Tim Curry was initially solid to voice the Joker in Batman: The Animated Sequence, nevertheless it ended up not occurring, with Mark Hamill taking the function as a substitute. There have been a whole lot of rumors as to why this occurred, together with the concept Curry’s voice efficiency was “too scary.” Nonetheless, Curry himself has spoken out concerning the function and his lack of the job, and it appears like the explanations had nothing to do with these fan rumors. Whereas all is nicely that ends nicely, with Hamill turning into probably the most common DC voice actors of all time, it stays a what-if when asking concerning the function if Curry had ended up taking it on.
Tim Curry died on the age of 80, and it’s a dream function that leaves many followers questioning what Batman in animation would have appeared like if one factor had modified. Here’s a have a look at what actually occurred with Curry and Batman: The Animated Sequence and why he ended up leaving the function.
Tim Curry Was Initially Solid because the Joker in Batman: The Animated Sequence
When Batman: The Animated Sequence was casting for its voice roles, one of many names who signed on to work on the animated sequence was Tim Curry. That may come as a shock to anybody who solely is aware of Mark Hamill because the voice of the Clown Prince of Crime, however initially, it was the Rocky Horror Image Present actor who nabbed the function. The rumors since he misplaced out on the function indicated that, when he recorded his traces for the sequence, the producers believed he was too scary and would frighten kids.
A part of this got here from one thing that Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy as soon as stated concerning the casting of the Joker for the sequence. He stated that Hamill was the second actor they introduced in for the function of the Joker, however they changed him after simply a few recorded episodes. “Tim’s Joker was darkish and scary,” Conroy stated. “Mark got here in and did a Joker that was darkish and humorous. So it was only a completely different tackle the Joker.” Conroy additionally stated that Curry was nice within the efficiency, however he was a “demented scary Joker,” and it was higher to not let the children hear him.
That is attention-grabbing as a result of producer Eric Radmonski stated within the 2011 documentary movie Keep ‘Tooned! Presents – Batman: The Animated Sequence that this was what they needed from Curry once they signed him for the function. “Tim got here with a pure theatrical type of presence along with his supply, which was one thing we positively needed,” Radmonski stated. “We didn’t need the Joker to be a bumbling, goofy fool … and the darkish aspect was utterly second nature to Tim”
Nonetheless, that isn’t why Curry stated the manufacturing let him go. The truth is, the actual motive, in keeping with the actor himself, was not due to his efficiency however as a result of he acquired sick early within the manufacturing. In keeping with Curry, he developed a extreme case of bronchitis and needed to cease recording, which led the animated sequence to let him go and transfer on to seek out another person. There are different reviews that his sickness was a part of it, however the producers didn’t really feel bought on his vocal route. Regardless, this can be a case of a voice function that might have been attention-grabbing however by no means ended up occurring.
Tim Curry Went Again to DC Anyway
Whereas Tim Curry misplaced out on the function of the Joker to Mark Hamill, he didn’t cease voice appearing, and he even returned to the DC Universe greater than as soon as. Earlier than that occurred, he turned identified for his voice roles as Nigel Thornberry in The Wild Thornberrys, MAL in Captain Planet and the Planeteers, and even the Nineties cult favourite sequence Gargoyles, the place he voiced Dr. Anton Sevarius.
Curry then returned to DC for 2 roles. He voiced G. Gordon Godfrey in eight episodes of Younger Justice and Mutro Botha in a single episode of Batman Past. It was nothing just like the 35 episodes by which Mark Hamill voiced the Joker, beginning with Batman: The Animated Sequence and ending in 2020 on Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? Hamill additionally acquired to voice the Joker in 5 animated films.
Regardless of this, Curry probably had no regrets. The actor labored in theater from 1968 till 2012, after which he was pressured to retire from stage work after struggling a stroke. He debuted in films in 1975 with The Rocky Horror Image Present (of which he originated the function of Dr. Frank N. Furter in a stage present), and his final film was in 2024 with a small cameo within the film Stream. On TV, he made his debut in 1968 and labored till 2010, when he had a critically acclaimed function as a serial killer on Felony Minds. Lastly, there have been his voice roles from 1990 till 2024, the one factor he may proceed to do after his stroke. With nominations on the Primetime Emmys, Tony Awards, and even the Grammys, the Joker could be a what-if for followers, however Tim Curry by no means wanted to cease and look again on a beautiful profession.