Arleen Sorkin, Original Harley Quinn and Days of Our Lives Star, Dies; Mark Hamill and James Gunn Lead Tribute

The inspiration behind the popular DC Comics character, Harley Quinn, has passed away.

It is a dark day in Gotham City. Arleen Sorkin, the woman behind the criminally iconic Harley Quinn, has passed away at age 67. Fellow voice actor Neil Kaplan tweeted earlier today announcing her passing, which can be viewed below. Currently, there is no cause of death announced.

Before she was Harley, Sorkin originally made history on television in the long-running soap, Days of Our Lives. Sorkin played the charming Calliope Jones. She played the character from 1984 to 1990, making return appearances sparingly afterwards. From 1987 to 1989, Sorkin played the role of Geneva in the dramedy Duet. She was also co-host of America's Funniest People from 1990 to 1992.

But her biggest fans know her as Harley Quinn, the Joker henchwoman that became a sensation. The character made her grand debut in Batman: The Animated Series in the episode "Joker's Favor." In the episode, an average citizen is roped into a sinister plot by The Joker and his new sidekick, Harley Quinn. What was meant to be a one-off character quickly turned into something special.

Arleen Sorkin Gave Harley Quinn Her Spunk

The character of Harley Quinn was created by Paul Dini, who also happened to be a college friend of Sorkin. When writing for the episode "Joker's Favor," Dini was having some trouble coming up with a one-off henchwoman for Joker.

Dini found inspiration in a tape that Sorkin gave him that was full of her favorite Days of Our Lives moments. One such clip centered around her character in a roller-skating court jester outfit. After settling on a design with Bruce Timm, Sorkin was invited to try out to voice the one-off sidekick of their biggest villain.

Despite the character only being planned for a single episode, Sorkin brought charm and personality into Harley Quinn from the starting gate. With her pet-names for "Mistah Jay" and her ferocity. She also brought a ton of laughs to the studio as well. Mark Hamill, who voiced the infamous clown crime boss, recalled Sorkin leaving quit the impression on everyone that day.

"In the script she was just an unnamed Joker "hench-wench" w/ no discernible personality. When Arleen began reading her lines in that unforgettable voice so poignant & full of heart I nearly fell off my chair! She brought SO much more than was on the page & a legend was born."

Hamill was one of the first to share his sorrow over the loss of Sorkin on his X account. Having played the Joker opposite Sorkin's Quinn on many occasions, and following the loss of Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy earlier this year, his sadness is certainly not surprising.

Sorkin's performance left more than just an impression with the cast and crew, audiences were smitten by Harley's charisma and wanted more! The little henchwoman soon became a regular on the series, starring in plenty of her own episodes.

The character soon got her own comics, appearances in sequel shows, and more. Sorkin continued to play the character through the years, throughout her various appearances in other DC animated shows such as Justice League and Static Shock, as well as various video games such as "Batman Arkham Asylum."

New DC Studios boss James Gunn, a hug comic book aficionado himself, also paid tribute to the star, citing her as the person who "helped create the character so many of us love."

Arleen Sorkin brought an unforgettable character to life in more ways than one. But her legacy will continue on after her. Voice acting veteran Tara Strong has been providing the voice for Harley Quinn for several projects, and shared her own tribute online, joining many others in expressing their sorrow over the loss of another comic book icon.