The Life and Career of Robin Williams Quiz

Answer: Mother's family name

Robin's father, Robert Fitzgerald Williams, was an executive with the Ford Motor Company. His mother, Laurie McLaurin, was descended from Anselm McLaurin, who was governor of Mississippi from 1896 until 1900.

Robin had two older half-brothers, one from each of his parents. He had been quoted as saying that his mother inspired his initial choice of comedy as a career as he enjoyed making her laugh.

Answer: California

Williams was born in 1951 in Chicago. His family moved to Detroit in 1963, when his father's job took him there before settling in Marin County, California, when his father decided to retire in 1967. Robin began studying political science at college but dropped out to pursue his real interest, theatre, at the College of Marin.

Robin seems to have made a great impression while there, with one of his drama professors predicting that he was going to be 'something special'. His knack for improvisation was already evident along with his ability to inspire laughter from his audience.

Answer: Juilliard

Robin obtained a full scholarship which enabled him to attend the Juilliard School in New York. He was among only twenty students admitted that year, and his contemporaries included Christopher Reeve, Mandy Patinkin, and William Hurt.

Williams both impressed and confused his teachers with his abilities, but also his somewhat manic performances. Robin did not finish the course - the traditional style of the Juilliard did not suit his personality and the school agreed they could teach him no more.

Answer: Awakenings

Williams was nominated for 'Good Morning, Vietnam'(1987), 'Dead Poets Society' (1989) and 'The Fisher King' (1991), but was beaten out each time, Michael Douglas won in 1987 for 'Wall Street', while Daniel Day-Lewis took the Award in 1989 for 'My Left Foot'. Anthony Hopkins was the big winner in 1991 for his menacing role in 'The Silence of the Lambs'

It's hard to argue that any of these great actors didn't deserve the accolades, but it did mean that Robin was destined never to win a Best Actor Oscar.

'Awakenings', from 1990, saw Robin as a doctor who restored some life to patients suffering with the effects of a type of sleeping sickness, although the results were, sadly, short lived. The film and Robert De Niro, playing one of the affected patients, were nominated for Best Picture and Best Actor Oscars, although neither won.

Answer: Zelda

Robin's first marriage was in 1978 to Valeire Velardi, with whom he had one son named Zachary, known as Zak. Following their divorce in 1988, he married Marsha Garces. Their daughter, Zelda, was born in 1989, along with a son named Cody following in 1991. Robin and Marsha divorced in 2010, and Robin married for the third time in 2011 to Susan Schneider.

Robin himself said that the choice of the name Zelda came from the Nintendo game series 'The Legend of Zelda'. Of the three children, Zelda is the one who has most closely followed her father, having performed in various films and television series. Zak did act in a couple of films before deciding to work away from show business in philanthropic organisations. Cody works in film and music production rather than appearing in front of the cameras.

Answer: Good Will Hunting

For his performance in 'Good Will Hunting' Robin received his only Oscar as Best Supporting Actor at the ceremony held in 1989. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck also won for their original script.

Released in 1988, the film depicted a young man named Will Hunting (Matt Damon), working as a janitor at a university, who has an unacknowledged genius for mathematics. One of the professors at the university, portrayed by Stellan Skarsgård, leaves a difficult mathematical problem on his blackboard which Will is able to solve. The professor discovers Will's ability, but he prefers to spend time with his friends, including one played by Ben Stiller, until he is introduced to a psychology expert played by Robin Williams. The film ends on a positive note.

Answer: False

Robin's turn to host the Academy Awards came in 1986, the only time he was chosen, and he shared the duties with Alan Alda and Jane Fonda. According to the details I've seen, Robin opened the show with several jokes while Alda and Fonda made most of the introductions.

The big winners at the ceremony were 'Out of Africa', William Hurt and Geraldine Page winning Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Actress Oscars respectively.

Answer: Happy Days

Mork first appeared in an episode of 'Happy Days' named 'My Favorite Orkan' which had its first airing in 1978. In the episode, Richie Cunningham meets Mork who reveals himself as an alien from the planet Ork.

At the time, Williams was generally unknown to the public, but the character proved so popular that it prompted the spin-off series of 'Mork and Mindy'. Robin co-starred with Pam Dawber as Mindy. the human female friend who Mork marries in the final series. Initially popular, the show ran for four series between 1978 and 1982 before being cancelled due to falling ratings.

Answer: Theodore Roosevelt

The film starred Ben Stiller as an overnight guard at the American Museum of Natural History. He discovers that, due to a magical ancient Egyptian tablet, the exhibits come to life at night.

All the options listed are included among the exhibits with Steve Coogan playing the Roman emperor Octavius, Patrick Gallagher as Attila the Hun, and Dan Stevens as Sir Lancelot, who appears only in the third film. Robin Williams portrays Teddy Roosevelt, who plays a particularly prominent part in the first film. In case you're wondering why one of King Arthur's knights appears, the third film is partly set in the British Museum.

Other actors in the series include Owen Wilson, Rami Malek, and Mizuo Peck.

Answer: Lewy body dementia

There was a price to pay for Robin's public image and both drug abuse and alcohol abuse were part of his life story. He had weaned himself off both of these addictions, but it was depression, hidden from the public, that was Robin's major problem. His acting abilities hid it well, but his health had been deteriorating.

Following his death, his wife revealed that he had been suffering with anxiety, memory problems, and paranoia. Although diagnosed as Parkinson's disease, following Williams' death he was found to have a form of dementia. Robin was aware he was losing his mental abilities which may have prompted his decision to end his own life.