In Remembrance of Robin Williams

As I'm sure you all know, Robin Williams died earlier tonight. He was definitely one of the funniest actors I've ever seen, not to mention being a good actor in general. I can't remember the first movie I saw him in. Obviously Aladdin is up there but I wouldn't have known at the time that Williams played the Genie. However it remains one of my favorite movies of his.

Williams was known for being incredibly funny. When Christopher Reeves was in the hospital after his horseback riding accident, Williams visited him pretending to be a Russian doctor. Reeves said his visit was one of the first times he laughed after his accident. During filming for Schindler's List, Steven Spielberg frequently called Williams and had him tell jokes over the phone to cheer up the cast and crew. This was during filming for Aladdin so Williams mostly spoke as the Genie. He also improvised most of his lines in Aladdin, and did a very good job at it as his lines are some of the best.

I think we can all agree that his role as Genie is one of our favorites. Not to mention Mrs. Doubtfire, which is incredibly hilarious and heartwarming. I also love him as Peter Pan in Hook. It's one of my favorite versions of Peter Pan and I think Williams did a great job of portraying a grown-up Peter. I also love Jumanji, especially his scraggly beard near the beginning. The way that Williams gave some of the lines in the movie and his absolute fear of the game make the movie seem more real and are part of what I love about the movie. His turn as Teddy Roosevelt in Night at the Museum and its sequels is adorable, and I'm glad they were able to finish the last movie before his untimely death. One of his funniest roles is as Bob Munro in RV, a movie that is guaranteed to make my family cry from laughter. But possibly my favorite role of his is as John Keating in Dead Poets Society. I know some people think the movie is unrealistic, which yes it may be a little, but what I love so much about it is the idea that a professor can be that influential in a student's life. And for someone who is so well known as the funny man, Williams is a very good professor.

I'm not sure about everyone else, but I think a Robin Williams marathon is going to happen in the near future. What better way to remember Williams than by watching some of his best movies again? Although his death was unexpected and sad, we can always remember him as a brilliant, funny actor who managed to make us laugh at the drop of a hat.

"No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world."

John Keating, Dead Poets Society