Robin Williams was a beloved actor and comedian who made an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA on July 21st 1951 to Robert Fitzgerald Williams and Laurie McLaurin. At age 17 he attended Claremont Men’s College where he majored in Political Science before transferring to Juilliard School of Drama in New York City.
Williams began his career as a stand-up comic, performing at local comedy clubs before moving on to larger venues across the country over the course of several years. In 1977 he landed one of his most iconic roles when he was cast as Mork from Ork for ABC’s “Happy Days” spin-off show “Mork & Mindy”. His portrayal of this character earned him two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical category during 1978 and 1979 respectively.
In addition to television appearances, Williams also had success with his movie roles throughout the 1980s with films such as Dead Poets Society (1989), Good Morning Vietnam (1987) Hook (1991), Mrs Doubtfire (1993), Aladdin (1992), and Jumanji (1995). For these performances, Robin won both Academy Award nominations and numerous awards including four Golden Globe Awards; two Screen Actors Guild Awards; three Grammy Awards; American Comedy Award; British Comedy Award and more than 20 additional recognitions for various works throughout his lifetime.
Although known primarily for his comedic genius, Robin also showed great range when taking dramatic roles including The Fisher King (1991); Awakenings (1990); and What Dreams May Come (1998). Off set however things were not going so well for Williams which ultimately lead him down a dark path that eventually ended with suicide on August 11th 2014 due to depression stemming from Lewy Body Dementia diagnosis earlier that year.
The legacy left behind by Robin is undeniable: From teaching us how laughter can be used as medicine against life’s hardships all while inspiring multiple generations through his powerful works – it is safe to say that we will forever remember this man who brought joy into our lives through humor and creativity alike.
Williams was born on July 21st 1951 in Chicago, Illinois but grew up mostly in Marin County near San Francisco where he attended Redwood High School before studying theatre arts at Claremont Men’s College (now called Claremont McKenna College). After college he moved to Los Angeles where he started performing stand-up comedy routines at The Comedy Store which led to him getting a role on television sitcom Mork & Mindy which ran from 1978-1982. This show made him a household name and brought him international fame that would last until his death in 2014.
Throughout his career Williams appeared in over 100 movies both comedic and dramatic – some of his most famous roles include Peter Pan (Hook), Dr John Dolittle (Dr Doolittle), Adrian Cronauer (Good Morning Vietnam), Genie (Aladdin), Daniel Hillard/Mrs Doubtfire (Mrs Doubtfire), Sean Maguire (Good Will Hunting), Professor Philip Brainard (Flubber) and Teddy Roosevelt (Night At The Museum). He worked with many acclaimed directors such as Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton, Christopher Nolan and Rob Reiner among others. His performances were often praised by critics for their energy and wit; particularly those involving improvisation since it was one of William’s trademarks during live performances or when shooting films.
Unfortunately Robin Williams passed away on 11th August 2014 due to suicide after suffering from depression for many years. Despite this tragedy much of the world still remembers him fondly due to the positive impact he had through his work; whether it be making people laugh or teaching valuable lessons about life through powerful film scenes. In fact shortly after news broke out regarding William’s death there were countless tributes pouring out all around the world showing just how beloved this man truly was.
Today we remember Robin Williams as one of Hollywood’s greatest actors whose legacy will remain forever embedded within our hearts.
