Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951 – August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian. Known for his improvisational skills^[1][2] and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and comedies alike,^[3][4] he is regarded as one of the greatest comedians of all time.^[5][6][7] He received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, six Golden Globe Awards, five Grammy Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He was awarded the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2005.

Williams began performing stand-up comedy in San Francisco and Los Angeles during the mid-1970s, and released several comedy albums including Reality … What a Concept in 1980.^[8] He rose to fame playing the alien Mork in the ABC sitcom Mork & Mindy (1978–1982).^[9] He received his first leading film role in Popeye (1980). Williams went on to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Good Will Hunting (1997). His other Oscar-nominated roles were for Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), and The Fisher King (1991).

Williams starred in the critically acclaimed dramas The World According to Garp (1982), Moscow on the Hudson (1984), Awakenings (1990), Insomnia (2002), One Hour Photo (2002), and World’s Greatest Dad (2009). He also starred in Toys (1992), The Birdcage (1996), and Patch Adams (1998) as well as family films such as Hook (1991), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), Jack (1996), Flubber (1997), RV (2006), and the Night at the Museum trilogy (2006–2014). He lent his voice to the animated films Aladdin (1992), Robots (2005), Happy Feet (2006), and its 2011 sequel.

During his career he suffered substance abuse issues and instances of severe depression. Williams was found dead at his home in Paradise Cay, California, in August 2014, at the age of 63.^[10] His death was ruled a suicide. According to his widow, he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and had been experiencing depression, anxiety, and increasing paranoia.^[11] His autopsy found “diffuse Lewy body disease”^[12][11] and Lewy body dementia professionals said his symptoms were consistent with dementia with Lewy bodies.