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Robin Williams found dead in California home, local police say Robin Williams found dead in California home, local police say
(33 minutes later)
The actor and comedian Robin Williams was found dead at his home in California, the the local county sheriff’s office announced on Monday. The Oscar-winning actor and stand-up comedian Robin Williams was found dead at his home in California on Monday, the local county sheriff’s office announced.
In a statement, the coroner’s division of Marin County said that it was treating the death as a suspected suicide. In a statement, the coroner’s division of Marin County said that it was treating the death of the 63-year-old star as a suspected suicide.
“This morning I lost my husband and best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken,” said Williams’s wife, Susan Schneider in a statement released through the actor’s publicist.“This morning I lost my husband and best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken,” said Williams’s wife, Susan Schneider in a statement released through the actor’s publicist.
The sheriff’s department said that its officers and the local fire department responded to 911 call from Williams’s home that was received at 11.55am local time. Williams was pronounced dead at the scene at 12.02pm. He was last seen alive at the house that he shares with his wife in Tiburon, north of San Francisco, at 10pm on Sunday night, the statement said. The sheriff’s department said that its officers and the local fire department responded to a 911 call received at 11.55am local time from Williams’s home. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 12.02pm.
A forensic examination will be carried out on Tuesday. A forensic examination will be carried out on Tuesday. “At this time, the sheriff’s office coroner division suspects the death to be a suicide due to asphyxia, but a comprehensive investigation must be completed before a final determination is made,” the Marin County statement read.
More details soon ... Williams was last seen alive at the house that he shared with Schneider in Tiburon, north of San Francisco, at about 10pm on Sunday night, the statement said.
“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,” Schneider said.
His publicist, Mara Buxbaum, added: “Robin Williams passed away this morning. He has been battling severe depression of late. This is a tragic and sudden loss. The family respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve during this very difficult time.”
Williams, who was born in Chicago, had an extraordinary range that extended from manic mimicry to understated character portrayals.
He rose to fame in the television series Mork and Mindy, which ran on US television from 1978 to 1982, building on a character that debuted on Happy Days in 1978.
In the 1980s, he had a string of film successes with Good Morning, Vietnam in 1987, Dead Poets Society in 1989, Awakenings in 1990, and the Fisher King and Hook in 1991. The nearly unbroken line of success continued with Aladdin in 1991 and Mrs Doubtfire, a 1993 comedy about a divorced dad who impersonates a Scottish nanny to be closer to his children.
Williams won a best supporting actor Oscar in 1998 for Good Will Hunting.
A sequel to Mrs Doubtfire had been announced and it was rumoured that filming would begin this year.
Williams had been struggling with depression, his publicist told the Hollywood Reporter. In the past, he had spoken openly in the past about addition and health problems, which included addiction to cocaine and alcoholism.In a Guardian interview in 2010, he spoke about a relapse into alcoholism, his rehabilitation and his open-heart surgery.“Oh, God, you find yourself getting emotional. It breaks through your barrier, you’ve literally cracked the armour. And you’ve got no choice, it literally breaks you open. And you feel really mortal,” he said.Asked if he felt happier, Williams replied: “I think so. And not afraid to be unhappy. That’s OK too. And then you can be like, all is good. And that is the thing, that is the gift.”
Mara Wilson, who acted with Williams in Mrs Doubtfire, has become a prolific writer and user of social media in adulthood. She wrote: “”Very sad, very upset, very glad I did not have to hear about this though Twitter. Probably going to be taking some time off it for a while.”
Very sad, very upset, very glad I did not have to hear about this though Twitter. Probably going to be taking some time off it for a while.
• In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 08457 90 90 90. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14