RIP Robin Williams

Robin Williams, the comedian who evolved into the surprisingly nuanced, Academy Award-winning actor, imbuing his performances with wild inventiveness and a kind of manic energy, died on Monday at his home in Tiburon, Calif., north of San Francisco. He was 63.

The Marin County sheriff’s office said in a statement that it “suspects the death to be a suicide due to asphyxia.” An investigation was underway.

The statement said that the office received a 911 call at 11:55 a.m. Pacific time, saying that a man had been found “unconscious and not breathing inside his residence.” Emergency personnel sent to the scene identified him as Mr. Williams and pronounced him dead at 12:02 p.m.

Mr. Williams’s publicist, Mara Buxbaum, said in a statement that Mr. Williams “has been battling severe depression.”
Continue reading the main story
Related Coverage

An Appraisal: Robin Williams, an Improvisational Genius, Forever Present in the MomentAUG. 11, 2014
A photo of Robin Williams as Mork hangs in front of the house in Boulder, Colo., where the show “Mork and Mindy” was set.
Robin Williams Was Always Perfect for the Small ScreenAUG. 12, 2014
Robin Williams in 2007.
ArtsBeat: Remembering Robin WilliamsAUG. 11, 2014
video
Video: Movie Minutes: 'The Night Listener'AUG. 27, 2012
Jonathan Winters, seated, with Robin Williams and Pam Dawber on the sitcom “Mork & Mindy.”
An Appraisal: Robin Williams Recalls the Lessons of Jonathan WintersAPRIL 15, 2013
Film: Robin Williams Opens Wide His (Repaired) HeartNOV. 19, 2009
Times Article: ‘Comedy for a Narcissistic Time’ (December 28, 1978)
Times Review: ‘Robin Williams, Life-Size’ (April 13, 1979)

His wife, Susan Schneider, said in a statement, “This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings.” She added: “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.”

Click to expand...