Batman: The Animated Series aired on Fox Kids from September 5, 1992, to September 15, 1995, with a total of 85 episodes. The series took influence from Tim Burton's live-action films, Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992), and the acclaimed Superman theatrical cartoons produced by Fleischer Studios in the early 1940s. Mark Hamill, previously famous for his role as Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars trilogy, voiced the Joker, whose prominence as a voice actor was heightened through his "cheerfully deranged" portrayal of the Joker.