Robin Williams

Robin Williams (1951-2014) was an American comedian and actor whose career spanned stand-up comedy, television, and film with equal brilliance. His improvisational abilities were so extraordinary that other comedians often described watching him perform as a supernatural experience.

Williams burst onto the scene with "Mork & Mindy" (1978-1982), but it was his stand-up that revealed the full scope of his talent. On stage, Williams operated at a speed that seemed to bypass conscious thought—characters, voices, observations, and physical comedy poured out in a torrent that left audiences exhausted from laughing.

His HBO specials—particularly "Live on Broadway" (2002)—captured lightning in a bottle. Williams could fill two hours without ever seeming to repeat himself, shifting from political satire to character work to confessional material with the seamlessness of a jazz musician switching keys.

His dramatic film work—"Good Will Hunting," "Dead Poets Society," "Good Morning, Vietnam"—proved that the same sensitivity that fueled his comedy could break hearts. He won an Academy Award for "Good Will Hunting" in a performance of quiet intensity that was the precise opposite of his stage persona.

His death in 2014 from suicide, later attributed to Lewy body dementia, devastated the comedy world and beyond. Williams had been open about his struggles with addiction, but the depth of his final suffering was hidden from even those closest to him.