Remembering Robin Williams: A Life and Career in Pictures (Photos)
Linda Ge
Updated ·6 min read
Robin Williams made his big screen debut in little-seen 1977 comedy “Can I Do It ‘Till I Need Glasses?”
Williams made several appearances doing sketches on 1977’s “The Richard Pryor Show”
Quirky comedy series “Mork and Mindy” premiered in 1978 and put Williams on the map.
UNITED STATES - JUNE 12: MORK & MINDY - "Wedding Gallery" 1981 Pam Dawber, Robin Williams (Photo by Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Photo Archives/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images)
Christopher Reeve presented Williams with a People’s Choice Award for Favorite Male Performer for “Mork and Mindy” in 1979.
LOS ANGELES - MARCH 8: Christopher Reeve presenting Robin Williams of "Mork and Mindy" with the Favorite Male Performer in a New TV Program on the 1979 People's Choice Awards show. Image dated March 8, 1979. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)
"The World According to Garp" (1982) marked one of Williams' first dramatic performances, in the title role of a John Irving novel adaptation.
American actors Robin Williams and Mary Beth Hurt on the set of The World According to Garp, based on the novel by John Irving and directed by George Roy Hill. (Photo by Nancy Moran/Sygma via Getty Images)
Robin Williams was received his first Oscar nomination for his role in 1987’s “Good Morning, Vietnam.”
Robin Williams enjoying music through headset in a scene from the film 'Good Morning, Vietnam', 1987. (Photo by Buena Vista/Getty Images)
O Captain! My captain! Robin Williams captivated a young audience by playing an unorthodox professor in 1989’s “Dead Poets Society.”
Robin Williams teaching a class in a scene from the film 'Dead Poets Society', 1989. (Photo by Touchstone Pictures/Getty Images)
“There you are, Peter.” Robin Williams played a grown up Peter Pan returning to Neverland in 1991’s “Hook.”
Robin Williams as Peter Pan for the Film Hook (Photo by Murray Close/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images)
Williams memorably voiced the Genie in Disney’s animated classic “Aladdin,” which came out in 1992.
LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 10: Actor-comedian Robin Williams dances 10 July in Los Angeles with the Disney character 'Genie' during a celebration for the scheduled 13 August world release of the film 'Aladdin and the King of Thieves'. Williams who plays the voice of 'Genie' in the third sequel to the Aladdin trilogy entertained an audience of 5,000. The movie will be the first in the trilogy to be released direct to the home video market instead of in the movie theaters. AFP PHOTO John T. BARR/mn (Photo credit should read JOHN T. BARR/AFP/Getty Images)
“Mrs Doubtfire” was released in 1993 and remains one of Williams’ most iconic roles.
Robin Williams in the kitchen in a scene from the film 'Mrs. Doubtfire', 1993. (Photo by 20th Century-Fox/Getty Images)
Williams played a wild man returning to civilization as a result of a board game gone very wrong in 1995’s “Jumanji.”
Bonnie Hunt, Bradley Pierce, Kirsten Dunst and Robin Williams hold each other in a scene from the film 'Jumanji', 1995. (Photo by TriStar/Getty Images)
Williams played one half of a flamboyant gay couple opposite Nathan Lane in 1996's "The Birdcage."
Robin Williams and Nathan Lane sitting under an umbrella on the sand at the beach in a scene from the film 'The Birdcage', 1996. (Photo by United Artists/Getty Images)
Williams won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for 1997's "Good Will Hunting" with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.
CIRCA 1997 Actor Robin Williams and director Gus Van Sant on the set of the Miramax movie "Good Will Hunting", circa 1997. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Williams celebrating his Oscar win for “Good Will Hunting” in 1998 with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who also won Oscars for Best Screenplay
Actors-writers Matt Damon (L) and Ben Affleck (R) pose with actor Robin Williams with their Oscars they won for "Good Will Hunting" at the 70th Annual Academy Awards 23 March in Los Angeles. Damon and Affleck won Best Original Screenplay and Williams won for Best Supporting Actor. AFP PHOTO/Hal GARB (Photo by HAL GARB / AFP) (Photo by HAL GARB/AFP via Getty Images)
For a film in which he plays a doctor/clown, 1998's "Patch Adams" was a somber and dramatic turn for Williams.
Robin Williams visits a sick child in a scene from the film 'Patch Adams', 1998. (Photo by Universal/Getty Images)
Williams went dark and twisted for Mark Romanek‘s 2002 cult favorite thriller “One Hour Photo.”
Williams played Teddy Roosevelt in 2006's "Night at the Museum" and reprised the role in the 2009 sequel. The threequel, "Secret of the Tomb," hit theaters in 2014 -- just months after his death.
NEW YORK - DECEMBER 17: A wax statue of Robin Williams stands at the world premiere of Night at the Museum and official launch of the Natural History Museum's sleepover program at the Natural History Museum December 17, 2006 in New York City. (Photo by Matthew Peyton/Getty Images for Fox Studios)
Williams with his daughter Zelda (with second wife Marsha Garces) in 2009.
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 13: Actress Zelda Williams (L) and her father actor Robin Williams arrive at the premiere of Magnolia Pictures' "World's Greatest Dad" at The Landmark Theater on August 13, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Williams with his wife, Susan Schneider, in 2012. The couple was married in 2011.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Susan Schneider (L) and comedian Robin Williams attend The Comedy Awards 2012 at Hammerstein Ballroom on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic)
Williams played father to Sarah Michelle Gellar in his return to TV, 2013 CBS sitcom "The Crazy Ones."
LOS ANGELES - FEBRUARY 5: "Love Sucks" -? Simon's promising new relationship is tested when he becomes disillusioned with love after Gordon and his partner break up, on THE CRAZY ONES, Thursday, April 10 (9:31-10:01 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured (L-R) Hamish Linklater as Andrew Keaneally, Amanda Setton as Lauren Slotsky, Sarah Michelle Gellar as Sydney Roberts and Robin Williams as Simon Roberts. (Photo by Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty Images)
Williams played President Dwight D. Eisenhower in Lee Daniels' "The Butler" in 2013.
The last Williams film to be released while he was alive was 2014's "The Angriest Man in Brooklyn," which co-starred Mila Kunis.
"Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb" was the last studio film Williams had completed prior to his death. He posted this photo with his stand-in and stunt double in May 2014.
The last photo Williams ever posted to social media was this #tbt featuring him with his daughter on July 31: "Happy Birthday to Ms. Zelda Rae Williams! Quarter of a century old today but always my baby girl. Happy Birthday @zeldawilliams Love you!"
