It’s 11 years since comedian Robin Williams died at the age of 63. We remember the icon on his birthday – christened Invite an Alien to Live with You Day by fans
Na-nu na-nu! Yes, it’s Invite an Alien to Live with You Day. This very legitimate annual event, inspired by TV sitcom Mork and Mindy, has been around since the early 2000s.
It takes place every year on July 21 to mark star Robin Williams’ birthday. Now MEG JORSH salutes the late comedy genius with 15 fascinating facts…
1. Robin McLaurin Williams was born on July 21, 1951 to a well-off family in Chicago, US. He called himself a “short, shy, chubby and lonely” kid, who was bullied for his weight.
2. Leaving Redwood High School, California, in 1969 he was voted the pupil “Most Likely Not To Succeed”. He went on to win an Oscar, six Golden Globes, two Emmys and five Grammys.
3. In 1973 he bagged a scholarship to posh New York theatre school Juillard, where he shared a room with future Superman star Christopher Reeve. The two became lifelong pals.
4. Before his career took off, he worked as a mime for tips in the city’s Central Park, wearing white face paint and rainbow braces.
5. He became a household name thanks to his role as alien Mork – but not in Mork and Mindy. The character first appeared in sitcom Happy Days, but soon got his own spin-off.
6. As a rising star, Robin became a cocaine addict. He quit soon after partying with John Belushi in 1982, the night before the Blues Brothers legend died from a drug overdose.
7. He turned to exercise to help keep him clean and tackle his depression, becoming a devoted cycling fan. He is said to have told California bike shop owner Tony Tom: “Cycling saved my life”.
8. Williams exploded onto the big screen with his starring role in 1987 film Good Morning, Vietnam. He played army DJ Adrian without a script, improvising all his famous lines.
9. He almost turned down his part in Disney flick Aladdin over fears the studio would profit from flogging Genie merchandise to kids. When they allegedly did, he refused to sign up for the sequel.
10. Famed for his manic style and motormouth delivery, Robin credited Robert De Niro with teaching him the “power of silence”. The icons worked together on 1990 film Awakenings.
11. Williams is said to have fancied the role of Hagrid, later played by Robbie Coltrane, in the Harry Potter movies. He was apparently turned down by director Chris Columbus, who wanted a “British-only” cast.
12. The star was a big fan of computer games and Dungeons and Dragons. He named his daughter Zelda Rae, born in 1989, after the Legend of Zelda game series.
13. Robin helped found Comic Relief USA, along with Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Crystal. The now-shuttered charity raised $50million for homeless people.
14. If he was turned into an animal, the comedian said he would want to be a dolphin. He said: “Just their abilities, how social they are, how sexual they are, how intelligent they are.”
15. Tragically, Robins took his own life while suffering from Lewy body dementia in 2014. Aged just 63, he is remembered near his California home with a dedicated motorway tunnel.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
