Kevin Conroy, the actor best known for providing the voice of Batman and Bruce Wayne in animated shows and video games, has died, ABC News has confirmed.
He was 66, passing after a short battle with cancer, according to his rep Gary Miereanu.
The Juilliard-trained actor’s career on television included the soap Another World, but for decades his talents were dedicated to voice-over work. In 1992 he debuted as the voice of both the Caped Crusader and his playboy alter-ego in the Emmy-winning and influential Batman: The Animated Series.
It was a dual role that followed him for decades; his growly take on Batman and his passive, jovial voice as Wayne — much closer to Conroy’s natural speaking voice — were heard over dozens of animated shows in the DC Universe, including the Batman: The Animated Series spin-off Batman Beyond, as well as in bestselling video games like Arkham Asylum.
In recent years, Conroy even portrayed the character in live-action form on CW’s Crisis on Infinite Earths event and on the network’s Batwoman.
In the statement on his passing, Mark Hamill, who famously voiced The Joker opposite Conroy’s Dark Knight, stated, “Kevin was perfection. He was one of my favorite people on the planet, and I loved him like a brother.”
He also called Conroy “a brilliant actor” and “the definitive Batman” for generations.
“It was one of those perfect scenarios where they got the exact right guy for the exact right part, and the world was better for it,” the actor commented.
Hamill concluded by saying, “He will always be my Batman.”
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