Tim Curry's Joker

[The Joker]

As apart of a BTAS documentary found on Youtube, we FINALLY have excerpts of Tim Curry's audio recordings as the Joker!

Interesting to hear Kevin Conroy, Kevin Altieri, Eric Radomski and others speak of Tim Curry's time on the show. Especially Dan Riba commenting about Tim Curry's Joker, and noting that Hamill, initially for his first couple of episodes, was essentially following Curry's performance before making it his own.

I've been wanting to hear Curry's Joker voice for DECADES, so this is VERY much something of a "Holy Grail" for me!


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Curry/Hamill Joker voice comparison video:

Link to the full documentary:

[thecolorsblend]

Curry's Joker has been on my list for a long time too. I was never unhappy with Hamill's version. But how can you not be curious about how Curry approached it?

Well, as you say, Hamill's initial approach wasn't light years apart from Curry's approach. Which makes the comparison a lot easier. And I have to agree, Curry's performance is a little too dark and evil. Yes, BTAS is an all-ages show. But let's be realistic, the kids were a huge part of that audience. And I don't think we would've enjoyed Curry's performance the way we ultimately embraced Hamill.

If ever there was a time to replace an actor, this was it.

[The Laughing Fish]

Thanks for sharing these. I'll get around to watching the full documentary as soon as I get the chance.

Curry's Joker sounds like a creepy old man. It's alright, but I much prefer Hamill's voice. His semi-Transatlantic accent gives the Joker a manic and pompous sound. It makes the punchlines much better too, haha.

I remember mentioning in another thread that Curry's Joker laugh made an uncredited cameo as the sound of a robot in the episode Be a Clown, as listed on his IMDB page.

The only role that Curry got credit for in BTAS was when he voiced the bookie's henchman, who got gassed by the Scarecrow in Fear of Victory.

[The Joker]

Well, as you say, Hamill's initial approach wasn't light years apart from Curry's approach. Which makes the comparison a lot easier. And I have to agree, Curry's performance is a little too dark and evil. Yes, BTAS is an all-ages show. But let's be realistic, the kids were a huge part of that audience. And I don't think we would've enjoyed Curry's performance the way we ultimately embraced Hamill.

If ever there was a time to replace an actor, this was it.

Yes. Absolutely.

Having listened to what we're given here with Tim Curry's Joker voice quite a few times now (hey I've been waiting to hear this ever since I was first made aware of Tim Curry voicing the Joker, so yeah I'm going to enjoy whatever I can get with this haha!), Curry comes across like he was still trying to find the right tone for his Joker. Just speculating, but it kinda comes across more like something of a 'test session' with Curry reciting lines in order to find his 'voice'. Course, all the lines are out of context, and this could very well be just a string of intentional decisions that ideally would make more sense in context. Also, in Curry's defense, the sound mixing clearly isn't what it would have been if his performance would have been finalized into a actual professionally finished episode with the music/atmosphere and all that jazz included. Which likely would have made his voice come across a bit contrastive. As having his voice given within a soundproof booth and silent background is just going to result in the audio having something of a soft edge to it compared to something more professionally finished.

Unfortunately, we just don't really know for sure unless more comes out.

Speaking of which, I'm still finding it incredibly amusing how this was just put out there! I'd figure something like this, which has been discussed and theorized about for years, would have been included as a bonus and/or easter egg when BTAS was put out on blu ray or something. Funny stuff.

As far as Curry sounding more dark and evil compared to Mark Hamill's iconic performance, I tend to agree with you there too. It's assuredly more aggressive. There are a few lines, from what we're given, that I feel, really illustrates this. Especially when Curry drops his voice down. He's downright menacing. "Service .. with a smile!", "Just for that, Batman ..." being a few examples (the "Grilled Cheese Sandwich" line is weirdly awesome!). Which I actually kinda like a little bit more than Hamill's delivery by comparison. Whenever Curry's Joker drops his voice, it comes across like he's been putting on a playful facade, and is letting the mask slip a bit. Giving only a suggestion of how evil/dark he truly is. Curry's Joker voice is decidedly distinct, and not just a Pennywise redux vocal delivery. To which I can understand why some people would have believed his Joker voice would have sounded like, but then again it's Tim Curry. The guy is way too talented to have wanted to simply repeat himself like that. 

Thanks for sharing these. I'll get around to watching the full documentary as soon as I get the chance.

Curry's Joker sounds like a creepy old man. It's alright, but I much prefer Hamill's voice. His semi-Transatlantic accent gives the Joker a manic and pompous sound. It makes the punchlines much better too, haha.

Yeah, Hamill's performance comes across more lively and fanciful than Curry's. Which ultimately makes it more fun, and perhaps a bit more engaging. Due to Hamill's unpredictable flow of delivery which makes for a much more compelling voice for the Joker.

Honestly, it's now discernible that Hamill took some cues from Curry's Joker before refining his Joker and clearly making it into his own. Thus giving the producers something more of what they were looking for.

I remember mentioning in another thread that Curry's Joker laugh made an uncredited cameo as the sound of a robot in the episode Be a Clown, as listed on his IMDB page.

Yes, I remember that, and ever since then, have since become very cognizant of every time I watch that episode. Especially since it was the only small glimpse we had into Tim Curry's Joker until now.

[The Laughing Fish]

Somebody edited the complete sequence of what Curry's voice sounds like in The Last Laugh episode.

I reckon his voice sounds much more suitable for a darker tale like The Killing Joke.

Speaking of which, some clever YouTuber used Curry's singing from the show Duckman to edit this scene from the animated adaptation. It fits perfectly.

[The Laughing Fish]

I gotta say, I was thinking about Tim Curry as Claymore in the 1994 version of The Shadow the other day, and his voice and mannerisms, and deranged giggling felt very Jokeresque.

It goes without saying, Alec Baldwin had a good Joker-style laugh too.

[The Joker]

I gotta say, I was thinking about Tim Curry as Claymore in the 1994 version of The Shadow the other day, and his voice and mannerisms, and deranged giggling felt very Jokeresque.

True. Tim Curry gets pretty maniacal in that movie. In some ways, Curry's like a Johnny Craig (notable artist from EC Comics Vault of Horror especially) character come to life. Especially with the sweating, and at times, appearing very near mental collapse.