R.I.P. Robin Williams – Not Philadelphia Eagles Related

Aug 12, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants play a video tribute to actor and Giants fan Robin Williams before the game against the Chicago White Sox at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Robin Williams left us prematurely earlier this week.

Having a few days to process the news of his untimely death, Inside the Iggles wants to pay a small tribute to an artist who walked among us. Very few comics/actors leave a lasting impact on us. Humphry Bogart, Marlon Brando, Catherine Hepburn or Jimmy Dean come to mind when you speak of great actors. They will always, regardless of the years that pass be remembered for their greatness on screen.

The Late Robin Williams will be in the company mentioned above. His legacy will never leave us. I am still reeling of the news. For his untimely death to be self-inflicted causes additional pain and disbelief to the fact that he is gone. He left his mark on the small screen, the improv stage and the silver screen. But it goes much deeper than that. He left his mark on me and many of us. Not to mention his family. He was as unique of an individual that one could meet.

His Legacy Begins

He was a standup comic by trade in the early 1970’s. In 1977 he appeared on the hit sitcom, “Happy Days” in the episode, My Favorite Orkan. In that short, thirteen minute part he earned a spin-off show some of you may have heard of. “Mork and Mindy.” How many actors get a show created for them after just thirteen minutes of air time? Early on he was recognized as a pure genius.

I grew up watching that show, couldn’t wait for it to come on each week. It was and still is one of my favorite shows. I loved Robin Williams. Then one weekend I saw a Robin Williams show on HBO. To say I was shocked that Mork from Ork would talk like he did was an understatement. I was around ten years old and had never heard him like that before. But I was riveted and could not take my eyes off him. I was in tears laughing so hard for the duration of that show.

Few actors have played such a variety of characters like Williams had. He played parts that weren’t far removed from the “Mork” character. You would think he was relatively one dimensional. That is until Good Will Hunting. He crossed over into a dramatic role and it was amazing to see this man go from slap stick comedy to a serious, brooding man in Hunting. It was nothing short of brilliant and he received an Academy Award for his effort.

His Legacy Continues

I’ve always loved watching him. I don’t think his genius will be duplicated in our lifetime. To have the ability to go from Adrian Crounaur in Good Morning Vietnam to Seymor Parrish in One Hour Photo is difficult to imagine. His portrayal of Parrish in Photo was just creepy. It made me want to get a shower when I left the theater. But he pulled it off. Dead Poet’s Society is probably one of my favorite movies of his. That movie had an impact on me to this day.

We lost a true genius earlier this week. Regardless of how he was lost, his absence will be felt for years to come. Our thoughts go out to his family. They lost much more than an actor and stand up comedian. They lost a father, a friend. A companion. May his family find peace one day and they remember the good times, and forget the bad. Regardless of how he left us, he is gone.

And that is what matters. He is gone.

To quote Jimmy Fallon of the Tonight Show, “O’ Captain, My Captain. You will forever be missed.”