Robin williams autobiography
Robin: The Definitive Biography of Robin Williams
'This well-written page-turner is the definitive biography of the genius of Robin Williams, whose life redefines the highs and lows of the American dream' Steve Martin
From his rapid-fire stand-up comedy riffs to his breakout role in Mork & Mindy and his Academy Award-winning performance in Good Will Hunting, Robin Williams was a singularly innovative and beloved entertainer. He often came across as a man possessed, holding forth on culture and politics while mixing in personal revelations – all with mercurial, tongue-twisting intensity as he inhabited and shed one character after another with lightning speed.
But as Dave Itzkoff shows in this revelatory biography, Williams’s comic brilliance masked a deep well of conflicting emotions and self-doubt, which he drew upon in his comedy and in celebrated films like Dead Poets Society; Good Morning, Vietnam; The Fisher King; Aladdin; and Mrs Doubtfire, where he showcased his limitless gift for improvisation to bring to life a wide range of characters. And in Good Will Hunting he gave an intense and controlled performance that revealed the true range of his talent.
Robin by Dave Itzkoff shows how Williams struggled mightily with addiction and depression – topics he discussed openly while performing and during interviews – and with a debilitating condition at the end of his life that affected him in ways his fans never knew. Drawing on more than a hundred original interviews with family, friends and colleagues, as well as extensive archival research, Robin is a fresh and original look at a man whose work touched so many lives.
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Robin
After Robin Williams passed away, my daughter turned to me and said, “I grew up with Robin Williams”. After a moment, I realized that in many ways, so had I. I was in my mid-teens when Robin burst onto the scene in that iconic episode of ‘Happy Days’ which led to ‘Mork & Mindy’. I loved that show and found Robin to be a fresh comedic talent who could pull off what appeared to be completely spontaneous dialogue and accompanied by high energy physical comedy. From that time forward I was a huge fan. I loved his stand -up routines and his movies.
For my daughter it was ‘Hook, then ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’, then as she got older, ‘Dead Poet’s Society’ and ‘Good Will Hunting', while I loved ‘Good Morning, Vietnam' and 'The Fisher King'.
While I seldom over react to a celebrity death, Robin’s hit me hard. I was so shocked I’m not sure I ever really processed it outside of the grim aftermath, as lurid details emerged, and social media passed its harsh judgments.
Even though four years have passed, and much has happened in that time, I still feel a jolt of pain when I think of him. I wouldn’t want to read just any old ‘rushed to publication’ book written about him and I’m sure there have been a few hastily thrown together ‘cash grabs” which quickly faded into obscurity. This book, however, is professionally done, well- organized, insightful, informative, often very entertaining, and course poignant look back at the life and career of the one and only Robin Williams.
I personally had no knowledge of Robin’s upbringing and was surprised by his childhood. I could relate in some ways as my father moved his family around nearly as frequently as Robin’s did. I understood how isolating it can be, no matter what your personality type, to start over in a new town, in a new school, surrounded by unfamiliar faces, and once again face the enormous task of making new friends and trying
Robin Williams
American actor and comedian (–)
Not to be confused with Robbie other people named Robin Williams, see Robin Williams (disambiguation).
Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, &#;&#; August 11, ) was an American actor and comedian. Known for his improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and comedies alike, Williams is regarded as one of the greatest comedians of all time. He received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, six Golden Globe Awards, five Grammy Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Williams was awarded the Cecil B. DeMille Award in
Born in Chicago, Williams began performing stand-up comedy in San Francisco and Los Angeles during the mids, and released several comedy albums including Reality What a Concept in He rose to fame playing the alien Mork in the ABC sitcom Mork & Mindy (–). Williams received his first leading film role in Popeye (). Williams won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Good Will Hunting (). His other Oscar-nominated roles were for Good Morning, Vietnam (), Dead Poets Society () and The Fisher King ().
Williams starred in the critically acclaimed dramas The World According to Garp (), Moscow on the Hudson (), Awakenings (), Insomnia (), One Hour Photo () and World's Greatest Dad (). He also starred in Toys (), The Birdcage () and Patch Adams (), as well as family films, such as Hook (), Mrs. Doubtfire (), Jumanji (), Jack (), Flubber (), RV () and the Night at the Museum trilogy (–). Williams lent his voice to the animated films Aladdin (), Robots (), Happy Feet () and its sequel.
During his career, Williams suffered substance abuse issues and instances of severe depression. He was found dead at his
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