The young Robin Williams was a manic comic, shooting off bizarre but hilarious improvisations like a Fourth of July sparkler. He wrote and performed for The Richard Pryor Show, a brilliant but censor-saddled sketch comedy show that lasted just four episodes in 1977 before NBC pulled the plug. In 1978 Williams made a guest appearance on Happy Days, playing the space alien Mork from Ork. This quickly led to his own sitcom, Mork & Mindy, co-starring Pam Dawber.
As Williams' youth faded and his fans grew older, the audience for his wacky comedy ebbed. The same schtick that seemed cute and mischievous in his mid-20s, à la Mork & Mindy, could seem a little sad when performed by someone in his 40s or 50s (see Flubber). So Williams tiptoed away from comedic films, and reinvented himself as a 'serious' actor, headlining somewhat overwrought melodramas like One Hour Photo and Insomnia. He won an Oscar as Matt Damon's psychologist in Good Will Hunting.
Williams continued performing stand-up, often headlining "Comic Relief" events for charity, and donating his services for liberal fundraising events. He was an outspoken critic of President George W. Bush. "The W stands for 'where the hell is it?' You know, you look at George W. and you realize some men are born great, some achieve greatness, and some get it as a graduation gift. So sad. I just want to ask the Secret Service, is it true that his Secret Service code name is Gilligan?"
Reportedly deep in depression, he took his own life in 2014. His widow later revealed that Williams was in the early stages of Parkinson's disease.
[1] Sources vary, 1951 or 1952.
Father: Robert Williams (Ford Motor Company executive, b. 1901, d. Oct-1987)
Mother: Laurie Williams (model, b. 1922)
Brother: Robert Todd Williams (stepbrother, winemaker, d. 14-Aug-2007)
Girlfriend: Christy Canyon (porn star, dated in 1980s)
Wife: Valerie Velardi (then a dancer, now an NPR producer, m. 4-Jun-1978, div. 1988, one son)
Son: Zachary Williams (b. 1983)
Girlfriend: Michelle Tish Carter (cocktail waitress, cohabited 1984-86)
Wife: Marsha Garces (Williams' personal assistant, b. 1957, m. 30-Apr-1989, div. 2008, two children)
Daughter: Zelda Williams (b. 31-Jul-1989)
Son: Cody Williams (b. 25-Nov-1991)
Wife: Susan Schneider (graphic designer, m. 23-Oct-2011 until his death)
High School: Redwood High School, Larkspur, CA (1969)
University: Political Science, Claremont Men's College (dropped out)
University: Drama, Marin College
Conservatory: Drama, Juilliard School
Al Franken for Senate
Amnesty International
Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation Board Member
The Creative Coalition Advisory Board
Dean for America
Sigma Nu Fraternity
Endorsement of Google Consumer Electronics Show keynote, Las Vegas, NV (6-Jan-2006)
Endorsement of Mars Snickers (2013)
Visited Burning Man
Oscar for Best Supporting Actor 1998 for Good Will Hunting
Golden Globe 1979 for Mork & Mindy
Golden Globe 1988 for Good Morning, Vietnam
Golden Globe 1992 for The Fisher King
Golden Globe 1993 for Aladdin (special award for vocal work)
Golden Globe 1994 for Mrs. Doubtfire
Emmy 1987 for Carol, Carl, Whoopi and Robin
Grammy 2003 for Robin Williams\: Live 2002 (spoken comedy album)
Hollywood Walk of Fame 6901 Hollywood Blvd. (motion pictures)
unknown detox facility Aug-2006
Scottish Ancestry
Risk Factors: Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Cocaine, Alcoholism, Dyslexia, Parkinson's
TELEVISION
The Crazy Ones Simon Roberts (2013-14)
Mork and Mindy Mork from Ork (1978-82)
FILMOGRAPHY AS ACTOR
Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind (Jan-2018) · Himself
Absolutely Anything (12-Aug-2015) [VOICE]
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (17-Dec-2014)
A Merry Friggin' Christmas (17-Oct-2014)
Altman (1-Aug-2014) · Himself
The Angriest Man in Brooklyn (23-May-2014)
Boulevard (20-Apr-2014)
The Face of Love (12-Sep-2013)
Lee Daniels' The Butler (5-Aug-2013)
The Big Wedding (26-Apr-2013)
Happy Feet Two (17-Nov-2011) · Lovelace [VOICE]
Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?) (2010) · Himself
Old Dogs (25-Nov-2009) · Dan
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (14-May-2009) · Teddy Roosevelt
World's Greatest Dad (25-Apr-2009) · Lance
Shrink (5-Feb-2009)
Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story (2009) · Himself
Harlan Ellison: Dreams with Sharp Teeth (May-2008) · Himself
August Rush (20-Oct-2007)
Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project (13-Oct-2007) · Himself
License to Wed (3-Jul-2007)
Certifiably Jonathan (1-Mar-2007) · Himself
Night at the Museum (21-Dec-2006)
Happy Feet (16-Nov-2006) [VOICE]
Man of the Year (13-Oct-2006)
Everyone's Hero (15-Sep-2006) [VOICE]
R. V. (28-Apr-2006)
The Night Listener (21-Jan-2006)
The Big White (13-May-2005) · Paul
Robots (10-Mar-2005) [VOICE]
The Aristocrats (Jan-2005) · Himself
House of D (7-May-2004) · Pappass
The Final Cut (11-Feb-2004) · Alan Hakman
Robin Williams: Live on Broadway (14-Jul-2002) · Himself
Insomnia (3-May-2002) · Walter Finch
Death to Smoochy (28-Feb-2002)
One Hour Photo (13-Jan-2002) · Seymour Parrish
America: A Tribute to Heroes (21-Sep-2001) · Himself
Artificial Intelligence: AI (26-Jun-2001) [VOICE]
Bicentennial Man (13-Dec-1999)
Jakob the Liar (24-Sep-1999) · Jakob
Get Bruce (24-Jan-1999) · Himself
Patch Adams (21-Oct-1998) · Patch Adams
What Dreams May Come (28-Sep-1998) · Chris Nielsen
Good Will Hunting (5-Dec-1997) · Sean
Flubber (26-Nov-1997) · Prof. Philip Brainard
Deconstructing Harry (26-Aug-1997)
Father's Day (9-May-1997)
Hamlet (25-Dec-1996)
Aladdin and the King of Thieves (13-Aug-1996) [VOICE]
Jack (9-Aug-1996) · Jack Powell
The Birdcage (8-Mar-1996) · Armand Goldman
Jumanji (15-Dec-1995) · Alan Parrish
Nine Months (12-Jul-1995) · Dr. Kosevich
Being Human (6-May-1994)
Mrs. Doubtfire (24-Nov-1993) · Daniel Hillard
It's the Monty Python Story (1993) · Himself
A Spinal Tap Reunion: The 25th Anniversary London Sell-Out (31-Dec-1992) · Himself
Toys (18-Dec-1992) · Leslie Zevo
Aladdin (11-Nov-1992) [VOICE]
FernGully: The Last Rainforest (10-Apr-1992) · Batty Koda [VOICE]
Shakes the Clown (13-Mar-1992)
I'm From Hollywood (1992) · Himself
Hook (11-Dec-1991) · Peter Banning
The Fisher King (13-Sep-1991)
Dead Again (23-Aug-1991) · Dr. Cozy Carlisle
A Wish for Wings That Work (1991) · The Kiwi [VOICE]
Awakenings (20-Dec-1990) · Dr. Malcolm Sayer
Cadillac Man (18-May-1990) · Joey O'Brien
Dead Poets Society (2-Jun-1989) · John Keating
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (8-Dec-1988)
Good Morning, Vietnam (23-Dec-1987) · Adrian Cronauer
Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam (Oct-1987) [VOICE]
Seize the Day (9-Sep-1986)
Club Paradise (11-Jul-1986) · Jack Moniker
The Best of Times (31-Jan-1986) · Jack Dundee
Robin Williams: Live at the Met (1986) · Himself
Moscow on the Hudson (6-Apr-1984) · Vladimir Ivanoff
The Survivors (22-Jun-1983)
The World According to Garp (23-Jul-1982)
Popeye (12-Dec-1980) · Popeye
Can I Do It 'Till I Need Glasses? (Aug-1977) · Himself
Official Website:
http://www.robinwilliams.com/
AKA Robin McLaurin Williams