Robin Williams

Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951 – August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian. Known for his improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and comedies alike, he is regarded as one of the greatest comedians of all time. He received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, six Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and five Grammy Awards.

Williams began performing stand-up comedy in San Francisco and Los Angeles during the mid-1970s, and released several comedy albums including Reality ... What a Concept in 1980. He rose to fame playing the alien Mork in the ABC sitcom Mork & Mindy (1978–1982). He received his first leading film role in Popeye (1980). Williams went on to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Good Will Hunting (1997). His other Oscar-nominated roles were for Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), and The Fisher King (1991).

Williams starred in the critically acclaimed dramas The World According to Garp (1982), Moscow on the Hudson (1984), Dead Poets Society (1989), Awakenings (1990), Patch Adams (1998), Insomnia (2002), One Hour Photo (2002), and World's Greatest Dad (2009). He also starred in family films such as Hook (1991), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), Jack (1996), Flubber (1997), RV (2006), and the Night at the Museum trilogy (2006–2014). He lent his voice to the animated films Aladdin (1992), Robots (2005), Happy Feet (2006), and its 2011 sequel.

Williams was found dead at his home in Paradise Cay, California, in August 2014, at the age of 63. At the time of his suicide, he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. According to his widow, Williams had experienced depression, anxiety, and increasing paranoia. His autopsy found "diffuse Lewy body disease" and Lewy body dementia professionals said his symptoms were consistent with dementia with Lewy bodies.

Filmography (266 Appearances)

Stand-Up: The Laughing Therapy

2024

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

2024

Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God

2023

Once Upon a Studio

2023

A Life in Ten Pictures: Robin Williams

2023

Dark Side of Comedy

2022

The Hall: Honoring the Greats of Stand-Up

2022

The Animograph, or I Was Born in a Shoebox

2022

Superstar: Robin Williams

2021

Robin's Wish

2021

Superstar

2021

History of the Sitcom

2021

Return to Sweethaven: A Look Back With Robin And The Altmans

2020

The Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVU

2020

The Top Ten Revealed

2018

Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind

2018

Robin Williams: Behind Closed Doors

2016

Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People

2016

Another Take on… Mrs. Doubtfire

2015

Behind Closed Doors with Natalie Morales

2015

Thank You, Del: The Story of the Del Close Marathon

2015

Absolutely Anything

2015

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb

2014

Robin Williams - Live Across Australia

2014

A Merry Friggin' Christmas

2014

3 Still Standing

2014

Altman

2014

The Angriest Man in Brooklyn

2014

All About Ann: Governor Richards of the Lone Star State

2014

Boulevard

2014

Kelly Clarkson's Cautionary Christmas Music Tale

2013

Comic Relief Zero

2013

The Face of Love

2013

The Crazy Ones

2013

The Butler

2013

The Big Wedding

2013

Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic

2013

Radioman

2012

Persistence of Vision

2012

Reflecting On A Journey: Good Will Hunting 15 Years Later

2012

Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen

2012

Inside Comedy

2012

Happy Feet Two

2011

Wilfred

2011

Classic TV Bloopers Uncensored

2011

Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?)

2010

2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift

2010

Louie

2010

Robin Williams: Weapons of Self Destruction

2009

Monkey Mischief

2009

Old Dogs

2009

SpongeBob's Truth or Square

2009

Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story

2009

The Jay Leno Show

2009

World's Greatest Dad

2009

Shrink

2009

Alan Carr: Chatty Man

2009

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

2009

Starz Inside: Ladies or Gentlemen

2008

We Are Most Amused

2008

Johnny Carson Celebrates Christmas

2008

The Bonnie Hunt Show

2008

Dreams with Sharp Teeth

2008

The Madness and Misadventures of Munchausen

2008

History of the Joke

2008

Comic Relief: The Greatest... and the Latest

2008

August Rush

2007

Cannes: All Access

2007

Fog City Mavericks

2007

Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project

2007

The Pixar Story

2007

License to Wed

2007

Shrink Rap

2007

Elton 60: Live At Madison Square Garden

2007

Certifiably Jonathan

2007

The Graham Norton Show

2007

Night at the Museum

2006

Comic Relief 2006

2006

Happy Feet

2006

Man of the Year

2006

JoJo: The Pop Princess

2006

RV Nation: The Culture of Road Warriors

2006

Barry Sonnenfeld: The Kosher Cowboy

2006

Everyone's Hero

2006

VH1 Rock Honors

2006

RV

2006

The Night Listener

2006

Sit Down Comedy with David Steinberg

2005

Earth to America

2005

The Big White

2005

Emmanuel's Gift

2005

Romanekian

2005

The Aristocrats

2005

Mind of Mencia

2005

Robots

2005

Nos Bastidores de Hollywood

2005

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

2005

Noel

2004

The Final Cut

2004

The Tour Baby

2004

House of D

2004

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

2003

Can't Buy Me Lunch: Another Look at The Rutles

2003

Celebrities Uncensored

2003

Real Time with Bill Maher

2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

2003

Richard Pryor: I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!!

2003

Death to Smoochy: Behind the Scenes Documentary

2002

Death to Smoochy: Bloopers & Outtakes

2002

Life with Bonnie

2002

One Hour Photo

2002

Robin Williams: Live on Broadway

2002

American Idol

2002

Insomnia

2002

Death to Smoochy

2002

The 1st 13th Annual Fancy Anvil Awards Show Program Special: Live in Stereo

2002

Intimate Portrait: Pam Dawber

2002

America | A Tribute to Heroes

2001

Good Day Live

2001

A.I. Artificial Intelligence

2001

The Firesign Theatre: Weirdly Cool

2001

Anatomy of a Scene

2001

The Beatles Revolution

2000

Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens - A Life in Animation

2000

Making Jumanji: The Realm of Imagination

2000

Lions and Monkeys and Pods... Oh My!: The Special Effects of 'Jumanji'

2000

Bicentennial Man

1999

The Early Show

1999

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

1999

Jakob the Liar

1999

Teen Choice Awards

1999

SpongeBob SquarePants

1999

Get Bruce!

1999

Billy Connolly: Erect for 30 Years

1999

Patch Adams

1998

George Martin: In My Life

1998

Junket Whore

1998

What Dreams May Come

1998

L.A. Doctors

1998

Hollywood Squares

1998

Whose Line Is It Anyway?

1998

Parkinson

1998

Deconstructing Harry

1997

Good Will Hunting

1997

Flubber

1997

The View

1997

Fathers' Day

1997

Great Minds Think for Themselves

1997

Hamlet

1996

The Secret Agent

1996

Clive Anderson All Talk

1996

Jack

1996

The Daily Show

1996

Nichols and May: Take Two

1996

Aladdin and the King of Thieves

1996

The Birdcage

1996

Jumanji

1995

Aladdin on Ice

1995

To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar

1995

Nine Months

1995

The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies

1995

In the Wild: Dolphins With Robin Williams

1994

The World of Jim Henson

1994

In Search of Dr. Seuss

1994

Friends

1994

Inside the Actors Studio

1994

Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!

1994

Being Human

1994

But... Seriously

1994

Mrs. Doubtfire

1993

Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration

1993

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

1993

Late Show with David Letterman

1993

A Tribute to Sam Kinison

1993

Homicide: Life on the Street

1993

An Evening with Lily Tomlin and Friends

1993

A Spinal Tap Reunion: The 25th Anniversary London Sell-Out

1992

Toys

1992

Aladdin

1992

Terry Wogan's Friday Night

1992

The Larry Sanders Show

1992

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

1992

FernGully: The Last Rainforest

1992

A Wish for Wings That Work

1991

Charlie Rose

1991

The Fisher King

1991

Shakes the Clown

1991

Dead Again

1991

Rabbit Ears - The Fool and the Flying Ship

1991

Hook

1991

Awakenings

1990

AN EVENING WITH: FRIENDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT

1990

Cadillac Man

1990

Comic Relief '90

1990

The Earth Day Special

1990

The Simpsons

1989

Saturday Night Live: 15th Anniversary

1989

Whoopi Goldberg Presents: Billy Connolly

1989

I'm from Hollywood

1989

Dead Poets Society

1989

Back to Neverland

1989

Comic Relief III

1989

Free to Be... a Family

1988

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

1988

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

1988

Rabbit Ears - Pecos Bill

1988

Portrait of a White Marriage

1988

An All-Star Toast to the Improv

1988

Good Morning, Vietnam

1987

Bobby McFerrin: Spontaneous Inventions

1987

Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam

1987

Sacrée Soirée

1987

Superstars and their Moms

1987

Biography

1987

Carol, Carl, Whoopi and Robin

1987

Jonathan Winters: On the Ledge

1987

Citizen Steve

1987

The Best of Comic Relief

1986

Barbra Streisand: One Voice

1986

Max Headroom's Giant Christmas Turkey

1986

The Young Comedians All-Star Reunion

1986

Robin Williams: An Evening at the Met

1986

Seize the Day

1986

Club Paradise

1986

American Masters

1986

Bob Goldthwait: Don't Watch This Show

1986

Comic Relief

1986

The Best of Times

1986

Super Duper Bloopers

1986

Bridge School Benefit Concert 1986

1986

Richard Lewis: I'm In Pain

1985

Moscow on the Hudson

1984

The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team

1984

The Survivors

1983

An Evening with Robin Williams

1983

E.T. and Friends: Magical Movie Visitors

1982

Catch A Rising Star: 10th Anniversary Special

1982

The Mork & Mindy / Laverne & Shirley / Fonz Hour

1982

The Tale of the Frog Prince

1982

Faerie Tale Theatre

1982

The World According to Garp

1982

Wogan

1982

I Love Liberty

1982

Night of 100 Stars

1982

The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour

1982

Popeye

1980

Andy Kaufman Plays Carnegie Hall

1980

Out of the Blue

1979

Rona Barrett Looks at 1978

1979

Sitcom: The Adventures of Garry Marshall

1979

Robin Williams: Off the Wall

1978

Mork & Mindy

1978

Sorority '62

1978

The 2nd Annual HBO Young Comedians Show

1977

The Richard Pryor Show

1977

Laugh-In

1977

Can I Do It Till I Need Glasses?

1977 Debut

Eight Is Enough

1977

Saturday Night Live

1975

Happy Days

1974

Great Performances

1971

Sesame Street

1969

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962

Tony Awards

1956

The Oscars

1953

Today

1952
Back to top