Kevin Conroy, Voice Of Batman And Long Island Native, Dies

WESTBURY, NY — Kevin Conroy, an actor best-known for voicing Batman for decades, died on Thursday after a short fight with cancer. The Westbury native was 66.

Conroy was born in Westbury on Nov. 30, 1955, and grew up in Westport, Connecticut. He attended The Julliard School, where he studied with Christopher Reeves and shared a room with Robin Williams. He landed roles on stage and television before being cast as the voice of the titular character in "Batman: The Animated Series," which ran from 1992-96.

He was the voice of the incredibly popular hero for an entire generation. Conroy voiced Batman in 15 movies, 15 different shows and 24 different video games, totaling hundreds of hours of work.

“Kevin was perfection,” said actor Mark Hamill, who played the Joker opposite Conroy’s Batman, in a statement. “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.”

Conroy is survived by his husband Vaughn C. Williams, sister Trisha Conroy, and brother Tom Conroy.

“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.”