In loving memory of Robin Williams
- AHS Staff Writer
- 5 hours ago
- 4 min read
By Taylor M.
On August 11th, 2014, we lost Robin Williams, a legendary American actor and comedian who is well known for his amazing improvisational skills and his wide variety of spontaneous characters in drama and comedy films. Today, Robin Williams is a huge influence at AHS, especially to the theatre department, who praise him for his role as the Genie in Aladdin. So, even though his passing was over 10 years ago, Williams remains in our thoughts and hearts.
Robin McLaurin Williams was born on July 21st, 1951, in Chicago, Illinois. His father, Robert Fitzgerald Williams, was a senior executive for the Ford Motor Company, and his mother, Laurie McLaurin, was a former fashion model from Jackson, Mississippi. When Williams was 16, his father retired and their family moved to Tiburon, California, where he finished school and went on to study political science at Claremont Men’s College. He then studied acting and received a scholarship to study at Julliard School in New York City.
In the 1970s, when he moved back to California, Williams began appearing in comedy clubs, and appeared as a guest in various television shows, notably on “Happy Days” as Mork the alien. He was given his own show, Mork and Mindy, that aired from 1978 to 1982, launching him into his film career. Williams’ first major role was in the movie “Good Morning Vietnam,” in which he portrays the military disc jockey Adrian Cronauer. This role earned him his first Academy Award nomination.
In the early 1990s, he used his talent in successful family movies such as “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “Aladdin.” When he first offered the role as the Genie, he refused because he did not want Disney Studios to profit by selling merchandise from the movie. However, he then accepted it under certain conditions: “I’m doing it basically because I want to be part of this animation tradition. I want something for my children. One deal is, I just don’t want to sell anything–as in Burger King, as in toys, as in stuff.” His role became one of his most well-known roles, and the film was the highest grossing of 1992. Williams won an Academy award for his performance in “Good Will Hunting,” as well as Two Academy Award nominations for “Dead Poets Society” and “The Fisher King.”
In the early 2000s, Williams took more serious and dramatic roles in movies such as “Insomnia” and “One Hour Photo.” Around that same time, he returned back onto the stage with “Robin Williams: Live on Broadway.” He continued to voice-act in movies such as “Robots” and “Happy Feet.” In 2011, he made his Broadway debut in “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo.” He later starred in the CBS sitcom “The Crazy Ones,” his final television role. Before he passed, Williams completed several films, including “The Angriest Man in Brooklyn.” After his death, four of his movies were released, notably “Night at the Museum: The Secret of the Tomb” and “Boulevard.”
Students at AHS remember Williams for his humor and heart, and has left a lasting impression on their lives. Niki W, a former friend of mine, expressed how Williams had made an influence on their childhood: “I grew up hearing Robin Williams' voice. It was comforting and helpful for me, especially during the first few years of my epileptic journey in the hospitals. My dad would play Williams' movies on his computer while I was scared and confused, but the sound of his voice calmed me down. Hearing he had passed, it took a toll on me, but I understood it. I just hope he's doing alright.”
Ms. White, our theatre teacher here at AHS, has also expressed her love for Williams: “Robin Williams starred in many of the films that I loved in childhood and young adulthood, such as Jumanji, Hook, Mrs. Doubtfire, Aladdin, and Dead Poet Society. His range and facility as an actor were and still are impressive and inspirational. He possessed a great capacity to express human emotion and connect with his audience. His many stunning performances make me laugh and cry to this day!!”
Williams was considered a “national treasure,” and his improvisational skills influenced the next generation of comedians. Many valued how worked his personal issues into his comedy, especially with how open he was about drugs and alcohol addiction, and depression. In 1986, Williams co-founded “Comic Relief USA” with Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Crystal to raise money for the homeless. By 2014, the foundation raised $80 million dollars. In 2010, All his proceeds from his Weapons of Self Destruction Christchurch performance went into helping rebuild the New Zealand City after the Canterbury earthquake.
Williams is survived by his wife, Susan Scheneider, and their three children, Zelda Rae Williams, Cody Alan Williams, and Zachary Pym Williams. His loss is mourned by his friends, Christopher Reeve, Billy Crystal, John Travolta, and many others.
As of today, there is no public location to send condolences.
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