A real legend has passed away. At the age of 67, beloved actress Arleen Sorkin, who was best known for her work on the soap opera Days of Our Lives and served as the model for the iconic DC Comics villain Harley Quinn, passed away.
Arleen displayed incredible strength and tenacity as she fought multiple sclerosis for many years. Her two sons, Eli and Owen, her mother Joyce, and her brothers Robert and Arthur all praised her for being incredibly kind-hearted and appreciated her loving presence in their lives. Arleen lived a life that touched the hearts of countless people, both young and old, outside of her immediate family.
On October 14, 1955, Arleen was born in Washington, D.C. She became well-known in the 1980s for her portrayal of the lovable and eccentric Calliope Jones Bradford on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives. Calliope gave the program some much-needed comic relief with her eccentric personality and assortment of odd hats.
However, Arleen’s inventiveness didn’t end there. She created a lot of Calliope’s lines herself and was always coming up with fresh ways to make the character funnier. She received two Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her work as Calliope. She appeared as a regular on the show from 1984 to 1990, but in years after that, she only made guest appearances.
Arleen had abilities outside of soap operas. On the sitcom Duet, she had a recurring part as the witty maid to a yuppie couple. Her talents as a screenwriter were also put on display for the animated series Tiny Toon Adventures, and she even wrote the screenplay for Jennifer Aniston’s 1997 movie Picture Perfect.
However, Arleen’s role in the creation and inspiration of Harley Quinn, a legendary villain from DC Comics, was her greatest contribution to popular culture. Harley Quinn was not based on a comic book character, in contrast to the majority of Batman’s adversaries. Arleen appeared on Days of Our Lives as a jester, and writer-producer Paul Dini based the character on her.
Harley Quinn came to life thanks to Arleen’s distinctive voice and New York accent that was infused with Yiddish. Until her retirement in 2011, she kept voicing the character in various animated DC projects. Since then, Harley Quinn has grown to be one of the most well-known comic book characters of all time. Margot Robbie and Lady Gaga have even portrayed her on screen.
Many people in the entertainment business were devastated to hear of Arleen’s passing. Arleen’s co-voice actor, Mark Hamill—who also performed the Joker’s lines—expressed his sorrow by praising her as a friend and colleague as well as a talented actress. James Gunn, the co-CEO of DC Studios and the movie’s director, also honored Arleen and recognized her vital role in the development of Harley Quinn.
Devastated to learn we've lost the brilliant Arleen Sorkin. Not just a wonderful talent, but a truly wonderful person. I'm grateful not only to have worked with her, but to have been her friend. 🙏 Sending my heartfelt condolences to her family & loved ones. 💔 pic.twitter.com/g1Mb3BWoKn
— Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) August 27, 2023
Christopher Lloyd, the TV producer of Modern Family and Frasier, was married to Arleen, and the two of them had two sons: Eli and Owen.
Arleen Sorkin, a true legend whose talent and presence will be sorely missed, is remembered and honored today. Let’s tell her story and preserve her memory. Arleen Sorkin, may you rest in peace.
