The Oscar-winning actor and comedian Robin Williams was born on this day in 1951. He’d always been a funny kid, but took his first swing at making people laugh on stage when he joined an improv group in college. He then transferred to the illustrious Juilliard School on a scholarship. He started doing standup shows in the 1970s, and within a few years was a regular on various sitcoms, including “The Richard Pryor Show” and “Happy Days,” eventually landing his own starring role as a goofy alien in “Mork & Mindy” (Nanu nanu). His fame would only grow from there.
He broke into film next, most prominently starring in “Good Morning, Vietnam” in 1987. From there, he became one of the most preeminent comedians on the silver screen, starring in “Mrs. Doubtfire” in 1993 and voicing Genie in the Disney animated film “Aladdin” in 1992. He would eventually win an Oscar in 1997 for his costarring role in “Good Will Hunting.”
He continued as one of Hollywood’s most recognizable comedy actors over the two decades, also becoming a prominent advocate for sufferers of spinal cord injuries. He spent a lot of time putting on shows through the USO, performing for American troops stationed abroad. Williams suffered from severe depression his whole life and spoke about it openly. He died by suicide in 2014 at 63 years old.
