Robin Williams being interviewed at The Stand Up For Heroes event in NYC
Robin Williams left us too soon folks.
I cried with the rest of the world when the extraordinary, gifted and beloved actor and comedian Robin Williams decided to end his life on August 11, 2014.
At the young age of 63, Williams, despite having decades of love and admiration from fans, family and friends, decided that it was time to go out on his own terms.
Like most of us, I was shocked and sadden when I heard that such a talented human being who made the world laugh with his creative comedy, funny lines and humorous personality, decided that it wasn’t enough to keep himself going.
From stand-up comedian to Academy Award winning actor, Williams was one of the most versatile and well-respected entertainers in the world. His penetrating performance as the therapist Dr. Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting earned Williams an Oscar and still to this day, fans around the world talk about his flawless performance.
It’s hard to believe he is gone.
Makeshift memorials filled with flowers and personal notes were set up at iconic locations across the country from the actor’s television and film career and many more will be set up in the coming weeks.
I’ve been a huge fan of Williams for years. His memorable performances in films like Good Will Hunting, Birdcage, Dead Poets Society, Good Morning Vietnam, Patch Adams, One Hour Photo and of course the incredible Mrs. Doubtfire, made me a life long fan.
Most of you may already know that Mrs. Doubtfire is based on the novel Madame Doubtfire written by the gifted writer Anne Fine. What many of you may not know is that Fine recently wrote in The Guardian that it took over ten years to option her book and that Williams finally made it happen. The movie has almost a cult like following and is till this day, considered to be one of Williams’s top grossing films.
With so many countless news stories written about the actor’s inner struggles and personal issues, fans around the world are slowly beginning to understand what the troubled actor had been going through.
Williams was a true genius when it came to entertaining people. He made the world laugh while struggling internally with depression, anxiety and substance abuse.
I first met Williams years ago on the red carpet in NY at a charity event and I do fondly remember the actor being polite, funny and of course full of energy. I also remember that whenever he stepped foot on the red carpet, a blast of paparazzi flashbulbs would explode.
That’s the kind of magnitude Williams had with the press.
Next to Oprah, Williams was in fact the most popular person on the red carpet I have been told by many reporters and celebrity photographers.
Over the years, as I continued to see Williams at press events, red carpet galas or charity shows, he was always polite and assuming in nature.
As the news of the actor’s death’s continues to spread around the world, additional information about the actor’s health issues continue to surface. We are now exposed to the fact that Williams was diagnosed with early stages of Parkinson’s disease, adding another shocking piece of information about the Oscar-winning actor but also bringing awareness to the progressive disorder of the nervous system that prevents your brain from making an important chemical called dopamine.
Recently quoted in the LA Times, Dr. Jeff Bronstein, a famous neurologist in the Movement Disorder Program at UCLA says that Parkinson’s disease can be linked to depression.
Williams was known in the Hollywood circles as one of the most hardworking, energetic and creative actors in the industry. A town where most people only connect with those that can help them get ahead, Williams was genuinely a helpful and kind soul who wanted people to succeed.
I know a ton of reporters and writers who have either met or interviewed Williams over the years and no one has ever spoken anything negative about the actor. In fact, many of the journalists that worked with, have said over and over again how much they wished all celebrities behaved as courteous and polite to reporters as Williams did.
As I end the post with a heavy heart, I wanted to share some facts about Williams that I found interesting:
1. Robin McLaurin Williams was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 21st, 1951.
2. His mother Lauren McLaurin was a former model. His father was an executive at Ford Motor Company. Both have passed.
3. Williams excelled in high school and became president of his class.
4. When Williams graduated from high school in 1969, his was voted “Most Funniest”.
5. As a child, Williams told jokes to his mother to maker her laugh and pay attention to him.
6. Shy as a child, Williams did not overcome his shyness until he joined his school’s drama class.
7. In 1973, Williams was one of 20 students accepted into Juilliard with classmates Christopher Reeves and William Hurt. He became a life long best friend with Reeves.
8. Williams was a huge fan of the San Francisco 49ners and San Francisco Giants.
9. Williams was a fan of professional road cycling and often rode along on the US Postal and Discovery Channel Pro Cycling team bus.
10. Williams loved Jazz music.
RIP Williams. You made us laugh and cry. Thank you for entertaining us on your short journey.
Ravi
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