RIP: Robin Williams Dead at 63

Academy Award-winning actor and comedic genius, Robin Williams died on Monday, August 11, 2014, in an apparent suicide at his California home. The Marin County Sheriff’s press release indicates that the cause of death is believed to be suicide due to asphyxia, but a full investigation will ensue. He was 63 years old.

Williams first became a household word as the alien Mork in the hit TV series “Mork and Mindy.” Pam Dawber played Mindy. He proved himself to as capable of serious acting as comedy in a variety roles, some of which garnered Oscar nominations. He was nominated for 3 Best Actor Oscars: “Good Morning, Vietnam” (1987), “Dead Poets Society” (1989) and “The Fisher King” (1991). He won a Best Supporting Actor for his role as Sean Maguire in “Good Will Hunting” (1997).

Other notable films the versatile actor appeared in are: “Popeye” (1980) “The World According to Garp” (1982), “Moscow on the Hudson” (1984), Mrs. Doubtfire” (1993), and “Jumanji” (1995). He recently played Dwight D. Eisenhower in “Lee Daniels’ the Butler” (2013) and co-starred with Sarah Michelle Gellar in the TV series, “The Crazy Ones.”

Tributes poured in from the shocked entertainment world and fans on Twitter, with many thanking him for the legacy of laughter that he left.

• Ben Stiller: “A tweet cannot begin to describe the hugeness of Robin Williams heart and soul and talent. This is so sad. #RobinWilliams”
• Judd Apatow: “When I was 18 I got a job as an intern at Comic Relief just to be near him. A genius and a truly kind man who made the world a better place.”
• Tia Carrere: “My heart is sad to hear #RobinWilliams RIP”
• Steve Martin: “I could not be more stunned by the loss of Robin Williams, mensch, great talent, acting partner, genuine soul.”
• John Cusack: “”A big tenacious overflowing hyperkinetic eruption of compassion would be best tribute to Williams.”
• Donald J. Trump: “Robin Williams was a truly wonderful actor & comedian. One of the few people who could make me laugh. Very tragic.”

He is survived by his third wife, Susan, and his 3 children, Zachary (from his first marriage to Valerie Velardi), Zelda and Cody (from his second marriage to Marsha Garces).

Robin Williams last tweet was a Happy Birthday wish to his daughter Zelda on July 31st. After learning of her father’s passing, his daughter tweeted this message to him:

“You — you alone will have the stars as no one else has them… In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars were laughing, when you look at the sky at night… You — only you — will have stars that can laugh.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I love you. I miss you. I’ll try to keep looking up. Z