27/2/2015

RobinWilliamsBiographyIMDb

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RobinWilliams
PersonalDetails
Biography
OtherWorks
PublicityListings
OfficialSites
ContactInfo (IMDbPro)

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Jumpto:Overview(4)|MiniBio(1)|Spouse(3)|TradeMark(8)|Trivia(102)|
PersonalQuotes(51)|Salary(8)

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Overview(4)
DateofBirth

21July1951,Chicago,Illinois,USA

DateofDeath

11August2014,Tiburon,California,USA(suicidebyhanging)

BirthName

RobinMcLaurinWilliams

Height

5'7"(1,7m)

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RobinMcLaurinWilliamswasbornonJuly21,1951inChicago,Illinois,agreatgreat
grandsonofMississippiGovernorandSenatorAnselmJ.McLaurin.Hismother,Laurie
McLaurin(neJanin),wasaformermodelfromMississippi,andhisfather,Robert
FitzgeraldWilliams,wasaFordMotorCompanyexecutivefromIndiana.Williamshad
English,German,French,Welsh,Irish,andScottishancestry.
Robinbrieflystudiedpoliticalscience,beforeenrollingatJuilliardSchooltostudy
theatre.AfterheleftJuilliard,heperformedinnightclubswherehewasdiscoveredfor
theroleofMorkonanepisodeofDasfelices(1974)andthesubsequentspinoffMork
yMindy(1978).Williams'wildcomictalentinvolvedagreatdealofimprovisation,
followinginthefootstepsofhisidolJonathanWinters.Williamshasalsoproventobe
aneffectivedramaticactorandreceivedanAcademyAwardforBestActorina
SupportingRoleinElindomableWillHunting(1997).
OnAugust11,2014,RobinWilliamswasfounddeadathishomeinTiburon,California
USA,thevictimofanapparentsuicide,accordingtotheMarinCountySheriff's
Department.A911callwasreceivedat11:55AMPDT,firefightersandparamedics
arrivedathishomeat12:00PMPDT,andhewaspronounceddeadat12:02PMPDT.

Bestactorsoflast30
years
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created08Sep2011

MyFavouriteActors
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created22May2012

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Singers
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IMDbMiniBiographyBy:RayHamel

Spouse(3)
SusanSchneider

(22October201111August2014)(hisdeath)

MarshaGarcesWilliams

(30April19892010)(divorced)(2children)

ValerieVelardi

(4June19786December1988)(divorced)(1child)

TheBestComediansof
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TradeMark(8)
Wildimprovisedstreamofconsciousnesscomedydialoguewherehewoulddocultural
references,impersonationsandonelinerswithrapidswitching.
Uniqueskillatimitatingvoices
Frequentlyplayedoffbeatandeccentriccharacters

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Frequentlyplayedfathersorfamilymen
Oftenplayedcharacterslackinginselfawareness
Oftenplayedmenwhohavesufferedatraumaorloss
Oftenplayedcharacterswithmentalinstabilityand/oradeepcapacityforviolence(One
HourPhoto,Insomnia)
Knownforimprovisingdialogue
Trivia(102)
MovedtoSanFrancisco,Californiawhenhewas16.
StudiedactingbrieflyatJulliardunderJohnHouseman.Housemantoldhimhewas
wastinghistalentatJuilliardandheshouldstrikeoutonhisownanddostandup
comedy.
ResidedwithhisfamilyinSanFrancisco'sSeacliffneighborhoodformanyyears.before
movingtoSanFranciscosuburbofTiburoninthe2000s,justacrosstheGoldenGate
BridgeinMarinCounty,California.
WassettoplayDrewBarrymore'sfatherinthefilmTodoquedaencasa(1998)and
hadtheroleduringproduction,butpulledoutofthepartdaysbeforehissceneswere
tobeshot.
October1997:Ranked#63inEmpire(UK)magazine's"TheTop100MovieStarsofAll
Time"list.
1997:VotedfunniestmanalivebyEntertainmentWeekly.
WhenheauditionedfortheroleofMorkfromOrkonDasfelices(1974),producer
GarryMarshalltoldhimtositdown.Williamsimmediatelysatonhisheadonthechair.
Marshallhiredhim,sayingthathewastheonlyalienwhoauditioned.
DuringthemakingofMorkyMindy(1978),Williamsdepartedfromthescriptsandad
libbedsomanytimesandsowell,thattheproducersstoptryingtomakehimstickto
thescriptanddeliberatelyleftgapsinthelaterscriptsleavingonly"Morkcangooff
here"inthoseplacessoRobincouldimprovise.
Album:"Reality...WhataConcept"onCasablancaRecords(1979).
WassettoappearontheStarTrek:Lanuevageneracin(1987)episode,StarTrek:La
nuevageneracin:AMatterofTime(1991),asthetimetravelerProfessorBerlinghoff
Rasmussen,butascheduleconflictforcedhimtodropout(theroleeventuallywentto
MattFrewer).HewasinspiredtoseekaTrekrolebyhisfriend,WhoopiGoldberg,who
madeseveralappearancesonStarTrek:Lanuevageneracin(1987)asthebartender
Guinan.
WasahugefanofthesportofRugbyUnion,andinparticularNewZealandAllBlack
starJonahLomu,whoflewtoSanFranciscoandgiftedhimwithasignedAllBlack
jersey.OnarecentvisittoNewZealandtheywerereunitedonnationaltelevision,
WilliamshumblyacceptinganotherAllBlackjersey,exceptthistimeithadJonah's
number11ontheback.
AttendedClaremontMen'sCollege,whereheplayedsoccer.
1998:ListedbyEntertainmentWeeklyasoneofthe25BestActors.
WasahugefanofthecomedyseriesMontyPython'sFlyingCircus(1969).Paying
tributeafterhisdeath,MichaelPalinsaidthatWilliamswas"upthere"withhisalltime
heroes,SpikeMilliganandPeterCook,andperformingwithhim"wouldhavebeenlike
beinginvitedtoplayinajazzbandwhenyoucouldn'tplayaninstrument".
StudiedatJulliardwithactorChristopherReeve.Thetworemainedgoodfriendsuntil
Reeve'sdeathin2004.
EnjoyedcyclingandoccasionallytrainedwithLanceArmstrong.
AfterhavingwontheAcademyAwardforElindomableWillHunting(1997),hesent
PeerAugustinski(whowashisstandardGermandubbingvoice)alittleOscarreplica
withanote:"ThankyouformakingmefamousinGermany.".

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GraduatedfromRedwoodHighSchoolinLarkspur,California,northofSanFrancisco.
OtherfamousalumnifromRedwoodincludeGabrielleCarteris(Sensacindevivir
(1990))andErinGray(KateSummersfromSilverSpoons(1982)),andJasonBranson,
radiotalkshowguest/therapistandauthor.
2003:WonGrammyAwardforBestSpokenComedyAlbumfor"RobinWilliamsLive
2002".
1980:Hit#104ontheBillboardSinglesChartswith"IYamWhatIYam"(Boardwalk
5701).
2003:Ranked#7inStarTV'sTop10BoxOfficeStarsofthe1990s.
1996:Hereachedauniquemilestonebyhavingtwoofhisfilmsreachthe$100million
markintheUnitedStatesexactlythesameweek:Jumanji(1995)andUnajaulade
grillos(1996).
Wasvoted"LeastLikelytoSucceed"byhisfellowgraduatesatLarkspur.
Earlyinhiscareer,hetoldareporterthathewasborninScotland.Hisoriginalpress
releasesindeedlistedScotlandashisplaceofbirth.Headmittedthathewas"under
theinfluence"atthetimehesaidthis.HewasreallyborninChicago.
Hewasvotedthe50thGreatestMovieStarofalltimebyEntertainmentWeekly.
OneweekafterChristopherReeve'stragichorseridingaccident,Robinvisitedhiminthe
hospital.However,hewasdressedfromheadtotoeinscrubs,spokewithaRussian
accent,andhadasurgicalmaskon.Hewasactingasifhewasarealdoctoranddida
bunchofwackyantics.Afterhetookoffhismask,Reevestatedthat,"Thatwasthe
firsttimehelaughedsincetheaccident!".
When"BlameCanada",asongfromSouthPark:Msgrande,mslargoysincortes
(1999),wasnominatedforaBestSongAcademyAward,itwasWilliamswho
performedthesongattheceremonybecausetheactresswhosangthesonginthefilm,
MaryKayBergman,hadcommittedsuicideafewmonthspriortotheawardsshow.
WasconsideredfortheroleofJoeMillerinJonathanDemme'sPhiladelphia(1993),
whichwenttoDenzelWashington.
WasanactivesupporteroftheU.S.DemocraticParty,hehadbeenoutspokenabouthis
oppositiontothewarinIraq.However,hebecamethemostconsistententertainerof
U.S.troopssincethewarbegan,leadingsometodubhimthenewBobHope.
HadbeenseeninplayingpaintballatpublicreservationsnearhisNorthernCalifornia
residences.
Hewasaveryoverweightchild.Asaresult,nobodywouldplaywithhim.Hestarted
talkingindifferentvoicestoentertainhimself.
2004:DedicatedhiswinningtheCecilB.DeMilleAwardattheGoldenGlobeAwardsto
hisgoodfriendChristopherReeve.
MostofhisdialogueinAladdin(1992)wasadlibbed.
WasaguestonJohnnyCarson'snexttolastepisodeofTheTonightShowStarring
JohnnyCarson(1962),alongwithBetteMidler.
HadEnglish,French,German,Irish,ScottishandWelshancestry.
HeandhisUnhombreperdidoeneltiempo(1994)andRobots(2005)castmate,Ewan
McGregor,havebothsharedarolewithAlecGuinness.McGregor,ofcourse,playedthe
youngObiWanKenobiintheStarWarsprequels.WilliamsappearedinKenneth
Branagh'sHamletdeKennethBranagh(1996),asOsric,arolethatGuinnesshadplayed
onstageoppositeJohnGielgud.WilliamsalsosharesthatrolewithanotherStarWars
seriesactor,PeterCushing,whoplayedthesameroleinthesameyearinthefilm,
oppositeLaurenceOlivier.
CoownedtheRubiconRestaurantinSanFranciscowithRobertDeNiroandfellowBay
arearesidentFrancisFordCoppola.
1993:WrotetheforewordtoGaryLarson'sbook,"TheFarSide:Gallery4".
Thoughhewashighlyregardedforhisabilitytoperformnumerousdifferentvoices,he

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