Robin Williams was the type of actor who could have you rolling in stitches one minute and fighting back tears the next. He was born in Chicago in 1951, but he grew up in a household with a constant sense of humor. As a child, however, he was reserved and tended to keep to himself. Humor was his means of connecting with people, his sanctuary where he could shine. From high school drama clubs to his work at Juilliard, Williams was quietly laying the groundwork for a career that would revolutionize the way people thought about comedy and acting.
His breakout came as Mork, the goofy alien on Mork & Mindy. With his crazy improvising and limitless energy, Williams made the offbeat sitcom a cultural phenomenon and a household name. Hollywood followed. Having started with early roles such as Popeye and The World According to Garp, Good Morning, Vietnam was the film that demonstrated his talent for blending acerbic, off-the-wall comedy and genuine emotion. This earned him his initial Oscar nod and revealed to everyone out there just how talented he was.
That range became his signature. Williams was able to shift from speaking the manic, magical Genie in Aladdin, to the comedic but loving Mrs. Doubtfire, to inhabiting the role of John Keating in Dead Poets Society. As Keating, he implored students—and viewers everywhere—to “seize the day,” a lesson that became one of the movie’s enduring legacies. The lessons of that tale, about being different and having the courage to think differently, remain with us today.
Williams was a comedic mastermind—but also a talented dramatic actor. Work in The Fisher King and Good Will Hunting (which finally earned him his long-overdue Academy Award) showed he could play vulnerable, empathetic, and deep characters. Whatever character he played—whether a sympathetic psychiatrist, a troubled doctor, or even a paranoid photo technician—he infused each with humanity and made them indelible.
But behind the scenes, things weren’t always straightforward. Williams was candid about his decades-long struggles with addiction, and while he continued to work—stage, screen, tour—those struggles never entirely abandoned him. Health issues later started to catch up with him. Following heart surgery, new, bewildering symptoms started cropping up: memory loss, anxiety, paranoia, and insomnia.
When news broke in 2014 that Williams had died by suicide, the world was shocked. At first, depression was thought to be the cause. But later, doctors revealed he had been battling Lewy body dementia, a little-known but devastating disease that mimics depression and Parkinson’s while also causing severe cognitive and emotional changes. It wasn’t until his death that the full scenario was known, and since then, his tale has cast a spotlight upon the requirement for improved awareness, diagnosis, and treatment of neurological disease.
Williams’ legacy extends far beyond his films and stand-up specials. He was a true believer in giving back, supporting everything from Comic Relief to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and every charity in between. He raised millions for the needy and impacted generations of comedians, actors, and fans. His quotes are still used, his performances reused, and his impact resonated throughout the world of entertainment.
Even today, years after his death, that fire he lit remains in our midst. His films remind us to be fearless, to take risks on creativity, and to never lose our sense of awe. Whether you’re chuckling with Mrs. Doubtfire or pondering Dead Poets Society, you’re touched by the incredible talent Robin Williams left behind. And as he reminded us, we can’t afford to let go of that spark of madness—because it’s what makes life remarkable.