Robin Williams

Robin Williams
Air date(s)	As Host: February 11, 1984 November 22, 1986 January 23, 1988 Cameos: April 11, 1981 February 25, 1984 December 4, 2010 Impersonated: October 13, 1984 April 6, 1985 December 16, 2000 October 30, 2010
Impersonator(s)	Dana Carvey Bill Hader

Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951 – August 11, 2014) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, musician, singer, voice artist, and comedian, best known for his portrayal of Mork in Mork & Mindy.

Starting as a stand-up comedian in San Francisco and Los Angeles in the mid 1970s, he was credited with leading San Francisco's comedy renaissance. After rising to fame as Mork in Mork & Mindy (1978–1982), Williams went on to establish a career in both stand-up comedy and feature film acting.

After his film debut in Popeye (1980), he starred / co-starred in widely acclaimed films, including The World According to Garp (1982), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), Awakenings (1990), The Fisher King (1991), Aladdin (1992), Good Will Hunting (1997), and One Hour Photo (2002), as well as financial successes, such as Hook (1991), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), The Birdcage (1996), and Night at the Museum (2006).

Williams was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor three times and won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting. He received 2 Emmy Awards, 4 Golden Globe Awards, 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards, and 5 Grammy Awards throughout his career.

He hosted Saturday Night Live on February 11, 1984, November 22, 1986, and January 23, 1988. Williams also made cameo appearances on April 11, 1981 during the "Friends" miscellaneous sketch, on February 25, 1984 as the hockey player during the "Buddweiser Light" filmed commercial sketch, and on December 4, 2010 during the "What Up With That?" sketch.

On Saturday Night Live, Williams has been impersonated by Martin Short on the October 13, 1984 episode during the "Password" sketch and on the April 6, 1985 episode during the "A.D. 13 Part V: A New Beginning" sketch, by Jimmy Fallon on the December 16, 2000 episode during the "Celebrity Jeopardy!" sketch, and by Jon Hamm on the October 30, 2010 episode during the "Back To The Future 25th Anniversary DVD" filmed commercial sketch.

On August 11, 2014, Williams died of a suicide at his home in Paradise Cay, California.

Retirement

On July 4, 2009, Kasem retired from American Top 20 and American Top 10 and both shows ended on that day. In addition to his radio shows, he has provided the voice of many commercials, has done many voices for Sesame Street, was the voice of NBC, helps out with the annual Jerry Lewis telethon, and provided the cartoon voices of Robin in Super Friends, Mark on Battle of the Planets, and a number of characters for the Transformers cartoon series of the 1980s. In 2008, Kasem was the voice of Out of Sight Retro Night, which airs on WGN America, but he was replaced by arch-rival Rick Dees.

After 40 years, Kasem retired from his role of voicing Shaggy in 2009, instead voicing Shaggy's father in Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated. Kasem's daughter Kerri has followed in her father's footsteps by hosting Sixx Sense and The Sideshow Countdown for Clear Channel, among other shows.

From early 2012 to mid 2014, he broadcasted American Top 40 shows from the 1970s on Smooth Radio in the United Kingdom. His signature sign-off was "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars."

Death

On the morning of August 11, 2014, Williams died at his home in Paradise Cay, California at age 63. In the initial report released on August 12, the Marin County Sheriff's Office deputy coroner stated Williams had slashed his wrists, hanged himself with a belt, and died from asphyxiation. On August 12, his body was cremated and his ashes were scattered in San Francisco Bay.

However, Williams was sometimes thought to have died in Tiburon, California.

News of Williams' death spread quickly worldwide. The entertainment world, friends, and fans responded to his death through social media and other media outlets. His wife Susan Schneider said, "I lost my husband and my best friend while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken." Williams' daughter Zelda responded to his death by stating that the "world is forever a little darker, less colorful and less full of laughter in his absence". Barack Obama said, "He was one of a kind. He arrived in our lives as an alien but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit."

Broadway theaters in New York dimmed their lights for 1 minute in his honor. Broadway's Aladdin cast honored Williams by having the audience join them in a sing-along of "Friend Like Me," an Oscar-nominated song originally sung by Williams in the 1992 film. Fans of Williams created makeshift memorials at his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and at locations from his television and film career, such as the bench in Boston's Public Garden featured in Good Will Hunting, the Pacific Heights, San Francisco home used in Mrs. Doubtfire, and the Boulder, Colorado home used for Mork & Mindy. It was also reported that a book biography of Williams' life was in the works to be written by David Itzkoff.

On August 25, 2014, during the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards on television, Billy Crystal presented a tribute to Williams, referring to him as the "brightest star in our comedy galaxy". On September 9, 2014, PBS aired a 1-hour special devoted to his career. On September 27, 2014, dozens of leading stars and celebrities held a tribute in San Francisco to celebrate Williams' life and career.

Impressions

• Dr. Gene Scott
• Ronald Reagan
• William F. Buckley

Gallery

Williams with Chevy Chase and Christopher Reeve on the April 11, 1981 episode

Martin Short as Williams on the April 6, 1985 episode during the "A.D. 13 Part V: A New Beginning" sketch

Jimmy Fallon as Williams on the December 16, 2000 episode during the "Celebrity Jeopardy!" sketch

Jon Hamm as Williams on the October 30, 2010 episode during the "Back To The Future 25th Anniversary DVD" sketch