Best Robin Williams Movie Roles

Best Robin Williams Movie/TV Roles

 

Hello, Everybody! This blog post is a dedication to the late Robin Williams. It's very hard to believe that he passed away 6 years ago. He has made us laugh and cry over the years with these magnificent roles. Alright, guys. Hope you have tissues with you while you're reading my post.

12. Peter Pan- Hook

In this movie directed Steven Spielberg, Williams stepped into the role of The Boy Who Never Grows Up. An interesting take on the story of Peter Pan, Robin Williams made up it's guilty pleasure movie with comedic effect.

11. Mork- Mork & Mindy

Williams gained huge recognition as a TV star in this spin-off of Happy Days, playing an alien named Mork from the planet, Ork who crash lands on earth to study human behavior in Boulder, Colorado and becomes roommates with Mindy. Mork was widely considered to be Williams' biggest role of his career, showing off his unique skill of physical and vocal comedy. Seeing a character like Mork interact with Earth was a delight.

10. Alan Parrish- Jumanji

While I can respect the fact that Jumanji was a great kids film, I just wasn't into it. Let's be honest, the creature effects don't hold up today and they're really creepy to look at. The movie took the idea of a board game like Jumanji come to life. It honestly wouldn't be a Jumanji franchise without Robin Williams and his legacy continued spiritually in it's two sequels.

9. Theodore Roosevelt- Night at the Museum trilogy

Robin Williams playing the 26th President of the United States was something I didn't know I needed. and it was also the movie role that I grew up on. Williams plays Teddy Roosevelt, a wax statue at the American Museum of National History. Like in every comedy movie with Robin Williams, he was one of the many highlights in Night at the Museum.

8. Fender- Robots

In this underappreciated animated gem from Blue Sky Studios, the same studio that brought us Ice Age. Robin Williams voiced a robot named Fender, a robot who literally loses every piece of his body. He was a comedic highlight in this great animated film, even parodying the famous scene from Singin in the Rain with Gene Kelly singing the titular song. 

7. Armand Goldman- The Birdcage

OMG. I love The Birdcage! It's one of those movies that you never thought would make you laugh but it did. Williams played Armand Goldman, a gay Miami drag club owner whose son is getting married, so Armand has to pretend to be straight and hide his relationship with Albert(played by Nathan Lane), because y'know the son's fiancé's dad is a Republican and we all know how Republicans are against the gay community. While Armand wasn't a manic character like all of his previous ones, Williams brought restraint into his performance by blending comedy and kindness, earning him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture- Musical or Comedy.

6. Adrian Cronauer- Good Morning, Vietnam

GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM!!!! 

Hey. This is not a test, it's Rock n Roll!!

Williams brought his iconic, manic and improvisational humor in this fantastic film. Playing an Army DJ, he goes off the rails with real life ad-libs with many of the supporting actors barely holding in their laughter. It signifies what made Robin Williams a comedic icon while also showing off his dramatic range with a sense in times of war during the era of the Vietnam war, earning him a well-deserved Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture- Musical or Comedy.

5. John Keating- Dead Poets Society

Robin Williams was also an inspiration to so many people by encouraging you to seize the day. Playing an English teacher at an all-boys school, he uses unorthodox methods to reach out to his students facing pressure from their parents and the school, earning him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. This is one of Robin's many great dramatic roles, playing against type as an English teacher who became an inspiration to his students.

4. Parry- The Fisher King

This was a role that was made for him! In this movie directed by Terry Gilliam, Williams earned another Academy Award nomination for playing an unstable homeless man with a heart of gold and a tragic past. During it's funny moments, he easily brought out his manic energy but he truly shines during its dramatic moments in a heartbreaking tale of redemption.

3. Daniel Hillard/Euphegenia Doubtfire- Mrs. Doubtfire

This is classic movie is Robin Williams at his best and funniest! Playing a dedicated father who will do anything to see his kids, even if it means dressing up like a British nanny. It's everything that you could want in a Robin Williams movie, insanity, manic mannerisms and heart. What more could you really ask for? 

2. Sean Maguire- Good Will Hunting

This was Robin Williams' best dramatic role! Hell, I even live by his inspirational quotes from this movie to this day! Williams plays Sean Maguire, a therapist to Matt Damon's titular character. While his brand of humor is somewhat there including the scene where he says that his wife used to fart in her sleep, which made Matt Damon actually laugh. For the rest of the movie, he gave the best dramatic performance of his career, earning him his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Honorable Mentions:

- Dwight D. Eisenhower- The Butler

- Ramon & Lovelace- Happy Feet

- Dr. Malcolm Sayer- Awakenings

- Andrew Martin- Bicentennial Man

- Seymour "Sy" Parrish- One Hour Photo

- Walter Finch- Insomnia

- Lance Clayton- World's Greatest Dad

1. The Genie- Aladdin

Don't pretend that you didn't see this one coming. This is Robin Williams' greatest creation and stole in the show in this Disney film from its renaissance. The character literally needs no introduction. Williams reportedly spent hours in the recording booth ad-libbing his lines even doing impersonations of many celebrities with most of them making it into the movie. The celebrity impressions were Arsenio Hall, Walter Brennan, William F. Buckley, Jr., Ed Sullivan, Robert De Niro, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Peter Lorre, Rodney Dangerfield, Groucho Marx and Jack Nicholson. You will never have another character quite like the Genie

Alright guys, that's my list. Comment below your thoughts and let me know what your favorite Robin Williams movie is.