A LOOK BACK AT ROBIN WILLIAMS
Robin Williams was a man of many talents. The word genius comes to mind when most are describing his gift. Take a look back with us at some of Williams’ roles that touched millions of lives.
The role that launched Robin Williams’ career was an appearance as the alien Mork in “Happy Days”. It is said that he walked into the audition and put his head on the chair instead of sitting in it and the producer who hired him later noted “He was the only Alien who auditioned.” His character was so popular with viewers that it led to his own spin-off tv show called “Mork and Mindy”. Mork was an extremely popular character, featured on posters, coloring books, lunchboxes, and other merchandise.
Disney’s Aladdin is one of the first films that comes to mind when thinking of Robin Williams. His role of “The Genie” provided comic relief and was a highlight in the film. His personality shone through and breathed life into the cartoon. Another childhood film that made me love Robin Williams was Jumanji that opened up our imagination and made us all a little more cautious when playing board games.
Not many people in the younger generation recognize Robin Williams for his work as a stand up comedian. His stand up routine was one of a kind and he helped pave the way for other comedians to break boundaries as well. One of his unique attributes was drifting in and out of characters while telling jokes in a way that no one else could replicate.
Robin Williams knew he was gifted in comedy, but didn’t let that stop him from taking on more dramatic and serious roles. His role in Dead Poets Society earned him numerous award nominations and his role as Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting earned him an Oscar!
If Robin Williams taught us anything, it was to be unique, be crazy, be wild, be energetic, be yourself. If we can take any tips away from his long career they are: don’t restrict yourself to one genre, the wider your array of skills the farther you can go. Just look back at William’s body of work for inspiration. Rest in peace Mr. Williams. “O Captain, my Captain, you will be missed.”
