The Smiley Smile Message Board

One of the all-time greats of comedy has passed on. He was found dead of a possible suicide at his home after battling severe depression. The cause of death was asphyxiation.

This has taken me by utter shock. Some of the classics he has been in are Good Morning Vietnam, Dead Poet's Society, Awakenings, Mrs Doubtfire, etc.

R.I.P.

 What the hell? Totally shocking and tragic.

 R.I.P.

Really Sad News!    :'(

One of the greats!   

A Sad day indeed...

RickB

Popeye! 

Far and away!

RIP - your life was a true gift.   :love

Hi all,

It is very sad that Robin Williams is dead.  He was in a lot of great movies.  It also very sad that he was depressed.  A lesson for all of us to know that being wealthy and a VERY good actor isn't all its written up to be. 

Shazbat!!! :(

One of my favorite comedians, so sorry to hear this sad news.

Sorry to hear this. RIP Robin Williams
Mork calling Orson...come in Orson...

Still in shock

I went numb in the car when it was confirmed. I really enjoyed his work going back to Mork And Mindy but wasn't a major-major fan, I think it was the shock. Heard it on the way to an appointment at 7, just a brief message "comedian Robin Williams dead at 63 of an apparent suicide". Quickly scanned the other news stations...nothing, no word at all. Thought I may have heard it wrong. Just after 8, back in the car to another appointment, radio on - it was confirmed. I literally went numb for a few seconds. Such a shame.

Creative, artistic types battle these issues often. Those who are geniuses in their specific field, as Robin was with improvisation, struggle even more. There is almost a twisted or perverted trade-off with those true artists and geniuses in their field, where the incredible talent is often at a cost of battling any number of personal issues. His comedic muse, inspiration, and near-soul mate Jonathan Winters suffered the same way, battling various mental illnesses his whole life to the point of being hospitalized. That man was another manic genius of improvised comedy. It's a shame to lose such a talent.

Good Will Hunting. That's the clincher for me.

As far as his comedy, he appeared with his idol Jonathan Winters on "The Tonight Show" the week before Carson left the air, May 1992. I still have it on VHS. The two of those men basically put on a clinic on what comedy and improvisation was all about...just the two of them riffing off of each other sitting on Carson's soon to be retired couch. It was an amazing performance, a tour de force. And the two of them were riffing on setup after line after joke like a machine, and all of it from their imaginations.

The guy made a lot of people laugh, in many ways that's both priceless and a legacy to be celebrated.

It always seemed to me, that some of the most successful actors of our time have been stand-up comedians.  Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Carrey come to mind.  Even though they're not always directly great actors in a traditional sense -- they often become so.  Doing, so well, what any great actor aims to do -- connect with their audience.

Being a stand-up comedian basically means you're a one-man show.  Jonathan Winters, one of Robin Williams biggest influences and who also just passed away recently -- said it's the most terrifying thing in the world -- to be up there, just you, having to entertain an audience.  Williams and Winters -- two loony peas in a manically brilliant pod.

Williams, like Winters, was astonishingly brilliant at improve.  Working on the edge of this -- one of the most terrifying cliffs in the world of entertainment.  And he was a sharpshooter with a gatling gun.  A genius.

Then he became a great actor.  Good Will Hunting, Patch Adams.  Dead Poets Society.  Pulling off classic roles, that only he could portray... and able to rip your heart out like some of the greatest actors of all time.  Whether you like, loved or hated his manic style of comedy -- he was brilliant at it.  A performer with so much talent that he had no choice but to be Robin Williams.

(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/30354449/Realitywhat+a+Concept+R11010091201561267.jpg)

The World According To Garp

The genie in Aladdin -- absolutely brilliant.

Ah. So sad.

Carpe diem. Seize the day. Make your life extraordinary.

Farewell Robin.

I was in the car when I found out too.  I couldn't believe it  :'(.  he will be surely missed.

...the f***?!?  :o

His cocaine fueled 80's stand up performances have to be seen to be believed. Pure comic genius just exploding out of him at a breathneck pace. And as mentioned, later became a great serious actor. The Fisher King, Awakenings, Good Will Hunting... a true talent.

Probably the funniest thing I've seen or heard in my life Robin Williams singing a Bruce Springsteen song in an Elmer Fudd voice.  :lol

I too was in the car... On the way to the doctor's for a routine check-up. At first, the radio was saying that there were rumours that he died, but gradually more details came in...
It was completely shocking, hope he's in a better place now.

Very sad news about a funny funny guy.

Fly, be free!

RIP

I just woke up, made coffee, logged in to Facebook and saw this right at the top of my feed:

(http://oi61.tinypic.com/i2m3o1.jpg)




A sad, sad day. Hope he's at peace now.

I think Mike's statement seems to hit the nail on the head. What a tragic loss.

http://fridaynightboys300.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/robin-williams-rip.html

I'm stunned. I haven't felt so hollow about a celebrity death since Lennon died.

I nipped up the road for the evening paper, came back opened it out and there on the front page the headline, 'John Lennon dead'. My brain refused to process it.

This was in the days before mobiles, all day TV, didn't have a radio, just had to wait for the six o'clock news to come on for confirmation.

What a tragic loss, at least he has peace now.

"Robin Williams was a bottomless well of creativity that we can never see again."

-- Quoted from Nelson Bragg (above)



That line sums up exactly what I wanted to say.

I pulled out my old copy of Reality, What A Concept today (I forgot that it was on Casablanca Records...at first I thought I accidentally put a Kiss album in the record sleeve). What a funny record! I love 'Shakespeare, A Meltdowner's Nightmare and Grandpa Funk! I might put the Popeye Soundtrack album on the record player later. Some of those songs make me feel sad though...

Sad news. When I was only wee I had an obsession with Mork and Mindy. I remember every trip to the store to buy clothes would usually include a few episodes of pleading with my parents to buy me a pair of rainbow suspenders. I loved him in Garp. I loved him in Dead Poets Society. I loved him in Hook. I loved him in the big roles and I loved him in the cameo roles. I even loved him What Dreams May Come.

.

.

This one hit surprisingly hard.  Robin Williams was just one of those guys that was larger than life, and always around.  You would never expect him to go like this, despite the cracks.  Also didn't help that he died on my birthday.   :(

Thanks for sharing that, hal.  And Norm.  That's how I still feel.  And I never met Robin.

Damn.

(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_Vu5EGwAi5k/VQ6KBSWWTNI/AAAAAAABXoo/FNeX3C5_Q-g/s1600/Robin%2BWilliams%2Bas%2Ba%2BMime%2Bin%2BCentral%2BPark%2C%2B1974%2B(1).jpg)
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6j-PDQJWSPs/VQ6KCYUHeeI/AAAAAAABXo0/F5uevXfXSWM/s1600/Robin%2BWilliams%2Bas%2Ba%2BMime%2Bin%2BCentral%2BPark%2C%2B1974%2B(3).jpg)

+ 2 pictures at http://www.vintag.es/2015/03/unseen-photos-of-robin-williams-as-mime.html

(https://cdn3.whatculture.com/images/2014/03/pierce-brosnan-mrs-doubtfire.jpg)