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obin Williams was His college yearbook once asked what he hoped heaven! was like. ‘It called him the would be nice to know that ‘funniest’ in his class, Rthere was laughter,’ he replied. ‘To [arrive there and] hear God go, “Two Jews walked but also ‘the least likely into a bar…”’ to succeed’. So much When the news came in August that the man who had brought joy to millions for that: around the world had decided to bow out of the biggest show of all, his fans flocked Robin Williams to remember him. Flowers and tributes went on to garner piled up around the bench in Boston’s Public Garden that he sat on in Good Will indisputable success: Hunting, at the gates of the California house as an Oscar winner, from Mrs. Doubtfire and the Colorado set of ’70s TV series Mork & Mindy, where it all father, and spreader began. Such was the disbelief at the news of compassion and glee that his Wikipedia page crashed due to traffic. ‘Robin Williams was an airman,

000 marie claire novemBER 2014 marieclaire.co.za 000 000 marie I because it’s more funto play.’ straight for at hours a time. I don’t like to, straight? ‘Yeah sure,’ he replied. ‘I can talk asked ayoung Williams: doyou ever just talk in the ’80s, talk-show host BarbaraWalters words, unable up. to keep Inaninterview of interviewers reportedly drowning inatorrent akind.’ said. ‘But he wasone of everything inbetween,’ President Obama a professor, Peter abangarang Pan, and a doctor, agenie, a nanny, apresident, his friend Christopher Reeve (the two had had two (the Reeve Christopher friend his heart. When halfway through) andalot of chest for amovie, they asked for abreak Norton’s show that when two beauticians waxed his Graham on joked once (he hair would have on that been first list.’ endangered species list for mankind, he there were an his thoughtful intelligence. If adding that there wasalso‘aninnocence to Levinson, light,’ saiddirector Barry speed of DJ. ‘He hadfunny ideas …travelling at the entire scenes asaverbally acrobatic, military Vietnam he wasallowed to make up Morning, simply write: ‘Mork does histhing.’ InGood starred as an alien, would leave blanks and for improvised of material. Legend hasit that the scriptwriters hours 23 and Nicholson, different voices, from Robert De Niro to Jack a small role), Williams conjured up56 on-screen roles did it all inunforgettable hilarious, williams robin poignant to from MOENTS ME MOST ROBIN He wasalsoanunrivalled talker, eewsamnwt wnl ys o fHere wasamanwith twinkly eyes, alot of Disney’s Asthe geniehis comedy in cornerstones. mprovisation andimpersonations were Mork &Mindy, the show inwhich he claire novemBE R (originally scripted as Aladdin (originallyscripted as ORAB ’S ’S ‘i can’t stand 2014 people LE and alone

Good isolated Morning, V 1987 a father fuelled his enthusiasm for one of his his a father fuelled hisenthusiasm for one of three children from two marriages, hisrole as inspades’. With‘self-deprecating charm Parade described him as having magazine sensitive side shone through ininterviews. forever,’ the Oscar-nominated star hassaid. beyond school level. ‘It changed my life educated be to family her in person first the Jessica Chastainto study there, makingher JuilliardThe School, which one year enabled Closer to home, he set upascholarship for a cathartic way trauma. to deal with personal ever had,saying he believed that comedy was ‘the best audience’called thehe’d soldiers he visited Iraqto entertain US soldiers. He Vietnam, hisroleMorning, in Good in echoes of a WWII veteran who hated war and so, and alone,’ he once said).Hisfather hadbeen isolated people see to stand can’t (‘I Relief money for Comic raising huge amounts of had immense empathy for the homeless, Williams did throughout his life, quietly. He experience joy andlaughter andlove.’ depression, [he showed me that] you canstill atragedy like this …a ‘In the middle of laughing,’ Reeve later said on the wheelchair, because Iwould have fallen out examination. GodIwear ‘Thank aseat Reeve’s belt inthis for time was it and a room in a medical gown, declaring in lifted hisspirits. He burst into the hospital him aquadriplegic, it wasWilliams who School) suffered aridingaccident that left studied actingtogether at Juilliard The Russian accent that he was a proctologist proctologist a was he that accent Russian When the jokes were done, Williams’ wassomething Giving hope to others ietnam to see to see ’

Dead P Today show. 1989 oets Society posted byWilliams consciousness continued…’ consciousness continued…’ dressing rooms, onthe stairs, the stream of couldn’t stop doingit. Backstage, inthe than hisaudience. onlytrouble The was, he Observer ‘It wasbreathtaking,’ Planner wrote inThe stage. After anhour, Williams wasstill going. on minutes 20 maybe 10, lasted comedians an unknown name inthe UK. Most was struck. It wasthe ’80s, andWilliams was anda gong audience decided they were off remembers where until the stand-ups performed Planner Williams at Comedy The Store inLondon Nigel Comedian hyperbole. been used with nosense of the guy. Didn’t he know that?’ Time wrote intheir tribute issue. ‘They loved panache and the sad sweetness at his core,’ ‘Moviegoers detected the ache inhiscomic turned-cross-dressing-nanny, most loved characters, as a divorced-dad- on Instagram just – withhisyoung daughter, Zelda. In tributes the phrase ‘comedy genius’ has before hisdeath Marsha Garces above Williams with right . ‘He wascleverer, faster andmadder second wifesecond Williams. Robin A pic

family andfriends 1991 Hook r. Doubtfire . Mrs.

Photographs trunkarchive.com/peggy sirota and rex features from top Schneider, 2010. wife Susan with third Hoffman, 1992; with Dustin movie Hook promoting the 1980; Reeve, Christopher with tie In black T saying the sport ‘saved hislife’. However, due Lance Armstrong, a supporter andfriend of Zachary ayear later, sobriety. shocked himinto Belushi before hours hisson overdosed. That, andthe birth of 1982, in Marmont comedian John Belushi at Hollywood’s with Chateau was He hours.’ 24 on been gossip site] TMZdidn’t exist, because I’d have that time were hazy.of God[celeb- ‘Thank going wrong, dangerous andfun’. ‘always mischievous, always onthe brinkof Williams’ comedy highandsaw histalent as a recovered addict andalcoholic,recognised through ineffervescent jets’. Brand,himself comedy’ that would come ‘bursting geyser of Brand described Williams asbeing ‘ona He turned to cycling He turned and became The WritingGuardian inThe , comedian Russell Letterman in 2013 that his memories memories his that 2013 in Letterman andalcohol.He told David cocaine by hiscareer were fuelled he early days of Mrs. Doubtfire

1993 Good Will 1997 – which he denied ina2006radiointerview. branded himamanic-depressive magazine into rehab. until he checked himself De followed Robertrelapse drunken three-year A Niro. alongside Alaska in White Big filming was he unravelledwhile sobriety wasn’t doingtoo well,’ he told Parade. Years of profession, like welding.”’ actor, said,“Wonderful, just have a backup man who, when I said I wanted to be an father who he thanked inhisspeech: ‘The Oscar for Good WillHuntingin1998,it washis When hewonwith another person.’ his being entertaining, you make aconnection “Love me!”’ he told Parade that by 12. . ‘Ilearnt aged home, for her,‘I basically started performing at going, routines little doing great joy’; it wasfor her that Williams started believed that ‘manwasput onearth to know funny’, sharingjokes andpoems. She make-up’, but saidthat she was‘always natural childbirth was giving birth without his mother assomeone whose ‘idea of a shy child, raised by nannies. He described mother andaFord executive father. He was afashionmodel Chicago, the onlysonof loved even when he’s not being funny.’ interview, ‘he canrelax enough to know he’s ‘When he’s at home,’ saidina1990 Marsha Williams. on influence calming a as credited children, Zelda andCody. was Marsha had alsobeen Zachary’s nanny; they hadtwo Garces,Marsha apainter andsculptor who divorced in1988andayear later he married Valerie Valderi wasbeyond saving. They with awaitress,affair his10-year to marriage to hishigh-voltage existence plusapublicised W Robin McLaurin Williams was born in in born was Williams McLaurin Robin Hunting he was worried. ‘My film career but fast-forward adecade and illiams wasonacareer high, P 1998 atch Adams Newsweek The The

you for the laughter. to fillit backupagain.’ absence. Well just have to work twice ashard laughter in his colourful andless fullof The stay… to entire world isforever alittle darker, less his heart in it find not and howunderstand he couldbe loved sodeeply even in his darkestwarm, moments. never I’ll screenwriter, saidit best: ‘He wasalways one season? TV showCrazy The Ones previous year)? Ordisappointment that his the films four filmed (he’d overloadWork the answers didn’t. Was it money worries? comingbutdisease… Andsothe news kept was he Parkinson’s fromsuffering early stages of sobriety’, his ‘fine-tune to rehab serious depression, he hadbeen backto news source. He wasbeing treated for his of suicide have been blasted out from every details heartbreaking The 2014. alcoholic, who in2011. he married Schneider, adesigner andfellow recovered . But he found loveShow with Susan again JonathanRoss like breathing,’ he saidonThe tour. ‘You doappreciate the little things – heart surgery halfway through acomedy not ‘alimony’. In 2009 he had to have major they shouldhave called it ‘allthe money’, heart out through your wallet’, jokingthat exes –divorce, he said,was‘rippingyour with his always saidhe wasongoodterms I can sing, you know?’ Idol. depressed that I wasn’t onAmerican once morebefore to ajoke. turning ‘Iget time?No. yeah,’getOh, sad? I Do hesaid, in a manicstyle? Yes. AmImanicallthe Robin Williams,pleasure. a was Thank it His daughter Zelda, an actress and Williams ended hislife on11August alsofalteredHis second marriage but he sometimes ‘I’mnot that. DoI perform mc The Crazy Ones 2013 was cancelled after wascancelled after eclaire.co.zmari a life stor 000 y