Trivia

Childhood – Early Stage Trivia

Robin Williams developed his skills of talking in different voices during his childhood to entertain himself since he had difficulty finding any friends to play with due to his condition of being a very overweight child. His first imitation was of his grandmother’s southern accent.

He  was a quiet child, and didn’t break out of his shell until he got involved with his high school drama department.

He moved to San Francisco when he was 16, and received a Faisal Award at his high school for being the “Most Likely To Not Succeed.”

He graduated from Redwood High School in Larkspur, California, north of San Francisco. Other famous alumni from Redwood include Gabrielle Carteris (Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990)) and Erin Gray (Kate from Silver Spoons (1982)), and Jason Branson, radio talk show guest/therapist and author.

Robin Williams is of Welsh and Scottish ancestry from his father’s side.

He studied acting briefly at Julliard under John Houseman. Houseman told him he was wasting his talent at Juilliard and he should strike out on his own and do stand-up comedy. There he met the actor Christopher Reeve. The two remained best friends until Reeve’s death in 2004.

Robin briefly studied political science before he went to Juilliard, and he attended Claremont Men’s College, where he played soccer.

He worked as a street mime in the ’70s, and in an icecream shop before hitting it big.

He carried out stand-up comedies in some San Francisco’s clubs like Holy City Zoo, Intersection, The Great American Music Hall and The Boardinghouse, also at The Comedy Store, Improvisation and The Ice House in L.A.

Career Trivia

Williams was a guest star on on Law & Order‘s  Special Victims Unit on April 29. (March 2008).

He was so keen to play a homosexual radio DJ in The Night Listener that he accepted a dramatically reduced salary - a mere $65,000. (2005).

He has played both a fictional president in Man of the Year (2006) and a real-life one in Night at the Museum (2006).

He was the second choice for the role of Frank in Little Miss Sunshine (2006), but he turned it down.

Although he is highly respected for his ability to perform all kinds of different voices, he only has lent his voice to 5 animated features:  1) FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992), 2) Aladdin (1992), 3) Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1995) (V), 4) Robots (2005), and 5) Happy Feet (2006).

However, he did have the occupation of doing voice-over work for a cartoon on Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), and played a small role in the TV animated short A Wish for Wings That Work (1991) (TV) He has also done narration for different rides and attractions at Disney World, and he did the voice for the character Dr. Know in the movie Artificial Intelligence: AI (2001), which is in itself not a animated movie.

He and his Being Human (1993) and Robots (2005) cast mate, Ewan McGregor, have both shared a role with Alec Guinness. McGregor, of course, played the young Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequels. Williams appeared in Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet (1996), as Osric, a part that Guinness had played on stage opposite John Gielgud. Williams also shares that part with another Star Wars series actor, Peter Cushing, who played the same role in the same year in the film, opposite Laurence Olivier.

Williams took full advantage of Janet Jackson’s breast- baring controversy by tweaking his nipple at 2004 Oscars, and host Billy Crystal quipped, This is the reason for the five-second delay.

He encountered a life imitating art scenario in his movie One Hour Photo where he played a stalker - the actor himself was the victim of an obsessive fan once.

His trademark is wild improvised stream-of-consciousness comedy dialogue where he will do cultural references, impersionations and one liners with rapid switching.

In the scene on the park bench in Good Will Hunting, he gave an example of love that Will hadn‘t experienced as Going to hell and back for it. In his next movie, What Dreams May Come, he did just that for Annabella Sciorra, after she commited suicide.

His last line in Good Will Hunting, „That son of a bitch, he stole my line“, was ad-libbed.

The scene where Sean and Will are in his office, and Sean starts talking about his dead wife and her farting antics. These lines were ad-libbed by Robin Williams, which is probably why Matt Damon is laughing so hard. If you watch the scene carefully you can notice the camera shaking, probably due to the cameraman laughing as well.

The character Mrs. Doubtfire was first performed by him at a show Andy Kaufman did at Carnegie Hall. Williams pretended to be Kaufman’s grandmother. Her accent was inspired by Bill Forsyth, the Scottish director that Williams had just worked with on Being Human (1993).

To get into character for Mrs. Doubtfire, Robin rode the bus dressed as Mrs. Doubtfire. When Mrs. Doubtfire lost her teeth in the drink at the restaurant, she said Carpe Dentum… Seize the teeth, a reference to Dead Poets Society, which also starred Williams.

He reached a unique milestone by having two of his films reach the $100-million mark in the US exactly the same week, Jumanji (1995) and The Birdcage (1996), and he was paid $1,000,000 for Man Of The Year (2006), and $20,000,000 for Bicentennial Man (1999).

William played Popeye in the 1980 movie “Popeye”. He did not voice Popeye since it was a live action movie.

His most famous stage performance was as Estragon in Waiting For Godot, and among his other  most famous routines was his successful one-man show and DVD, Robin Williams Live On Broadway.

He has released 5 comedy albums, and he has had two HBO stand up specials. They were An Evening With Robin Williams and Robin Williams: Live At The Met.

Robin voiced the Timekeeper, a time traveling robot who goes in the future in the former Walt Disney World attraction, and the Genie in Aladdin 1 and 3. It was reveled on the DVD that most of his dialog was improvised.

Most of his dialogue as Genie in Disney’s “Aladdin” (1992) was ad-libbed as admitted in the DVD commentary of the feature.

He took over the role of Peter Banning/Peter Pan in “Hook” (1991) from Kevin Kline while turned down the lead part in Oliver Stone’s “Nixon” (1995).

Williams is a knighted member of the peerage for the West Kingdom of the Society for Creative Anachronism.

He performed “Blame Canada” at the 2000 Academy Awards to fill the place left by Mary Kay Bergman who had committed suicide a few months before the awards show.

Various Subjects

He sued a man named Michael Clayton in 2005 for misrepresenting himself as the real Robin Williams to Star Tribune and Missouri’s Fire Department so that it led to a permanent injunction preventing Clayton from ever performing as him.

Williams sent a little Oscar replica with a note saying “Thank you for making me famous in Germany” to his standard German dubbing voice, Peer Augustinski, after winning an Oscar in 1998 for his role in Good Will Hunting (1997).

He went onstage together with Steve Martin in the 1988 theatrical production of “Waiting For Godot” at Lincoln Center.

Williams has ridiculed Michael Jackson’s claims he was the victim of racism at the hands of record label Sony,  the comedian said, Michael Jackson’s standing outside Sony with a sign claiming racism. I said, ‘Honey, you gotta pick a race first. All of a sudden you’re a black man, then you’re Diana Ross, now you’re Audrey Hepburn. Then he’s got the little beard going on. He’s like Lord Of The Rings, the entire cast. Michael’s about to jump species. (March 1, 2003).

When he auditioned for the role of Mork from Ork, he met Gary Marshall who told him to sit down. Robin immediately sat on his head on the chair. Gary Marshall immediately chose him saying that he was the only alien who auditioned.

During the making of Mork and Mindy, Williams departed from the scripts and ad-libbed so many times and so well, that the producers stop trying to make him stick to the script and deliberately left gaps in the later scripts leaving only Mork can go off here in those places so Robin could improvise.

He was considered for the role of The Joker in Batman (1989), he would later be considered for The Riddler as well.

During Patch Adams (1998) filming, he and the rest of the cast and crew worked closely with the Make A Wish Foundation to fulfill the fantasies of several children who were at the time undergoing cancer treatment. The children appeared with Williams in scenes at the pediatric ward.

Francis Coppola gave him camping gear to spend the night in his backyard and ten dollars to spend at Toys R Us before shooting Jack(1996).

He and Rosie O’Donnell were two of the celebrities who had asked for a role in Hary Potter and the Sorcerer‘s stone without pay. However they did not film any scenes for the movie.

He ad-libbed all of Adrian Cronauer, broadcasts in Good Morning, Vietnam (1987).

His portrayal of Adrian Cronauer has led to confusion as to the beliefs of the real Cronauer. Cronauer has said that the film is about 45 percent accurate, according to a biography on Robin Williams. Cronauer has said that the film misrepresented him to make him seem anti-war, when he was, in his one words, anti-stupidity. Furthermore, Cronauer has also said that if he’d done half the tings Williams did in the film, he would’ve been court marshaled and sent to Fort Leavenworth.

He was turned down for a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination in for his performance in Aladdin (1992), because he only voiced The Genie.

Asked by James Lipton about what he would like to God say when he arrives in the heaven, Williams answered: There is a seat in the front in the concert of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Elvis Presley.

Early in his career, he told a reporter that he was born in Scotland. His original press releases do indeed list Scotland as his place of birth. He admits now that he was under the influence at the time he said this. He was really born in Chicago.

He was considered for the role of Joe Miller in Jonathan Demme’s Philadelphia (1993). Denzel Washington was cast instead.

Williams invented the curse word Shazbot, first heard in the situation comedy Mork & Mindy (1978) (in which Mork says the expression during the opening credits). Later, it was used in an episode of The Simpsons (1989) (Treehouse of Horror VI) with the Production Code 3F04, which aired on 10/30/95. In 1998 it was used as a voicechat option in the very popular Starsiege Tribes game and was carried over into the sequels, Tribes 2 and Tribes: Vengeance.

Robin Williams - in his movies….

Is typically clean-shaven in his comic roles and bearded in his serious ones.

Often plays characters lacking in self-awareness.

Calls people Chief in almost every movie he does.

Frequently plays fathers or family men.

Frequently portrays offbeat and eccentric characters.

Williams and Robert De Niro were the last stars to see John Belushi alive, albeit on separate visits to bungalow #3 of L.A.’s Chateau Marmont hotel that fateful day in March 1982.

In the June 2008 TV Land Awards, Robin presented Jonathan Winters, who appeared with in in Mork and Mindy, with the Pioneer Award.

Robin was considered for the role of Bobby Wheeler on the TV show Taxi. The role eventually went to Jeff Conaway.

He was offered the role of Frank Ginsberg in Little Miss Sunshine.

Robin was going to play Drew Barrymore’s father in Home Fries but had to pull out days before his scenes were supposed to be shot.

He was one of the finalists for the role Joe Miller in Jonathan Demme’s Philadelphia. However the role went to Denzel Washington.

Robin sang a version of Come Together with Bobby McFerrin on the Beatles tribute album, In My Life.

Robin’s friend, Whoopi Goldberg encouraged him to make an appearance in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode a Matter Of Time. However Robin dropped out last minute due to hectic scheduling conflicts.

Robin is called “the poster child for ADD”.

In Robin’s comedy act he uses a wild improvised stream-of-consciousness comedy dialogue where he will do cultural references, impersonations and one liners with rapid switching.

Trivia - Various Subject

 

Robin Williams…

Ranked number 7 on Star TV’s Top 10 Box Office Stars of the 1990’s.

Ranked number 13 on Comedy Central’s list of 100 greatest stand-ups.

Named the 50th Greatest Movie Star Of All Time by Entertainment Weekly.

Earned the 63rd in Empire Magazine’s list of The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time in 1997.

Hit  number 104 on the Billboard Singles Charts with I Yam What I Yam (Boardwalk 5701).

Named “Funniest Male Star” at the 2007 People’s Choice Awards.

Won the Grammy Award for “Best Spoken Comedy Album” in 2003 for Live 2002.

Was named Funniest Man Alive in 1997.

Was included in Entertainment Weekly’s list of 25 Best Actors in 1998.

Was honored with the San Francisco Film Society’s Peter Owens award at the San Francisco International Film Festival for acting brilliance, independence and integrity. (May 3, 2007)

Was voted the best Supporting Actor for Good Will Hunting in 1998, said in his acceptance speech, “Most of all, I want to thank my father, up there, the man who when I said I wanted to be an actor, he said, ‘Wonderful, just have a back-up profession like welding.’

Was listed as one of Entertainment Weekly’s 25 Best Actors in 1998.

Trivia - Nominations, Awards and Honors:

 

Robin Williams has been nominated for:

Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program at Emmy Awards for Robin Williams: Live on Broadway (2003)

Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program at Emmy Awards for Robin Williams: Live on Broadway (2003)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical at Golden Globe Awards for PATCH ADAMS (1999)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role at Academy Awards for Good Will Hunting (1998)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture at Golden Globe Awards for GOOD WILL HUNTING (1998)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast at Screen Actors Guild Awards for Good Will Hunting (1998)

Best On-Screen Duo at MTV Movie Awards for The Birdcage (1997) - shared with Nathan Lane

Best Comedic Performance at MTV Movie Awards for The Birdcage (1997)

Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program at Emmy Awards for Comic Relief VII (1996)

Best Male Performance at MTV Movie Awards for Mrs. Doubtfire (1994)

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series at Emmy Awards for Homicide: Life on the Street (1994)

Best Actor in a Leading Role at Academy Awards for The Fisher King (1992)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama at Golden Globe Awards for Awakenings (1991)

Best Actor at BAFTA Awards for Dead Poets Society (1990)

Best Actor in a Leading Role at Academy Awards for Dead Poets Society (1990)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama at Golden Globe Awards for Dead Poets Society (1990)

Best Actor at BAFTA Awards for Good Morning, Vietnam (1988)

Best Actor in a Leading Role at Academy Awards for Good Morning, Vietnam (1988)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical at Golden Globe Awards for Moscow on the Hudson (1985)

Best TV Actor - Musical/Comedy at Golden Globe Awards for Mork & Mindy (1980)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series at Emmy Awards for Mork & Mindy (1979)

Personal Trivia

Robin Williams:

His comedic idols are Jonathan Winters and Richard Pryor.

Wrote the foreword for the book The Far Side Gallery 4.

His executive produced Jakob The Liar and Comic Relief. He also produced Mrs. Doubtfire.

Directed several episodes of Mork And Mindy and the 1981 Comic Relief TV special.

Has the same birthday as Josh Hartnett and Justin Bartha.

Opened the 1976 San Francisco Comedy Competition against Dana Carvey, Harry Anderson, and A. Whitney Brown.

Performed his comedy routine for the U.S. troops in Iraq several times and once for the troops in Afghanistan.

He was addicted to cocaine during the late 1970s and early 1980s, but finally managed to quit taking the drugs after the death of his close friend, John Belushi, and the birth of his son.

Only days after William‘s dear friend Christopher Reeve was paralyzed from a fall off of a horse, he  showed up at Reeve’s UVA hospital room disguised as a doctor with a surgeon’s mask on speaking a foreign language. He then suddenly removed the mask and Reeve started laughing.

He helped Christopher Reeve paying his medical bills during his final years following his horse riding accident, and insisted he would take care of the orphaned son of Christopher and Dana Reeve, after the teenager’s mother died of lung cancer. (March 13, 2006)

He dedicated his winning the Cecil B. DeMille award at the Golden Globes to friend Christopher Reeve. (2004)

Williams is the co-owner of San Francisco’s Rubicon Restaurant along with Robert De Niro and Francis Ford Coppola.

 

He enjoys playing online video games like “Warcraft” or Half-Life” and cycling, even collects hundreds of bicycles.

 

Has been seen in playing paintball at public reservations near his Northern California residence.

 

He is a fan of the comedy series Monty Python’s Flying Circus (1969), and a big fan of the popular anime series, Neon Genesis Evangelion.  He’s a also a Star Trek (1966) and Doctor Who (1963) fan.

 

Wiliams is a fan of the sport of Rugby Union, and in particular New Zealand All Black star Jonah Lomu, who flew to San Francisco and gifted him with a signed All Black jersey. On a recent visit to New Zealand they were reunited on national TV, Williams humbly accepting another All Black jersey, except this time it had Jonah’s number 11 on the back.

He enjoys cycling and  owns dozens of bicycles. He attends the Tour De France often and is friends with Lance Armstrong, who he sometimes trains with.

 

 

He has donated his blood for many times after 9/11 incident in his effort to help the victims of the attacks, and donated $80,000 for renovations in San Francisco, where he resides with his family. (July 30, 2005).

 

Williams is one of the performers in United Service Organization and has performed for U.S. troops stationed in Iraq for 3 years and those in Afghanistan, and he is an active supporter of the U.S Democratic Party.

Robin had a drinking problem during the 1970s and 1980s. He stayed sober for 20 years. However he checked back into rehab on August 9th 2006. He was also addicted to cocaine. He was a close friend of John Belushi, and said the death of his friend and birth of his son were serious wake up calls.

After 20 years of sobriety, he hid his alcoholism relapse for three years before checking into rehab in northern California in 2006.

 

He said he was motivated to seek treatment for alcoholism after Mel Gibson was ordered to undergo rehabilitation following his arrest for drink-driving in July, referring to the incident as a big-wake up call. (October 2, 2006).

 

Williams filed suit against celebrity impersonator Michael Clayton and his agent Michael Pool, claiming the pair have taken their act to a reprehensible level by expressly asserting Clayton is the real Robin Williams. (May 13, 2005).

 

His impersonator has agreed to stop trying to con gullible charities out of money after the actor threatened legal proceedings. (May 18, 2005).

Robin is friends with Steve Martin. When they aren’t busy they get together and watch DVDs of Doctor Who, and he is also friends with film director, Chris Columbus.

 

He is one of the few celebrities to have a segment in Sesame Street that didn’t have any puppets or actors playing sesame street regular characters.

 

Robin owns a home and vineyard in Northern California’s St. Helena district. He lives close to Joe Montana and Francis Ford Coppola.

 

His first marriage was to Valerie Velardi on June 4, 1978, with whom he has one child, Zachary Pym (Zak) (born April 11, 1983).

 

He met his second wife Marsha Garces Williams when she was nanny for his and Valerie’s son, Zachary.

On November 25, 1991, the son Cody Alan Williams, with Marsha Garces Williams, born., and on July 31, 1989, his daughter, Zelda Rae Williams was born.

 

Robin named his daughter Zelda because his oldest son Zachary was a devoted fan of the Legend Of Zelda video game series.

 

His wife Marsha Garces filed for divorce after 19 years of marriage. (March 21, 2008) Williams has as vowed never to marry again. (November 2008).

 

Williams is an active supporter of the US Democratic Party, he has been outspoken about his opposition to the war in Iraq. However, he has become the most consistent entertainer of US troops since the war began, leading some to dub him the next Bob Hope.

 

Robin spends much of his time working with charities. Robin and his wife created the Windfall Foundation, an organization that raises money for different charities.

 

He  hit the road for his first standup tour in six years because the current political climate in the U.S. is too funny to pass up. (August 2008). However, in early March 2009 Williams was forced to postpone the “Weapons of Self-Destruction” tour, to undergo surgery for an aortic valve replacement. He underwent a successful heart surgery, and was expected to make a full recovery within a few weeks.