Once And Always The Clown Princess Of Crime
August 27, 2023 4:50 AM Subscribe
Arleen Sorkin, noted stage and television actress who was the inspiration and first voice actress for Batman: The Animated Series and DC villain Harley Quinn, has passed away at 67 following a long term illness.
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I should really watch some other stuff she's done. She was delightful.
I watched the Batman Animated Series whenever I could as a teen, and I really liked her work. I enjoyed Harley Quinn -- you didn't see the romanticized abusive relationship as you did in more "adult" versions. Because it was kids' TV, the character was different. Her love was practically unrequited; I couldn't quite figure out if they were really together or if she was just the Joker's chief minion. But what I did see was a smart girl who was funny, sharp, and just plain better than the guy she followed around. How could you not adore that?
posted by Countess Elena at 6:43 AM on August 27, 2023 [7 favorites]
I should really watch some other stuff she's done. She was delightful.
I watched the Batman Animated Series whenever I could as a teen, and I really liked her work. I enjoyed Harley Quinn -- you didn't see the romanticized abusive relationship as you did in more "adult" versions. Because it was kids' TV, the character was different. Her love was practically unrequited; I couldn't quite figure out if they were really together or if she was just the Joker's chief minion. But what I did see was a smart girl who was funny, sharp, and just plain better than the guy she followed around. How could you not adore that?
posted by Countess Elena at 6:43 AM on August 27, 2023 [7 favorites]
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posted by Faintdreams at 7:17 AM on August 27, 2023
posted by Faintdreams at 7:17 AM on August 27, 2023
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Glad to see I'm not the only one who remembers her work with de Lancie.
posted by gentlyepigrams at 8:01 AM on August 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
Glad to see I'm not the only one who remembers her work with de Lancie.
posted by gentlyepigrams at 8:01 AM on August 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
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posted by JoeXIII007 at 8:02 AM on August 27, 2023
posted by JoeXIII007 at 8:02 AM on August 27, 2023
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posted by Joey Michaels at 8:24 AM on August 27, 2023
posted by Joey Michaels at 8:24 AM on August 27, 2023
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posted by The Great Big Mulp at 8:53 AM on August 27, 2023
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 8:53 AM on August 27, 2023
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posted by UltraMorgnus at 9:23 AM on August 27, 2023
posted by UltraMorgnus at 9:23 AM on August 27, 2023
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posted by Spike Glee at 9:35 AM on August 27, 2023
posted by Spike Glee at 9:35 AM on August 27, 2023
Always fun to watch, both her animated characters and live action. As others have mentioned her work with John DeLancie on "Days Of Our Lives" was memorable even 40 years later. Here's a Few links you might enjoy.
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posted by evilDoug at 9:56 AM on August 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
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posted by evilDoug at 9:56 AM on August 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
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posted by dannyboybell at 10:10 AM on August 27, 2023
posted by dannyboybell at 10:10 AM on August 27, 2023
Yes, to me she will be forever Calliope. She and Eugene were so unusual on a soap back then, there for comic relief but with great B stories to support their work. Gosh, just way too young.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 12:02 PM on August 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by kitten kaboodle at 12:02 PM on August 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
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posted by Ignorantsavage at 12:18 PM on August 27, 2023
posted by Ignorantsavage at 12:18 PM on August 27, 2023
Batman's best villains are a funhouse mirror of some aspect of his character: the righteous avenger (Poison Ivy), the plutocrat (Penguin), the terrifier (Scarecrow). Harley Quinn is important because she mirrors the trait that makes Batman distinctive, the thing that makes him different from so many grimdark crimefighters: empathy. Batman thinks every life has value and that everyone is capable of redemption. At origin, Quinn problematizes that unconditional acceptance and makes us ask how Batman's relationship with his villains could possibly be healthy.
Most comic book characters are born silent. Quinn was born with the voice given by Sorkin, and the tone of the character is unimaginable without starting there.
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posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 12:41 PM on August 27, 2023 [22 favorites]
Most comic book characters are born silent. Quinn was born with the voice given by Sorkin, and the tone of the character is unimaginable without starting there.
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posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 12:41 PM on August 27, 2023 [22 favorites]
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posted by Mutant Lobsters from Riverhead at 3:01 PM on August 27, 2023
posted by Mutant Lobsters from Riverhead at 3:01 PM on August 27, 2023
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posted by sharp pointy objects at 3:07 PM on August 27, 2023
posted by sharp pointy objects at 3:07 PM on August 27, 2023
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posted by mikelieman at 3:30 PM on August 27, 2023
posted by mikelieman at 3:30 PM on August 27, 2023
Sorkin's Harley is so singular and perfect -- she absolutely knew who this character was. She was smart and broken and abused but still someone who 100% knew herself. And let's be clear as much as Batman: The Animated Series was not a "children's" cartoon, it was still a cartoon meant for children in the abstract. Sorkin embodied all of that in her voice performance. Harley was only herself.
I do really love the character of Harley Quinn and all her iterations -- she's someone that creators can do a lot with and I don't think they're wrong, overall. She a character who people working with her can decide who she gets to be. It's not that she can be everything but she can do in a lot of directions.
But I would say most of those do find a grounding point in how Sorkin originated her. In all the Harley instances, I still see that original seed. And that's awesome.
Sorkin's Harley is absolutely one of my favorite characters of all time and I feel very attached to her. But I've also loved to see how much Harley has grown. My Harley is Sorkin's Harley. But I'm happy for everyone who loves Harley.
posted by edencosmic at 9:21 PM on August 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
I do really love the character of Harley Quinn and all her iterations -- she's someone that creators can do a lot with and I don't think they're wrong, overall. She a character who people working with her can decide who she gets to be. It's not that she can be everything but she can do in a lot of directions.
But I would say most of those do find a grounding point in how Sorkin originated her. In all the Harley instances, I still see that original seed. And that's awesome.
Sorkin's Harley is absolutely one of my favorite characters of all time and I feel very attached to her. But I've also loved to see how much Harley has grown. My Harley is Sorkin's Harley. But I'm happy for everyone who loves Harley.
posted by edencosmic at 9:21 PM on August 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
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posted by sotonohito at 6:37 AM on August 28, 2023
posted by sotonohito at 6:37 AM on August 28, 2023
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She will always be Calliope to me, along with John de Lancie's Eugene.
posted by soelo at 6:07 AM on August 27, 2023 [10 favorites]