Robing Williams died yesterday, and as it's been done before on BLH, with other figures outside of boxing I thought I'd simply share a few of short moments of my favourite performer.
My earliest film memories at all were watching Jumanji, Hook, Popeye and Mrs. Doubtfire with my older cousins when I went to visit as a kid, back then I didn't realise how versatile an actor he was and it was when I grew older that I was introduced to more of his work, some of which still under the radar, notably: The Fisher King, Dead Poet Society, Good Will Hunting, One Hour Photo, Insomnia and Good Morning Vietnam. One of the first things that came to mind when I heard this morning was a small scene in season 3 of the TV show Louie (from the episode 'Barney/Never'), involving them both, on their own, reminiscing over a dead acquaintance which is even more poignant now and well worth a watch. A unique man in every sense, just something else. With private troubles as large and as deep as his personality.
Captivating, extreme and immense.
Anyway, here they are:
A small bit with the great Jonathan Winters, Robin probably one of the few who could keep up with the man, fantastic chemistry between two legendary and complex performers.
Improv
Here he is with Winters again in 1986:
Williams, Winters
The whole videos are worth watching through.
With the troops in Kuwait, 2007, at Camp Arifjan
And more recently with more improv, his bread and butter, on Set List:
The Introvert Dictator
This reminded me of his impression of a smart kid years ago...
Which then reminded me of the whole appearance on Inside the Actors Studio, which I must've seen countless times over the years. He's got too many quality moments, both funny and serious to post here which then made me think that I have the rest of my day mapped out from now!
Not a day that I will count wasted.
And as for the title of this post, a big cheers goes to Popeye! And to everything else he's done to entertain over the years, from Mork and Mindy to the present day, yesterday.
Cheers.