Robin Williams - Biography

Robin Williams was born on July 21, 1952 in Chicago, Illinois to Robert and Laurie. His father was a senior executive at Ford in charge of the Midwest area and mother was a New Orleans-born former model. His father is of Welsh, English, German, and Irish descent and mother is of French descent. Although born in Chicago, Illinois, Robbin was raised in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and Marin County, California.

Robin has attended Claremont Men's College, Claremont, California where majored in Political Science. Later attended College of Marin, Kentfield, California where majored in acting. Also attended The Juilliard School, New York and excelled in Drama. He got first role as guest star in Garry Marshall's TV series "Happy Days". He played a role of alien Mork. People liked the Mork's appearance that led to a hit TV series "Mork and Mindy", which ran from 1978 to 1982. Williams got the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series for "Mork and Mindy".

Robin made his film debut in 1980 with Robert Altman's "Popeye". Unfortunately "Popeye" and his next couple of films i.e. "The World According to Garp" (1982) and "Moscow on the Hudson" (1984) are flopped at the box office. Where Williams get a real success with Barry Levinson's "Good Morning, Vietnam" (1987). With this film Robin established his screen identity, earning nomination for Oscar Award. In "Good Morning, Vietnam" Robin played a role of real-life military disc jockey Adrian Cronauer.

Later Williams launched HBO's Comic Relief benefit shows along with his friends Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Crystal. At the same time he was trying to overcome a drug addiction, also divorced and later married to his son's nanny. Williams has given his voice for role Genie in the animated film Aladdin in 1992, also has given his voice for "Bicentennial Man" in 1999 and in 2005 for animated film "Robots".

Robin has also worked in many dramatic films including "Dead Poets Society" (1989), "Awakenings" (1990) and "What Dreams May Come" (1998). For Dead Poets Society Williams earned a Oscar nomination as Best Actor while earned a Golde Globe Award. In this film he played a role as an unorthodox and inspiring English teacher.

His later movies include "The Fisher King" (1991), "Toys" (1992), "Mrs. Doubtfire" (1993), "Jumanji" (1995), "The Birdcage" (1996) and "Flubber" (1997). While for "Mrs. Doubtfire" Williams earned three awards: Golden Globe Award, People's Choice Award and MTV Movie Award.

In 1997, Williams got an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor for his film "Good Will Hunting" where he played a role of a psychologist. In early 2000s, Williams was appeared in "Patch Adams" (1998) and "Bicentennial Man" (1999). Later he was appeared with dark comedy roles in "Death to Smoochy", "Insomnia" and "One Hour Photo" which was psychological thriller.

William had recently staged a hugely successful live comedy special for HBO. After giving 25 years of full entertainment, William is now residing in San Francisco, California with his second wife and three children.