With Deepest Sympathies: Robin Williams (1951 – 2014)

Overnight the sad news came from Hollywood that beloved actor and comedian, and one of the funniest men ever to grace the silver-screen, Robin Williams was found dead  in his California home. The Oscar-winning actor, who was 63, is believed to have taken his own life.

Susan Schneider, his wife of 4 years, confirmed the news in a statement saying: “This morning I lost my husband and best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken.” Williams’ representative, Mara Buxbaum, confirmed that the actor had been suffering extreme depression. Appealing for privacy for the family he said “This is a tragic and sudden loss. The family respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve during this very difficult time.”

Williams, who was born in Chicago in 1951, was one of only 20 students accepted into the freshman class at Juilliard in 1973, having received a full scholarship to study drama. After leaving college he was cast by Garry Marshall as the alien Mork in a 1978 episode of the hit TV series Happy Days. This led to Williams receiving his own spin-off, Mork & Mindy, which ran from 1978 to 1982.

Away from TV he was also gaining fame on the comedy circuit, with three HBO comedy specials, and in 1986 he co-hosted the 58th Academy Awards. Naturally film beckoned and, after the ill-advised Popeye in 1980, Williams scored a break-out with The World According to Garp in 1982. That success led him to a nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in Moscow on the Hudson in 1984, before winning a Golden Globe for his portrayal of armed-forces DJ Adrian Cronauer in Good Morning, Vietnam in 1987. Williams also received an Academy Award nomination for what would become one of his iconic roles.

Two years later he was nominated again for an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Actor in 1989’s Dead Poets Society, followed by a Golden Globe nomination in 1990 for Awakenings. He received another double nomination and Golden Globe win for Terry Gilliam’s The Fisher King, and picked up his third Golden Globe in 1993 for Mrs Doubtfire.

He finally won a well-deserved Oscar in 1997, for Best Supporting Actor, for the role of teacher Sean Maguire in Gus van Sant’s Good Will Hunting. This film, like The Fisher King before it, highlighted William’s great dramatic abilities, and his later roles would see him balance drama and comedy evenly. In all he earned 3 Oscar nominations, one win, two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and five Grammy Awards.

Throughout his career Williams battled with addiction and depression. He suffered a cocaine addiction in the late 70s and 80s, before the birth of his son, and the death of close friend John Belushi . When asked about the impact of Belushi’s death the actor quipped in typical fashion “Was it a wake-up call? Oh yeah, on a huge level. The grand jury helped too.” He remained an alcoholic, and in 2003 lost his sobriety, before seeking help in 2006.

Always upfront about his problems Williams would often talk openly in interviews about his addictions. Sadly last month he returned to rehab in Minnesota for continued sobriety related to his alcoholism.

His death comes as a great shock and will be keenly felt by all who knew him and who witnessed his extraordinary comic and dramatic skills. Scannain wishes to offer our sympathies to his wife, children, family and friends at this time.  We thank the man for always making us laugh, cry and hope.

In Ireland Aware is the voluntary organisation founded to assist those directly affected by the illness of depression. We encourage anybody who is battling this terrible illness to reach out, and ask that anybody than can to please donate to Aware and help bring light to the darkness.