I've been sad, as many have, since Robin Williams chose to leave us, in August 2014. We realized there'd be no more statements like:
'If women ran the world we wouldn't have wars -- just intense negotiations every 28 days', and 'Reality ... what a concept'.
Although I never watched much TV in the '70s, the happy laughter from my then small sons would draw me into the TV room, to join them watching Mork and Mindy. Robin Williams had come from The Laugh In, and from that famous episode about Mork-from-Ork on Happy Days.
He was born in Chicago, Illinois, where his father was a senior executive at the Ford Motor Co. When the father was transferred to Detroit the family moved to a 30 room mansion and there, because there were few neighborhood children, Robin Williams grew up largely alone, with his dog and pet turtle and toy soldiers [ref.1,p.7]. He felt loved, but his father was often away, and his mother was so busy with benefits and her own life that he was basically raised by the maid. The unofficial biography by Andy Dougan, which strikes me as well-written and researched (there is no official biographer) says that when his mother came in Williams would (quote) '... make mommy laugh and that will be okay.' [Ibid, p.8]
In Elementary school in Chicago he would apparently emit a variety of strange sounds while sitting at his desk. By 7th grade the well-spoken boy had moved to the Detroit Country Day School -- a WASP-ish type of all-boys private school (shades of the later movie Dead Poets Society) and he tended to gravitate towards the Jewish kids there, who were less likely to beat him up [ibid p.13].
Quote: Some people say Jesus wasn't Jewish. Of course he was... 30 years old, single, lives with his parents, come on... His mom thought he was God's gift -- he's Jewish. Give it up.
Despite his relatively small size he did well in running and wrestling, and excelled academically. By the end of his junior year he was going to be president of the senior class, but his father decided to retire early, and moved the family to San Francisco. His last year of schooling was in Redwood HS; as a rich kid his parents had given him a Land Rover to commute to school. The atmosphere in California was very different: marijuana was common-place, and with no more ties and preppy suits he revelled in the freedoms. When he graduated he was voted the 'most humorous boy in school', and 'least likely to succeed.' [Ibid, p.19].
Because he had done well academically his parents sent him to the expensive Claremont College, where he might be groomed for the diplomatic service or other profession, but soon became hooked on a theater course. His father sensibly allowed him to try theater at Marin Community College, where he apparently got a 'spectacular crush' on an un-named girl.
Just before Claremont College he had taken a vacation job in a restaurant in Sausalito. Robin Williams joked later (quote) '... gorgeous waitresses... Sonja, yr nipple's hanging out... I know, I'm trying to get tips...' and again this was all a wonderful contrast to his earlier rather formal years.
After Marin he auditioned for NY's Juilliard -- and won a three year scholarship.
One of the first people he met at Juilliard was the talented Christopher Reeve, also an older student, who had already graduated in English from Cornell.
Robin Williams dropped out of Juilliard after 2 years, and went back to be with that very special and unnamed girl in California. He lived with her for a month, but they split up and he then fell into a massive depression, while also performing in Comedy Clubs.
Because of these night gigs he got noticed and was hired for Rowan & Martin's Laugh In, after which he auditioned for MORK on Happy Days [ibid p.53] ... and the rest is history, with 1978's Mork & Mindy.
Sadly, no time for his huge body of films -- so I just add that it's been said that in his early 60s he was diagnosed with incurable Lewy Body disease as well as Parkinson's.
Robin Williams, thank-you so much for your amazing life and work. Nanoo, nanoo.
