John F. Kennedy
Famous Military Veterans
Marilyn Monroe
Anthony Weiner
My Ghost Story
I Survived
Babe Ruth
Johnny Cash
Georgia O'Keefe
I Survived
Quick Facts
Best Known For
Actor and comedian Robin Williams is known for his fast-paced, improvisational performance style, and for his performances in films like Good Will Hunting and Dead Poets Society.
Videos see all videos
Robin Williams - Mork & Mindy
Actor and comedian Robin Williams caught his first big break when he auditioned for the role of Mork on Happy Days. That one appearance would eventually land the actor with his own spin off show, "Mork & Mindy."
Whoopi Goldberg - Comic Relief
Whoopi Goldberg has always been politically active and from 1986-1998 she and fellow comedians Robin Williams and Billy Crystal hosted the Comic Relief benefits for the homeless.
Richard Pryor - Comedy Pioneer
Actress-Director Rain Pryor talks about how her father Richard Pryor was a comedy pioneer with his raw stand-up performances and honest critiques of race.
Steve Martin - Growing Up In California
In 1955 actor and comedian Steve Martin moved to the suburbs outside Los Angeles where he was just moments away from Disneyland where he would work for many years growing up.
Quiz
Think you know about Biography?
Answer questions and see how you rank against other players.
Play NowRobin McLaurin Williams. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 05:34, May 25, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/robin-williams-9532797.
Robin McLaurin Williams. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/robin-williams-9532797 [Accessed 25 May 2013].
"Robin McLaurin Williams." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 25 2013, 05:34 http://www.biography.com/people/robin-williams-9532797.
"Robin McLaurin Williams," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/robin-williams-9532797 [accessed May 25, 2013].
"Robin McLaurin Williams," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/robin-williams-9532797 (accessed May 25, 2013).
Robin McLaurin Williams [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 25] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/robin-williams-9532797.
Robin McLaurin Williams, http://www.biography.com/people/robin-williams-9532797 (last visited May 25, 2013).
Robin McLaurin Williams. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/robin-williams-9532797. Accessed May 25, 2013.
Synopsis
Famed actor and comedian Robin Williams was born on July 21, 1951, in Chicago, Illinois. After developing his improvisational style as a stand-up comedian, Williams made his television debut on Mork and Mindy, and moved into film with Robert Altman's Popeye. He has played numerous memorable film roles, both comedic and dramatic, and won an Academy Award for best supporting actor for his role in Good Will Hunting.
Contents
Quotes
"I'm sorry, if you were right, I'd agree with you."
"Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!'"
"Politics: 'Poli' a Latin word meaning 'many'; and 'tics' meaining 'bloodsucking creatures'."
Commercial Breakthrough
Actor and comedian Robin McLaurin Williams was born on July 21, 1951, in Chicago, Illinois. One of America's funniest performers, Williams attended one of the most prestigious drama schools in the country, the Juilliard School in New York City. While at Juilliard, he made friends with Christopher Reeve. He later experimented with comedy in San Francisco and Los Angeles, developing a successful stand-up act.
Robin Williams first became known to American audiences as the zany alien Mork on the television comedy series Mork and Mindy (1978-82). He made his big-screen debut playing the famous spinach-eating sailor, Popeye (1981). The movie led to a string of successful film roles for Williams, including Good Morning Vietnam (1987) and Dead Poets Society (1989), both of which earned the actor Academy Award nods.
Personal Challenges
While his career was taking off, Williams faced many personal challenges. He developed a drug and alcohol problem while working on the sitcom Mork and Mindy, and would struggle with addiction for more than two decades. He also became involved in several tumultuous romantic relationships; while married to actress Valerie Velardi, he was briefly involved with another woman. Williams and Velardi divorced soon after, in 1988. The following year, he married his son's nanny, Marsha Garces, who was pregnant with their first child together at the time.
Despite personal setbacks, Williams continued acting. He provided the voice of the genie in Disney's animated film, Aladdin (1991), and appeared in the hit films Awakenings (1990), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), and The Birdcage (1996). In 1997, his performance as the psychiatrist in Good Will Hunting (1997) won him an Oscar (best supporting actor). Then, in 2001, he would return to voice acting as the voice of Dr. Know in Artificial Intelligence: AI (2001).
More Dramatic Roles
After a series of comedic roles, Robin Williams took on some darker material. He played a creepy photo developer in One Hour Photo (2002); the murder suspect in Insomnia (2002); and a writer and radio host who gets caught up in the mystery surrounding a troubled fan in The Night Listener (2006). Williams returned to his comedic talents shortly after with Man of the Year (2006), a send-up of U.S. presidential politics.
profile name: Robin Williams profile occupation:
Your Connections
Sign in with Facebook to see how you and your friends are connected to famous icons.
Profile Connections
Included In These Groups
-
Vegans
View groupThese celebs are always in the limelight so a healthy diet is a must—hence, they’ve gone vegan! While some have jumped on the bandwagon, others have made it a part of their lifestyles. From Bill Clinton to Jane Lynch, see which other celebs are getting healthy all while saving the animals with their more animal conscious diet.
Vegans 32 people in this group
-
USO Entertainers
View groupThe United Service Organization was founded in 1941, as a way to provide morale to service members through entertainment. Hollywood was happy to promote its patriotism (and its stars), and sent entertainers to combat zones, often in danger, to perform for the troops. From Marilyn Monroe to Stephen Colbert, many of the biggest names in showbiz have put on shows for the American service members around the world. Check out these famous USO entertainers.
USO Entertainers 46 people in this group
-
Best Supporting Actor Oscar Winners
View groupExplore our collection of Best Supporting Actor Oscar winners, including Christoph Waltz, Joe Pesci, Christopher Plummer, Walter Matthau and Frank Sinatra. View full biographies, photos and videos, only at Biography.com.
Best Supporting Actor Oscar Winners 46 people in this group
