Arleen Sorkin was an American actress, screenwriter, presenter, and comedian. She passed away at 67, leaving behind two sons with her husband, acclaimed TV writer Christopher Lloyd.
Sorkin is known for portraying Calliope Jones on the NBC daytime serial Days of Our Lives and serving as the real-life inspiration and voice for DC Comics villain Harley Quinn, created by her college friend Paul Dini, in Batman: The Animated Series.
Arleen Sorkin, Iconic Harley Quinn Voice Actor, and Soap Opera Star, Dies at 67
Arleen Sorkin, the actress best known for originating the voice of the iconic Batman villain Harley Quinn and starring on the soap opera Days of Our Lives, has passed away at age 67.
Sorkin’s death was announced on Twitter by fellow voice actor Neil Kaplan, who said she died of unknown causes.
“It broke my heart to hear… the original voice of Harley Quinn, Arlene Sorkin has passed away. I adored her work as HQ & as Calliope in “Days of Our Lives.””.
he wrote
The versatile Sorkin leaves behind a lasting legacy in daytime television and animation.
Long before voicing Harley Quinn, Sorkin made a name for herself on the popular soap Days of Our Lives as the wacky character Calliope Jones from 1984 to 1990. Her comedic performance as the quirky secretary made her a fan favorite.
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However, Sorkin’s most legendary role was bringing DC’s Harley Quinn to life in the 1990s Batman animated series. As a friend of Harley’s creator Paul Dini, Sorkin was the natural choice to voice the Joker’s sidekick and contributed a bubbly, Brooklyn-accented personality to the eccentric villainess.
Arleen Sorkin Famly Life and Children
Arleen Sorkin, who passed away at age 67, came from an artistic Jewish family. She was born in Washington D.C. in 1956 to producer Irving Sorkin and Joyce Sorkin. Her father’s work in television production exposed Sorkin to the entertainment industry from an early age. Arleen father Irving died on October 18, 2007, in Los Angeles.
Sorkin’s most important family relationship began when she married screenwriter Christopher Lloyd in 1995. Lloyd, known for hit shows like Frasier and Modern Family, was a television titan. The couple raised two sons together in Los Angeles. The two boys are now in their mid twenties.
Sorkin’s sons are known to play basketball with their Emmy Award-winning writer father on the court behind their house.
Lloyd’s work mining family dynamics for comedic gold seemed inspired by his own close-knit family life with Sorkin. She supported her husband’s acclaimed writing career that earned him 12 Emmy Awards.
Meet Arleen Sorkin Husband Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Lloyd is an acclaimed television writer and producer who was the supportive husband of late actress Arleen Sorkin for over 25 years.
Lloyd was born on June 18, 1960, and grew up in a show business family. He was born to his parents David Lloyd and Arline Lloyd. Christopher’s father is also an American screenwriter and producer who died on November 10, 2009, from prostate cancer in Beverly Hills, California. Christopher shared other 4 siblings along with his brother Stephen as well as Julie, Amy, and Douglas.
Christopher Lloyd is the co-creator and executive producer behind the acclaimed comedy series Modern Family. He developed the hit mockumentary sitcom along with Steven Levitan for ABC.
Premiering in 2009, Modern Family followed the intertwining lives of the Pritchett and Dunphy families. Its relatable characters and storylines combined with clever writing touched on family themes that resonated with viewers.
The show was praised as a cultural phenomenon, earning high ratings and critical acclaim. Modern Family won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series for its first five seasons from 2009-2014.
While best known for Modern Family, Lloyd has worked on other classic comedies. He got his start writing for The Golden Girls in the 80s before moving on to Frasier in the 90s.
Lloyd won multiple Emmy Awards for his writing and production on Frasier, which set the stage for his future sitcom success. He has accumulated 12 Primetime Emmy wins total, a record for a comedy writer.
After Frasier ended, Lloyd co-created Back to You with Steven Levitan before they teamed up again on Modern Family.
Did you Know?
- In her early days in New York City, Arleen auditioned for the role of Audrey in the 1982 hit musical Little Shop Of Horrors but lost the role to Ellen Greene.
- Harley Quinn was first conceived by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm for Batman: The Animated Series in 1991. Sorkin debuted as the voice of Quinn in 1992.
- In 1985, Sorkin appeared as the quirky character Calliope Jones on the soap opera Days of Our Lives, even posing with co-star John de Lancie on the cover of Soap Opera Digest.
- One of Sorkin’s most prominent early roles was as the lovable, wacky Calliope Jones on Days of Our Lives.
- Besides acting, Sorkin worked as a writer on shows like Tiny Toon Adventures and the 1990s film Picture Perfect starring Jennifer Aniston. She also co-hosted America’s Funniest People in 1990.
