Oscar winning actor and comedian Robin Williams has been found dead at his home in California after apparently killing himself at the age of 63.
The star of Good Will Hunting, Good Morning Vietnam and Mrs Doubtfire, who battled depression and an addiction to cocaine and alcohol for decades, was found ‘unconscious and not breathing’ in his mansion just outside San Francisco at around noon yesterday. Marin County Sheriff’s Office said it believed Williams’ death was a suicide due to asphyxia – reportedly by hanging – and an autopsy with toxicology tests will be carried out later today. Williams had not been seen in public since his birthday three weeks ago and it is not known if he left a suicide note.
Last month the married father of three was back in rehab ‘fine-tuning’ his sobriety in a year where he had been working on six movies and a TV series, and his publicist said he had been ‘battling severe depression of late’. His distraught wife Susan Schneider revealed her husband had died in a statement last night and said: ‘This morning I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one if its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken’.
Friends and colleagues such as Steven Spielberg, Steve Martin, Danny DeVito and Ben Stiller all took to social media to express their grief and offer condolences to Williams’ third wife and three children, Zachary Pym, 31, Zelda Rae, 25 and Alan, 22.
President Obama issued a touching tribute to the actor and comedian, and said: ‘Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan and everything in between. But he was one of a kind. He arrived in our lives as an alien – but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit. ‘He made us laugh. He made us cry. He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most – from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets. The Obama family offers our condolences to Robin’s family, his friends, and everyone who found their voice and their verse thanks to Robin Williams.’
Robin Williams’ wife revealed that he had died and released a moving statement.
Susan Schneider said: ‘This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one if its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken,’ she began. ‘On behalf of Robin’s family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope that the focus will not be on Robin’s death but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions.’ His wife Susan said: ‘As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin’s death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions,’ said Schneider.
Shortly afterwards his daughter Zelda, 25, tweeted an excerpt from Antoine De Saint-Exupery’s novella The Little Prince which read: ‘You – you alone will have the stars as no one else has them… In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars were laughing, when you look at the sky at night… You – only you will have stars that can laugh.’ She finished the post with the words: ‘I love you. I miss you. I’ll try to keep looking up, Z.’
The Los Angeles’ Laugh Factory, where he inspired countless other comedians, issued their own tribute to the Oscar winning actor and entertainer by changing their banner to read ‘Robin Williams Rest in Peace. Make God Laugh.’
Emergency crews were called to the legendary comic’s house in Marin County, just north of San Francisco at approximately noon on Monday and his third wife, Susan Schneider issued a statement confirming the 63-year-old’s death. Williams, who won an Academy Award for his supporting role as a fatherly therapist in the 1997 drama Good Will Hunting, had been suffering from severe depression recently and had sought treatment for his ongoing alcoholism. He was last seen alive on Sunday evening.
Williams’ last tweet and Instagram post came on July 31, – 11 days before his apparent suicide – in which he wished Zelda a happy 25th birthday, posting a picture of himself with her as a child. ‘Quarter of a century old today but always my baby girl,’ he wrote. It is understood Williams was unconscious and not breathing when he was discovered.
The coroner’s office said it appears to be suicide but they are still investigating what happened. A statement by the Marin County Sheriff’s Department in California said: ‘On August 11, 2014, at approximately 11:55 am, Marin County Communications received a 9-1-1 telephone call reporting a male adult had been located unconscious and not breathing inside his residence in unincorporated Tiburon, California. The male subject, pronounced deceased at 12:02 pm has been identified as Robin McLaurin Williams.’ ‘The Sheriff’s Office, as well as the Tiburon Fire Department and Southern Marin Fire Protection District were dispatched to the incident with emergency personnel arriving on scene at 12pm.
Outside the family home in a neighbourhood of low-slung houses with water views, people left flowers and talked about the man who rode his bike around and had a smile and a wave for children on the street. Known as ‘the funniest man alive’, Williams fought drug and alcohol problems when he became the star of Mork & Mindy, on his path to stardom.
He had stayed mainly sober for 20 years but in July he went into rehab to use the 12-step program he championed, this time during a brief stay at a Minnesota facility.
His divorce from his wife of 19 years and mother of two of his three children, film producer Marsha Garces, came a couple of years later and many outside his family’s inner circle opening suspected his substance abuse struggles were to blame.
CELEBRITIES PAY TRIBUTE ON TWITTER
• Kevin Spacey: “Robin Williams made the world laugh & think. I will remember & honor that. A great man, artist and friend. I will miss him beyond measure.”
• Lea Michele: “So heartbreaking to hear the terribly sad news about the amazing Robin Williams, thank you for bringing so much laughter and joy to us all.”
• Ben Stiller: “A tweet cannot begin to describe the hugeness of Robin Williams heart and soul and talent. This is so sad. #RobinWilliams”.
• Fearne Cotton: “Thanks Robin Williams for all the laughter. Eternal timeless comedy magic RIP”.
• Sarah Jessica Parker: “Robin Williams, an original. Godspeed. X, sj”.
• Lena Dunham: “Just shared a moment of silence on the set for Robin Williams, a man who brought so much laughter, joy and healing to so many.”
• Ariana Grande: “#RIPRobinWilliams so heartbreaking…. thank u for the joy & laughter…. condolences, love and light to his family during this tragic time “.
• Rita Wilson: “I am heartbroken. Dear, sweet friend, Robin Williams, gone. Our prayers for peace to all his friends and family, his beautiful children.”
• Ellen DeGeneres: “I can’t believe the news about Robin Williams. He gave so much to so many people. I’m heartbroken.”
• Rochelle Humes: “Thanks for sharing your talent with the world RIP Robin Williams”.
• Jessica Ennis-Hill: “Such sad news about Robin Williams. What a brilliant actor, so many great films from my childhood #mrsdoubtfire #Aladdin”.
• Nick Lachey: “So sad to hear about @robinwilliams passing. I feel like I grew up on his humor…..he brought so much laughter to so many! #RIP”.
• Naya Rivera Dorsey: “We lost a great light. Rest peacefully Robin Williams.”
• Hailee Steinfield: “I am so so sad. RIP Robin Williams. 🙁 “
• Ant & Dec: “Robin Williams RIP. X My childhood was made very happy because of him. Thoughts and love to his family. So so sad. A”.
• Alyssa Milano: “Robin Williams! Your work! Your heart! Your brain! So much left for you to do. So much more to love you for! Heartbroken. Rest in peace.”
• Taylor Swift: “Heartbroken for Robin Williams and his family.”
• Fran Newman-Young: “’No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world’ #RIPRobinWilliams”
• Olivia Munn: “So unbelievably sad to hear about Robin Williams passing. He gave so much to the world. I hope he’s in peace now. RIP”.
• Mindy Kaling: “I am named after a character from a Robin Williams TV show when my parents still lived in Africa. He meant so much, to so many, so far away.”
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