WASHINGTON — Actor Kevin Conroy, one of the most iconic voices to play Batman, has died at 66, according to Warner Bros.
Conroy rose to fame as the voice of Batman in the 90s cartoon: "Batman: The Animated Series." In total, he was the voice of Batman in nearly 60 productions, including 15 films, Warner Bros. said in a statement.
The news was first shared by Diane Pershing, who played Poison Ivy on the show.
"Very sad news: our beloved voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, died yesterday," she wrote on Facebook. "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,"
In a press release, DC, the comic label owned by Warner Bros., confirmed the actor's death came after a short battle with cancer.
“Kevin was perfection,” said Mark Hamill, the "Star Wars" actor who also voiced the Joker on the animated show. “He was one of my favorite people on the planet, and I loved him like a brother. He truly cared for the people around him – his decency shone through everything he did. Every time I saw him or spoke with him, my spirits were elevated.”
Former colleagues and fans paid tribute to the late actor, calling him an icon in the superhero genre.
“Kevin brought a light with him everywhere,” said Paul Dini, producer of "Batman: The Animated Series." “Whether in the recording booth giving it his all, or feeding first responders during 9/11, or making sure every fan who ever waited for him had a moment with their Batman. A hero in every sense of the word. Irreplaceable. Eternal.”
Conroy, who was openly gay, in recent years had spoken out about how his acting career took off during the rise of the AIDS epidemic, and noted in DC's Pride issue earlier this year the comparisons between Batman's split identity as Bruce Wayne and the struggles of LGBTQ+ people to escape the closet.
Conroy is survived by his husband Vaughn C. Williams, sister Trisha Conroy and brother Tom Conroy. No information on memorial services was provided Friday.