In Memory of Robin Williams (1951-2014)

Robin Williams (1951-2014)

I never expected that the laughter
would die down. In all my years,
I had never been a fan of
Robin Williams or his acting
in his many big-screen
movies made with comical
hilarity or heartwarming
drama. He was good at doing

impersonations and stand-up

comedy shtick. I grew up seeing

some of his films.

Recently, he was found dead at age 63 on August 11th. I have reviewed only three of his hit movies (minus "Happy Feet Two"). To see the passing of one of the great comedians, a man with such talent, can make us cry with laughter, sadness and joy with his diverse selection of roles in his movie smash hits. I must tell you that he became a comedian in the early 70s. He immediately moved to television, and his first movie role was when he appeared as himself in 1977's "Can Do It 'Till I Need Glasses". In 1978, writer/producer Garry Marshall cast Williams as the alien Mork in an episode of the hit TV series "Happy Days" after seeing him in NBC's short-run "The Richard Pryor Show". He had improvised with much of his comedy antics, such as dialogue or even physical slapstick, which made his Mork popular with the viewership. Robin would later play his character again on his new show "Mork & Mindy", which would run its airtime on the television screens until 1982. In that same period, from 1978 to the 80s, Williams began doing his professional stand-up comedy and had three compilations of his comedic performances aired on the HBO cable network.

In 1987, he went to a new level in his acting career when he got cast in a movie directed by Barry Levinson called "Good Morning Vietnam". The film became a worldwide success, and Williams received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. It gained him the confidence to go higher up into stardom and would land many of his more complex acting personas like in "Dead Poets Society", "Awakenings", "The Fisher King", and "Hook". The first and third also gained him Oscar nominations. In 1992, Robin gave three voiceovers in two animated movies for Disney and 20th Century Fox. One of those was "Aladdin", and the role he enjoyed the most and showcased his talent was the voice of the Genie. It cemented the known establishment of celebrities cast in voiceovers. The famed comedic persona of Robin continued heavily in 1993 when he landed a role in a comedy by Chris Columbus, "Mrs. Doubtfire". This time, he plays the father, disguising himself as an old nanny. It was also his second major hit after "Aladdin".

In 1996, Robin starred in movies like "Jack" and "The Birdcage", then the following year, he received a part in a drama called "Good Will Hunting". Co-starring and getting along together in the feature is a fresh new actor, Matt Damon, who built friendly chemistry during the entire film. After his movie became a triumph, it was time for Williams to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. It was an award he had waited patiently and dreamed of since 1988. Robin eventually made a few dramatic features like "Patch Adams" and "Bicentennial Man", in which his roles are unlike his usual eccentric characters. Throughout the 2000s, Robin was still doing steady work when still being cast in movies such as "One Hour Photo" and "Insomnia". He continued to do more comedic and family-friendly work with "Robots", "RV", "Happy Feet", and "Night at the Museum". Robin had close support and encouragement from his family, including his daughter Zelda, whom he named after the princess from the video game "The Legend of Zelda" (which he had been an enthusiast of interactive gaming).

It is sad to see such a charismatic and cheerful man pass away. We will remember this talented man for the great legacy of work that he left behind. Look at these two career-defining highlights of well-known films Williams appeared in in the early 90s.

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