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Kevin Conroy
Kevin Conroy (51383606537).jpg
Conroy at the 2021 GalaxyCon Raleigh
Born (1955-11-30)November 30, 1955
Died November 10, 2022(2022-11-10) (aged 66)
Education Juilliard School (BFA)
Occupation Actor
Years active 1978–2022
Spouse(s) Vaughn C. Williams
Signature
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Kevin Conroy (born November 30, 1955 – died November 10, 2022) was an American actor. He was most famous for being the voice of the superhero Batman in many animated shows and movies. He started voicing Batman in 1992 with Batman: The Animated Series. Because his voice for Batman was so popular, Conroy continued to play the character in many other projects, including the Batman: Arkham and Injustice video games.

Early Life and Education

Kevin Conroy was born in Westbury, New York, on November 30, 1955. His family was Irish Catholic. When he was about 11 years old, he moved to Westport, Connecticut. He had three older brothers and sisters.

Conroy had a challenging home life. During his last year of high school, he lived with a family friend. As an adult, he reconnected with his father before his father passed away. Conroy was with both his mother and father when they died.

In 1973, Conroy moved to New York City. He received a full scholarship to attend the Juilliard School's drama program. There, he studied acting under the famous actor John Houseman. He even shared a room with Robin Williams, who was in the same acting group as Conroy and Kelsey Grammer. After finishing Juilliard in 1978, he toured with Houseman's acting group, The Acting Company. The next year, he went on a national tour for the play Deathtrap.

Acting Career

Stage Performances

In 1980, Conroy decided to try acting on television and moved to California. He got a role in the daytime TV show Another World. Conroy also worked with the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, California. He performed in plays like Hamlet and A Midsummer Night's Dream. From 1980 to 1985, he acted in many different types of plays, including Broadway shows like Lolita and Eastern Standard.

TV and Film Roles

Conroy returned to television in 1985 with the TV movie Covenant. He also had a role in another daytime TV show, Search for Tomorrow. From 1985 to 1986, Conroy played a lawyer named Bart Fallmont on the show Dynasty. He was a regular cast member on Ohara in 1987 and on Tour of Duty from 1987 to 1988. After that, he starred in several TV movies. Conroy also made guest appearances on popular shows like Cheers, Matlock, and Murphy Brown.

Voice Acting as Batman

Kevin Conroy by Gage Skidmore
Conroy speaking at the 2017 Phoenix Comicon

Kevin Conroy is most famous for his voice role as Bruce Wayne / Batman in the popular Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995). He continued to voice Batman in many animated spin-off projects. These shows and movies are part of what is known as the DC Animated Universe (DCAU). Some of these include the TV shows The New Batman Adventures (1997–1999), Batman Beyond (1999–2001, where he voiced an older Bruce Wayne), Justice League (2001–2004), and Justice League Unlimited (2004–2006). He also voiced Batman in the movie Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) and direct-to-video films like Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero (1998).

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 devoutley Catholic family, I'd grown adept at concealing parts of myself. Of putting aspects of myself in a seperate box and locking it away.

—Kevin Conroy, from his autobiographical comic Finding Batman

Conroy was the first voice actor to use two different voices for Bruce Wayne and Batman. This was similar to what Michael Keaton did in the live-action Batman film. Conroy based his dual-voice performance on Leslie Howard in the 1934 film The Scarlet Pimpernel. He continued to voice Batman in many direct-to-video DC Universe Animated Original Movies, such as Batman: Gotham Knight (2008) and Justice League: Doom (2012). Kevin Conroy voiced Batman for a longer time than any other actor in both live-action and animated projects.

After the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City, Conroy helped with relief efforts by cooking for police officers and firefighters. During an audio commentary for Batman: Gotham Knight, Conroy shared a story about how emergency workers reacted to him. Someone asked him to use his "Batman voice" from the kitchen. He called out, "I am vengeance! I am the night! I am Batman!" This line is famous from the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Nothing to Fear." The emergency workers cheered and applauded, which made Conroy feel very honored.

5.19.19BatmanPanelByLuigiNovi22
Conroy, at right, doing a table read with the voice cast and crew of Batman: The Animated Series at the 2019 East Coast Comicon in Secaucus, New Jersey

In 2012, for the movie The Dark Knight Rises, Conroy re-recorded Christian Bale's Batman lines for an animated version of a movie trailer.

At the 2013 Dallas Comic Con, Conroy mentioned he was working on "the next Arkham" game. This led to excitement that he would be Batman again in Batman: Arkham Origins. However, it was later confirmed he was not in Arkham Origins. On March 4, 2014, a new Arkham game called Batman: Arkham Knight was announced, and Conroy did return to voice Batman in that game.

In October 2013, Conroy confirmed on Twitter that he filmed a role in Tim Daly's web series The Daly Show. In it, Conroy made fun of his Batman role in a fight with Daly, who was making fun of Superman. Daly had previously voiced Superman in Superman: The Animated Series.

Conroy also played a live-action version of Bruce Wayne (from Earth-99) in the Batwoman episode of the Arrowverse crossover "Crisis on Infinite Earths". This was his only live-action role as the character.

Mark Hamill, who often voiced the Joker alongside Conroy's Batman, spoke highly of working with him. Hamill said that when he is offered Batman-related projects, he asks, "Is Kevin doing it?" He added that if Kevin was involved, he would do it without even reading the script.

Personal Life

In a 2016 interview, Kevin Conroy shared that he was gay. In 2022, as part of DC Comics' Pride anthology, Conroy wrote a story called "Finding Batman." This story talked about his life and experiences. It was highly praised when it came out. At the time of his death, he was married to Vaughn C. Williams.

Conroy often appeared at comic book conventions. His last convention was in Connecticut in July 2022.

Death

Kevin Conroy passed away at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City on November 10, 2022. He was 66 years old and died from intestinal cancer. He had not publicly shared that he was ill. His death was announced by Warner Brothers Discovery.

News of Conroy's death quickly spread around the world. The word "Batman" became a top trend on Twitter, with hundreds of thousands of tweets in less than 24 hours. Many people from the entertainment world, along with friends and fans, shared their tributes.

Some of the people who honored him included Mark Hamill, Tim Daly, Dana Delany, Susan Eisenberg, Tara Strong, and Paul Dini. DC Comics also released a statement and offered free online access to his comic "Finding Batman" to honor him. After his death, fans left flowers and other tributes at the Batman statue in Burbank, California.

Filmography

Film Roles

Year Title Role Notes
1992 Chain of Desire Joe
1993 Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Bruce Wayne / Batman (voice)
1998 Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero Direct-to-video
2000 Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
2003 Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman
2005 The Complete Robin Storyboard Sequence Direct-to-video
Short film
2008 Batman: Gotham Knight Direct-to-video
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)
2015 Batman vs. Robin Thomas Wayne (voice) Direct-to-video
2016 Batman: The Killing Joke Bruce Wayne / Batman (voice)
Yoga Hosers Canadian Bat, Man!
2017 Batman and Harley Quinn Bruce Wayne / Batman (voice) Direct-to-video
2019 Justice League vs. the Fatal Five

Television Roles

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
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 ... Zone Mondo Ray Television short
1992–95 Batman: The Animated Series Bruce Wayne / Batman, Additional voices Main 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, Henchman (voices) Main role
Superman: The Animated Series Bruce Wayne / Batman (voice) Recurring role
1999–2001 Batman Beyond Bruce Wayne / Batman, Stage Batman (voices) Main role
2001 The Zeta Project Bruce Wayne (voice) Episode: "Shadows"
2001–04 Justice League Bruce Wayne / Batman, Additional voices Main role
2002–04 Static Shock Bruce Wayne / Batman (voice) 5 episodes
2004–06 Justice League Unlimited Bruce Wayne / Batman, Joe Chill, Lee Travis / Crimson Avenger (voices) Main role
2006 The Batman John Grayson (voice) Episode: "A Matter of Family"
2008 Ben 10: Alien Force Bellicus (of Alien X), Warrior #2 (voices) 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 (voices) 2 episodes
2013 DC Nation Shorts: Tales of Metropolis Bruce Wayne / Batman (voice) Episode: "Lois Lane"
2014 DC Nation Shorts: Batman Beyond Television short
DC Nation Shorts: Batman: Strange Days 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 (voice) Main role
2018 Teen Titans Go! Episode: "Real Orangins"
2019 Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? 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"
Crisis Aftermath Himself Guest
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 of 2)"

Video Game Roles

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
2001 Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy Fisherman
2003 Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne Lord Jack, Cleaner, Commando
2003 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 Bruce Wayne / Batman
Batman: Arkham VR Bruce Wayne / Batman, Thomas Wayne
2017 Injustice 2 Bruce Wayne / Batman
2018 Lego DC Super-Villains
2022 MultiVersus

Web Series Roles

Year Title Role Notes
2023 Ollie & Scoops The Creature (voice) Final role

Theatre Roles

Year Title Role Notes
1980 Hamlet Performer Old Globe Theatre
1981 Lolita Performer Broadway
1982 A Midsummer Night's Dream Performer Old Globe Theatre
1989 Eastern Standard Peter Kidde Broadway

Awards and Recognition

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

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Kevin Conroy para niños

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