Birth of Robin Williams

Robin Williams was born on 21 July 1951 in Chicago. An American actor and comedian, Williams became famous in the late 1970s as the alien Mork in the television series Mork & Mindy, which showcased his rapid-fire improvisation. He moved on to film with a range of comic and dramatic parts in Good Morning, Vietnam, Dead Poets Society, The Fisher King and Mrs. Doubtfire, and he voiced the Genie in Disney's Aladdin. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Good Will Hunting. Open about his struggles with addiction and depression, he died by suicide in 2014, and an autopsy later found Lewy body dementia. He is remembered for his energy and generosity.

Open on the timeline