Robin Williams Biography

(Actor & Comedian Best Known for His Roles in 'Mork & Mindy ', 'Popeye' and 'Good Will Hunting')

Birthday: July 21, 1951 (Cancer)

Born In: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Robin Williams, the funnyman who made not just America but the whole world laugh at his wonderful antics, was an American actor and comedian loved equally by both kids and adults for his quirky expressions, charming clumsiness, and innocent yet witty dialogues. Even though more famous as a comedian, Williams was a very talented personality who could pull off a very serious role with the same ease as he performed a comedic one. Thrice nominated for the coveted Academy Awards, he won it once for his much acclaimed performance in the movie ‘Good Will Hunting’. The son of a senior executive, showbiz seemed to be an unlikely career path for the young Robin. As a boy he always joked around at school and made others laugh with his jokes, no doubt his classmates voted him the “Funniest”! He began his career as a stand-up comedian where he found success. One thing led to another and soon he was on television doing comedy shows. The hit sitcom ‘Mork & Mindy’ made him so popular that he realized that he was meant for greater success. Thus, he entered the world of movies and became the funnyman everyone fell in love with.

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Quick Facts

Also Known As: Robin McLaurin Williams

Died At Age: 63

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Susan Schneider (m. 2011), Marsha Garces (m. 1989–2008), Valerie Velardi (m. 1978–1988)

father: Robert Williams

mother: Laurie Williams

siblings: Robert Todd Williams

children: Cody Alan Williams, Zachary Pym Williams, Zelda Rae Williams

Born Country: United States

Actors Comedians

Height: 5'7" (170 cm), 5'7" Males

Died on: August 11, 2014

place of death: Paradise Cay, California, United States

City: Chicago, Illinois

Notable Alumni: Juilliard School, Claremont McKenna College, College Of Marin

Personality: ENFP

U.S. State: Illinois

Cause of Death: Suicide

More Facts

education: Juilliard School, Claremont McKenna College, College Of Marin

  • 1

    What movies did Robin Williams star in?

    Robin Williams starred in several popular movies, including "Good Will Hunting," "Dead Poets Society," "Mrs. Doubtfire," "Aladdin," and "Jumanji."
  • 2

    Did Robin Williams have any comedy specials?

    Yes, Robin Williams had several comedy specials, including "Live at the Met," "An Evening with Robin Williams," "Weapons of Self Destruction," and "Robin Williams: Live on Broadway."
  • 3

    What was Robin Williams' role in the TV show Mork & Mindy?

    In the TV show "Mork & Mindy," Robin Williams played the role of Mork, an alien from the planet Ork who comes to Earth to learn about human behavior.

  • 4

    Did Robin Williams do any voice acting in animated films?

    Yes, Robin Williams lent his voice to several animated films, most notably as the Genie in Disney's "Aladdin" and as Ramon and Lovelace in "Happy Feet."
  • 5

    What was Robin Williams' involvement in charity work?

    Robin Williams was actively involved in charity work and supported various causes, including St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Comic Relief, and the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.
Childhood & Early Life
He was born to Robert Fitzgerald Williams and Laurie McLaurin in Chicago as one of their three sons. His father worked as a senior executive at Ford Motor Company while his mother had been a former model. He was of mixed ancestry.
His family moved to Michigan when he was a young kid and there he joined the Detroit Country Day School. He was a very good student and also played sports. Yet, he was bullied much of the time in school.
He was an introvert and spent much of his time alone playing with his toys. Since both his parents worked, the lonely child entertained himself with his imagination.
As a teenager he attended Redwood High School from where he graduated in 1969. He was a popular student in school, always telling jokes and making others laugh.
He had a penchant for acting from a young age and won a full scholarship to attend the esteemed Juilliard School in New York City in 1973. He was among the only two students who were accepted by John Houseman into the Advanced Program that year. Christopher Reeve and William Hurt were his classmates.
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Career
He began his career performing stand up comedy shows during the 1970s. While he was performing at the Comedy Club in Los Angeles in 1977, he was spotted by the TV producer George Schlatter who asked him to appear on a revival of his ‘Laugh-In’ show.
His debut TV appearance happened in late 1977 where he performed an extension of his stand-up routines. Even though the Laugh-In was not a success, it definitely led to his talent getting recognized.
He auditioned for the role of Mork the Alien for the show ‘Happy Days’ in 1978. When asked to take a seat, he promptly sat on his head which really impressed the producer, Garry Marshall. The character was so successful that it set off a spin-off.
The American sitcom ‘Mork & Mindy’ was first broadcast in 1978 featuring Robin as Mork the Alien from the planet Ork. The show was a huge success and made him a popular figure in comedy. The show ran till 1982.
In 1979, he gave a live comedy show at the Copacabana in New York, ‘Reality… What a Concept’ the recording of which won him a Grammy Award.
Even though he had made his big screen debut in 1977 with the comedy movie, ‘Can I Do It ‘Till I Need Glasses?’, it wasn’t until 1980 that he got his first big break with ‘Popeye’ in which he played Popeye the Sailor Man.
More roles soon followed and in 1984 he found himself playing the role of Vladimir Ivanoff in the comedy-drama ‘Moscow on the Hudson’ for which he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor.
He portrayed a radio DJ on Armed Forces Radio Service in the 1987 war comedy film, ‘Good Morning, Vietnam’, a movie in which his character was loosely based on the life of radio DJ Adrian Cronauer.
In 1989, he appeared in the drama film ‘Dead Poets Society’ which was about the story of an English teacher in a conservative academy who inspires his students by teaching them poetry. The movie was a huge hit.
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One of his most memorable comedy films was ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ (1993) in which he pretends to be a woman so that he can be closer to the kids he has with his ex-wife.
The year 1997 was a good one for him as he got the opportunity to star in the brilliant movie, ‘Good Will Hunting’ in which he plays the role of a therapist who counsels a troubled yet hugely talented young man. The movie won him many accolades.
The success of his career continued well into the new millennium where he performed in movies such as ‘One Hour Photo’ (2002), ‘Robots’ (2005), ‘License to Wed’ (2007), and ‘Old Dogs’ (2009).
Over the past few years his depression had been worsening and he was also having problems with alcoholism. He died suddenly in 2014; some of his movies like ‘Merry Friggin’ Christmas’ and ‘Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb’ are scheduled for posthumous release.
Major Works
He was best known for his role as a therapist in the 1997 drama film ‘Good Will Hunting’ which was both a critical and commercial success. He shared the screen with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in this much acclaimed movie.
Awards & Achievements
Hewas nominated for the Academy Award for the Best Actor thrice. In 1997 he won the Academy Award for the Best Supporting Actor for his role as Dr. Sean Maguire in the film ‘Good Will Hunting’.
Personal Life & Legacy
Williams married thrice. His first marriage was to Valarie Velardi in 1978 with whom he had a son. Their marriage unraveled due to his alcoholism and infidelity.
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He married Marsha Garces, his son’s nanny, in 1989. The couple went on to have two children. This marriage too, did not last long and ended in divorce.
His third marriage was to graphic designer Susan Schneider in 2011.
Williams had always had problems with alcoholism and drug abuse. He also suffered from depression. He was discovered unconscious by his personal assistant on 11 August 2014 and the doctors declared him dead shortly afterwards. His death is believed to be a result of suicide.
Facts About Robin Williams
Robin Williams was a devoted fan of video games and was known to spend hours playing games like The Legend of Zelda and World of Warcraft.
He was an avid cyclist and often used biking as a way to relax and stay active.
Robin Williams was a talented mimic and could imitate a wide range of accents and voices, which he often incorporated into his comedic performances.
In addition to his acting talents, Williams was also an accomplished painter and enjoyed creating artwork in his spare time.
He was passionate about philanthropy and supported numerous charitable causes throughout his life, including organizations focused on children's health and education.

Robin Williams Movies

1. Good Will Hunting (1997)

  (Drama)

2. Awakenings (1990)

  (Drama, Biography)

3. Dead Poets Society (1989)

  (Drama, Comedy)

4. Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)

  (Biography, War, Comedy, Drama)

5. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)

  (Family, Comedy, Drama)

6. Patch Adams (1998)

  (Drama, Romance, Comedy, Biography)

7. What Dreams May Come (1998)

  (Drama, Fantasy, Romance)

8. Jumanji (1995)

  (Thriller, Action, Fantasy, Family, Adventure)

9. The Birdcage (1996)

  (Comedy)

10. The Fisher King (1991)

  (Drama, Comedy, Fantasy)

Awards

Academy Awards(Oscars)
1998 Best Actor in a Supporting Role Good Will Hunting (1997)
Golden Globe Awards
1994 Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
1992 Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical The Fisher King (1991)
1988 Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
1979 Best Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical Mork & Mindy (1978)
Primetime Emmy Awards
1988 Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program ABC Presents: A Royal Gala (1988)
1987 Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program Carol, Carl, Whoopi and Robin (1987)
MTV Movie & TV Awards
1994 Best Comedic Performance Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
1993 Best Comedic Performance Aladdin (1992)
People's Choice Awards
2009 Favorite Scene Stealing Guest Star Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999)
2008 Favorite Funny Male Star Winner
2007 Favorite Funny Male Star Winner
1994 Favorite Comedy Motion Picture Actor Winner
1979 Favorite Male Performer in a New TV Program Winner
Grammy Awards
2003 Best Spoken Comedy Album Robin Williams Live on Broadway (2002)
1989 Best Comedy Recording Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
1989 Best Recording for Children Winner
1988 Best Comedy Recording Robin Williams: Live at the Met (1986)
1980 Best Comedy Recording Winner
Recommended Lists:

See the events in life of Robin Williams in Chronological Order

How To Cite

Article Title
- Robin Williams Biography
Author
- Editors, TheFamousPeople.com
Website
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URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/robin-mclaurim-williams-2733.php

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