Arleen Sorkin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arleen Sorkin
Sorkin in 2011
Born	(1955-10-14)October 14, 1955 Washington, D.C., U.S.
Died	August 24, 2023(2023-08-24) (aged 67)
Occupation	Actress, screenwriter, comedian, presenter
Years active	1983–2011
Spouse(s)	Christopher Lloyd ​ (m. 1995)​
Children	2

Arleen Sorkin (born October 14, 1955 – died August 24, 2023) was an American actress, writer, TV host, and comedian. She was well-known for playing Calliope Jones on the TV show Days of Our Lives. Arleen Sorkin also became famous as the voice and inspiration for the DC Comics character Harley Quinn. Her friend, Paul Dini, created Harley Quinn for Batman: The Animated Series.

Early Life and Family

Arleen Sorkin was born in Washington, D.C. on October 14, 1955. Her family was Jewish.

Career Highlights

Sorkin started her career in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She was part of a comedy group called The High-Heeled Women.

Acting on TV

One of her most famous roles was playing Calliope Jones on the soap opera Days of Our Lives. She played this fun character from 1984 to 1990. She also returned for special appearances in 1992, 2001, 2006, and 2010.

From 1987 to 1989, Sorkin also played a character named Geneva on the TV show Duet. She even appeared in one episode of Open House, which was a follow-up to Duet.

In 1990, Sorkin became the first female co-host of America's Funniest People.

Writing and Voice Acting

Arleen Sorkin also worked as a writer. She wrote for the Tiny Toon Adventures TV series from 1990 to 1992. She also helped write the story and screenplay for the 1997 movie Picture Perfect, starring Jennifer Aniston.

Her most famous voice role was Harley Quinn. This character was actually based on Arleen Sorkin herself! Her college friend, Paul Dini, created Harley Quinn. He got the idea after seeing Sorkin play a jester in a dream scene on Days of Our Lives.

Dini used Sorkin's "snappy, wisecracking, bubbly blonde" personality for Harley Quinn. When Sorkin voiced Harley, she used her normal Brooklyn accent with a "little Yiddish sound". This was because Dini made the character Jewish, just like Sorkin.

Harley Quinn first appeared in the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Joker's Favor". She was only supposed to be in one episode. But people loved the character and Sorkin's voice acting so much that Harley Quinn became a regular. She appeared in many other DC Animated Universe shows. These included The New Batman Adventures, Static Shock, Justice League, and Gotham Girls. She also voiced Harley in the animated movie Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.

After voicing Harley Quinn in the video game DC Universe Online, Sorkin stopped playing the character.

Sorkin also made voice appearances on the TV show Frasier (1993-2004). Her husband, Christopher Lloyd, produced the show. She would call into Frasier Crane's radio show, and later, a celebrity's voice would be used instead. In the final episode of Frasier, Sorkin appeared on screen as the owner of a monkey.

Personal Life

Arleen Sorkin married television writer and producer Christopher Lloyd in 1995. They had two sons named Eli and Owen.

Arleen Sorkin passed away on August 24, 2023, at the age of 67.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Writer

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Arleen Sorkin para niños