Robin Williams entertained generations of Americans with his bombastic personality and over-the-top performances in many iconic movies and TV shows. (Photo property of CBS & the People Choice Awards)
By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
The world lost one of its greatest comedians.
Multiple sources including ABC News, CNN, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times and USA Today confirmed that Robin Williams passed away!
He was one of my all-time favorite actors and comedians and was at the very top of my interview wish list.
Mr. Williams was born on July 21, 1954 in Chicago, Illinois. After, the acting bug bit him in high school, he headed to the prestigious Julliard School to study theater. However, after his departure from the school…he turned to stand-up.
Throughout his stand-up career, Mr. Williams began to showcase his bombastic personality and began a journey that would lead him to comedy superstardom.
While he suffered his first defeat as part of the ensemble for the short-lived Richard Pryor Show, one successful audition in front of Happy Days producer Garry Marshall landed him one of his remarkable roles: Mork from Ork. The character became extremely popular and spun off from the hit TV show.
Mork and Mindy followed the misadventures of everyone’s favorite Martian in Boulder, CO. For four seasons, Mork tried to fit as a human and became fast friends (and later lovers) with Mindy (Pam Dawber). While it only lasted for 95 episodes, Williams’ career skyrocketed and he began to set his eyes on the Silver Screen.
While he made audiences laugh as Popeye, Vladimir Ivanov and the King of the Moon, Mr. Williams also made moviegoers think with his next roles as Good Morning, Vietnam’s Adrian Cronauer and Dead Poets Society’s John Keating (where he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for both performances).
However, the Millennial Generation knew him best for the larger than life roles that he portrayed in the 1990s. He provided sass as Mrs. Doubtfire, soared through Neverland as Peter Pan in Hook, made us laugh as both Aladdin’s iconic Genie and Patch Adams and delivered advice in his Academy Award-winning performance in Good Will Hunting.
Outside his acting, he was extremely supportive in various charitable organizations! During the mid-1980s and 1990s, Williams joined forces with fellow iconic comedians Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg to raise money for America’s homeless, health care services and areas devastated by Hurricane Andrew. He has also played a proactive role in promoting the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Jake’s Take wants to extend our thoughts and prayers to Mr. Williams’ friends, family and colleagues at this time.
Rest in peace, Mr. Williams! We will never forget your legacy!
I do not own the film clips that are featured in this article. They belong to Disney, HBO and the many other film studios that produced and distributed Mr. Williams’ films.
