People Robin Williams

The editors of PEOPLE Magazine present Robin Williams.

From New York Times culture reporter Dave Itzkoff, the definitive biography of Robin Williams – a compelling portrait of one of America’s most beloved and misunderstood entertainers. From his rapid-fire stand-up comedy riffs to his breakout role in Mork & Mindy and his Academy Award-winning performance in Good Will Hunting, Robin Williams was a singularly innovative and beloved entertainer. He often came across as a man possessed, holding forth on culture and politics while mixing in personal revelations – all with mercurial, tongue-twisting intensity as he inhabited and shed one character after another with lightning speed. But as Dave Itzkoff shows in this revelatory biography, Williams’s comic brilliance masked a deep well of conflicting emotions and self-doubt, which he drew upon in his comedy and in celebrated films like Dead Poets Society; Good Morning, Vietnam; The Fisher King; Aladdin; and Mrs. Doubtfire, where he showcased his limitless gift for improvisation to bring to life a wide range of characters. And in Good Will Hunting he gave an intense and controlled performance that revealed the true range of his talent. Itzkoff also shows how Williams struggled mightily with addiction and depression – topics he discussed openly while performing and during interviews – and with a debilitating condition at the end of his life that affected him in ways his fans never knew. Drawing on more than a hundred original interviews with family, friends, and colleagues, as well as extensive archival research, Robin is a fresh and original look at a man whose work touched so many lives.

With his twinkling eyes, boundless energy and unrivalled natural wit, Robin Williams was the comedian who brought laughter to a generation.Through roles in cherished films such as Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji, Aladdin and Hook, he became the genial face of family comedy. His child-like enthusiasm was infectious, sweeping viewers away. Allied to his lightning-quick improvisation and ability to riff lewdly off any cue thrown at him, Robin was that rare thing - a true comic genius who appealed to adults and children equally.He could also play it straight, and empathetic depth came to him naturally. A poignant performance in Good Will Hunting won him an Academy Award whilst his masterfully chilling turn in psychological thriller Insomnia shocked audiences and hinted at a darker side.What truly caught the imagination, though, was his good-heartedness. Warmth radiated from him on-screen, but he was legendary for his off-screen acts of selfless generosity. Where most Hollywood A-listers demand outrageous pampering in their contract riders, he always insisted that the production company hire a full quota of homeless people to help make his movies.But behind the laughter lay a deeply troubled man, and tragedy would follow. At midday, on 11 August 2014, Robin Williams was pronounced dead at his California home. The verdict was suicide. He had battled depression and addiction for many years and was allegedly beset by financial difficulties.Virginia Blackburn's sensitive and thoughtful biography celebrates his genius and warmth, but also attempts to understand what could have driven such a gentle and gifted man to so tragic an end. This is Robin Williams, the life, the laughter, and the deep sorrow of the man who made the world smile.

Presents tall tales about one of America's favorite heroes, Pecos Bill.

The Unauthorized Biography of Robin Williams "No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world." - Robin Williams Robin Williams was one of the great comics of the twentieth century, with an unforgettable mania that charged everything from stand-up comedy to Disney films. His improvisations could hurtle from John Wayne to Groucho to space aliens in seconds, leaving audiences weak with laughter. And yet Williams could also tamp down his energy, channeling it into focused, intense performances that established him as a significant dramatic actor in films like Good Will Hunting and One Hour Photo. In this introduction to Williams' life, James Diamond explores the often dark secrets that drove this actor to greatness: the bullying and insecurity, the depression, and the lifelong battle with drugs and alcohol abuse. But from this personal turmoil, Williams found comic and dramatic gold, delighting audiences in everything from Mork and Mindy and Mrs. Doubtfire to Good Morning, Vietnam and Dead Poets Society. Diamond takes us behind the scenes of these films and the actor's personal life alike, showing us the magic and the laughter that infused all of Williams' work. Buy Now to Discover: How the sitcom Happy Days gave Williams his first breakout role. How John Belushi's tragic death inspired Williams to change his life. The feud between Williams and Disney Studios over Aladdin's marketing. The inside scoop on the making of Good Morning, Vietnam; Good Will Hunting; and more. Williams' public battle with Vice President Dan Quayle over the morals of Mrs. Doubtfire. How Williams' five-year-old son helped him pick his movie roles.The often-overlooked genius of Williams' stand-up comedy. Buy Now and Read the True Story of Robin Williams...

Jon Dies at the End is a genre-bending, humorous account of two college drop-outs inadvertently charged with saving their small town--and the world--from a host of supernatural and paranormal invasions. Now a Major Motion Picture. "[Pargin] is like a mash-up of Douglass Adams and Stephen King... 'page-turner' is an understatement." —Don Coscarelli, director, Phantasm I-V, Bubba Ho-tep STOP. You should not have touched this flyer with your bare hands. NO, don't put it down. It's too late. They're watching you. My name is David. My best friend is John. Those names are fake. You might want to change yours. You may not want to know about the things you'll read on these pages, about the sauce, about Korrok, about the invasion, and the future. But it's too late. You touched the book. You're in the game. You're under the eye. The only defense is knowledge. You need to read this book, to the end. Even the part with the bratwurst. Why? You just have to trust me. The important thing is this: The sauce is a drug, and it gives users a window into another dimension. John and I never had the chance to say no. You still do. I'm sorry to have involved you in this, I really am. But as you read about these terrible events and the very dark epoch the world is about to enter as a result, it is crucial you keep one thing in mind: None of this was my fault.

Emerging from the shadows of a lonely childhood, where he found solace with his vast collection of toy soldiers, Robin Williams burst onto the stage and film scenes with his rare combination of insightful humor and zany characters. He parlayed a popular television character Mork from Ork into such a successful movie career that he eventually gained an Academy Award.

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