Kevin Conroy, the actor who gave Batman a voice for decades, dies at 66

Eternal Dark Knight

Perhaps you don't recognize him, but Kevin Conroy can boast of being the actor who has played Batman the most times.

Three decades as the voice of Batman

Over the course of 30 years, Kevin Conroy played the superhero more times than Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale, and Ben Affleck combined.

Debuted in 1992

The late actor was the voice of Batman and Bruce Wayne in movies, animated series, and video games since 1992. Within the industry, he was a legend.

Conroy passed away at the age of 66

Kevin Conroy passed away from cancer on November 10, 2022. He was only 66 years old.

Honored by DC Comics

The sad news was confirmed by DC Comics on their official social media channels.

Photo: @dcomics / Instagram

'Batman: The Animated Series'

Kevin Conroy debuted as the voice of Batman in 'Batman: The Animated Series' (1992). He was such a natural superhero that he continued to play Batman for decades to come.

Photo: Warner Bros Entertainment

The detail that changed everything

The actor knew how to make the character his own. He had the brilliant idea of dubbing Bruce Wayne and Batman with different voices, a trick that other actors would later copy.

A star in the industry

Over the years, Kevin Conroy's voice became so recognizable in the Dark Knight that other cartoons could no longer do without him as the superhero.

Perfection in 'Arkham Asylum'

Special mention goes to his work in the video game saga 'Arkham Asylum.' It was one of his best jobs for one of the best video game franchises in history.

Homage to Conroy in 'Arrowverse'

In The CW's 2019 'Arrowverse' television event, 'Crisis on Infinite Earths', Conroy made his debut as a live-action actor. It was a well-deserved tribute.

Batman: 'Thank you'

The official Batman account has said goodbye to its 30-year spokesperson with two simple words: "Thank you."

Photo: @Batman / Twitter

Mark Hamill: nemesis and friend

Mark Hamill voiced Batman's nemesis, the Joker, for decades. He helped make the duel of dubbers with Kevin Conroy reach the level of legend.

"I loved him like a brother"

"Stunned by the loss of this brilliant actor," Hamill wrote. "Words can't express my admiration and respect for the man. I loved him like a brother."

Photo: @markhamill / Instagram

Tribute from Poison Ivy

Diane Pershing, the voice of Poison Ivy in 'Batman: The Animated Series' has also said goodbye to the actor on social media. She spoke on behalf of his legion of fans who the actor used to meet at comics conferences.

Photo: @diane.pershing / Instagram

"Our beloved voice of Batman"

"Very sad news: our beloved voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, died yesterday," she wrote on Instagram. "He's been ill for a while but he really put in a lot of time at the cons, to the joy of all of his fans. He will be sorely missed not just by the cast of the series but by his legion of fans all over the world."

Tribute to Kevin Conroy

As a tribute, DC Comics published 'Finding Batman', a short story in which the company recounts Conroy's relationship with Batman, his previous life, his complicated childhood, and how the audition for Batman changed his life.

Photo: @dcomics / Instagram

First gay actor to play a superhero

The story also delves into what it was like for Conroy to play the Dark Knight and be a superhero as the first openly gay actor.