“It would have been easier if he’d had a heart attack and died”: Author interview with Billy Crystal.
an illustration of a hummingbird: Program, Celebrating Robin Williams, Curran Theatre, September 27, 2014.
“isn’t that really the measure of a friend?” Billy Crystal, remarks at Robin Williams memorial service, September 27, 2014.
“I used to think the worst thing in life is ending up all alone”: Bobcat Goldthwait, remarks at Robin Williams memorial service, September 27, 2014.
“Robin was not alone as he waged war”: Susan Williams, remarks at Robin Williams memorial service, September 27, 2014.
“Good night, Robin / It’s hateful that you’ve gone”: Eric Idle, remarks at Robin Williams memorial service, September 27, 2014.
“Now, Robin would call me out of the blue”: Whoopi Goldberg, remarks at Robin Williams memorial service, September 27, 2014.
“He would read me articles about space”: Cody Williams, remarks at Robin Williams memorial service, September 27, 2014.
“he will not get to walk me down the aisle”: Zelda Williams, remarks at Robin Williams memorial service, September 27, 2014.
“There’s Robin Williams the concept”: Zak Williams, remarks at Robin Williams memorial service, September 27, 2014.
before Game 5 of the 2014 World Series: MLB.com, “WS2014 Gm5: Robin Williams’ kids throw to Crystal.” Archived at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbG4fRkxck0.
“If Robin could have been there for that, I’d have told him”: Author interview with Billy Crystal.
CHAPTER 21. THE BIG ROOM
a report enumerating all the factors that had contributed to his death: Joseph I. Cohen, Autopsy Protocol, Robin McLaurin Williams, October 31, 2014.
A separate surgical pathology report: Joseph I. Cohen, Surgical Pathology Report, John Doe, October 20, 2014.
“There’s a protein that is normally useful in the brain”: Author interview with Douglas Scharre.
“People can appear drowsy or sleeping”: Paula Span, “A Form of Dementia That Is Often Misdiagnosed,” New York Times, September 25, 2012.
“There was more going on, and that more made it suspicious”: Author interview with James E. Galvin.
“The medications help a little bit”: Author interview with Douglas Scharre.
“There’s no way to repair the damage that’s been done”: Span, “A Form of Dementia That Is Often Misdiagnosed.”
“If you’re young, if you have insight into what’s happening”: Dave Itzkoff and Benedict Carey, “Robin Williams’s Widow Points to Dementia as a Suicide Cause,” New York Times, November 3, 2015.
“If we could look through the retrospect-o-scope”: Author interview with James E. Galvin.
“It was not depression that killed Robin”: Kara Warner, “It Was Not Depression That Killed Robin,” People, November 3, 2015.
“an undiagnosed victim of dementia with Lewy bodies”: Eric Idle, Twitter post, August 11, 2015.
“He died from Lewy body dementia”: Author interview with Bobcat Goldthwait.
“I put myself in his place. Think of it this way”: Author interview with Billy Crystal.
Robin’s arrival in heaven, set in a celestial nightclub: Billy Crystal, “Billy Crystal Imagines Robin Williams in Heaven,” Entertainment Weekly, December 12, 2014.
Susan’s lawyers filed a petition in San Francisco Superior Court: James M. Wagstaffe et al., “In the Matter of the Robin Williams Trust, Beneficiary’s Petition for Instructions,” Superior Court of the State of California, County of San Francisco, December 19, 2014.
Robin had created a financial trust: Melissa Cronin, “A Lasting Legacy,” RadarOnline.com, August 13, 2014.
a brief legal document, known as a pour-over will: Arnold D. Kassoy and Joel Faden, “In the Matter of the Robin Williams Trust, Petition for Order Confirming Trust Asset,” Superior Court of the State of California, County of San Francisco, January 7, 2015. At the time of Robin’s death, Joel Faden and Robin’s comanager Stephen Tenenbaum served as cotrustees of his trust. On September 13, 2014, Tenenbaum resigned as a cotrustee and was succeeded by Arnold Kassoy.
a separate trust specifically for Susan: Wagstaffe et al., “In the Matter of the Robin Williams Trust, Beneficiary’s Petition for Instructions.”
Zak, Zelda, and Cody … filed a court document of their own: Meredith R. Bushnell and Rebecca L. D. Gordon, “In the Matter of the Robin Williams Trust, Objections to Beneficiary’s Petition for Instructions,” Superior Court of the State of California, County of San Francisco, January 21, 2015.
“not be disrupted in her life with her children”: Dave Itzkoff, “Robin Williams’s Widow and Children Tangle over Estate,” New York Times, February 2, 2015.
“One thing Robin didn’t like is, he didn’t like conflict”: Author interview with Bobcat Goldthwait.
“she just wanted to secure her place as Mrs. Williams”: Author interview with Cheri Minns.
“I hear Susan described as the widow Williams”: Author interview with Steven Haft.
“Susan was under the impression that she had struck gold”: Author interview with Zak Williams.
“A lot of people who have been through it and lost someone”: Eun Kyung Kim, “Robin Williams’ Daughter Zelda on Life Without Dad, Continuing His Charity Work,” Today.com, February 26, 2015.
“While it’s hard to speak of this as a win”: Susan Williams, statement, October 2, 2015.
“they would not be making any public statements”: Allan Mayer, statement, October 3, 2015.
the tunnel that connects Marin County to the Golden Gate Bridge: Alyssa Pereira, “Robin Williams Tunnel Officially Gets New Signs,” San Francisco Chronicle, March 2, 2016.
its Robin Williams Center in New York: Ross McDonagh, “Zelda Williams Joins Brother Zachary Pym for Grand Opening of Robin Williams Center,” Daily Mail, October 5, 2016.
“you will be inspired to turn Robin’s suffering into something meaningful”: Susan Schneider Williams, “The Terrorist Inside My Husband’s Brain.”
“All ownership in the right to Settlor’s name”: Wagstaffe et al., “In the Matter of the Robin Williams Trust, Beneficiary’s Petition for Instructions.”
“You have my word, we will honor his name”: Dwayne Johnson, Instagram post, May 9, 2016.
EPILOGUE
“Go, young man, and write your story”: Eskow, “Robin Williams: Full Tilt Bozo.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
From the rainy day in 1980 when I watched Popeye twice in back-to-back showings, Robin Williams has been a hero of mine, and getting to tell his story has been a singular privilege. It is a goal I could never have fulfilled without the help of many people, to whom I am deeply indebted.
I cannot sufficiently convey my gratitude to Zak Williams and Alex Mallick-Williams, who were unfailingly generous with their time, candor, and hospitality. Their openness and kindness contributed immensely to my understanding of Robin, the Williams family, and its history. I hope that I have lived up to the trust they placed in me, and that the portrait of Robin I have provided here reflects the man that they, Marsha, Zelda, and Cody knew.
I would also like to offer my most sincere thanks and appreciation to Valerie Velardi, McLaurin Smith-Williams, and Frankie Williams for graciously agreeing to speak with me and reflect on their lives with Robin.
Billy Crystal was open, honest, and welcoming beyond my expectations. This book would have been incomplete without his caring, thoughtful contributions, and I’m so fortunate to have them.
Lisa Birnbach was not only a valuable interview subject but a dependable sounding board and a bottomless well of insight, wit, and parenting advice, and my work and life are immeasurably better for knowing her.
It has been a joy to get to know Bennett Tramer and Sonya Sones, who provided many wonderful anecdotes and necessary pep throughout the making of this book.
For offering their memories of Robin or participating in interviews for
this book, I thank: F. Murray Abraham, Peter Asher, Wendy Asher, Douglas Basham, Sandra Bernhard, Lewis Black, Joel Blum, Jeff Bridges, Joshua Raoul Brody, Sue Campbell, Dana Carvey, Ron Clements, Frances Conroy, Phillip Culver, Alan Curtiss, Wendy Cutler, Al Dauber, Nick David, Bob Davis, Mary Alette Davis, Pam Dawber, Tony De Paul, Mike Dugan, James Dunn, Debi Durst, Will Durst, Jules Feiffer, Dick Gale, James E. Galvin, Monica Ganas, Terry Gilliam, Andy Goldberg, Robyn Goodman, Steven Haft, Gale Hansen, Margot Harley, Jeff Hodgen, Mark Johnson, Rajiv Joseph, Michael Kahn, Moisés Kaufman, Robert Klein, Ronald Krempetz, Dylan Kussman, Richard LaGravenese, Jeff Land, Norman Lear, Pat Lee, Jay Leno, David Letterman, Richard Levine, Barry Levinson, Richard Lewis, Shelly Lipkin, Mark Lonow, Marc Maron, Garry Marshall, Jamie Masada, Dakin Matthews, Cyndi McHale, Dale McRaven, Alan Menken, Cheri Minns, Arian Moayed, John Moffitt, John Musker, Don Novello, Todd Oppenheimer, Rick Overton, Howard Papush, Steven Pearl, Paul Perri, Philippe Petit, Greg Phillips, Mark Pitta, Christie Platt, Lillian Ross, Bob Sarlatte, Douglas Scharre, George Schlatter, Tom Schulman, Brian Seff, Marc Shaiman, Pauly Shore, Rich Shydner, Randi Mayem Singer, Stu Smiley, Elizabeth Smith, Joe Spano, Jim Staahl, Don Stevens, Howard Storm, Paul Tepper, Bruce Vilanch, Greg Jon Welsh, Andy Weltman, Henry Winkler, and Robert Wuhl.
For arranging interviews, connecting me to sources, and sharing ideas and materials, thank you also: Steven Beeman, Maggie Biggar, Paul Bloch, Howard Bragman, Benedict Carey, Nicole Cruz, Derek Del Rossi, Molly Devaney, Ro Diamond, Olivia Dupuis, Kim Foulger, Harry Gold, Gloria Gottschalk, Isaac Grossman, Jess Guinivan, Dick Guttman, Heather Hall, Ron Hoffman, Heather Jackson, Rachel Karten, Judy Katz, Tom Keaney, Matt Labov, Tom Lapinski, Suzanne Ledbetter, Mark Malkoff, Carly Morgan, Susan Morrison, Lisa Morse, Jeff Muskus, Kliph Nesteroff, Kathy O’Donnell, Marilee Rogers, Sam Rudy, Heidi Schaeffer, Bryan Schneider, Glenn Schwartz, Jean Sievers, James Sliman, Marc Thibodeau, Biff Thiele, Ina Treciokas, and Marina Zenovich.
The Robin Williams collection at the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center of Boston University was an invaluable resource in the creation of this book, and I would like to thank Ryan J. Hendrickson, J. C. Johnson, Laura Russo, and Tom Testa there in particular for their assistance.
I am grateful to Christopher C. Child and Jim Power Jr. at the New England Historic Genealogical Society for helping to confirm details of Williams and McLaurin family lineage.
The Billy Rose Theatre Division of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center has reliably offered me a launching pad for projects such as this; it is a one-of-a-kind resource and I hope it remains a second home for years to come.
For furnishing additional research materials, I would also like to thank the Langson Library at University of California, Irvine; Newspapers.com; and Music Video Resource.
I am particularly obliged to my extraordinary colleagues at the New York Times, where I was first given the opportunity to write about Robin Williams, and I would especially like to recognize my editors Stephanie Goodman, Patrick Healy, Lorne Manly, Sia Michel, Scott Veale, and Alex Ward for those opportunities. Emma G. Fitzsimmons, Peter Keepnews, and Bruce Weber were crucial collaborators on the terrible day we had to write Robin’s obituary.
Stephen Rubin had an inexplicable faith that I could deliver on a project of this scope and magnitude long before I found it in myself. Paul Golob, my most valued editor, remained a loyal and patient guide at every step of this process, and I would stand on a desk for him without hesitation. I am especially grateful for the help of their colleagues at Henry Holt and Company, including Gillian Blake, Patricia Eisemann, Fiona Lowenstein, Maggie Richards, and Caroline Wray.
All my love to my family, especially to Amy, who read every word I wrote, abided all my heartaches and bellyaches, and offered me more tenderness and patience than I deserve, and to Max, who has not yet known a day in his life when I wasn’t working on this book. Someday, when you’re older, I’ll tell you all about me.
INDEX
The index that appeared in the print version of this title does not match the pages in your e-book. Please use the search function on your e-reading device to search for terms of interest. For your reference, the terms that appear in the print index are listed below.
ABC
ABC News
Abraham, F. Murray
Absent-minded Professor, The (film)
Academy Awards (Oscars)
Good Will Hunting and
Robin cohosts
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Ace Ventura (film)
Achoo (proposed film)
Adler, Bruce
Adventures of Baron Munchausen, The (film)
Affleck, Ben
Afghanistan War
Aladdin (animated film)
merchandising and
reviews
sequels
Albrecht, Chris
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alda, Alan
Ali, Muhammad
Alias Madame Doubtfire (Fine)
Alice in Wonderland (play)
Allen, David
Allen, Marit
Allen, Peter
Allen, Woody
All in the Family (TV Show)
Altamont Festival
Altman, Robert
Alzheimer’s disease
America 2-Night (TV show)
American Brain Foundation
American Conservatory Theater
American Idol (TV show)
Angriest Man in Brooklyn, The (film)
Animal House (film)
Anna Karenina (TV film)
Annie Hall (film)
Ann’s 400 Club
Ansen, David
Apocalypse Now (film)
Archie Bunker’s Place (TV show)
Armed Forces Radio
Armstrong, Lance
Armstrong, Louis
Arnaz, Lucie
Artist Management Group
As Good As It Gets (film)
Ashby, Hal
Asher, Peter
Asher, Wendy
Ashman, Howard
Asimov, Isaac
Associated Press
Attack of the Killer Vibrators (parody)
At the Movies (TV show)
August Rush (film)
Awakenings (film)
Aykroyd, Dan
Bacheler, Jack
Bad News Bears, The (film)
Bald Soprano, The (Ionesco)
Baldwin, Alec
Baltimore Sun
Band Aid
Bareilles, Sara
Baryshnikov, Mikhail
Basham, Douglas
Batman films
Bawer, Bruce
Beach Blanket Bingo (film)
Beach Party (film)
Beatty, Warren
Beckett, Samuel
Being Human (film)
Being There (film)
Being There (Kosinski)
Belafonte, Harry
Bellow, Saul
Belushi, John
Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (Joseph)
Benigni, Roberto
Bennett, Alan
Berle, Milton
Bernhard, Sandra
Bertolucci, Bernardo
Best of Times, The (film)
Beverly Hillbillies, The (TV show)
Bewitched (TV show)
Beyond the Fringe (revue)
Bicentennial Man (film)
Bickle, Travis
Biden, Joe
Big (film)
Big White, The (film)
Bikini Beach (film)
Billboard Top 10
Billy Crystal Comedy Hour, The (TV show)
Bimbo’s 365 Club
Birdcage, The (film)
Birnbach, Lisa
Bla-Bla Café
Bla
ck, Shirley Temple
Blake, William
Blues Brothers, The (film)
Blue Wolf
Blum, Joel
Boarding House
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (film)
Bologna, Joe
Bonanza (TV show)
Bonds, Barry
Boogie Nights (film)
Boosler, Elayne
Borg, Björn
Born on the Fourth of July (film)
Boston Globe
Bradley, Tom
Branagh, Kenneth
Brecht, Bertolt
Brezner, Larry
Bridges, Jeff
Broadcast News (film)
Broadway Theatre live show
Brody, Joshua Raoul
Bronx State Hospital
Brown, Jerry
Bruce, Lenny
Bryant, Anita
Buckley, William F., Jr.
Bull Durham (film)
Burnett, Carol
Burns, George
Bush, George W.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (film)
Buxbaum, Mara
Byner, John
Byron, George Gordon, Lord
Caan, James
Caddyshack (film)
Cadillac Man (film)
Caesar, Adolph
Caesar, Sid
Caesars Palace
Cage aux Folles, La (film)
Caine, Michael
Calloway, Cab
Cameron, James
Campbell, John
Campbell, Sue
Canby, Vincent
Candidate, The (film)
Candy, John
Can I Do It … Til I Need Glasses? (film)
Cannes Film Festival
Cannom, Greg
Cantu, John
Capetanos, Leon
Capote, Truman
Capshaw, Kate
Carlin, George
Carnal Knowledge (film)
Carrey, Jim
Carson, Johnny
Carter, Jimmy
Carter, Michelle Tish
Carvey, Dana
Cash, Johnny
Castellaneta, Dan
Catch a Rising Star
Catcher in the Rye, The (Salinger)
Caucasian Chalk Circle, The (Brecht)
Cavett, Dick
CBS This Morning (TV show)
Chaplin, Charlie
Charles, Josh
Chayefsky, Paddy
Cheney, Dick
Chernin, Peter