Kevin Conroy’s Iconic Batman Voice Would Never Have Been Possible Without Michael Keaton
One of the reasons why fans consider Batman: The Animated Series, best of both worlds, is the iconic voice behind the Caped Crusader. It’s almost impossible to envision someone else voicing Batman instead of legendary artist Kevin Conroy.
The American actor passed away two years back in November and has left an incredible mark in the animation world, leveling up the standards of voice acting. However, Kevin Conroy’s dual voice for Batman’s dual identity wouldn’t have been possible if Michael Keaton hadn’t come up with the best way to portray the titular role in the 1989 film Batman.
How Michael Keaton’s 1989 Batman Inspired Kevin Conroy in Voicing Batman’s Dual Identity
Kevin Conroy has sustained Batman’s legacy for decades with his iconic voice, giving the character a deep and strong impact. Batman: The Animated Series had many challenges during its years, one of which is censorship. Despite that, it remained unparalleled by being gothic but friendly and gained widespread recognition.
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Two of the best castings for the series were Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, as the leading hero and adversary in the show. Not only did they give life to Batman and Joker, but they also set the bar incredibly high. To make sure justice is being done with the titular hero, Conroy incorporated the idea used by Michael Keaton three years before the release of Batman: The Animated Series (via IMDb).
In the 1989 Batman film, featuring Keaton as the Dark Knight, the actor emerged as a creative genius by using distinct tones to portray Batman and Bruce Wayne. Keaton was clever enough to understand that Bruce requires a natural and smoother tone than Batman’s deep and gravelly voice. The actor told Empire Magazine that:
“He’s got two personalities. The guy is not psychotic but not far from it. Controlled psychosis. In order for me to justify all this, I can’t be changing the oil on the Batmobile and then saying, ‘Well, I have to kill some people.’ “
Michael Keaton explained that it was “practical” to change the tones, as Bruce is completely different from Batman. Every actor who plays this role should understand the difference in dual identities. Thankfully, Kevin Conroy proved his exceptional skills by adopting the idea that originated from Keaton’s mind and used a deeper, harder voice for Batman and a moderately higher, softer voice for Bruce.
How Kevin Conroy Was Cast To Voice Batman in 1992’s The Animated Series
Kevin Conroy’s voice to Batman is nothing less than a blessing for the animated series. The actor’s contribution to the animation world goes beyond giving life to the Caped Crusader, as he successfully influenced almost every Batman performer.
However, the interesting part of Conroy’s casting is that the actor knew nothing about the Caped Crusader. Yes, Kevin Conry revealed that he had no knowledge about Batman, but soon after Bruce Timm heard him, they knew the role was made for Conroy. According to Vulture, the voice artist said:
“I had no preconceptions about the character, either. Bruce Timm said, “What do you know about Batman?” And I said, “Well, I know the Adam West show from the ’60s.”
Following Conroy’s answer, Timm explained the legacy of the Dark Knight, and the actor said it was like “describing an archetypal hero.” However, Kevin Conroy’s voice and impact overshadowed every flaw, and the rest is history.
Batman: The Animated Series is available on Max.
