Robin Williams was a true chameleon who touched the hearts of many and shaped a generation with his cult movies and loveable characters. The world mourned when the actor took his own life on August 11, 2014 after years of depression and illness. From Mrs. Doubtfire to Alan Parrish, we’re revisiting just a few of his incredible onscreen roles that remain imprinted on the collective imagination.
1. Jumanji, directed by Joe Johnston (1995)
In 1969, Alan Parrish finds a mysterious board game which he decides to play with his crush, Sarah Whittle. When he rolls the dice, a sinister message appears… in the jungle, you must wait, until the dice read 5 or 8. He suddenly disappears, leaving Sarah terrified and being chased by bats out of the house. Twenty-six years later, Judith (Kirsten Dunst) and Peter are orphans who move with their Aunt Nora into Alan’s old house, which has been left abandoned since he disappeared. One day, the children hear noises and find the game, which they decide to play. After chimpanzees wreak havoc and a lion appears, Alan Parrish (Robin Williams) comes back into the real world, and helps the children – along with the now-adult Sarah Whittle – end the game once and for all.
2. Hook, directed by Steven Spielberg (1991)
The evil Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman) never did forgive Peter Pan for making him lose his hand, and kidnaps the now-adult’s children, making them prisoners of his boat. Tinkerbell (Julia Roberts) returns to the real world to help Peter (Robin Williams) travel into the imaginary world, but Peter has lost all memories of his former identity when he was a Lost Boy. He soon recovers his memories though, and makes it his mission to save his kids from his mortal enemy. Hook, which received five Oscar nominations, was a true gem of our childhood, and still wakes the inner child in us all to this day.
3. Good Will Hunting, directed by Gus Van Sant (1997)
Good Will Hunting, which was written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, tells the story of the rebellious mathematics genius, Will, who lives in South Boston. Often getting into trouble despite the bright future that his intellect could give him, Will risks being sent to prison constantly, but always uses his smarts to evade jail time. One time, though, in order to escape prison, Professor Lambeau at MIT spots his genius and requests to the judge that the troubled teen has counselling with Sean (Robin Williams). The role earned Robin Williams the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
4. Mrs. Doubtfire, directed by Chris Columbus (1994)
When his wife gets sick of his laziness and immature antics, Daniel is getting divorced and loses custody of his three children, who he loves dearly. Faced with this heart-wrenching situation, he decides to do anything he can to spend time with them, and disguises himself as a new Nanny. Thanks to a friend who works in facial prosthetics, he becomes Mrs. Doubtfire, a kindly, funny old Scottish lady who his ex-wife, Miranda, loves. This blissful plan is cut short, though, through a series of comedic misdemeanors. The hilarious role earned Robin Williams the Golden Globe for Best Actor in 1994.
5. Dead Poets Society, directed by Peter Weir (1990)
John Keating (Robin Williams) is a dynamic English teacher at the austere Welton Academy, where he stands out for his unique teaching methods. He aims to inspire his students and give them a zest for life, letting them know that they are free to do whatever they want to do with their futures. This anti-conformist outlook inspires a group of students to form a free-spirited club named the Dead Poets Society, which John himself created in his youth. However, in 1959 when the movie is set, this went against the strict rules of American society. The inspirational and emotional role earned Robin Williams an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in 1990.
6. Flubber, directed by Les Mayfield (1997)
Robin Williams’ comic skills are displayed to their full effect in Flubber, where he plays the role of a professor who wants to discover new forms of energy, flanked by his robot Weebo. His work is very preoccupying though, and his fiancée Sarah is furious that Professor Brainard has missed two wedding dates. One day, he creates a green substance that he named flubber, which allows his car to fly – but the substance doesn’t come without complications…
7. Good Morning Vietnam, directed by Barry Levinson (1987)
Good Morning Vietnam was one of Robin Williams’ breakout movies, where he played Adrian Cronauer, a radio DJ on Armed Forces Radio Service, during the Vietnam War in Saigon. He brings a touch of madness to the airwaves, opening his show with the thundering greeting of Good Morning, Vietnam, and his controversial remarks and caricatures rustle the feathers of some of his superiors. Robin Williams’ performance in the movie led to him being awarded the Golden Globe for Best Actor in 1988.
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