# Arleen Sorkin
**Arleen Sorkin** (Arleen Francis Sorkin; 1955–2023) was an American actress, screenwriter, television presenter, and comedian best known for playing Calliope Jones on the NBC soap opera *Days of Our Lives* and for being the real-life inspiration and original voice of [DC Comics](https://www.edgepedia.org/dc-comics)' Harley Quinn.[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/arleen-sorkin) She was born in Washington, D.C.[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/arleen-sorkin) and died in August 2023 at the age of 67.[2](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-08-27/arleen-sorkin-death-harley-quinn-days-of-our-lives)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1955, Washington, D.C.[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/arleen-sorkin) |
| Signature TV role | Calliope Jones on *Days of Our Lives*, played from 1984 to 1990, with two Emmy nominations for the portrayal[3](https://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/arleen-francis-sorkin/) |
| Harley Quinn | Original voice and real-life inspiration; first voiced the character in the 1992 *Batman: The Animated Series* episode "Joker's Favor"[4](https://www.thewrap.com/arleen-sorkin-harley-quinn-dies-batman-animated-series/) |
| Voice career span | Voiced Harley Quinn for about twenty years, from the 1992 debut through 2011's *DC Universe Online*[5](https://www.dc.com/blog/2021/10/04/the-jewish-roots-of-harley-quinn) |
| Writing and producing | Co-wrote the Jennifer Aniston film *Picture Perfect*, co-created the sitcom *Fired Up*, and produced the documentary *Bhutto*, for which she won a Peabody Award[3](https://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/arleen-francis-sorkin/) |
| Spouse | Television producer Christopher Lloyd, co-creator of *Modern Family*; married 28 years, with two sons[2](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-08-27/arleen-sorkin-death-harley-quinn-days-of-our-lives) |
| Death | August 2023, at 67, of pneumonia and multiple sclerosis[2](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-08-27/arleen-sorkin-death-harley-quinn-days-of-our-lives) |
## Early life and career path
Sorkin's career before soap opera fame followed an unusually varied route. As her husband [Christopher Lloyd](https://www.edgepedia.org/christopher-lloyd) recounted after her death, she went from high-school dancer to shoe model to cabaret performer to daytime television star; along the way she also held the center spot on the game show *Hollywood Squares*. As a struggling young actress she landed her first job as an extra on the 1979 [Al Pacino](https://www.edgepedia.org/al-pacino) film *. . . And Justice for All*.[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/1104760/arleen-sorkin-tribute-husband-christopher-lloyd/) • [7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-oct-25-me-sorkin25-story.html)
## Days of Our Lives
After moving to Los Angeles, Sorkin won the role of dressmaker Calliope Jones on *Days of Our Lives*, which she played from 1984 to 1990 and received two Emmy nominations for the portrayal.[3](https://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/arleen-francis-sorkin/) The Los Angeles Times describes her as appearing in hundreds of episodes of the series during its 1984–2010 run.[2](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-08-27/arleen-sorkin-death-harley-quinn-days-of-our-lives) Her other acting credits include the series *[Duet](https://www.edgepedia.org/duet-tv-series)*, *Frasier*, and *Open House*, and the television movie *Perry Mason: The Case of the Killer Kiss*.[2](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-08-27/arleen-sorkin-death-harley-quinn-days-of-our-lives)
## Creating the voice of Harley Quinn
**A soap-opera clown became a comic-book icon.** In a 2011 podcast interview with [Kevin Smith](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-smith), *Batman: The Animated Series* co-creator [Paul Dini](https://www.edgepedia.org/paul-dini) explained that he had considered adding a wisecracking woman to the Joker's gang of henchmen, and that a fantasy sequence from *Days of Our Lives*, in which Sorkin appeared as a court jester in a clown outfit, inspired him to design [Harley Quinn](https://www.edgepedia.org/harley-quinn) with Sorkin in mind as her voice.[4](https://www.thewrap.com/arleen-sorkin-harley-quinn-dies-batman-animated-series/) Sorkin was Dini's personal friend, and he based a number of Harley's mannerisms on her.[5](https://www.dc.com/blog/2021/10/04/the-jewish-roots-of-harley-quinn) • [8](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54fc8146e4b02a22841f4df7/t/610e5dfe723fd06b055f338c/1628331551283/Batman_Animated_%281998%29-CDR.pdf)
Harley Quinn debuted in the series' seventh episode, "Joker's Favor," in 1992, and was originally intended to appear only once; after a rough cut of the episode was well received by producers, she became a recurring part of the cast.[4](https://www.thewrap.com/arleen-sorkin-harley-quinn-dies-batman-animated-series/) Her popularity with creators and fans, together with [Bruce Timm](https://www.edgepedia.org/bruce-timm)'s design and Sorkin's voice performance, carried her into the comics, beginning with *The Batman Adventures #12* a year after her animated debut.[9](https://www.dc.com/blog/2019/05/22/brilliant-women-of-batman-harley-quinn-comes-into-her-own)
Sorkin voiced the character for roughly twenty years in animated programming and video games, from the 1992 debut through 2011's *DC Universe Online*, when she retired from the role.[5](https://www.dc.com/blog/2021/10/04/the-jewish-roots-of-harley-quinn) • [4](https://www.thewrap.com/arleen-sorkin-harley-quinn-dies-batman-animated-series/) One of her most influential performances came in the January 1993 episode "Harley and Ivy," in which Harley joins forces with Poison Ivy after a falling-out with the Joker; the pairing became popular with writers and fans and shaped the later animated series *Harley Quinn*, in which the two characters fall in love.[4](https://www.thewrap.com/arleen-sorkin-harley-quinn-dies-batman-animated-series/) Her performance became the basis for the character's later development in comics and films such as *Suicide Squad* and *Birds of Prey*, both starring [Margot Robbie](https://www.edgepedia.org/margot-robbie), as Harley moved from villain to antihero.[4](https://www.thewrap.com/arleen-sorkin-harley-quinn-dies-batman-animated-series/) [James Gunn](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-gunn), co-head of [DC Studios](https://www.edgepedia.org/dc-studios), called her "the inspiration & the heart & soul of this iconic character" in a post confirming her death.[2](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-08-27/arleen-sorkin-death-harley-quinn-days-of-our-lives)
## Writing and producing
Beyond acting, Sorkin worked behind the camera. She co-wrote the 1997 [Jennifer Aniston](https://www.edgepedia.org/jennifer-aniston) film *[Picture Perfect](https://www.edgepedia.org/picture-perfect-1997-film)*, co-created the sitcom *Fired Up*, and produced the off-Broadway play noted by Lloyd, as well as the documentary *Bhutto*, for which she won a Peabody Award.[3](https://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/arleen-francis-sorkin/) • [6](https://www.tvinsider.com/1104760/arleen-sorkin-tribute-husband-christopher-lloyd/)
Her family had a parallel streak of Hollywood storytelling. Her father, Dr. Irving Sorkin, a Washington, D.C. dentist, spent decades pitching story ideas about historical figures; his story about the interracial surgical partnership of Blalock and Thomas was developed at NBC and Paramount before being made as the 2004 HBO film *Something the Lord Made*. The film won the Emmy for Outstanding Made for Television Movie, and because the elder Sorkin was a co-producer rather than an award-eligible position, Arleen Sorkin procured and engraved a spare Emmy statuette with his name.[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/1104760/arleen-sorkin-tribute-husband-christopher-lloyd/) • [7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-oct-25-me-sorkin25-story.html)
## Personal life and death
Sorkin met Christopher Lloyd when both were hired as staff writers on a sitcom; they were married for 28 years and had two sons.[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/1104760/arleen-sorkin-tribute-husband-christopher-lloyd/) • [2](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-08-27/arleen-sorkin-death-harley-quinn-days-of-our-lives) She died in August 2023 of pneumonia and multiple sclerosis at age 67.[2](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-08-27/arleen-sorkin-death-harley-quinn-days-of-our-lives) Reported dates differ among obituary sources: Lloyd's remembrance gives August 24, the Television Academy's profile gives August 26, and other tributes give August 25.[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/1104760/arleen-sorkin-tribute-husband-christopher-lloyd/) • [1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/arleen-sorkin) • [10](https://www.gamesradar.com/arleen-sorkin-harley-quinn/) Tributes followed from colleagues including [Mark Hamill](https://www.edgepedia.org/mark-hamill), who voiced the Joker opposite her Harley.[2](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-08-27/arleen-sorkin-death-harley-quinn-days-of-our-lives) Lloyd wrote in his remembrance that the character of Harley Quinn "was based upon Arleen and whose original voice she provided," and reflected that her loyalty may have defined it.[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/1104760/arleen-sorkin-tribute-husband-christopher-lloyd/)
## References
1. [Arleen Sorkin, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/arleen-sorkin)
2. [Arleen Sorkin, soap opera star and original voice of Harley Quinn, dies at 67, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-08-27/arleen-sorkin-death-harley-quinn-days-of-our-lives)
3. [Arleen Francis Sorkin, Washington Jewish Week](https://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/arleen-francis-sorkin/)
4. [Arleen Sorkin, Original Voice of DC's Animated Harley Quinn, Dies at 67, TheWrap](https://www.thewrap.com/arleen-sorkin-harley-quinn-dies-batman-animated-series/)
5. [The Jewish Roots of Harley Quinn, DC](https://www.dc.com/blog/2021/10/04/the-jewish-roots-of-harley-quinn)
6. ['Modern Family' Co-Creator Christopher Lloyd Remembers Late Wife, 'Days' Star Arleen Sorkin, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/1104760/arleen-sorkin-tribute-husband-christopher-lloyd/)
7. [Irving Sorkin, 88; dentist saw Hollywood dream come true as award-winning producer, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-oct-25-me-sorkin25-story.html)
8. [Batman Animated (1998), Paul Dini notes](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54fc8146e4b02a22841f4df7/t/610e5dfe723fd06b055f338c/1628331551283/Batman_Animated_%281998%29-CDR.pdf)
9. [Brilliant Women of Batman: Harley Quinn Comes Into Her Own, DC](https://www.dc.com/blog/2019/05/22/brilliant-women-of-batman-harley-quinn-comes-into-her-own)
10. [Arleen Sorkin didn't just voice Harley Quinn, she defines the character to this day, GamesRadar+](https://www.gamesradar.com/arleen-sorkin-harley-quinn/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Sm to Su*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license