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Before the DC character of Harley Quinn went majorly mainstream and was shoehorned into a parody of what she was originally conceived of and diluted to fit the mores of the times, she was brought to vibrant and kooky life courtesy of the Batman: The Animated Series from creative masterminds Bruce Timm and Paul Dini. And right along with Timm and Dini stood the vocal prowess of talented thespian Arleen Sorkin whose strong, throaty and always humorous readings of underpinning quickly made her an overnight sensation in her role as the character. Normally in the world of comic books a character is created and achieves a level of popularity on the printed page before being harvested out to the world of film and television for a chance at bat. That standard diagram was turned upside down and done in reverse as far as Harley was concerned: She was a TV star before she ever made her DC comic book debut and I can’t help but feel that the dynamic range of emotions which Sorkin always seemed to have easy access to was in a large part responsible for that role-reversal.
According to Variety, Arleen Sorkin passed away this past Saturday at the age of 67 and somehow we can’t imagine a world where this Days of Our Lives actress isn’t alive and very active. Of course that’s partially the magic of the television and film world: Long after an actress or an actor – the really good ones – has shuffled off stage left they leave an indelible mark on our lives.
No less of a luminary as Mark Hamill who would oftentimes work alongside Sorkin in the sound booth for Batman: The Animated Series as arch-villain The Joker issued a statement about the passing of his longtime acting dance partner and two-time Emmy nominee.
“Devastated to learn we’ve lost the brilliant Arleen Sorkin,” Hamill said in his statement. “Not just a wonderful talent, but a truly wonderful person. I’m grateful not only to have worked with her, but to have been her friend. Sending my heartfelt condolences to her family & loved ones.”
New DC Studios Big Wheel James Gunn took to Instagram to eulogize Sorkin: “Rest in Peace, Arleen Sorkin, the incredibly talented original voice of Harley Quinn, who helped to create the character so many of us love. Love to her family and friends.”
We here at Vents offer our condolences to the family, friends, colleagues and fans of Arleen Sorkin. She was a true original and we all mourn her loss.
