Beloved Actor Robin Williams Found Dead In Apparent Suicide
Academy Award-winning actor Robin Williams was found dead on Monday. He was 63. It is suspected that he killed himself.
By Sadho Ram — 12 Aug 2014, 10:13 AM — Updated almost 10 years ago
Confirming Reports Of Suicide, Police Says Robin Williams Hanged Himself
Robin Williams died due to asphyxia from hanging himself in his California home and cuts were also found on his wrists, police said Tuesday, confirming a day after the actor’s death that he had committed suicide.
time.com
The Marin County Sheriff’s office also said Williams, who was 63, suffered “acute superficial” cuts to his wrist, and that a pocket blade was found near his body. A forensic examination showed no signs of a struggle, and toxicology results for Williams, who had long struggled with substance abuse and depression, won’t be available for about 2-6 weeks, police said.
gawker.com
Williams was last seen by his wife at 10:30 p.m. local time on Sunday when she went to bed. Williams’ personal assistant became concerned the next day when the actor failed to respond to knocks on his bedroom door. Upon entering, the assistant found Williams “clothed in a seated position, unresponsive, with a belt around his neck,” Lt. Keith Boyd told reporters during a news conference. He was pronounced dead shortly after noon on Monday.
time.com
Actor Robin Williams Was Found Dead On Monday, California Police Reported. He Was 63.
Robin Williams speaks onstage during the Emmy Awards last September in Los Angeles
Image via Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesMarin County Police said Robin Williams was pronounced dead at his home shortly after officials responded to an emergency call around noon local time. Williams was celebrated in Hollywood for his zany comic persona and more subtle dramatic performances.
The Sheriff's Coroner's Division Said It Suspects The Death Was A Suicide Due To Asphyxia. However, The Cause Of Death Is Still Under Investigation.
Emergency personnel found Mr. Williams inside the home he shared with his wife, Susan Schneider, after a 911 call reported a man unconscious and not breathing. The sheriff's office said Mr. Williams was last seen alive at 10 p.m. on Sunday.
wsj.com"At this time, the Sheriff's Office Coroner Division suspects the death to be a suicide due to asphyxia, but a comprehensive investigation must be completed before a final determination is made," police said in a statement.
Although, Williams's High Energy At Times Masked His Personal Struggle With Alcohol And Drug Addiction, According To His Representative, "He Has Been Battling Severe Depression Of Late"
In the past he had talked, and even joked, about his struggles with alcohol and drugs. Williams had recently returned to a rehabilitation centre to "fine-tune" his sobriety, the Los Angeles Times reported in July.
In A Statement, Williams's Wife, Susan Schneider, Said She Was "Utterly Heartbroken"
His wife Susan Schneider asked that he be remembered for the joy he brought to the world
Image via bbcimg.co.uk“This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken. On behalf of Robin’s family we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin’s death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions.”
yahoo.comThe US President Obama Has Released A Statement Saying, "He Ended Up Touching Every Element Of The Human Spirit"
"Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between. But he was one of a kind. He arrived in our lives as an alien - but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit. He made us laugh. He made us cry. He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most - from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets," Obama said in the statement.
businessinsider.in
Born In Chicago, Illinois In 1951, Williams Joined The Drama Club In High School And Was Accepted Into Juilliard School In New York, The Prestigious American Academy For The Arts. There, He Was Encouraged By A Teacher To Pursue Comedy.
After starting his career in stand-up comedy and bursting into public consciousness in 1978 with the hit television comedy "Mork & Mindy," Mr. Williams built an acting career that included a rare mix of over-the-top star vehicles like "Mrs. Doubtfire" and "The Birdcage," along with well-received roles in dramas including "Awakenings" and "Insomnia."
wsj.comHe was nominated for four Oscars, winning best supporting actor for his role as a therapist to a troubled young math genius in "Good Will Hunting," which was released in 1997. "This might be the one time I'm speechless," he said upon accepting the award.
Since his days on "Mork & Mindy," a fish-out-of-water tale that ran for four seasons in which he played an alien from the planet Ork, Mr. Williams demonstrated a fully formed comedic style fully of tics and habits that would become his trademarks.
msn.com
Those idiosyncrasies, like monologues full of non sequiturs or unexpected accents, would help him quickly become one of the world's biggest comedy stars and a favorite guest of late-night television talk shows. Even when not pictured on screen, Mr. Williams had a tendency to pull focus, including a celebrated turn as the voice of the madcap genie in the 1992 animated film "Aladdin."
wsj.comIn 1986, Williams Worked With Fellow Comedians Whoopi Goldberg And Billy Crystal To Start Comic Relief Inc., A Nonprofit Charity That Raises Money For The Homeless
Together they hosted an annual comedy fundraiser for more than a decade, reuniting in 2006 to raise money for people displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
wsj.comBut Williams Surprised Many Fans By Harnessing His Manic Energy Into A String Of More Dramatic Roles
Beginning with 1987's "Good Morning, Vietnam," he was nominated for a best actor Oscar three times in five years, with nominations also for "Dead Poets Society" and "The Fisher King."
thewire.com
However, His Acting Career Slowed In The Past Decade
Actor Robin Williams arrives at singer-songwriter Elton John's 60th birthday party in New York in this March 24, 2007 file photo
Image via s-msn.comHe starred in the short-lived series "The Crazy Ones," which was canceled in May. He recently played the role of Teddy Roosevelt in the family comedy "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb," which will be released in December.
wsj.comIn The Film "Dead Poets Society," (This Curator's Most Loved Film Of Williams) He Plays John Keating, An Electric English Teacher At An Elite All-Boys High School. In A Quintessential Speech, Keating Tells His Students:
To quote from Whitman, "O me! O life!... of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless... of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?" Answer. That you are here - that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?
