Dubbed "the funniest man alive" by Entertainment Weekly in 1997, actor and comedian Robin Williams brought audiences hours of laughter, putting his imaginative spin on characters in film and television.
He was lauded for his serious roles as well, winning a supporting actor Oscar for his performance as Sean Maguire, the therapist who counsels Matt Damon’s math genius in "Good Will Hunting" (1997), and receiving nominations for "The Fisher King" (1991), "Dead Poets Society" (1989) and "Good Morning, Vietnam" (1987).
Born in Chicago in 1951, Williams became one of only two students accepted into John Houseman’s prestigious acting program at Juilliard, the other being Christopher Reeve, who became a lifelong friend.
Williams gained fame as Mork, the bizarre, suspenders-sporting alien on the sitcom "Mork & Mindy," a spinoff from "Happy Days." Williams departed from the script so often that producers intentionally left blank moments on page for Williams to have space to indulge his ad-libbing genius.
Williams has been working on the big screen in darker films including 2002’s "One Hour Photo" and "Insomnia," and he’s continued to keep his comedy edge by appearing in movies such as 2006’s "Night at the Museum" and "RV." Most recently, he has been touring his comedy show, "Weapons of Self Destruction," which began to air on HBO in 2009.
He has three children and two stepsons from three marriages.
Williams was found dead Aug. 11, 2014, at his home in Tiburon, Calif. He was 63.
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Year | Category | Work | |
---|---|---|---|
1987 | Best Actor | Good Morning, Vietnam | Nomination |
1989 | Best Actor | Dead Poets Society | Nomination |
1991 | Best Actor | The Fisher King | Nomination |
1997 | Best Supporting Actor | Good Will Hunting | Win |
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