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Robin Williams found dead in California home, local police say Robin Williams found dead in California home, local police say
(35 minutes later)
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. The Oscar-winning actor and stand-up comedian Robin Williams, whose range extended from manic mimicry to understated character portrayals, was found dead in his California home on Monday.
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. In a statement, the local sheriff’s office 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 a 911 call received at 11.55am local time from Williams’s home. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 12.02pm. 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 Marin County sheriff’s office said.
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. His representative, Mara Buxbaum, said in a statement that he had lately been “battling severe depression” and added: “This is a tragic and sudden loss. The family respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve during this very difficult time.”
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. Williams, who was born in Chicago, brought a hyper-kinetic energy to screen roles and stand-up comedy. He rose to fame in the television series Mork and Mindy, which ran from 1978 to 1982, building on a character that debuted on Happy Days.
“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. In the 1980s, he experienced 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 1992 and Mrs Doubtfire, a 1993 comedy about a divorced dad who impersonates a Scottish nanny to be closer to his children.
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.” He won a best supporting actor Oscar for Good Will Hunting in 1998.
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.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.” In her statement, Schneider 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.”
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.” Officers from the Marin county sheriff’s department responded to a 911 call received from Williams’s home at about 11.55am local time. “The sheriff’s office, as well as the Tiburon fire department and southern Marin fire protection district were dispatched to the incident with emergency personnel arriving on scene at 12pm,” the department said. “The male subject, pronounced deceased at 12.02 pm has been identified as Robin McLaurin Williams, a 63-year-old resident of unincorporated Tiburon, California.”
The statement said the coroner suspected the death to be a “suicide due to asphyxia” and that a comprehensive investigation would be completed before a final determination was made. “A forensic examination is currently scheduled for August 12, 2014 with subsequent toxicology testing to be conducted.”
Williams had openly talked about his battles with alcohol and cocaine in the early 1980s, his years of sobriety, and relapse in 2006. He appeared to have recovered but last month he returned to rehab – the Hazelden Addiction Treatment Center near Lindstrom, Minnesota.
His representative played down the news at the time, telling TMZ: “After working back-to-back projects, Robin is simply taking the opportunity to fine-tune and focus on his continued commitment, of which he remains extremely proud.”
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.”
Williams’ extraordinary acting range, as well as his activities outside of the entertainment industry, were remembered in tributes from fellow performers.From Hollwood, fellow comic Steve Martin said on Twitter: “I could not be more stunned by the loss of Robin Williams, mensch, great talent, acting partner, genuine soul”.
I could not be more stunned by the loss of Robin Williams, mensch, great talent, acting partner, genuine soul.
The British actor and stand-up star, Eddie Izzard, tweeted: “Robin Williams has died and I am very sad. From every comedian here at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, we salute him & we say goodbye.”
Mara Wilson, who acted with Williams in Mrs Doubtfire, and who became a prolific writer and user of social media , 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.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• 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