A Chair devoted to Comedy at SCA in Robin Williams’ honor: Tribute to the World’s greatest comedian on his 66th birth anniversary!

Updated On March 18, 2024 | Published By: Shahid | In Career , Death , Lifestyle

21^st July 2017! This day marked the 66^th birth anniversary of Hollywood’s renowned actor-comedian Robin Williams.

Robin Williams was a wonderful actor who could effortlessly act in both serious as well as comic roles. He has started a renaissance in film comedy.

He had a global reach and fame. Hence on this day, worldwide people remembered him. Newspapers, magazines, TV news, and websites carried stories about this man who did live a full life but unfortunately died a suicidal death!

This legend’s impact on global comedy work has been enduring and indelible for many years.

Source: USC (Kellman sitting, and from left to right; Zach Williams, Paul Junger Witt, Zelda Williams, and Jeffrey Katzenberg)

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Tribute to this great actor

In June 2017, the George Lucas Family Foundation established the Robin Williams Endowed Chair in Comedy at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts.

Producer and SCA professor Barnet Kellman will lead this. Kellman considers this an honor.

He said:

“I think I just went white, my blood sugar dropped and then shot up, in rapid succession. We all had such an incredibly visceral reaction to the news that Robin was gone. Everybody appreciated him but, as it happens when you lose somebody, the depth of that appreciation increased. Everybody became just so aware of what he meant to us. So to be associated with his name, to have his name associated with the School of Cinematic Arts, was just an awesome surprise. It just came as a total shock to me.”

Kellman has been at the forefront of making the curricula for comedy at SCA. No other academic institution in the world offers such a program, and comedy is often not regarded as a serious subject.

Talking about it, Kellman added:

“No school has really taken on the mantel of fostering comedy. Here [at USC] we want to be the incubator of comedy.”

Kellman also remembered the moment when Robin Williams had visited the set of his romantic comedy ‘Straight Talk’ in 1992.

Kellman said:

“Everybody turned and listened, as Robin uncorked his comedy for 15 straight minutes. He was a magical presence.”

The courses offered would comprise Foundations of Comedy, writing for a half-hour comedy series, and Direction in a Comedy.

There would also be a 3-day comedy festival complete with panel discussions, screenings, and more.

They played his life story, details about his death, film life journeys, and clips of his roles for everyone to see and remember this great soul.

Robin’s eldest son, Zachary Williams, is moved by this initiative. He feels that his father too would have felt humbled by this great honor bestowed on him.

Zachary is grateful that the craft that his father so deeply loved and respected has received the formal stamp at the college level.

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Robin Williams’ family life

Robin Williams was no doubt a great performing artist. The comedy circle would be incomplete without his name. Robin Williams had 3 marriages in his lifetime.

He was first married to Valerie Velardi in June 1978. The couple had a son Zachary Pym Williams in 1983. However, they divorced in 1988.

Source: Daily Mail (Robin with his family)

The reason for this divorce was suspected infidelity on the part of Robin Williams. Robin then married Zachary’s nanny Marsha Garces in 1989.

She had become pregnant with his child. Their first daughter Zelda was born in 1989 while their son Cody was in 1991. The two separated and their divorce was finalized in 2010.

Robin went on to marry a third time. His new wife was graphic designer Susan Schneider. Their wedding was solemnized in St. Helena, California on 22^nd October 2011.

His children are all in the entertainment industry.

Robin’s suicide

On 11^th August 2014, the world woke up to the sad news of Robin Williams’ death. It had shocked the world. He was found hanging in his bedroom with a belt.

He was in a slight suspension in a sitting position. 911 was called in for non-responsiveness. They tried to resuscitate him but were unsuccessful. He was declared dead at 12.02 pm.

The likely cause of death was asphyxia due to hanging. It was attributed to suicide. His wife had last seen him at 10.30 pm the day before.

Source: E! Online (Robin Williams and Susan Schneider)

Robin was battling depression for a very long time, according to his wife. Robin Williams suffered from Parkinson’s disease. His autopsy toxicology screen showed anti-depressants, caffeine, and Levodopa (Parkinson’s disease drug).

The autopsy also pinpointed the true cause of his suicide and death; it was due to Lewy Body Dementia. His widow Susan recollected that Robin did have several mental disarrays before his death.

He used to manifest different symptoms at different times. His Parkinson’s disease led to the development of depression, anxiety, and paranoia, which were later diagnosed. It was Lewy Body Dementia that took his life.

Source: YouTube (Brain in Lewy Body Dementia)

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What is Lewy Body Disease?

A degenerative disease affects the brain by depositing Lewy bodies in the memory, thinking, and movement-related brain cells. It is a gradually progressive disorder.

There may be rigidity, tremors, and slow movements similar to Parkinson’s disease. The patient also may experience visual hallucinations and have altered attention and alertness. The cause is unspecified.

The treatment modality includes treatment of symptoms and management of the associated neurosis. There is no cure for this disorder.

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