Today, July 22 would've been Robin Williams’ 64th birthday. The multi- faceted and ever so high-spirited actor best known for his iconic roles in 'Mrs. Doubtfire', 'Dead Poets Society', 'Good morning Vietnam' etc, is said to have discovered his acting prowess because of his mother. "I basically started performing for my mother, going, 'Love me!' What drives you to perform is the need for that primal connection. When I was little, my mother was funny with me, and I started to be charming and funny for her, and I learned that by being entertaining, you make a connection with another person," he had said in one of his interview.
The women in Robin Williams's life had a deep-rooted impact on him. Despite his impeccable comic timing and perpetual funny-man persona on stage, Williams underwent a rather turbulent personal history. Three marriages and a live-in relationship were witness to the importance of women in Robin William's life…
Laurie Williams (McLaurin): Robin Williams, at more than one occasion, has attributed his success to his mother Laurie Williams. Laurie, who passed away in 2001, is said to have been extremely close to his mother. Robin Williams, best known for his impromptu stand-up gigs and impersonations, had his mother Laurie, as his first and only audience.
Elayne Boosler: American comedian Elayne Boosler is considered to be Robin's first romantic partner. The couple were in a live-in relationship with each other from 1977-1978, in Los Angeles. As Williams passed away, Elayne took on Twitter to say:
#RobinWilliams & I lived together in LA in '77-78. All was possible, hopeful, happy, new, & he did get there. RIP. http://t.co/ZBVbgTkxin
— Elayne Boosler (@ElayneBoosler) August 12, 2014
Robin then met Valerie Velardi in 1978, whom he referred to as his first love
Valerie Velardi: Robin got married to his first wife Valerie Velardi in 1978. Parents to Zachary Pym Williams, the couple were said to be smitten by each other till Robin Williams went ahead and had an affair with a cocktail waitress Michelle Tish Carter, whom he met in 1984. The couple recovered from this marital turmoil, but things didn't go well for too long, as Robin ended up giving his heart to Zachary's nanny, Marsha Garces.
Marsha Garces: Robin and Marsha exchanged vows on April 30, 1989 while Marsha was already pregnant with William's child. The couple had two children together, namely , Zelda Rae Williams and Cody Alan Williams. Marsha apparently helped Robin in combating his alcohol addiction. Williams remained sober for 20 years, but subsequently went back to becoming an alcoholic, which made Marsha leave him."
Zelda Williams: Robin Williams' daughter with Marsha Garces, Zelda Williams followed her father's footsteps and went on to become an actress. Zelda was apparently named after the lead character from the popular Nintendo game, 'The Legend of Zelda'. The actor's last Instagram picture was one, with him holding Zelda as a kid.
Susan Schneider: Following his two divorces, Robin married graphic designer Susan Schneider in 2011. Susan helped Robin overcome his acute depression, but the latter subsequently gave in and passed away on August 11, 2014. Susan expressed her grief regarding the loss, and said "I have lost my husband and my best friend". Post his death, Robin's children alleged that Susan wanted to drive them away from their father, during the last few years of his life. The children, Zarchary, Zelda and Cody Williams were also involved in a lawsuit against Susan regarding the estate left behind by Robin.
Image Courtesy: Getty Images
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