During his explosive comedic beginnings on stage and as that lovable sitcom alien Mork, Robin Williams seemed to be itching to reveal the formal acting skills he acquired at Julliard. It wasn’t enough to be a world-class comedian, he also had to get us feeling all the feels.
Although there is a glimpse of his Oscar-award winning talents on this list, we’ll save the on and off screen seriousness for another time. It’s all about the laughs today, and man did he give us a ton of them. We had a hard time honing in on his absolute funniest moments, but we whittled the list down to 12 of the most quite literally gut-busting moments from the career of Robin Williams.
1
One Appearance On Happy Days Skyrocketed His Career
Mork was only meant to appear in one "Happy Days" episode, but Williams was so funny that the character was immediately given his own show that lasted 4 seasons.
2
Voicing The Genie In Aladdin - 1992
With numerous impressions like Jack Nicholson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Groucho Marx, Williams rifled off so many that a ton couldn’t be stuffed into the final cut. Credited as the first celebrity voice acting role, it led the way for basically every other A-list celebrity who now pines for Disney or Pixar voice work.
3
He Cheered Up Spielberg During "Schindler's List"
The subject matter of "Schindler's List" was so brutal and depressing that Robin would call Spielberg once a week to get him howling laughing.
4
His “Live at the Met” HBO Special - 1986
With rapid-fire impressions, political satire, and manic energy, it’s one of the best stand-up specials of all time. His “Scottish People Invented Golf” bit became one of his signatures.
5
His jokes put someone in the hospital.
In an interview with James Lipton on "Inside The Actors Studio," an audience member got a hernia from laughing too hard. Lipton confirmed that they were actually taken away in an ambulance.
6
His Improvised Speech in "Good Will Hunting"
His improvised story about his wife made Matt Damon laugh for real (which is the take used in the movie). The shot wobbles slightly from a laughing cameraman, and it helped secure him an Oscar.
7
His Improv in Mrs. Doubtfire.
Director Christopher Columbus said that Williams improvised so much that there are PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17 versions of the film. He said, “Williams is without a doubt, the best actor I’ve ever worked with."
8
His Episode of "Whose Line is it Anyway?"
With world-class improv skills, his one appearance in Season 3 just made sense. With too many great moments to name, Colin Mochrie named him his favorite guest star (well, tied with Richard Simmons).
9
His Unplanned Cameo on "Friends"
He and friend Billy Crystal just happened to be working on a nearby set, and when they strolled over to see "Friends" filming, they were asked to film a scene. They completely ad-libbed a now-infamous "Friends" scene.
10
His First "Tonight Show" Appearance
Robin Williams made his "Tonight Show" debut in 1981, and like a human hurricane, his manic, unpredictable, and absolutely brilliant wit had Johnny, the audience, and America in hysterics.
11
Accepting His Cecil B. DeMille Award
Although he’s had many great award show, roast, and celebrity tribute moments, his barrage of jokes during this acceptance speech made it quite possibly the most memorable. You’d just have to see for yourself.
12
“Robin Williams: Live on Broadway” - 2002
Just a masterclass in improv and physical comedy, he tackles post-9/11 humor with grace and wit, and has some now-iconic jokes like “French vs. American Cooking.”
