Editing Robin Williams (section)

==Early life and education==
Robin McLaurin Williams was born at [[St. Luke's Hospital (Chicago, Illinois)|St. Luke's Hospital]] in [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]],<ref>{{cite news|date=August 11, 2014|title=Chicago Native Robin Williams Recalled 'Good Times' Growing Up Here|url=http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2014/08/11/chicago-native-robin-williams-dead-at-63/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812024934/http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2014/08/11/chicago-native-robin-williams-dead-at-63/|archive-date=August 12, 2014|access-date=August 18, 2014|work=[[CBS Chicago]]}}</ref> on July 21, 1951.<ref name="Britannica">{{cite web |title=Robin Williams |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Robin-Williams |website=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |access-date=June 12, 2024 |language=en |archive-date=June 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627032141/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Robin-Williams |url-status=live }}</ref>{{efn|Sources conflict: Some sources, including ''The Robin Williams Scrapbook'' as well as two print biographies, ''The Life and Humor of Robin Williams: A Biography'' and ''Robin Williams: A Biography'', give his birth year as 1952. However, in an interview published on July 4, 2007, Williams refers to himself as being "55"<ref>{{cite news|last=Monk|first=Katherine|date=July 4, 2007|title=Marriage 101 with Robin Williams|website=Canada.com|url=http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/lifestyle/news/lifestyle/story.html?id=8b777192-8e77-464d-b8da-0cb90be40901&k=1045|access-date=February 8, 2008|archive-date=November 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107142414/http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/lifestyle/news/lifestyle/story.html?id=8b777192-8e77-464d-b8da-0cb90be40901&k=1045|url-status=live}}</ref> He also verifies his date of birth as July 21, 1951, for a [[fansite]] interview in 2008.<ref>Stuurman, Linda. [May 25, 2008] July 12, 2008. [http://www.robin-williams.net/interviews/RWF/rwfinterview.php RWF talks with Robin Williams: Proost!] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724041809/http://www.robin-williams.net/interviews/RWF/rwfinterview.php |date=July 24, 2011 }}." ''The Robin Williams Fansite''.</ref>}} His father, Robert Fitzgerald Williams (1906–1987), was a senior executive in [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]'s [[Lincoln Motor Company|Lincoln-Mercury Division]].<ref name="Kornbluth">{{cite news|last1=Kornbluth|first1=Jesse|title=Robin Williams' Change Of Life: Fighting For His Family In His New Film, 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' And In Real Life|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=axsAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA34|access-date=August 20, 2014|work=[[New York (magazine)|New York]]|publisher=K-III Magazine Corporation|date=November 22, 1993|pages=34–41|archive-date=April 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407102951/http://books.google.com/books?id=axsAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA34|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Shipman |first1=Robert Shipman |title=Robin Williams had family ties to state |url=https://www.reporter-times.com/story/news/2014/08/14/robin-williams-had-family-ties-to-state/47140789/ |access-date=October 10, 2024 |work=[[Reporter-Times]] |agency=[[Evansville Courier & Press]] |date=August 14, 2014}}</ref> His mother, Laurie McLaurin (1922–2001), was a former model from [[Jackson, Mississippi]], whose great-grandfather was Mississippi senator and governor [[Anselm J. McLaurin]].<ref name="lauriewilliams">{{cite news|url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Laurie-Williams-comedian-s-mother-2880676.php |title=Laurie Williams – comedian's mother|publisher=[[SFGate]] |date=September 8, 2001 |access-date=November 25, 2011 |first=Steve |last=Rubenstein|archive-date = October 9, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141009141842/http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Laurie-Williams-comedian-s-mother-2880676.php|url-status=live}}</ref> Williams had two older half-brothers: a paternal half-brother, Robert (also known as Todd),<ref>{{cite web|last=McLellan|first=Dennis|date=August 18, 2007|title=R. Todd Williams, 69; winery founder, comic's brother|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-aug-18-me-williams18-story.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006142235/http://articles.latimes.com/2007/aug/18/local/me-williams18|archive-date=October 6, 2014|access-date=February 10, 2008|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> and a maternal half-brother, McLaurin.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Donahue|first1=Michael|title=Robin Williams' Half-brother Is An All-out Fan|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1991/12/25/robin-williams-half-brother-is-an-all-out-fan/|access-date=October 20, 2014|work=Chicago Tribune|date=December 25, 1991|agency = Scripps Howard News Service|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140814053727/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-12-25/features/9104250678_1_robin-williams-peter-pan-todd-williams|archive-date = August 14, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> While his mother was a practitioner of [[Christian Science]], Williams was raised in his father's [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal]] faith.<ref>{{cite news | last = Gristwood | first = Sarah | author-link=Sarah Gristwood | title = Bobbin' Robin | url = http://www.chico.mweb.co.za/mg/art/film/9806/980618-robin.html | work=Mail & Guardian |date=June 18, 1998 |access-date=December 26, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061004023437/http://www.chico.mweb.co.za/mg/art/film/9806/980618-robin.html |archive-date = October 4, 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last = Topel | first = Fred | title = Robin Williams on License to Wed | url = http://www.canmag.com/nw/8218-license-to-wed-robin-williams | publisher=CanMag | date=July 3, 2007 |access-date=December 26, 2007|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141006122410/http://www.canmag.com/nw/8218-license-to-wed-robin-williams|archive-date = October 6, 2014|url-status=usurped}}</ref> During a television interview on ''[[Inside the Actors Studio]]'' in 2001, Williams credited his mother as an important early influence on his humor, and he tried to make her laugh to gain attention.<ref name=Lipton>video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IDy5GlUuf8&t=12m23s "Robin Williams – Inside The Actors Studio"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150622231424/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IDy5GlUuf8&t=12m23s |date=June 22, 2015 }}, June 10, 2001</ref>

Williams attended public elementary school at Gorton Elementary School in [[Lake Forest, Illinois|Lake Forest]] and later [[Lake Forest School District 67|Deer Path Junior High School]].<ref name="chicagotribune.com">{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-forest-lake-bluff/ct-robin-williams-childhood-memories-met-20140813-story.html |title=Robin Williams' childhood in Lake Forest remembered |first=Karen Ann |last=Cullotta |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=August 13, 2014 |page=7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813081506/http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-forest-lake-bluff/ct-robin-williams-childhood-memories-met-20140813-story.html |archive-date=August 13, 2014 |url-status=dead |access-date=August 15, 2014 }}</ref> He described himself as a quiet child who did not overcome his shyness until becoming involved with his high school drama department,<ref>{{cite episode | title = Robin Williams: 'The Night Listener' | url = https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5602441 | medium = Radio | network = [[National Public Radio]] | airdate = August 3, 2006 | series = Fresh Air from WHYY | credits = Terry Gross (host) | access-date = April 4, 2018 | archive-date = December 16, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171216202735/https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5602441 | url-status = live }}</ref> while friends recalled him as being very funny.<ref name="chicagotribune.com"/> In late 1963, when Williams was 12, his father was transferred to Detroit. The family lived in a 40-room farmhouse on {{convert|20|acre|ha|0}}<ref name="Kornbluth" /> in suburban [[Bloomfield Hills, Michigan]], where Williams attended the private all-boys [[Detroit Country Day School]].<ref name="chicagotribune.com"/><ref name="Moore1979">{{cite book |last=Moore |first=Mary Ellen |title=Robin Williams |url=https://archive.org/details/robinwilliams00moor |url-access=registration |access-date=August 12, 2014 |year=1979 |publisher=Grosset & Dunlap |isbn=978-0-448-17128-9}}</ref> He excelled academically, served as class president, and was on the school's wrestling team, but was also bullied for his weight and would play at home by himself.<ref name="washpost1">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/08/11/how-robin-williams-joked-about-school/ |title=How high school changed Robin Williams' life |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=August 11, 2014 |first=Valerie |last=Strauss |access-date=August 13, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141028041216/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/08/11/how-robin-williams-joked-about-school/|archive-date = October 28, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

With both parents working, Williams was partly raised by the family's maid, who was his main companion. When Williams was 16, his father took early retirement and the family moved to [[Tiburon, California]].<ref name="Kornbluth" /><ref>{{cite news|last1=Weber|first1=Bruce|title=Robin Williams, the Comic, Confronts Robin Williams, the Actor|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/28/movies/robin-williams-the-comic-confronts-robin-williams-the-actor.html|access-date=August 24, 2014|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 28, 1989|page=A1|archive-date=August 26, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826120130/http://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/28/movies/robin-williams-the-comic-confronts-robin-williams-the-actor.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Klemesrud|first=Judy |author-link=Judy Lee Klemesrud|title=Robin Williams Dons an Emigre's Guise|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/15/arts/robin-williiams-dons-an-emigre-s-guise.html|access-date=August 24, 2014|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=April 15, 1984|page=A21|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140826120805/http://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/15/arts/robin-williiams-dons-an-emigre-s-guise.html|archive-date = August 26, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Following their move, Williams attended [[Redwood High School (Larkspur, California)|Redwood High School]] in nearby [[Larkspur, California|Larkspur]]. Williams described the school as [[Gestalt psychology|Gestalt]], he went on to join the drama club becoming involved in theater, which first helped foster his interest in arts and entertainment.<ref name="washpost1"/> At the time of his graduation in 1969, he was voted "Most Likely Not to Succeed" and "Funniest" by his classmates.<ref name="landrum_3031">{{cite book |title=Paranoia & Power: Fear & Fame of Entertainment Icons |first=Gene N. |last=Landrum |publisher=Morgan James Publishing |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-60037-274-2 |pages=30–31}}</ref> After high school graduation, Williams enrolled at [[Claremont Men's College]] in [[Claremont, California]], to study [[political science]]; he dropped out to pursue acting.<ref name="Kornbluth" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Golum |first=Rob |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-11/actor-robin-williams-dead-in-apparent-suicide.html |title=Robin Williams, Oscar Winner, Dies After Hanging Himself |work=Bloomberg News |date=August 12, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141011002226/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-11/actor-robin-williams-dead-in-apparent-suicide.html|archive-date = October 11, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Williams studied theater for three years at the [[College of Marin]], a [[Community colleges in the United States|community college]] in [[Kentfield, California]]. According to the College of Marin's drama professor, James Dunn, the depth of the young actor's talent became evident when Williams was cast in the musical ''[[Oliver!]]'' as [[Fagin]]. He often improvised during his time in the drama program, leaving cast members in hysterics.<ref name="Hansen">{{cite news |last=Hansen |first=Megan |title='We knew him as a neighbor': Marin remembers Robin Williams megan|url=http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_26319466/we-knew-him-neighbor-marin-remembers-robin-williams |access-date=August 13, 2014 |newspaper=[[Marin Independent Journal]] |date=August 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813072755/http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_26319466/we-knew-him-neighbor-marin-remembers-robin-williams |archive-date=August 13, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Dunn called his wife after one late rehearsal to tell her Williams "was going to be something special".<ref name="Hansen" />

In 1973, Williams attained a full scholarship to the [[Juilliard School]] ([[List of Juilliard School people|Group 6]], 1973–1976) in [[New York City]]. He was one of 20 students accepted into the freshman class, and Williams and [[Christopher Reeve]] were the only two accepted by [[John Houseman]] for the school's Advanced Program that year. Williams's classmates included [[William Hurt]] and [[Mandy Patinkin]].<ref name=Maslon>{{cite book|first1=Laurence|last1=Maslon|author-link1=Laurence Maslon|first2=Michael|last2=Kantor|title=Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America|publisher=Twelve|location=New York City|date=2008|isbn=978-0-446-50531-4|pages=241–244}}</ref><ref name="reeve">{{cite book |first=Christopher |last=Reeve |author-link=Christopher Reeve |title=Still Me |url=https://archive.org/details/stillme00reev |url-access=registration | publisher=[[Random House]] |location=New York City|date=1998 |isbn=978-0-679-45235-5 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/stillme00reev/page/167 167–172]}}</ref> According to biographer Jean Dorsinville, [[Franklyn Seales]] and Williams were roommates at Juilliard.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nmO3r4GjmyoC&q=robin+williams+franklyn+seales&pg=PA164|last=Dorsinville|first=Jean M.|title=Franklyn V.E. Seales: Life of an Artist|date=2011|publisher=iUniverse|isbn=978-1-4620-3331-7|page=164|access-date=October 28, 2020|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112131226/https://books.google.com/books?id=nmO3r4GjmyoC&q=robin+williams+franklyn+seales&pg=PA164|url-status=live}}</ref> Reeve recalled his first impression of Williams when they were new students at Juilliard: "He wore tie-dyed shirts with tracksuit bottoms and talked a mile a minute. I'd never seen so much energy contained in one person. He was like an untied balloon that had been inflated and immediately released. I watched in awe as he virtually caromed off the walls of the classrooms and hallways. To say that he was 'on' would be a major understatement."<ref name="reeve"/>

Williams and Reeve had a class in dialects taught by [[Edith Skinner]], whom Reeve said was one of the world's leading voice and speech teachers. According to Reeve, Skinner was bewildered by Williams and his ability to instantly perform in many different accents.<ref name="reeve" />

Their primary acting teacher was [[Michael Kahn (theatre director)|Michael Kahn]], who was "equally baffled by this human dynamo".<ref name="reeve" /> Williams already had a reputation for being funny, but Kahn criticized his antics as simple stand-up comedy. In a later production, Williams silenced his critics with his well-received performance as an old man in [[Tennessee Williams]]'s ''[[The Night of the Iguana|Night of the Iguana]]''. Reeve wrote, "He simply ''was'' the old man. I was astonished by his work and very grateful that fate had thrown us together."<ref name="reeve" /> The two remained close friends until Reeve's death in 2004. Their friendship was like "brothers from another mother", according to Williams's son Zak.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/robin-williams-son-remembers-his-dad-and-christopher-reeves-friendship|title=Robin Williams' son remembers his dad and Christopher Reeve's friendship|publisher=[[Fox News]]|date=November 23, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141123153048/http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2014/11/23/robin-williams-son-remembers-his-dad-and-christopher-reeve-friendship/ |archive-date=November 23, 2014 }}</ref>

During the summers of 1974 to 1976, Williams worked as a [[busboy]] at [[The Trident (restaurant)|The Trident]] in [[Sausalito, California]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetridentrestaurant.com/?p=281|title=We'll Always Love You Robin!|date=August 13, 2015|website=Thetridentrestaurant.com|access-date=September 16, 2018|archive-date=September 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916235354/http://www.thetridentrestaurant.com/?p=281|url-status=live}}</ref> He left Juilliard<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://time.com/3104146/robin-williams-dead-marc-maron-podcast/ |title=Listen to Robin Williams Talk About His Struggles on an April 26, 2010 Podcast |date=August 12, 2014 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |access-date=August 22, 2014|last = Feeney|first = Nolan|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140922040220/http://time.com/3104146/robin-williams-dead-marc-maron-podcast|archive-date = September 22, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/remembering_robin_williams |title=WTF with Marc Maron – Remembering Robin Williams |date=August 11, 2014 |work=[[WTF with Marc Maron]] |access-date=October 21, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140812183127/http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/remembering_robin_williams|archive-date = August 12, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> during his junior year in 1976, following Houseman's suggestion that the school had nothing more they could teach him.<ref name="Maslon" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/18/nyregion/commencements-for-juilliard-ex-student-hams-it-up.html |title=For Juilliard, Ex-Student Hams It Up |date=May 18, 1991 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=August 12, 2014|agency = [[Associated Press]]|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121105042651/http://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/18/nyregion/commencements-for-juilliard-ex-student-hams-it-up.html|archive-date = November 5, 2012|url-access=subscription}}</ref> [[Gerald Freedman]], another of his teachers at Juilliard, called Williams a "genius" and that the school's conservative and classical style of training did not suit him; to those who knew him, it came as no surprise that Williams left.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://charlotte.twcnews.com/content/news/710725/nc-comedian--robin-williams-was-my-hero--my-influence/ |title=NC Comedian: Robin Williams Was My Hero, My Influence |work=Time Warner Cable News |date=August 12, 2014|last = Blair|first = Caroline|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140819084944/http://charlotte.twcnews.com/content/news/710725/nc-comedian--robin-williams-was-my-hero--my-influence/|archive-date = August 19, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>