I’ve said this before in this series (probably) and I will say it again, we are not going in any particular order, clearly not chronological. I’d rather focus on discussing different personalities in the world of comedy in the order they pop into my head and right now, the man who’s popped up seems to be Robin Williams, one of my all-time favorite comedians and undoubtedly one of the most unique minds to exist on this Earth.
Born in 1951, Williams showed signs of great talent from early on in his life and many teachers and fellow students (among which, actor Christopher Reeve) spoke of what a phenomenon he was, so full of energy, capable of doing all sorts of accents and voices on demand and just someone who filled the room with their vivacity.
He studied drama first at community college and later on at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York and from there, he went on to perform stand-up comedy routines in the mid to late seventies.
It’s interesting to note, I think, that a lot of people seem to remember him more for his film roles than for his eclectic comedy routines, which seems a shame, since no one really spoke like Robin did. Still, he performed live throughout much his life and like many stand-up comedians, particularly of that era, Williams found himself riding a downward spiral into substance abuse, which he blamed on the high-pressure life of the touring stand-up actor.
His big break came in 1978, when he was cast as quirky alien Mork in an episode of the TV series “Happy Days”. The character was so well-loved by the public that the network produced a spin-off, “Mork & Mindy” which ran for five years and turned Williams into a superstar.
I find myself wanting to briefly run through all the Robin Williams classics, but I realize there are just so many. If I were to simply start listing them off, I could go on for lines on end.
There was, of course, “Good Morning, Vietnam”, in which Williams played a radio shock jock who entertained the troops with his biting sarcasm and wit. Like with most Williams movies, he was allowed to improvise most of his lines in the movie and he managed to earn himself an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, which just goes to show what a truly talented man he was.
Of course, his improvisational skills were and still are legendary. Infamously, during many of his stand-up routines, he would lose himself in made-up scenarios and spin-off jokes from the ones he was originally telling.
Then, there was the cult classic “Dead Poets Society”, which saw Williams take on the role of English professor John Keating at an elite all-male prep school, where he sparks within his students a love of poetry, art, and life in general and inspired the young men to seek adventure and “make their lives extraordinary”. I won’t spoil it for you, just on the off-chance you haven’t seen it, but I will just say the role earned Williams another Academy Award nomination and remains a fan-favorite even today, thirty years after its’ premiere.
Around this time, Robin Williams also collaborated with one of the original Pythons, Terry Gilliam, who directed Williams in two of his films – “The Fisher King” in 1991 (another Academy Award nomination for Williams) and “The Adventures of Baron Munchhausen” in 1988.
[Williams had] the most unique mind on the planet. There's nobody like him out there.
Terry Gilliam, 1992
In 1993 came my all time favorite Robin Williams movie, “Mrs. Doubtfire”, in which he plays the role of a divorced father who transforms himself into an old woman, Mrs. Doubtfire, and applies for a position as nanny for his three children, whom he can only see once a week, due to custody restrictions. Of course, a lot of hilarious mishaps ensue and some truly heart-touching moments. I really love this movie and again, if you haven’t seen it, do yourself a favor and check it out. Williams won the Golden Globes Award for Best Actor for his performance in the movie.
And of course, a list of Williams’ best roles would not be complete without mentioning his kind-hearted therapist in “Good Will Hunting”, where he starred alongside a very young Matt Damon, who played the role of a mathematical genius working as a janitor. The film carried with it yet another Academy Award nomination for Williams and was nominated, all in all, for no less than nine awards, which is pretty impressive.
Of course, Robin Williams starred in many more movies that are loved even now across the world, but I will stop talking about his filmography just now and focus a little on his stand-up comedy, which, as I said, often gets overlooked because of him impressive film career.
One of the best things about Williams’ routines was that it was so inanely true, you know? He just had a way of seeing things and giving a name and a voice to things we all know and that no one really notices. Many of them are available in their entirety on YouTube and I would encourage you to watch “Weapons of Self Destruction” or his 2002 “Live on Broadway”, as they are both truly phenomenal.
During his stand-up routines, he also talked extensively about his addiction to cocaine and alcohol, and it’s at the same time really funny and terribly sad. The cocaine addiction, he kicked in the early 80s when fellow comedy giant John Belushi died from overdose, following a night of partying with Williams. Sadly, he never managed to get out of his twister relationship with alcohol and was hospitalized multiple times, as a result.
As we all know, Robin Williams tragically took his own life in 2014, at the age of 63, very probably as a result of his Parkinson’s diagnose and his battle with dementia.
Many big names in the comedy world, such as Eric Idle, Billy Crystal and Billy Connolly, were close friends of his and paid tribute following his demise.
He was a giant and a brilliant mind and one of my all-time favorites.
What’s your favorite Williams role/routine?
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