Some Singaporeans are saddened and devastated to hear about the death of Robin Williams on August 11, 2014 in California. His sudden and appalling death made people think why he died and what the industry lost. Investigators are considering the possibility of suicide. According to reports, Robin Williams was found unconscious in his home and was pronounced dead right there and then.
The preliminary investigation pointed out the cause of death which is asphyxia. Robin Williams is a familiar face in Singapore and the whole world because of his myriad shows and movies. If you are curious about him, it is not too late to know him better. Here are some things that you need to know about Robin Williams:
- Early life: Robin Williams was given the name Robin McLaurin Williams. He was born in Illinois, Chicago on July 21, 1951. His mother, Laura McLaurin was a model and his father, Robert Fitzgerald Williams, was Ford Motor Company’s senior executive. Robin was of Scottish, German, English and Irish ancestry. He grew up in Michigan and attended Redwood High School. He later attended Claremont Men’s College (now known as Claremont McKenna College). However, Robin left Claremont and pursued studying in Juilliard School.
- Television career: Technically, Robin started with The Richard Pryor Show but it was in Happy Days where he played the role of alien Mork in 1978 that gave him a break. He impressed the producer of his peculiar sense of humour. Mork was so successful that it was made into a television sitcom. It was called Mork and Mindy. After that, he was known for his HBO specials “Off the Wall” , “An Evening with Robin Williams” and “Robin Williams: Live at the Met”. His show “Robin Williams: Live on Broadway was also successful.
- Film roles: His first film was “Can I Do It ‘Till I Need Glasses?” in 1977. He also performed in “Good Morning, Vietnam” which earned him his Academy Award nomination. His other movies include “ Aladin”, “A.I Artificial Intelligence”, “Happy Feet”, “Everyone’s Hero” and many more. However, his role in “Good Will Hunting” earned him his Oscar’s Best Supporting Actor trophy. There’s the “Dead Poet’s Society”, “Hook”, “Moscow on the Hudson”, “Awakenings” and the list goes in.
- Personal life: Robin married three times and is survived by three children. Sons Zachary (31 years old), Cody (19 years old) and daughter Zelda (25 years old).
No one really knows what transpired but whatever is the reason for his death, he will be surely remembered and sorely missed. His brilliance will forever shine in the hearts of his family, friends and fans. Even the President Obama relayed his condolences to the family.
