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.
Career[]
Theatre[]
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 theatre 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.
Film and television[]
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. 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.[1]
Voice acting[]
Conroy speaking at the 2017 Phoenix Comicon
As a voice actor, Conroy is known for his starring role in Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995). 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.[2] However, Conroy based his dual-voice performance on Leslie Howard in the 1934 film The Scarlet Pimpernel. 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), 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 the DCAU Batman for guest appearances in Superman: The Animated Series, Static Shock and The Zeta Project.[3]
I often marveled at how appropriate it was that I should land this role. As a gay boy growing up in the 1950s and '60s 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.
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). He later returned to voicing Batman on TV for the animated series Justice League Action (2016-2018), 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. 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 people. 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". 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.
Conroy, at right, did a table read with the voice cast and crew of Batman: The Animated Series at the 2019 East Coast Comicon in Secaucus, New Jersey.
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. He would ultimately reprise the role for the fourth game in the series, titled Batman: Arkham Knight (2015). The 2024 sequel to Arkham Knight, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, marked his final video game performance as Batman. However, in early 2024, it was revealed that Conroy had recorded a role for Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three.
In October 2013, Conroy appeared on Tim Daly's web series The Daly Show, parodying his role as Batman, with Daly reprising the role of Superman from Superman: The Animated Series.
Conroy portrayed Bruce Wayne of Earth-99 in live-action in the Arrowverse crossover "Crisis on Infinite Earths". This was his only live-action portrayal of the character.
Mark Hamill, Conroy's frequent voice actor co-star as the Joker, spoke highly of working with him. Regarding his willingness to be involved in a Batman-related project, Hamill said, "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." In 2023, following Conroy's death, Hamill stated he was done voicing the Joker, citing his Joker quote "Without Batman, crime has no punchline".
Personal life[]
In a 2016 interview with The New York Times promoting the animated adaptation of The Killing Joke, Kevin Conroy revealed that he was gay. 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. He was married to Vaughn C. Williams at the time of his death.
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 discovered his homosexuality. Conroy said that on multiple occasions he had been removed from consideration for acting jobs due to his sexual orientation.
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".
Conroy made frequent appearances at comic book conventions; his last convention was in Connecticut in July 2022.
Death[]
Conroy died at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City on November 10, 2022, at age 66, following a private battle with intestinal cancer. 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. His co-stars, such as Mark Hamill, Tim Daly, and numerous other figures paid tribute on social media. His ashes are interred at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles California.
Filmography[]
Film[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Chain of Desire | Joe | |
| 1993 | Batman: Mask of the Phantasm | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice |
| 1998 | Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero | Voice, direct-to-video | |
| 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 |
| Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice, direct-to-video | |
| Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics | Himself | Documentary | |
| I Know That Voice | |||
| 2014 | Russian Yeti: The Killer Lives | Narrator | Voice, documentary |
| Alfred | Alfred | Short film | |
| Batman: Assault on Arkham | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice, direct-to-video | |
| 2015 | Batman vs. Robin | Thomas Wayne | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 2016 | Batman: The Killing Joke | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice, limited theatrical release |
| Yoga Hosers | Canadian Bat, Man! | ||
| 2017 | Batman and Harley Quinn | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 2019 | Justice League vs. the Fatal Five | ||
| 2024 | Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three | Bruce Wayne / Batman (Earth 12) | Voice, direct-to-video; Posthumous release; dedicated in memory |
Television[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | How to Pick Up Girls! | Bartender | Television film |
| 1980 | Another World | Jerry Grove | Recurring role |
| 1982 | Born Beautiful | Stan | Television film |
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | Lysander | ||
| 1983 | A Fine Romance | Phil | |
| Kennedy | Ted Kennedy | Miniseries | |
| 1984 | George Washington | John Laurens | 1 episode |
| 1984–85 | Search for Tomorrow | Chase Kendall | 79 episodes |
| 1985 | Covenant | Stephen | Television film |
| 1985–86 | Dynasty | Bart Fallmont | Recurring role; season 6 |
| 1986 | Matlock | Clark Harrison | Episode: "The Affair" |
| Kay O'Brien | David | Episode: "Princess of the City" | |
| Spenser: For Hire | Gallagher | Episode: "Shadowsight" | |
| 1987 | Ohara | Captain Lloyd Hamilton | Main role; season 1[5] |
| 1987–88 | Tour of Duty | Captain Rusty Wallace | Recurring role; season 1 |
| 1988 | Killer Instinct | Dr. Steven Nelson | Television film |
| 1990 | So Proudly We Hail | Francis Crosby | Television film |
| 1989–90 | Cheers | Darryl Mead | 2 episodes |
| 1990 | The Face of Fear | Frank Dwight Bollinger | Television film |
| WIOU | Lenny Lubinsky | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| 1991 | Murphy Brown | Roger Harris | Episode: "Terror on the 17th Floor" |
| Hi Honey – I'm Dead | Brad Stadler | Television film | |
| 1992 | Rachel Gunn, R.N. | Dr. David Dunkle | Main role |
| The Secret Passion of Robert Clayton | Hunter Roy Evans | Television film | |
| Battle in the Erogenous Zone | Mondo Ray | Television short | |
| 1992–95 | Batman: The Animated Series | Bruce Wayne / Batman, additional voices | Main voice role |
| 1994 | Island City | Colonel Tom Valdoon | Television film |
| 1994 | The New Adventures of Captain Planet | Army Corps of Engineers Official | Voice, episode: "Jail House Flock" |
| 1995 | The Office | Steve Gilman | Main role |
| 1996 | The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest | Hardman | Voice, episode: "Manhattan Maneater" |
| 1997–99 | The New Batman Adventures | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Main voice role |
| Superman: The Animated Series | Voice, recurring role | ||
| 1999–2001 | Batman Beyond | Bruce Wayne / Batman, Stage Batman | Main voice role |
| 2001 | The Zeta Project | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice, episode: "Shadows" |
| 2001–04 | Justice League | Bruce Wayne / Batman, additional voices | Voice, main role |
| 2002–04 | Static Shock | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice, 5 episodes |
| 2004–06 | Justice League Unlimited | Bruce Wayne / Batman, Joe Chill | Main voice role |
| 2006 | The Batman | John Grayson | Voice, episode: "A Matter of Family" |
| 2008 | Ben 10: Alien Force | Bellicus | Voice, episode: "X = Ben + 2" |
| 2009, 2013 | The Venture Bros. | Captain Sunshine | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2010 | Batman: The Brave and the Bold | Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, Phantom Stranger | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2013 | DC Nation Shorts: Tales of Metropolis | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Voice, episode: "Lois Lane" |
| 2014 | DC Nation Shorts: Batman Beyond | Voice, television short | |
| DC Nation Shorts: Batman: Strange Days | Voice, television short | ||
| DC Nation Shorts: Shazam! | Zeus | Voice, episode: "Wisdom" | |
| 2015 | Turbo Fast | Stinger | Voice, episode: "The Sting of Injustice" |
| 2016–18 | Justice League Action | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Main voice role |
| 2018 | Teen Titans Go! | Voice, episode: "Real Orangins" | |
| 2019 | Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? | Voice, episode: "What a Night, For a Dark Knight!" | |
| Welcome to the Wayne | Prismal | Voice, 7 episodes | |
| Batwoman | Bruce Wayne (Earth-99) | Episode: "Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Two"; Final on-screen role | |
| Crisis Aftermath | Himself | Guest; Final appearance | |
| 2021 | Masters of the Universe: Revelation | Mer-Man | Voice, episode: "The Most Dangerous Man in Eternia" |
| 2022 | He-Man and the Masters of the Universe | Hordak | Voice, episode: "The End of the Beginning (Part 2)" |
Video games[]
| Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | The Adventures of Batman & Robin | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Sega CD version |
| 1999 | Crusaders of Might and Magic | Drake | |
| 2001 | Batman: Vengeance | Bruce Wayne / Batman | |
| Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy | Fisherman | ||
| 2003 | Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne | Lord Jack, Cleaner, Commando | |
| Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu | Bruce Wayne / Batman | ||
| Lords of EverQuest | Lord Palasa | ||
| 2009 | Batman: Arkham Asylum | Bruce Wayne / Batman, Thomas Wayne | |
| 2011 | DC Universe Online | Bruce Wayne / Batman | |
| Batman: Arkham City | Bruce Wayne / Batman, Thomas Elliot / Hush | ||
| Batman: Arkham City Lockdown | Bruce Wayne / Batman | ||
| 2013 | Injustice: Gods Among Us | ||
| 2015 | Infinite Crisis | ||
| Batman: Arkham Knight | Bruce Wayne / Batman, Thomas Elliot / Hush | ||
| 2016 | Batman: Arkham Underworld | Bruce Wayne / Batman | |
| View-Master Batman Animated VR | |||
| Batman: Arkham VR | Bruce Wayne / Batman, Thomas Wayne | ||
| 2017 | Injustice 2 | Bruce Wayne / Batman | |
| 2018 | Lego DC Super-Villains | ||
| 2022 | MultiVersus | ||
| 2024 | Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League | Posthumous release; dedicated in memory |
Web[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBA | Ollie & Scoops | The Creature (voice) | Posthumous release |
Theatre[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Hamlet | Performer | Old Globe Theatre |
| 1981 | Lolita | Broadway | |
| 1982 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Old Globe Theatre | |
| 1989 | Eastern Standard | Peter Kidde | Broadway |
Awards and nominations[]
| 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 | |
| 2015 | Play Legit's Best | Best Actor | Batman: Arkham Knight | Won |
References[]
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External links[]
- Kevin Conroy at the Internet Movie Database
- Franklin, Will C. "Kevin Conroy Gets Comic Booked!". ComicBooked. Archived from the original on September 25, 2011.
{{cite web}}: - "Interview with Kevin Conroy (Podcast)". The Rafferty/Mills Connection. April 25, 2009. Archived from the original on November 4, 2010.
{{cite web}}: - Murphy, Joel (October 1, 2009). "One on One with Kevin Conroy". HoboTrashcan.
{{cite web}}:
| Preceded by Adam West |
Voice of Batman 1992–2006 |
Succeeded by Rino Romano |
| Preceded by Jeremy Sisto |
Voice of Batman 2008–2022 |
Succeeded by Various Others (concurrent) |
| This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors). |