So I was browsing the internet today when the news came that actor and comedian Robin Williams has sadly passed away. Like everyone who has seen his movies, TV shows, and/or stand-up, I was shocked, as I happen to think of him as a great actor and comedian in his own right.
He originally got his start as Mork on the TV show Mork & Mindy for Paramount Pictures in the late 1970s. It would not be until 1980 he would star in his first motion picture, Popeye, where he played the title role. Nowadays, the movie is considered cheesy as all fuck, but you can definitely tell that Robin was having a great time as the lead character in the movie.
After that, he had his fair share of mediocre movies, but then he rose to fame when he starred in pictures like Good Morning, Vietnam, Dead Poets Society, and Hook, and it was then people were starting to notice his true star power in the movies.
In 1992, he did the voice of the Genie in the Disney movie Aladdin, which was the first Robin Williams picture I'd ever see, and he was perfect for the part, as he served as a motivator, supporter, and comic relief for the main character, despite not appearing until at least 20 minutes into the movie. According to IMDB, it is said that he recorded over 6 hours of material for the character, some of which was deemed inappropriate for a G-rated film, however, he did not stop gushing out material. The same year, Steven Spielberg was working on the controversial film Schindler's List for Universal Pictures, and during the making of film, Spielberg would call up Mr. Williams to entertain the crew members via speakerphone to cheer them up from making a depressing, yet poignant movie.
A year later, he would star in the movie Mrs. Doubtfire as Daniel Hillard, a man who wants to be with his children whilst going through a messy divorce, and the only way he could see them is to become a female nanny. This was the second Robin Williams picture I'd see, and I was around 4 or 5 at that point, a bit too young for a PG-13 movie. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the film.
Pretty much every single performance in a Robin Williams film is practically solid to an extent, even if some of the movies he was in were shit (Patch Adams, Jack, Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest). He still managed to entertain audiences with his enthusiasm and good will, and a lot of his movies today are considered timeless gems of cinema, my favorites being Aladdin and Mrs. Doubtfire.
Robin Williams was also best known for his stand-up comedy, which was raunchy and entertaining. He wrote all of his material, and he would also improvise in front of a large audience, and let me tell you that he was one of the greatest, if not, THE greatest comedic improviser that ever lived. He loved it because he's making people laugh, and that alone made him feel great as a comedian.
Williams was a family man, too. He was married and helped give birth to three daughters. One of his daughters is named Zelda, which he named after Princess Zelda from...well...The Legend of Zelda obviously. He was a huge fan of the series, and he also happened to be a huge fan of the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, which was also interesting. Not only this, but he was a huge supporter of charities for disabled children and cures for cancer.
Today, all of Hollywood mourns the death of Mr. Williams, who, as I mentioned, is survived by his wife and three daughters. He died this morning from asphyxiation. Film and stage actor, comedian, and one great human being. He was 63.
My thoughts and heart go out to Mr. Williams' family, friends, and co-workers who were honored to have worked with him throughout the years. May he rest in peace, and God bless him and his family.
R.I.P. Robin Williams (1951-2014)