RSP REMEMBERS: ROBIN WILLIAMS 1951-2014

QUOTE:

"Comedy is acting out optimism."

Sometimes the funniest man in the room is often the saddest. We never know the inner turmoil in an individual’s being and perhaps that’s what makes the death of one the most innovative talents of our time: actor, comedian, writer and humanitarian such a stunner. 

Whether it was his debut back in the 70s as Mork from Ork or his performance as a dad who so loved and adored his children so much he created a nanny figure that we all wanted to be real: Mrs. Doubtfire; or the chilling performance he gave of a saddened soul in One Hour Photo, this iconic talent will be missed…Who could forget his performance in Good Morning Vietnam?

There always seemed to be a sadness in those deep blue eyes…And if the eyes are truly the windows to the soul, perhaps many of us missed the aching in his troubled soul.

Robin Williams gave so much to so many through his work. All of us carry a piece of his spirit with our memories of his work.

TRIVIA:

• 1996: He reached a unique milestone by having two of his films reach the $100-million mark in the United States exactly the same week: Jumanji (1995) and The Birdcage(1996).
• He was a very overweight child. As a result, nobody would play with him. He started talking in different voices to entertain himself.
• Considered Jonathan Winters and Richard Pryor  his comedic idols.
• Became a vegetarian following his open heart surgery.
• Spoke French fluently.
• One week after Christopher Reeve's tragic horse riding accident, Robin visited him in the hospital. However, he was dressed from head to toe in scrubs, spoke with a Russian accent, and had a surgical mask on. He was acting as if he was a real doctor and did a bunch of wacky antics. After he took off his mask, Reeve stated that, "That was the first time he laughed since the accident!"
• Most of his dialogue in Aladdin (1992) was ad-libbed.
• Was a huge fan of Doctor Who (1963) and Star Trek (1966).

"No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world."
          Robin Williams