Robin Williams: my most favorite actor
Mork and Mindy was a favorite when I was little. Oh how I would laugh. I probably didn’t understand most of the jokes, but just watching Robin Williams always brought laughter out of me years before anyone ever typed the letters, “LOL.” Though I constantly watched the Star Wars, Indy and Rocky movies when I was younger, his Popeye movie was also in constant rotation. A few months ago I watched it with my kids and caught myself remembering and humming along with the songs. From Mork and Popeye till today, he has always been my favorite actor. And I just found out that he passed away.
It’s very sad to me. Not depressing, want to go lay down sad, but no less tragic. As an actor, as a comedian, as an artist — to me, he was the best. If he made a movie I wanted to see it as soon as possible. If he was on a talk show then I wanted to watch. My family knew this apparently because it was common to receive a text from my mom or sister, “Williams is on Leno” or “RW on Ellen.” The show would always get turned on and I would always laugh and laugh. No one was a better guest on a talk show than Robin Williams because the hosts had no control of him, he typically had them cracking up uncontrollably as well. I was fortunate enough to see him do stand up in Chicago a few years ago, though it was exhausting as I had to continually keep catching my breath from laughing so hard.
He played more roles than any actor I can think of which either had me cracking up the loudest in the theater or left me inspired in some way as I walked out. Many times it was a combination of both. He had an incredible knack for the humorous and the serious. The knack shined perfectly in Good Morning Vietnam. It was under-appreciated in The Fisher King, The World According to Garp, The Birdcage, Jack and Toys. Death to Smoochy and One Hour Photo were misunderstood by audiences but no less great performances by him. It’s a shame so few have probably heard of Jakob the Liar. Jumanji and Hook are movies I couldn’t wait to watch with Baylee & Jaxon. There isn’t a funnier Disney movie than Aladdin because Robin Williams IS the genie, no one else could have done a better job. And Bicentennial Man was a good movie, I don’t care what anyone says.
But then there is Mrs Doubtfire. Good Will Hunting. Patch Adams. These will forever be movies I come back to repeatedly to experience his incredible knack at its most powerful. Dead Poets Society, my favorite of his work, always the most special and dear of all movies to me. It’s roles like these which made me love Robin Williams.
He’s had a rough last 10+ years, between not having the iconic roles that he did in the 80’s and 90’s and experiencing a lot of family hardships, as the entertainment reports have skimmed the surface of. The speculation is currently that this is what brought about today’s news. It’s tragic. Incredibly tragic, as it is in all such moments. My prayers go out for his family, especially his kids.
I’m thankful that God gave him such an incredible gift to act, to joke and to inspire. I’m thankful I was able to experience it through the years, but very sad there won’t be more chances in the future.
What are your favorite performances with him? These are some of mine:
