Batsman Iconic Voice Actor Kevin Conroy Dies due to Cancer

Kevin Conroy, who was best known for portraying Batman in the long-running Warner Bros. television series "Batman: The Animated Series," has passed away after a brief battle with cancer. He died at the age of 66.

Conroy, who was born in Westbury, New York, in November 1955, studied acting at The Julliard School under John Houseman alongside actors like Christopher Reeve, Frances Conroy, and Robin Williams.

Fox Kids originally broadcast "Batman: The Animated Series" for 85 episodes between 1992 and 1995. Many comic book fans and critics praised Conroy's deep, gravelly Batman voice, with many hailing the actor as the ideal Caped Crusader. Mark Hamill's iconic portrayal of the Joker was another highlight of the series.

Kevin was ideal, according to a statement from Hamill.  He further expressed that he was one of his all-time favorite people, and he cherished him as a sibling. His genuine concern for those around him was evident in everything he did. His spirits were raised each time he saw or spoke with Kevin.

The passing of our dear friend Kevin Conroy saddens Warner Bros. Animation, the studio said in a statement. "His legendary portrayal of Batman will always rank among the best Dark Knight portrayals in any medium. We join admirers around the world in paying tribute to his legacy and sending our heartfelt condolences to his loved ones.”

Conroy's portrayal of Batman in various other DC projects, such as the video game series "Batman: Arkham" and "Injustice," continued because of how well-liked he was in the role. Additionally, he made cameo appearances in several DC Universe Animated Original Movies, such as "Batman: Gotham Knight" (2008), "Superman/Batman: Public Enemies" (2009), "Justice League: Doom" (2012), "Batman: The Killing Joke" (2016), and "Justice League vs. the Fatal Five" (2019), among others.

Conroy's final Batman-related applause is for the 2019 animated "Justice League" movie, and his most recent Batman-related video game credit is for the earlier this year released "MultiVersus" by Warner Bros.

In a 2014 interview, Conroy told DC, "He's such an iconic character." He contributes significantly to American culture. It's incredible to have participated in and contributed to it.

Conroy made his live-action acting debut in Temstocles López's 1992 romantic drama "Chain of Desire," which he also wrote and directed. Additionally, he played a recurring character on the NBC soap opera "Another World" and made guest appearances on episodes of classic shows like "Cheers," "Murphy Brown," and "Dallas."

Batman wasn't the only character Conroy voiced. Additionally, he contributed his skills to franchises like "Masters of the Universe" and "Scooby-Doo" (he had a voice role in the 2019 series "Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?"). He appeared in episodes of "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" and "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" on Netflix as Mer-Man in the latter franchise (playing Hordak earlier this year).

"Finding Batman," Conroy's most recent publication, was featured as part of DC Pride 2022 earlier this year. Conroy is the only openly gay actor to have played Batman because of his sexual orientation. The actor's experiences portraying the Caped Crusader and coming to terms with his sexuality were detailed in "Finding Batman."