Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951 – August 11, 2014) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Starting as a stand-up comedian in San Francisco and Los Angeles in the mid-1970s, he is credited with leading San Francisco's comedy renaissance. After rising to fame as Mork in Mork & Mindy (1978–82), Williams established a career in both stand-up comedy and feature film acting. He was known for his improvisational skills.
After his first starring film role in Popeye (1980), Williams starred or co-starred in several films that achieved both critical acclaim and financial success, including Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), Aladdin (1992), The Birdcage (1996), and Good Will Hunting (1997). He also starred in widely acclaimed films such as The World According to Garp (1982), Moscow on the Hudson (1984), Awakenings (1990), The Fisher King (1991), One Hour Photo (2002), and World's Greatest Dad (2009), as well as box office hits such as Hook (1991), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), and Night at the Museum (2006).
Williams won the 1997 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as teacher Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting. He also received two Emmy Awards, seven Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and four Grammy Awards throughout his career.
On August 11, 2014, one month after his 63rd birthday, Williams committed suicide by hanging at his home in Paradise Cay, California. His wife attributed his suicide to his struggle with Lewy body dementia.
Filmography[]
- Fathers' Day (1997) - TBA
- Happy Feet (2006) - Ramón and Lovelace
- Happy Feet Two (2011) - Ramón and Lovelace
