Robin Williams

They say that laughter is the best medicine, and no one could quite make us laugh like Robin Williams. His meteoric rise to fame was fueled by an irrepressible sense of humor and dazzling improvisational skills. From the extraterrestrial Mork to the inspiring John Keating in Dead Poets Society and the endearing Genie in Aladdin, Williams' performances captured the hearts of millions.

But beneath the laughter and fame was a man as complex as the characters he portrayed. Robin had a difficult childhood and, as a consequence, battled depression and addiction throughout his life. Yes, as much as he might have played carefree aliens like Mork and even the impish Peter Pan of Neverland, Robin never really came to terms with his own demons. He kept us, as well as himself, laughing to avoid having to confront the darkness that permeated his life. Tragically, that life came to an abrupt end in 2014 in an utterly heartbreaking fashion. Here, we tell the story of Robin Williams in full.