Current Events > Fun tidbits about Mark Hamill and the Joker and other roles.

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"Mark Hamill is the only guy who will show up in line to see himself"

Tim Curry was originally the Joker in Batman TAS. The hunt for a new Joker wasn't because Curry was bad, it just didn't fit the style. Unfortunately this was before digital recording so we can only assume Fox destroyed the audio.

Mark Hamill planned to audition for Boyle (in arguably one if the biggest game changers in comic and kids animation history in the 90's, Heart of Ice), and never intended to get the part of the Joker. He gave a wild performance with the iconic laugh, thinking on the drive home "that's the best joker they'll ever hear, too bad they won't hire me".

Upon getting the call of getting the part of the Joker, Mark's reaction went quickly to total dread, as now he was responsible for what he felt was one of the most iconic parts in all of Batman, and felt like he could never do its character justice.

In Mark's first appearance on the Simpsons, he casually dropped that he could do other voices too, making the Simpsons staff think "oh no, what's he going to make us do". However they realized Mark was very open and friendly to suggestions. As a result he plays the body guard in the very same Simpsons episode he first guest starred in.

If you watched any show on Cartoon network or Nickelodeon in the 2000's, you probably heard his voice in over the 50 different shows he guest acted on (including The Boondocks).

Sources: Talkin Toons podcast episode 39, Simpsons audio commentary for "mayored to the mob"

Would Luke Skywalker beat The Joker?
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Dude uses that same joker voice for so many characters. It's weird
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BilalPowell posted...

Would Luke Skywalker beat The Joker?

Depends on who has the high ground.

Didn't "X Vs. Batman with a plan" become a thing on hear a decade ago?

lilORANG posted...

Dude uses that same joker voice for so many characters. It's weird

I can tell a Hamill role by the scratchy voice. His voice has gotten much more grizzled over time, which I guess is a reason why he stopped going the Joker.

On a side note, I recommend the abridged audiobook of World War Z. Hamill reads the part of Todd Wanio, a grizzled veteran during the war. Great listen hearing him act out a tired man who's had enough of all this zombie crap and the people who made it worse.

He killed it in Knightfall

https://youtu.be/aHYG0ywWJg0

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It was really cool years ago finding out that mark hamill was more than just luke, and blew my mind with the joker, he's so good at it.
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Curry's laugh can be heard from a robot clown in the "Be a Clown episode.

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R1masher posted...

He killed it in Knightfall

https://youtu.be/aHYG0ywWJg0

Thanks for posting that. I was cool
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLcGtSeYjrM
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When I was a kid I would hold my breath whenever a character was underwater to see if they could really hold their breath that long.

here is the podcast http://talkintoons.nerdistind.libsynpro.com/039-mark-hamill-on-talkin-toons-with-rob-paulsen-weekly-voice-acting-and-voice-over-tips

Kerred posted...

When I was a kid I would hold my breath whenever a character was underwater to see if they could really hold their breath that long.

lol, I did that too. Every single time.