Robin Williams: The Life of a Comedian, A Biography

Robin Williams was an American actor and comedian. Chicago-born, Williams started as a stand-up comedian in San Francisco and Los Angeles in the mid-1970s. He is credited with leading San Francisco's comedy renaissance. After rising to fame as an alien called Mork in the TV sci-fi sitcom series Mork & Mindy, Williams established a career in both stand-up comedy and feature film acting. He was known for his improvisational skills. After his first starring film role in Popeye (1980), Williams starred or co-starred in various films that achieved both critical acclaim and financial success, including Good Morning, Vietnam, Dead Poets Society, Aladdin, The Birdcage, and Good Will Hunting in 1997. He also starred in widely acclaimed films such as The World According to Garp, Moscow on the Hudson, Awakenings, The Fisher King, One Hour Photo, and World's Greatest Dad, as well as box office hits such as Hook, Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji, and Night at the Museum. Williams won the 1997 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as psychologist Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting. He also received two Emmy Awards, seven Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and four Grammy Awards throughout his career. On August 11, 2014, Williams committed suicide at his home in Paradise Cay, California at the age of 63, which his wife attributed to his struggle with Lewy body disease.