Batman: The Animated Series is one of the most iconic and influential animated series of all time. Beginning in 1992 on Fox Kids, the show managed to introduce some of the most loved versions of Batman and his rogues. Additionally, the show would also go on to spawn several spin-offs, with Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League/ Unlimited, and Batman Beyond all being aired as a result of the huge success of Batman: The Animated Series.
As with any influential show, Batman: The Animated Series had some incredibly interesting stories behind the scenes. Here are 10 behind the scenes facts about the show you should know.
Tim Curry Was Originally Going To Voice Joker
Mark Hamill's version of the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series is widely considered to be the best adaptation of the Clown Prince of Crime. Hamill perfectly captured the character, with the showrunners allowing him to play the role in both dark and cartoonish ways.
However, what fans may not be aware of is that Tim Curry was originally cast to voice the Joker. That being said, Curry was allegedly removed from production after the actor developed bronchitis.
Kevin Conroy Wanted To Voice Jim Gordon
In the same vein as Mark Hamill's Joker, many consider Kevin Conroy's adaptation of the Batman character to be the best of all time. The actor did a fantastic job of altering his voice depending on whether he was voicing Bruce Wayne or Batman, which was a great touch, particularly for the time.
However, fans may be surprised to learn that Conroy didn't originally try to voice Batman. The actor read for Joker, Harvey Bullock, and Commissioner Gordon before eventually being told to try for Batman.
Burton's Batman Helped The Show
The studio behind Batman: The Animated Series weren't sure about giving the green light to the show. Executives were unsure as to the reach that the TV show would have, as well as the popularity of the Batman character, with many recognising the hero from the old Adam West TV show.
That being said, the runaway success of Tim Burton's Batman helped convince studio executives to give the show a chance. The influence of Burton on the show is also clear, with the theme and Catwoman and Penguin's character designs mirroring the Burton versions.
Bruce Timm Hated The Terrible Trio
Batman: The Animated Series has had over 80 episodes broadcast during its original run on Fox Kids, so it comes as no surprise at all that one of the creators of the show, Bruce Timm, wasn't a fan of every single episode.
However, writing on a Toonzone messageboard, Timm revealed that his least favorite episode of all was the Terrible Trio, though he didn't give any explanation.
Mask Of The Phantasm Choir
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is one of the greatest Batman stories of all time. Despite great reviews, the theatrical release of the movie didn't get many viewers and this led to Warner Brothers' decision to only release DCAU movies direct to video.
One of the most interesting behind the scenes facts concerns the movie's theme. The theme consists of choral chanting that many would assume to be Latin, but it is actually the names of the orchestrators sung backwards.
Harley Quinn Inspired by Arleen Sorkin
Harley Quinn is one of the most popular DC Comics of all time. Some may be surprised to learn, then, that the character was only a fairly recent creation, with Quinn making her first appearance in Batman: The Animated Series, before then being introduced to the comics.
The creators of the character were inspired after seeing actress Arleen Sorkin wearing a clown outfit during Days of Our Lives. Sorkin would then go on to voice the character, launching Quinn into the success she is today.
Impact Of Censorship
Due to the fact that Batman: The Animated Series was airing on Fox Kids, it comes as no surprise that the broadcaster wanted the creators of the show to make their stories suitable for children, and this required them to make their stories less graphic.
That being said, this censorship actually helped improve several scenes. For instance, showing less (such as Gordon's death in 'I Am The Night' and Robin's parents' deaths in 'Robin's Reckoning') helped make the scene feel even more hard-hitting and tragic.
Mr. Freeze Origin
Much like with Harley Quinn, Batman: The Animated Series struck gold with their reinterpretation of Mr. Freeze, changing how the charcter would be seen in the comic books forever.
Original character notes for Mr. Freeze had the villain be a simple cold-themed character, but the creators changed this in favor of a more tragic back story that would become his default.
The Adventures Of Batman And Robin
Fans of the show, particularly those who've marathoned the blu-ray of the show, will have noticed that some episodes aren't called Batman: The Animated Series and they don't have the iconic intro sequence either. Instead, the show is called The Adventures of Batman and Robin.
The reason for this is that studio executives wanted Robin to be included in more episodes due to their belief that including the Boy Wonder would cause more kids to watch.
Animation Studio Issues
Animated TV shows in the nineties tended to use a wide variety of different animation studios across the world to get their TV shows made, Batman: The Animated Series was no exception. Japanese studio TMS Entertainment was largely considered to do the best job and South Korean company AKOM were considered to be the worst.
Bruce Timm and the other workers on the show were so frustrated with AKOM's work on 'the Last Laugh', 'the Cat and the Claw Part 2' and 'Catscratch Fever', that he demanded Warner Bros not use AKOM again.