Known for his improvisational skills [ 1 ] [ 2 ] and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and comedies alike, [ 3 ] [ 4 ] Williams is regarded as one of the greatest comedians of all time.
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 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 home in Paradise Cay, California , in August , at age According to his widow, Williams had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease , and had been experiencing depression, anxiety and increasing paranoia.
Robin McLaurin Williams was born at St. Luke's Hospital in Chicago , Illinois , [ 15 ] on July 21, The family lived in a room farmhouse on 20 acres 8 ha [ 19 ] in suburban Bloomfield Hills , Michigan, where Williams was a student at the private Detroit Country Day School. As both his parents worked, Williams was partially raised by the family's maid, who was his main companion.
When Williams was 16, his father took early retirement and the family moved to Tiburon, California. At the time of his graduation in , he was voted "Most Likely Not to Succeed" and "Funniest" by his classmates. According to the College of Marin's drama professor, James Dunn, the depth of the young actor's talent became evident when Williams was cast in the musical Oliver! He often improvised during his time in the drama program, leaving cast members in hysterics.
He was one of 20 students accepted into the freshman class, and Williams and Christopher Reeve were the only two accepted by John Houseman into the Advanced Program at the school that year. William Hurt and Mandy Patinkin were also classmates. I'd never seen so much energy contained in one person.
