Actress Arleen Sorkin, who passed away last month at the age of 67 due to multiple sclerosis, is fondly remembered by her close friend and fellow actress Dana Delany. Delany shares her heartfelt recollections of their friendship:
Arleen Sorkin and I grew close in our twenties because we had a common romantic interest, even though he and I were no longer involved. He wanted me to meet this amazing woman he was smitten with. Arleen was incredibly talented and part of the comedy group The High Heeled Women. What struck me initially was her incredible physique, followed by her captivating Guys and Dolls-like voice and her witty one-liners. However, it was only later that I truly discovered her unwavering loyalty, immense wisdom, and her generous spirit. While the romantic relationship didn't last, our enduring friendship did.
While the world will rightly remember Arleen for her role as Calliope Jones in Days of Our Lives, where she injected sass and humor into a genre not known for it, her depth as an actress goes beyond that. Watch her on YouTube, and you'll witness a level of pathos and yearning in Calliope that rivals performances by Judy Holliday. Witness her breaking hearts as the harlequined court jester in Days of Our Lives. It was because of this portrayal that her Emerson College friend, Paul Dini, created Harley Quinn in her image.
Harleen "Harley" Quinn has now become an integral part of the DC Batman universe. While it feels like she has always been there, Harley Quinn was originally conceived by Paul Dini, drawing inspiration from Arleen Sorkin. The roots of this creation trace back to Dr. Irving Sorkin, D.D.S., Arleen's father, who was a successful dentist in Washington D.C. Despite his profession, he harbored dreams of showbiz. As a young boy, he idolized the silent film star Billie Dove and even corresponded with her, receiving replies. Irving was convinced that his charming daughter would become an actress and eventually meet Billie Dove in Hollywood.
Arleen took dance and singing lessons, following the path of stars in the 1920s. She possessed an unparalleled knack for delivering jokes, which I experienced firsthand when we met in New York. I became Barbara Stanwyck to her Joan Blondell.
However, Arleen was more than just a funny woman. She was intelligent and possessed the analytical mind of a great comedian. She co-wrote the film "Picture Perfect," starring Jennifer Aniston in 1997, and created her own comedy series, "Fired Up," in the same year. This was also when she fulfilled one of her father's dreams.
At 79, Irving believed he was too old to meet Miss Dove, as he didn't want to disrupt their romantic fantasies. However, Arleen initiated a phone relationship with Billie Dove at his urging. Eventually, Arleen and I had the opportunity to meet Billie Dove in person at her home in the Thunder Bird Country Club. The 1950s ranch house was adorned with memorabilia and photos of the silent film star. We listened to stories, including how Howard Hughes paid a considerable sum to Billie's husband to relinquish her. When Billie passed away later that year at the age of 94, Arleen and I attended the memorial service at Forrest Lawn, where we met the devoted president of the Billie Dove Fan Club who fondly remembered Irving.
Throughout his life, Irving was a man filled with countless (truly) brilliant ideas. Arleen's final gift to her father was relentlessly working on a story he had read in Washingtonian magazine, which ultimately became "Something the Lord Made," featuring Alan Rickman and Yasiin Bey. In 2004, Dr./producer Irving Sorkin received an Emmy for Best Movie and a Peabody Award. Arleen humbly took no credit for her role in this achievement.
Before multiple sclerosis affected her, Arleen's final passion project was the documentary "Bhutto," which focused on the life of the assassinated female Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Arleen was determined to bring this important story about democracy in a post-9/11 world to light. Her efforts were rewarded with a Peabody Award in 2011.