Biography
A consistent audience favorite since he burst onto the small screen as a red-suited alien from planet Ork in 1978, the irrepressible and irreverent Robin Williams fittingly enjoyed one of Hollywood's most unique and long-lasting careers. His classical Juilliard dramatic training coupled with his unequaled talents for improvisation led to award-winning roles as outrageous comic characters in "Mrs. Doubtfire" (1993) and "The Birdcage" (1996) as …
Robin Williams SlideShow
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Career Milestones
2011 | Reprised voiceover roles in the animated sequel "Happy Feet Two" | |
2010 | Earned a Grammy nomination for the comedy album Weapons Of Self Destruction | |
2009 | Starred in the HBO comedy special "Robin Williams: Weapons of Self Destruction"; earned an Emmy (2010) nomination for Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Special | |
2009 | Co-starred with John Travolta in the comedy "Old Dogs" | |
2009 | Reprised role as Theodore Roosevelt in "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" | |
2008 | Received an Emmy nominationn for his guest starring role on NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" | |
2007 | Cast in "August Rush" with Freddie Highmore and Keri Russell | |
2007 | Cast as an overbearing minister in "Licence to Wed" | |
2006 | Cast as Theodore Roosevelt opposite Ben Stiller in the action-adventure-comedy "Night at the Museum" | |
2006 | Voiced the characters of Ramon and Lovelace in the animated feature "Happy Feet" | |
2006 | Played a comic talk show host who gets elected to the presidency in "Man of the Year" | |
2006 | Co-starred with Toni Collette in Armistead Maupin's adaptation of "The Night Listener" | |
2005 | Cast in David Duchovny's directorial debut "House of D" | |
2005 | Voiced Fender in the animated feature "Robots" | |
2004 | Starred in the thriller "The Final Cut" with James Caviezel and Mira Sorvino | |
2002 | Live uncensored comedy special "Robin Williams: Live on Broadway," aired on HBO; earned an Emmy nomination | |
2002 | Had featured role in "Insomnia" | |
2002 | Played a deposed children's host bent on revenge in the black comedy "Death to Smoochy" | |
2001 | Voiced character of Dr. Know in "A.I. Artificial Intelligence" | |
1999 | Reteamed with Chris Columbus for "Bicentennial Man" | |
1998 | Played real-life doctor "Patch Adams," who utilized humor in treating patients | |
1997 | Earned rave reviews for his performance as a therapist counselling a troubled math genius in "Good Will Hunting" | |
1997 | Starred in "Flubber", a remake of the Disney film "The Absent-Minded Professor" (1961) | |
1997 | Teamed with Billy Crystal for "Father's Day" | |
1996 | Played first Shakespearean role, Osric, in Kenneth Branagh's full-length film version of "Hamlet" | |
1996 | Starred opposite Nathan Lane in Mike Nichols' "The Birdcage," an American remake of the French farce "La Cage aux folles" (1978) | |
1996 | Reprised role of the Genie in the direct-to-video release "Aladdin and the King of Thieves" | |
1995 | Played a Russian-speaking obstetrician in Chris Columbus' "Nine Months" | |
1993 | Had major boxoffice hit with Chris Columbus' comedy "Mrs. Doubtfire"; played the title role in drag; also debut as producer | |
1993 | Made dramatic guest appearance on the second season premiere of the NBC series "Homicide: Life on the Streets" | |
1992 | Hosted the HBO series "Shakespeare: The Animated Tales" | |
1992 | Reuinted with Barry Levinson as the star of "Toys" | |
1992 | Voiced the character of the Genie in Disney's animated "Aladdin" | |
1991 | Starred as a grown up Peter Pan in Steven Spielberg's "Hook" | |
1991 | Received third Academy Award nod as Best Actor for "The Fisher King" | |
1990 | Portrayed Oliver Sacks in Penny Marshall's screen version of "Awakenings," co-starring Robert De Niro | |
1989 | Garnered second Oscar nomination as Best Actor for his turn as a prep school teacher in "Dead Poets Society" | |
| Co-founded production company (with Marsha Garces Williams), Blue Wolf Productions Inc. | ||
1988 | Co-starred on stage with Steve Martin in Mike Nichols' production of "Waiting For Godot" at Lincoln Center | |
1987 | Made rare dramatic TV appearance in the PBS' "Great Performances" presentation "Seize the Day" | |
1987 | Was featured in "A Carol Burnett Special...Carol, Carl, Whoopi & Robin" (CBS) | |
1987 | Earned first Best Actor Academy Award nomination as disc jockey Adrian Cronauer in Barry Levinson's "Good Morning, Vietnam" | |
1986 | With Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Crystal, began hosting the annual "Comic Relief" telecasts on HBO; funds raised went to help the homeless | |
1986 | Wrote and starred in "Robin Williams: Live at the Met" (HBO) | |
1983 | Headlined the HBO special "An Evening with Robin Williams" | |
1982 | Voiced Mork on the animated ABC series "Mork & Mindy" | |
1982 | Breakthrough screen role as Garp in George Roy Hill's film version of the John Irving novel "The World According to Garp" | |
| Made directorial debut with an episode of "Mork and Mindy" | ||
1980 | First starring film role in "Popeye," directed by Robert Altman | |
1979 | Feature film debut in "Can I Do It...Till I Need Glasses" | |
1978 | Starred as Mork opposite Pam Dawber on the ABC sitcom "Mork and Mindy" | |
1978 | First appeared as the space alien Mork from Ork on an episode of the ABC sitcom "Happy Days" (in February) | |
1977 | First regular TV role on "Laugh-In" revival (NBC) | |
| Performed in San Francisco nightclubs including Holy City Zoo, Intersection, The Great American Music Hall and The Boardinghouse, and in Los Angeles at The Comedy Store, Improvisation and The Ice House | ||
1967 | When his father took early retirement, family moved to Tiburon in Marin County, CA (date approx.) | |
| Raised in Bloomfield Hills, MI | ||
Awards
2010 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special in Robin Williams: Weapons of Self-Destruction |
2008 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor In a Drama Series in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit |
2004 | Golden Globe Award for Cecil B. DeMille Award |
2004 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing For a Miniseries, Movie or a Special in The 76th Annual Academy Awards |
2003 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance In a Variety or Music Program in Robin Williams: Live On Broadway |
2003 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing For a Variety, Music or Comedy Program in Robin Williams: Live On Broadway |
2002 | Critics' Choice Award for Best Actor in One Hour Photo |
1998 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in Good Will Hunting |
1998 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Good Will Hunting |
1998 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in Patch Adams |
1997 | Academy Award for Actor In a Supporting Role in Good Will Hunting |
1997 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in Good Will Hunting |
1997 | MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance in The Birdcage |
1997 | MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo in The Birdcage |
1997 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in The Birdcage |
1996 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance For a Variety or Music Program in Comic Relief VII |
1994 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor In a Drama Series in Homicide: Life on the Street |
1994 | MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance in Mrs. Doubtfire |
1994 | MTV Movie Award for Best Male Performance in Mrs. Doubtfire |
1993 | MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance in Aladdin |
1993 | Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in Mrs. Doubtfire |
1993 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in Mrs. Doubtfire |
1992 | Golden Globe Award for Special Achievement Award |
1991 | Academy Award for Actor In a Leading Role in The Fisher King |
1991 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in The Fisher King |
1990 | National Board of Review Award for Best Actor in Awakenings |
1990 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama in Awakenings |
1989 | BAFTA Award for Actor In a Leading Role in Dead Poets Society |
1989 | Academy Award for Actor In a Leading Role in Dead Poets Society |
1989 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama in Dead Poets Society |
1988 | Grammy Award for Best Comedy Recording |
1988 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance In a Variety or Music Program in ABC Presents a Royal Gala |
1988 | BAFTA Award for Actor In a Leading Role in Good Morning, Vietnam |
1987 | Grammy Award for Best Comedy Recording |
1987 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance In a Variety or Music Program in A Carol Burnett Special... Carol, Carl, Whoopi & Robin |
1987 | Academy Award for Actor In a Leading Role in Good Morning, Vietnam |
1987 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in Good Morning, Vietnam |
1984 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in Moscow on the Hudson |
1979 | Grammy Award for Best Comedy Recording |
1979 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in Mork and Mindy |
1979 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in Mork and Mindy |
1978 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in Mork and Mindy |