Robin Williams Death Anniversary: 15 Best Performances Of All Time

Fans of the entertainment industry all around the world dropped to their knees with tear-filled eyes two years ago when an initial report released on August 12, 2014, revealed that Robin Williams committed suicide the day before in his Paradise Cay home in California. Williams was 63-years-old at the time of his death. According to the initial report, Robin Williams hung himself using a belt and died of asphyxiation. This month marks the two-year death anniversary of an actor, and comedian movie buffs all around the world still mourn the loss of.

1. One Hour Photo (2002)

Robin Williams is an actor who rose to fame thanks to his energetic and comic personality. This, however, did not mean Robin did not have a more serious side. In fact, Robin Williams took his fans for a bit of a surprising ride in his role as Sy Parrish in One Hour Photo. In the movie, Robin plays the role of a photo technician who becomes obsessed with a family. Williams does an exceptional job of playing a disturbing character in this film.

“Sy is a complete character with a physicality, inner monolog and motivation that we haven’t seen from Mr. Williams in a long time,” wrote Joe Lozito of Big Picture Big Sound. “And it’s a pleasure to watch.”

2. Popeye (1980)

Popeye was the feature film debut of Robin Williams’ career. It is not a film most people talk about because it was a complete flop. The film, however, deserves some credit as it is what launched the career of Robin Williams.

3. Fisher King (1991)

Before The Fisher King existed, most Robin Williams fans only knew two different kinds of roles the actor was capable of playing. The first was a fast-speaking comedian and the second was a serious actor – as portrayed in the Dead Poets Society. The reason why The Fisher King makes this list is because it does an incredible job of introducing fans to the many personas of Robin Williams including the goofy and oddball Williams, the profound Williams, and the devastatingly depressed Williams.

While many fans didn’t realize it at the time, there was a depth and profoundness to the roles Robin Williams played because he had suffered from depression for a very long time before his death in 2014.

4. Flubber (1997)

Flubber is not a film that frequently makes these lists because it was not one of his more serious roles. Every child from the 90s, however, remembers watching this movie when it came out. This was a film that gave children a chance to enjoy the inner workings of Robin Williams as well.

5. Dead Poets Society (1989)

There have been many inspirational movies with a main character that was a teacher. However, few have felt as real as Dead Poets Society. Many believe Williams is the soul of this film.

6. Jack (1996)

Jack is an adorable film about a boy who has a rare condition that causes him to grow four times faster than anyone else his age. By the time the boy is 10-years-old, he has the body of a 40-year-old. In Jack, Robin Williams does a remarkable job of playing the role of a boy trapped inside of a man’s body.

7. Good Morning, Vietnam! (1987)

Good Morning, Vietnam may have been the film that really turned things around for Robin Williams. For anyone who was born in the 90s, it is hard to imagine there was a time where Robin Williams’ movie career wasn’t so great. However, he wasn’t off to a great start in the 80s. Popeye his big screen debut was a complete flop and his subsequent appearances in Seize The Day, The Survivors, and The Best Of Times went unnoticed. The only film that was somewhat well-received that Robin Williams was in the 80s was The World According To Garp.

Things changed for Robin Williams when Good Morning, Vietnam landed him a Best Actor Oscar nomination. The question is – what was it about this film that was different? The director gave Williams the freedom to shine. It resulted in this wartime comedy being a smashing hit.

8. Good Will Hunting (1997)

After he had earned Oscar nominations for Good Morning America, Dead Poets Society, and The Fisher King, Williams finally scored a win for his supporting role in Good Will Hunting. Robin played the role of a therapist who helped Will Hunting, played by Matt Damon, move forward from his troubled past. Some believed this film featured some of Williams’ most sensitive dramatic performances.

9. DEATH to SMOOCHY (2002)

DEATH to SMOOCHY features one of Robin Williams’ most entertaining personas – Rainbow Randolph. As the King of Kids TV with an inflated ego, Rainbow Randolph is involved in scams, bribes, and ruses. At some point in time in the movie, his entire world flips upside down when no one wants anything to do with him.

10. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)

Mrs. Doubtfire is one of the first films that comes to mind when someone talks about the comedy films Robin Williams starred in. In this film, Robin dressed up as a woman in order to be hired as a nanny so he could spend more time with his children. It is a hilarious and moving film of a man who just wants to spend more time with his children.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnPW9wh2APk

11. World’s Greatest Dad (2009)

World’s Greatest Dad is a film that sends chills down some fans spines given how the son died in the film. Robin plays the role of an English teacher Lance Clayton. In the film, Lance’s son accidentally kills himself by hanging himself. Clayton, the father, makes a decision to write a suicide note in order to avoid a scandal. At first, the school is uninterested in the death of his son. However, a letter is published in the school’s newspaper and Clayton starts to become famous and known for his literary skills the way he has always wanted to be. The problem is Clayton struggles to keep cool as he knows the truth about how his son died.

12. Hook (1991)

Hook is a film that touches the hearts of anyone who loves the story of Peter Pan. Hook, however, takes a different twist on the children’s story as it features Robin Williams as a grown-up version of Peter. In the film, Peter’s children are stolen and taken back to Neverland by the pirates. Peter (Robin Williams) must go back to Neverland in order to save his children and rediscover the world he forgot existed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuEuVT4VfyE

13. Genie from Aladdin (1992)

Some people consider Aladdin to be one of the better films Disney put out in the early 90s. Fans of Robin Williams agree one of the best decisions Disney made was to hire Robin to play the role of the motor mouth Genie in the movie. For some Disney fans, the only thing they really remember about this movie is how hilarious and entertaining Robin Williams was as the Genie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlqtQRWQKyM

14. Patch Adams (1998)

In Patch Adams, Robin Williams plays the role of a suicidal man named Hunter “Patch” Adams who commits himself to a mental institution. While there, he finds humor in the sessions with the doctors and decides he wants to be a doctor. Two years later, he enrolls at the Medical College of Virginia (now known as VCU School of Medicine). He is known for being the oldest first-year medical student. The movie is a semi-biographical comedy. While it isn’t completely accurate, it is partially based on the true story of Hunter “Patch” Adams.

15. The Birdcage (1996)

In The Bird Cage, Robin Williams plays the role of Armand. Armand is a homosexual Miami drag club owner who pretends to be a straight man and hides his relationship with his lifelong partner in order to please the father of the woman his son wants to marry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxfXR1zSj1k

Below is a tribute to Robin Williams featuring Watch Mojo‘s selection on Williams’ top ten performances:

Even other actors and actresses mourn the death of Robin Williams.

Two years ago to this day the world lost an absolute legend. RIP Robin Williams. https://t.co/Ay9AeMDHaG

— Fill Werrell (@FillWerrell) August 11, 2016

A man. A comedian. An actor. A legend. Robin Williams. May he rest in peace.

[Photo by Peter Kramer/Getty Images]