Robin Williams, beloved actor of film, television, and stage, died on Monday. He was 63.
We're very sorry to report that legendary comedian, actor, and beloved entertainer Robin Williams died on Monday. He was 63. Williams, who has battled depression throughout his life, was pronounced dead at 12:02 pm Monday, according to a statement released by police in Marin County, California.
Mara Buxbaum, Williams’ publicist, said in a statement, “This is a tragic and sudden loss. The family respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve during this very difficult time.”
Williams enjoyed a career spanning decades as a respected actor known for his comedic work, though he went on to win an Academy Award in 1998 for Best Supporting Actor in Good Will Hunting. His other adored film credits include Good Morning, Vietnam, The Dead Poets Society, The Fisher King, The Birdcage, and family films such as Mrs. Doubtfire, Aladdin, Hook, and Jumanji.
Born July 21, 1951, Williams grew up in both the Midwest and eventually California during his high school years. He spent his childhood primarily in Detroit suburb Bloomfield Hills before moving to Woodacre on the west coast. In 1973, Williams went to Juilliard and roomed with Christopher Reeve before he dropped out of the prestigious university in 1976.
Williams found quick success when he landed a career-forming role on Happy Days: Mork, an alien traveler who happened to share Williams’ love for odd dialects and voice mimicry. Mork was so beloved that he soon garnered his own spin-off show, Mork and Mindy, which ran from 1978 to 1982. Williams won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a TV Musical or Comedy in 1978.
Williams had long dabbled since his college years in stand-up tours, and after the success of Mork and Mindy, he became a nationally sought after comedian who was as famous for his rapid fire comedy as he well as his ability to switch set-ups and voices like the stream of consciousness of an ADHD four-year-old hyped up on a candy bar. Williams even humorously summed up his comedy routine as “Hey, look at the kitty.”
Among the comedy tours and events that Williams is remembered for are An Evening With Robin Williams in 1982, Robin Williams: At The Met (1986), and Robin Williams LIVE on Broadway (2002).
Williams, who performed on stage alongside Steve Martin in Waiting for Godot, first transitioned to film in 1977’s Can I Do It Till I Need Glasses? But his breakout role was in 1980’s live-action adaptation of Popeye.
Despite his comedic brilliance, Williams made a point to pursue serious film roles by the end of the 1980s, including in 1987’s Good Morning, Vietnam and 1989’s Dead Poets Society, both of which earned him Oscar nominations. He was considered for the role of the Joker in 1989’s Batman and even expressed interest in playing the role when rumors started about the direction of The Dark Knight.
Williams was nominated for another Oscar in the early ‘90s for The Fisher King, but transitioned back to the family entertainment of his first breakouts beginning with Steven Spielberg’s Hook (1991). He would go on to be the voice of the Genie in Disney’s Aladdin, which earned him a generation of young fans, who turned out in droves when he donned old lady clothes for the family film blockbuster Mrs. Doubtfire (1993). As recently as this year, Williams and filmmakers had still been considering making a Mrs. Doubtfire 2.
Williams was married three times and had a three children by two of the marriages. He is survived by his adult children and his third wife Susan Schneider, whom he married in 2011.