Arleen Sorkin, born on October 14, 1955, in Washington, D.C., was a retired American actress, screenwriter, presenter and comedian.
She is best known for her portrayal of Calliope Jones on the NBC daytime serial Days of Our Lives and for inspiring and voicing the DC Comics villain Harley Quinn in Batman: The Animated Series and subsequent animated series and video games.
Sorkin began her career in cabaret in the late 1970s and early 1980s as a member of the comedy group The High-Heeled Women.
She later transitioned to television and film, appearing in various roles throughout her career.
Sorkin gained recognition for her portrayal of Calliope Jones on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives.
Her character was known for her comedic and eccentric personality.
Sorkin’s most notable contribution to pop culture is her role in inspiring and voicing the character Harley Quinn in Batman: The Animated Series.
Her performance as Harley Quinn became iconic and she continued to voice the character in various DC Animated Universe projects and video games.
Sorkin had appearances in other television shows and films, including Frasier, where she performed as a caller to Frasier Crane’s radio show.
She also co-hosted America’s Funniest People alongside Dave Coulier.
Sorkin retired from acting in 2011.
Arleen Sorkin death
Sorkin died on August 26 at the age of 67.
The cause of death is unknown at the time of publishing this article.
Arleen Sorkin, best known as the first voice of Harley Quinn, has passed away at the age of 67. pic.twitter.com/mILkMCsTYO
— One Take News (@OneTakeNews) August 26, 2023
Arleen Sorkin husband
Since 1995, Sorkin has been married to television writer-producer Christopher Lloyd.
The two have two sons, Eli and Owen.
Lloyd is a television writer and producer who has worked on several popular TV shows, including Frasier, Modern Family, and The Big Bang Theory.
He is not to be confused with the actor of the same name who is best known for his roles in the Back to the Future trilogy and The Addams Family movies.
Arleen Sorkin career
Sorkin is best known for portraying Calliope Jones on the NBC daytime serial Days of Our Lives and for inspiring and voicing the DC Comics villain Harley Quinn, created by her college friend Paul Dini, in Batman: The Animated Series and the many animated series and video games that followed it.
She began her career in cabaret in the late 1970s and early 1980s as a member of the comedy group The High-Heeled Women, alongside Mary Fulham, Tracey Berg and Cassandra Danz.
Sorkin played the role of Calliope Jones on the NBC daytime serial Days of Our Lives from 1984 to 1990.
Additionally, she voiced the character of Harley Quinn in Batman: The Animated Series, which premiered in 1992.
Sorkin also voiced the character in several other animated series and video games.
She appeared in several other TV shows and movies throughout her career, including The Bold and the Beautiful, Full House and The Secret World of Alex Mack.
Sorkin wrote for several TV shows, including The Nanny and SoapTalk.