Remembering the Times of My Life with Robin Williams
Woman in the Middle | August 12, 2014In September 1978 a new half hour comedy came on with the unlikely premise of a young 20-something woman dealing with a child like alien from outer space. Playing the alien was this fellow who seemed to have a funny bone the size of Texas and a personality on an extra heavy dose of speed. It was my senior year of high school and that was how I first saw Robin Williams. Usually you remember where you were when you hear someone dies. For Robin Williams, I remember where I was when I first encountered this zany guy who threw off hysterical one liners like they were Mardi Gras beads, in great big handfuls over and over again.
Fast forward a year and a half or so and I was at college where I joined a sorority. Our activities chair arranged for us to go see a dress rehearsal in Hollywood of that popular TV show, Mork and Mindy. That was the only time I got to see that crazy Williams guy in person, but it was a fun time and I can still see in my mind’s eye him climbing into an empty Jacuzzi. They explained that it would be filled with water for the actual taping. Why do I remember such a mundane detail? Because it was so exciting to go see the rehearsal for such a popular show with such well-known people. And, after all, it was Robin Williams.
Fast forward, and that crazy alien guy on speed was in a movie called Good Morning Vietnam. I remember seeing it with my new husband and it was so good. Wow, that guy could act! Besides that, it was a great movie.
Fast forward again, and Hubby and I had a little baby. When she was two years old a new Disney movie came out, “Aladdin.” It was the funniest, the best, the most creative Disney movie by far, all because Robin Williams voiced the Genie. We bought the tape, of course. We must have played it a thousand times.
Robin Williams brought me and my family so many good times. I wish him the peace he was so looking for.
The first time I saw Robin was when he appeared in an episode of Happy Days as Mork and thought he was so funny and of course I watch Mork & MIndy and have seen countless movies I liked his comedy movies more than his dramas although he was one of the few actors who could do both really well.
Reading your post makes me really sad. I saw the bad news on the cover of my city’s newspaper and could hardly believe it! My favorite movie with him is Jumanji. My brother looks a lot like him, which makes me miss him even more.
I too feel a deep sense of loss and I never met him. Maybe because I heard he was kind and good along with the talent. Maybe because he didn’t do all the stupid things these Hollywood types do these days to end up in jail. He seemed like a quality person.