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Robin Williams Biography

Birth Name:
Robin McLaurin Williams
Birth Place:
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Profession
Actor, comedian, producer, writer, director

Fast Facts

  • Voted "most funny" and "least likely to succeed" in high school
  • Was inspired to pursue acting after seeing 2001: A Space Odyssey with his parents in 1969
  • Was roommates with Christopher Reeve at New York's Juilliard School and the two remained close friends
  • His stream-of-consciousness comedy was a hit in San Francisco before he moved to Los Angeles to pursue television
  • Big break came when cast as an alien on Happy Days in 1978; his character, Mork, was spun off into the hit series Mork & Mindy
  • Made a disastrous film debut in Robert Altman's misfire Popeye in 1980 but rebounded with stellar performances in The World According to Garp and Good Morning, Vietnam, for which he received his first Oscar nomination; won Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Good Will Hunting
  • Returned to stand-up roots in 2004 and entertained troops in Iraq
  • Appeared in six films in 2006, including The Night Listener and Night at the Museum
  • Postponed his one-man show, Weapons of Self-Destruction, to undergo heart surgery in March 2009, but toured in September

Awards

  • 2014Critics' Choice Television Awards-Best Actor in a Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2013Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2010Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special: nominated
  • 2008Emmy-Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2008People's Choice Awards-Favorite Funny Male Star: winner
  • 2003Critics' Choice Awards-Best Actor: nominated
  • 2003Emmy-Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program: nominated
  • 2003Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
  • 2002Grammy-Best Spoken Comedy Album: winner
  • 1999Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy: nominated
  • 1998Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1997Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1997Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: winner
  • 1997Oscar-Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: winner
  • 1996Emmy-Outstanding Performance for a Variety or Music Program: nominated
  • 1994Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy: winner
  • 1992MTV Movie Awards-Best Comedic Performance: winner
  • 1992Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy: winner
  • 1991Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama: nominated
  • 1991Oscar-Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: nominated
  • 1990Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama: nominated
  • 1990BAFTA Film Awards-Best Actor in a Leading Role: nominated
  • 1990National Board of Review-Best Actor: winner
  • 1989Oscar-Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: nominated
  • 1989BAFTA Film Awards-Best Actor in a Leading Role: nominated
  • 1988Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy: winner
  • 1988Grammy-Best Comedy Recording: winner
  • 1988Emmy-Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program: winner
  • 1987Oscar-Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: nominated
  • 1987Emmy-Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program: winner
  • 1987Emmy-Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program: winner
  • 1985Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy: nominated
  • 1980Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy: nominated
  • 1979People's Choice Awards-Favorite Male Performer in a New TV Program: winner
  • 1979Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy: winner
  • 1979Emmy-Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: nominated

Relationships