Profile photo of Robin Williams

Robin Williams

Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951 – August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian. Known for his improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and comedies alike, he is regarded as one of the greatest comedians of all time. He received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, six Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and five Grammy Awards. Williams began performing stand-up comedy in San Francisco and Los Angeles during the mid-1970s, and released several comedy albums including Reality ... What a Concept in 1980. He rose to fame playing the alien Mork in the ABC sitcom Mork & Mindy (1978–1982). He received his first leading film role in Popeye (1980). Williams went on to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Good Will Hunting (1997). His other Oscar-nominated roles were for Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), and The Fisher King (1991). Williams starred in the critically acclaimed dramas The World According to Garp (1982), Moscow on the Hudson (1984), Dead Poets Society (1989), Awakenings (1990), Patch Adams (1998), Insomnia (2002), One Hour Photo (2002), and World's Greatest Dad (2009). He also starred in family films such as Hook (1991), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), Jack (1996), Flubber (1997), RV (2006), and the Night at the Museum trilogy (2006–2014). He lent his voice to the animated films Aladdin (1992), Robots (2005), Happy Feet (2006), and its 2011 sequel. Williams was found dead at his home in Paradise Cay, California, in August 2014, at the age of 63. At the time of his suicide, he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. According to his widow, Williams had experienced depression, anxiety, and increasing paranoia. His autopsy found "diffuse Lewy body disease" and Lewy body dementia professionals said his symptoms were consistent with dementia with Lewy bodies.

Filmography

2024
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

as Self (archive footage)

Movie
2022
The Animograph, or I Was Born in a Shoebox

as Self (archive footage)

Movie
2014
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb

as Theodore Roosevelt

Movie
2011
Happy Feet Two

as Ramon / Lovelace (voice)

Movie
2009
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

as Theodore Roosevelt

Movie
2006
Night at the Museum

as Theodore Roosevelt

Movie
2006
Happy Feet

as Ramon / Lovelace (voice)

Movie
2005
Robots

as Fender (voice)

Movie
2002
Insomnia

as Walter Finch

Movie
2001
A.I. Artificial Intelligence

as Dr. Know (voice)

Movie
1998
Patch Adams

as Hunter 'Patch' Adams

Movie
1998
What Dreams May Come

as Chris Nielsen

Movie
1997
Good Will Hunting

as Sean Maguire

Movie
1997
Flubber

as Professor Philip Brainard

Movie
1996
Aladdin and the King of Thieves

as Genie (voice)

Movie
1995
Jumanji

as Alan Parrish

Movie
1995
Nine Months

as Dr. Kosevich

Movie
1993
Mrs. Doubtfire

as Daniel Hillard / Mrs. Doubtfire

Movie
1992
Aladdin

as Genie / Peddler (voice)

Movie
1991
Dead Again

as Cozy Carlisle

Movie
1991
Hook

as Peter Banning / Peter Pan

Movie
1990
Awakenings

as Malcolm Sayer

Movie
1989
Dead Poets Society

as John Keating

Movie
1983
The Survivors

as Donald Quinelle

Movie
1944
Golden Globe Awards

as Self - Nominee

TV Show