What You Didn’t Know About Robin Williams
Robin Williams was one of the funniest, most beloved actors, bringing warmth and laughter to every role he took. His talent for improvisation is apparent in every script he’s altered, with his own jokes and Williams-esque touch. Robin is remembered for ad-libbing parts as The Genie in Aladdin, as well as with his roles in Jumanji and Mrs. Doubtfire.
Behind all his jokes and pranks, he was an interesting character, and his life is full of surprising facts we’d never expect from the comedian. From his struggle with weight as a young child to his fight with drug addiction, he had many dark moments. But the more we learn about Williams, the more it’s clear he always gave his best to those around him.
An Interview Jokester
When fans would approach the star after the debut of the film Jumanji, many would ask what the meaning of the title is. Williams would joke with them and tell them it’s an island in the Caribbean, and that they should travel there soon. According to the film’s director, the word “Jumanji” is from the Zulu language spoken in South and Eastern African countries.
The word literally means “many effects” relating to the game-like reality of the 1995 film. Williams didn’t share that explanation, instead he responded with his own jokes. What else would we expect from Robin Williams? We can never take him too seriously!
Childhood Struggles
Throughout Robin Williams’ youth, he was severely overweight. The children who grew up with him in San Francisco bullied him and seldom invited him to join them in sports. This led to an increase in weight and a feeling of always being different. As an adult, he said sixth grade was the hardest year of his life.
By never being accepted by other kids, he learned to be his own best friend. He began talking in different voices to entertain himself, making jokes and skits, and creating characters for himself. Being different turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as it caused him to be creative by himself and begin his love of acting.
His Lifelong Battle
Robin Williams entered the world of fame dealing with issues of addiction and health. Life can be complicated for budding stars who suddenly have access to more fame and money than they ever dreamed of. In Williams’ case, his adolescence was already complicated, and of course, fame made those problems more difficult to avoid.
Robin became famous when cocaine was newly popular in the United States, and in Hollywood, everyone was treating it like chewing gum. He wrote in his autobiography that he would usually be given the stuff for free, and how no one took addiction seriously because everyone was addicted.
A Holy Discovery
After returning to San Francisco with a diploma from Julliard, Robin Williams looked for opportunities to start his acting career. He discovered a “comedy workshop” being run by a Lutheran Church and decided to give it a chance, even if it wasn’t the kind of gig he was hoping for.
Williams was more comfortable doing improvisation with fellow actors, but took the opportunity to improve his solo skills with stand-up comedy in the church basement. The audience loved him and it gave him the confidence to build his own acts and build a name in the community. Williams even said that he owed the start of his acting career to this first step.
His #1 Fan Wasn’t Human
One of Robin Williams’ biggest fans was a gorilla! Koko the Gorilla was famous for knowing sign language and could express herself and communicate extensively. Once in 2001, Robin visited the Gorilla Foundation where Koko lived her entire life. The gorilla caretakers discovered that Koko recognized Robin from movies she watched.
During his visit, Koko repeatedly signed to him to tickle her. He spent the visit bonding with Koko and sharing jokes. When Robin Williams passed away in 2014, caretakers told Koko about the news through sign language, and the gorilla grieved for several days. Robin’s talent and humor even reached the hearts of different species!
Making Money In Silence
While Robin Williams was studying at Julliard School in New York City, he was also performing as a mime! As a way to make a few dollars and work in something distantly related to acting, he would often put a hat out at Central Park and perform as a mime with his friend Todd Oppenheimer.
Only after becoming famous, it was discovered that he was a Central Park mime. 15 years later, photographer Daniel Sorine Realized his photos of a mime in New York City from 1974 was young Robin Williams. The photographer remembered being amazed by Williams’ and Oppenheimer’s physical fluidity, and intense personalities during their silent shows.
Fooling People In Public
After the release of Mrs. Doubtfire in 1993, Robin Williams walked around San Francisco dressed as the character in full make-up. He took the naughty grandma off set and brought her to the streets to see what fans would think. He took the joke even further by doing the most ridiculous things in public as Mrs. Doubtfire, like visiting an adult store and buying sex toys!
Williams loved playing this character. His wife Marsha Williams said that when put the grandma outfit on he became an entirely different person. Robin would dress up as Mrs. Doubtfire any chance he could, including for promotional interviews. He would sometimes pretend in interviews that the film’s director, Chris Columbus, was his son.
Legal Troubles
Director Chris Columbus allowed Robin Williams to use his improvisation skills in the script for Mrs. Doubtfire. Robin appreciated having the director’s trust to add his own humor and let him develop himself more. Williams would start by playing the scenes as the script was originally written, then eventually add his own jokes wherever he saw fit.
The crew saw that the best lines of the movie were coming from Williams’ improvisation. The problem was that Williams’ jokes sometimes got the production into a gray area legally. In the scene when Daniel tells Miranda her clothes are “of a lovely ‘Dancing with Wolves’ motif”, the line needed clearance to avoid legal problems.
A Juilliard Dropout
Robin Williams was taught by John Houseman while studying acting at Juilliard in the early 1970s. Although he was the acting department director, he saw Williams had too much talent for school and advised him privately to leave. Robins was very serious about his studies, but wasn’t the typical student. Houseman could see that he was better off learning by real-world experience and had no doubt he would succeed. He told Williams that he was better off doing stand-up comedy on his own.
After achieving fame, Robins would often joke that John Houseman kicked him out of school. Regardless, Robin viewed Houseman as a mentor and a true artist of drama throughout his life.
Making Him Famous In Europe
Robin Williams is known in Hollywood for his down-to-earth attitude and huge heart. He often shared his success with those who supported him and helped him reach his goals. After winning the Academy Award for Good Will Hunting, he thanked Peer Augustinski, who dubbed Robin Williams’ movies in German, with a similarly enthusiastic voice. Augustinski brought Robins’ humor to fame in Germany, doing voice-over for all of his movies from 1986 until his death in 2005.
He sent Augustinski a mini Oscar, thanking him for making him famous in Germany. Williams believed he couldn’t have truly become famous internationally if not for quality dubbing that embraced Robin’s characters so precisely.
Boy, Were They Wrong
Who would ever guess Robin Williams was voted in high school to be the “least likely to succeed”? Robin’s natural talent and creative mind makes it hard to believe anyone would have doubted him in his youth. Nevertheless, in his senior year at Larkspur Highschool, Robin was voted least likely to succeed, as his fellow classmates saw him as an overweight loser likely to stay in his hometown all his life.
Williams proved this to be false quite quickly when he was accepted to Juilliard School after finishing high school. He was even seen as too naturally gifted to learn acting in an education system. Against all odds, Williams succeeded and inspires us to follow our dreams.
16 Hours of Improv Later…
While acting the voice of the trickster genie in Disney’s Aladdin, Robin was again able to use his improvisational skills. He had so much material by the end of recording, that sixteen hours of material had to be sorted through. His improv added unique Williams-esque humor to the 1992 film. But that wasn’t necessarily a good thing…
By adding so many free-style lines, the film couldn’t be considered a nominee for an Academy Award in “Best Adapted Screenplay.” In the end, the script was changed so much from its original draft, even though the genie character doesn’t appear until the middle of the film. Disney’s Aladdin ended up being a hybrid of The Arabian Nights tale and Robin’s own jokes.
Making Mork Famous
Robin Williams is remembered as playing the beloved alien Mork. This character first hit the screen when he made a guest appearance on Happy Days. Mork received a standing ovation from the live crowd after his first appearance! The character became a household name and audiences loved his role so much, that he eventually began a spin-off sitcom.
Mork and Mindy debuted in 1978, in which Mork the alien befriends and falls in love with Mindy, a regular human. After the ABC Mork and Mindy spinoff, the Mork character lived on through Out of the Blue. In the series’ first episode, Mork the alien helped take care of five orphans in Chicago.
A Creative King
Robin Williams has so much creativity to give to a role, that it’s often difficult to restrict him to one final script. Throughout his career, he felt that constantly adding lines and new jokes kept his acting fresh. This resulted in him having a hard time sticking to the script and practicing the same lines over and over.
In the 1993 film, Mrs. Doubtfire, Robin improvised so much that the film’s producer had a hard time deciding what to use and what to cut. Directors working with Williams always saw this ability as a gift, but his gift of keeping the character fresh and dynamic made it difficult to finish filming.
A Video Game Enthusiast
Robin Williams was such a video game enthusiast that he named two of his three children after his virtual heroes. Zelda Williams, born in 1989, was named after Princess Zelda from The Legend of Zelda. Cody Williams, born in 1991, was named after the character in Final Fight. The third child he had with wife, Marsha Williams, was named Zachary, without any connection to the gaming world.
His wife wasn’t much of a gamer herself but supported her husband’s favorite hobby. He loved to play all sorts of sci-fi video games, including Zelda, and World of Warcraft, admitting shamelessly that he’s a nerd at heart. Robin and Marsha’s children are all avid gamers today.
Humor Healing Powers
In 1995, actor Christopher Reeve was thrown off a horse, breaking his neck and leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. He and Robin Williams were close friends, as they studied together at Juilliard. They supported each other like brothers throughout their acting careers. A week after Christopher Reeve’s horse-riding accident, Williams came to the hospital dressed as a real-life doctor.
He pretended to be his doctor giving him a check-up and made Christopher laugh during his difficult time. Lord knows he needed cheering up after an accident that severe. Williams’ ability to make people laugh was part of the comedian’s charm, and one of the reasons he was loved by all.
The Casting Class Clown
Robin Williams was never afraid to be himself, even in casting interviews. He used those moments to really make an impression by being his weirdest self. During casting for the Mork and Mindy series, Robin Williams was asked to take a seat and proceeded to sit on the chair upside down. Really, what else could you expect from a comedian like him?
This small moment showed his creativity and also set him apart from the rest. According to producer Garry Marshall, Williams was the only choice for the role. As he puts it, “He was the only alien to audition.” Williams’ bizarre sense of humor certainly helped him in that audition!
LSD or Jumanji?
Robin Williams was at the height of his acting career as computer animation and special effects were beginning to take off in Hollywood. He acted in some movies, including Jumanji, which were the first experiments in film with the new technology. Robin told the public that acting alongside CGI effects was like “taking LSD”.
He said it was like hallucinating things were happening on set, because they would only be added afterward with new state-of-the-art technology. Instead of acting alongside other actors, he had to learn to act with characters and props that weren’t physically present. But if anyone was dynamic enough of an actor to transition to the new effects, it was Robin Williams.
Cheering His Friend Up
Robin Williams and Steven Spielberg became friends on the set of Spielberg’s Hook in 1991. Williams played Peter in Spielberg’s adaptation of the classic Peter Pan tale and the two stayed in touch long after filming was over. Spielberg would often call Robin while directing Schindler’s List, looking for someone to lift his spirits while he was working on such a serious film.
At the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival, Spielberg told the media that Robin always cheered him up when he was having a hard time with the heavy content in Schindler’s List. He said that filming scenes of Auschwitz was very hard for him, and if Robin Williams doesn’t cheer you up, nothing will.
Charitable Contributions
Robin Williams was always looking for ways to give back to fans and use his fame for a good cause. While filming Patch Adams in 1998, Williams and other cast and crew members connected with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. They donated to the charity and endorsed the organization’s efforts to fulfill the dreams of children who are sick with cancer.
Even more impressively, they starred some of the children undergoing cancer treatments in the movie’s scenes in the pediatric ward. Robin was always there to make the children laugh and give them a special experience while so much of their childhood was being spent in a hospital.
Using His Divorce For Inspiration
Robin Williams was known for adding his own touch to the characters he played, especially during his performance in Mrs. Doubtfire. He was used to playing all sorts of comedic characters at this point in his career. But during the dramatic scenes in Mrs. Doubtfire, he needed to draw on personal experiences. As it turned out, Williams had gone through a divorce prior to filming.
Before filming these realistic divorce scenes, he looked back on his experience splitting up with his first wife Valerie Velardi. Taking inspiration from his personal life made his acting even more raw and emotional, leaving many viewers touched by his performance. To develop his character, he looked back on arguments and intense moments between himself and his first wife, Valerie Velardi. He took lines and actions from their fights to get in touch with his own dramatic side and improvise as an elderly nanny.
Severing Ties With Disney
Disney’s 1992 Aladdin was a hit, and much of the success was thanks to Robin Williams’ improvisation, adding some of the film’s most memorable lines. Williams refused to work with Disney again after finishing Aladdin regardless of the film’s great reviews and fans’ love for the Genie character.
Williams claimed he would never work with Disney after using his character to make a profit. Robin only wanted to do the voice for the character, and be a part of an animated feature film. He loved Disney for that reason but was angry with the corporation for selling Genie merchandise and making his character into a Burger King toy.
An Oscar-Worthy Performance
One of Robin Williams’ most successful roles was as therapist Dr. Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting. His character helps a brilliant mathematician get in touch with his emotions after assaulting a police officer. The 1997 film was nominated for several awards, and Robin won an Oscar for his part.
It’s known that Robin Williams inspired many real-life therapists with his role in the film. Not only does he give relatable advice, but he also channeled his inner therapist for the part and let his good heart lead him. Although Williams is better known for comedic roles, his talent shined through in dramatic films as well.
Robin Williams Got into Character… Literally
Robin Williams had to cover himself in silicone and make-up for his role as Mrs. Doubtfire. To top that off, he wore a wig, a dress, and heels. To check if the public would really believe he’s an old lady, the costume was first tested on kids who were told Robin is director Chris Columbus’ mother. The kids didn’t question it at all, and could never have guessed there was a male comedian under all that make-up.
This was the first step to confirming the costume was believable and surprising fans with this shocking role as a grandmother. Leave it to Robin Williams to prank his own fans and find himself in a crazy movie role.
The Master Of Improvisation
Robin Williams was cast as a DJ in the 1987 film Good Morning Vietnam. He acted in the role of Adrian Cronauer who was deployed in Vietnam for the Armed Forces Radio Service. This part was full of opportunities to ad-lib and give the special Robin Williams touch to the film.
All of his character’s broadcasts were improvised by Williams. It was the perfect part for him, as the rest of the characters are disapproving of Adrian’s lack of seriousness on base. Robin does just what he does in real life. He plays the part of the clown who makes everyone around him laugh, even when they’re not supposed to.
The Children Loved Him
Robin Williams was loved by fans of all ages. Many of his fans are kids, mainly because of his roles in Aladdin and Hook. In fact, on set of Hook, the child actors were obsessed with Williams. They followed him around backstage, claiming that joking with him was more fun than “working”.
Williams even acted as a mentor for some of the kids, helping them overcome fears of “flying” with Peter Pan on cables in mid-air. He helped simply with insecurities on stage at the start of their acting careers. Cast members called Robin “the biggest child actor” on the set, always somewhere between acting with the adults and laughing with the kids.
Messing With Reporters
At the beginning of his acting career, Robin Williams’ told many reporters he was born in Scotland. The media believed it and his first press releases listed Scotland as his place of birth. Although he supposedly has some distant Scottish heritage, he was actually born in Chicago and then moved to San Francisco at a young age.
After becoming more famous and finally admitting his white lie, he justified that he was “under the influence” when he was interviewed and gave the press incorrect information. Whether or not he was stoned, it seems like a classic Robin Williams prank to mess with reporters in his first press release!
Mork’s Nightlife Gigs
Robin Williams’ Mork character made it to television on Happy Days in 1974, but his alien character originated in nightclubs. He first developed the character, an alien who comes from the planet of Ork, in nightclubs doing stand-up and improvisation. He was finally seen by the right pair of eyes and was invited to appear in an episode of Happy Days.
After just one appearance, ABC viewers loved the act. Soon after, Mork had his own spinoff, called Mork and Mindy. Four seasons of Mork and Mindy aired from 1978-1980. The last time Williams played the Mork character was on the first episode of Out of the Blue, before retiring the beloved alien character.
No Planning Needed
Robin Williams and Billy Crystal just happened to be working on a project near the set of the popular sitcom Friends, and the rest is history. The Friends writers were fans of the actors, and asked if Williams and Crystal wanted to join the scene. Naturally, they agreed and jumped in on the scene in Central Perk.
With Williams and Crystal on set, the Friends cast members had to roll with them and improvise their lines – something they weren’t as used to as Robin Williams. The two comedians squeezed on the couch and started ad-libbing. Matt LeBlanc and Courtney Cox were both able to roll with the punches and improvise along with the comedic giants.
Not All His Material Was Original
Robin Williams admitted in a 2010 interview that he had stolen jokes from comedians, and got their permission to purchase their material. He said so without shame, claiming the jokes from smaller comedians wouldn’t be appreciated by a big enough audience, and that he wanted to bring their clever jokes to the big screen.
Williams certainly had the ability to come up with his own witty material, as well as pranks he could make up on the spot. It was never from a lack of personal creativity that the comedy actor used other people’s jokes. Whether his material was original or paid for, Robin made us laugh and added comedy to every script.