Over the weekend, it was revealed that Arleen Sorkin, the original voice actor and inspiration for Harley Quinn aka Harleen Quinzel, died at the age of 67.
Despite a prolific television career that included a long run on Days of Our Lives, Sorkin is most recognized for her effervescent performance as Quinn.
Harley Quinn initially appeared in a 1992 episode of Batman: The Animated Series as an anonymous side character, but Sorkin was so captivating in the part that Quinn became a recurrent character.
Three decades later, Harley Quinn is currently one of DC Comics' most popular characters, having featured in a number of animated TV shows and films, live-action films, and video games.
Harley Quinn was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm, who have previously stated that Arleen was always the first and only choice to portray the character.
In a previous interview, Dini stated, "[Arleen] can do that snappy blonde Judy Holliday persona very easily, and that was part of her performance style when I came up with the character. With Harley, thinking about that character, I was like, "Gosh, she sounds like Arleen." Dini originally conceived of the character and Timm came up with Harley's iconic look.
Below, you can check out some well-known DC Comics staples expressing their condolences and love for Sorkin including Mark Hamill, who voiced the Joker on BTAS and new DC Studios head, James Gunn.
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