Arleen Sorkin (born October 14, 1956) is a retired[citation needed]
American actress, screenwriter, presenter and comedian. Sorkin is
known for portraying Calliope Jones on the NBC daytime serial Days of
Our Lives and for inspiring and voicing the DC Comics villain Harley
Quinn in Batman: The Animated Series and the many animated series and
video games that followed it.Born in Washington, D.C., Sorkin began
her career in cabaret in the late 1970s and early 1980s as a member of
the comedy group The High-Heeled Women, alongside Mary Fulham, Tracey
Berg, and Cassandra Danz.[citation needed] Sorkin is Jewish.[better
source needed]From 1987 to 1989, Sorkin had the role of Geneva, a sexy
maid to yuppie couple Richard and Linda Phillips, on the Fox dramedy
series Duet. She would reprise this role on one episode of Open House,
the sequel series to Duet. In 1990, she went on to be the original
female co-host on America's Funniest People. She also wrote for Tiny
Toon Adventures.In 1992, Sorkin was dismissed from America's Funniest
People by Vin Di Bona. In response, Sorkin filed a lawsuit against Di
Bona, claiming she was dismissed from the show due to her race, after
ABC Chairman Dan Burke had suggested to Di Bona that Sorkin be
replaced by an African-American or a person of another ethnic
minority. Sorkin sought $450,000 for lost earnings, and an additional
unspecified amount for harm to her professional reputation and
emotional injury. She additionally claimed that after she denounced
the move as being racially motivated. Di Bona changed plans and hired
new cohost Tawny Kitaen, who is also white.
American actress, screenwriter, presenter and comedian. Sorkin is
known for portraying Calliope Jones on the NBC daytime serial Days of
Our Lives and for inspiring and voicing the DC Comics villain Harley
Quinn in Batman: The Animated Series and the many animated series and
video games that followed it.Born in Washington, D.C., Sorkin began
her career in cabaret in the late 1970s and early 1980s as a member of
the comedy group The High-Heeled Women, alongside Mary Fulham, Tracey
Berg, and Cassandra Danz.[citation needed] Sorkin is Jewish.[better
source needed]From 1987 to 1989, Sorkin had the role of Geneva, a sexy
maid to yuppie couple Richard and Linda Phillips, on the Fox dramedy
series Duet. She would reprise this role on one episode of Open House,
the sequel series to Duet. In 1990, she went on to be the original
female co-host on America's Funniest People. She also wrote for Tiny
Toon Adventures.In 1992, Sorkin was dismissed from America's Funniest
People by Vin Di Bona. In response, Sorkin filed a lawsuit against Di
Bona, claiming she was dismissed from the show due to her race, after
ABC Chairman Dan Burke had suggested to Di Bona that Sorkin be
replaced by an African-American or a person of another ethnic
minority. Sorkin sought $450,000 for lost earnings, and an additional
unspecified amount for harm to her professional reputation and
emotional injury. She additionally claimed that after she denounced
the move as being racially motivated. Di Bona changed plans and hired
new cohost Tawny Kitaen, who is also white.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.