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137-665: The club was the first New York City venue for the Grateful Dead . Richie Havens and the Blues Project were weekly regulars as well as Harvey Brooks who was bass player in residence, The Stone Poneys featuring Linda Ronstadt played frequently. The Grateful Dead played 10 times in 1967 and 3 in 1969. Jimi Hendrix sat in with blues harp player James Cotton there in 1968. Van Morrison , Tim Hardin , Tim Buckley , Joni Mitchell , Judy Collins , Howlin' Wolf , Muddy Waters , John Lee Hooker , Oscar Brown Jr. ,

274-657: A Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album for the recording of his 1979 live show at the Copacabana in New York City, Reality   ... What a Concept . Williams starred as the lead character in The World According to Garp (1982), which he noted "may have lacked a certain madness onscreen, but it had a great core". Critic Roger Ebert wrote of his performance, "Although Robin Williams plays Garp as

411-633: A 10K run in Central Park in 1975. His favorite books were the Foundation trilogy by Isaac Asimov , and his favorite book as a child was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe , which he later shared with his children. Williams was an enthusiast of both pen-and-paper role-playing games and video games. His daughter Zelda was named after the title character from The Legend of Zelda ,

548-631: A decade between Irish immigrants and Black people for work. Rioters burned the Colored Orphan Asylum to the ground. At least 120 people were killed. Eleven Black men were lynched over five days, and the riots forced hundreds of Blacks to flee. The Black population in Manhattan fell below 10,000 by 1865. The White working class had established dominance. It was one of the worst incidents of civil unrest in American history . In 1886,

685-556: A devoted cycling enthusiast, having taken up the sport partly as a substitute for drugs. Eventually, he accumulated a large bicycle collection and became a fan of professional road cycling , often traveling to racing events such as the Tour de France . In 2016, Williams' children donated 87 of his bicycles in support of the Challenged Athletes Foundation and Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation . Williams

822-468: A doctor modeled after Oliver Sacks , who wrote the book on which the film is based. Sacks later said the way the actor's mind worked was a "form of genius". In 1991, Williams played an adult Peter Pan in the film Hook , although he had said that he would have to lose 25 pounds for the role. Terry Gilliam , who directed Williams in two of his films, The Fisher King (1991) and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988), said in 1992 that Williams had

959-485: A drug overdose, which happened the morning after the two had partied together, along with the birth of his son Zak, prompted him to quit drugs and alcohol: "Was it a wake-up call? Oh yeah, on a huge level. The grand jury helped, too." Williams turned to exercise and cycling to help alleviate his depression shortly after Belushi's death; according to bicycle shop owner Tony Tom, Williams said, "cycling saved my life". In 2003, Williams started drinking again while working on

1096-472: A family favorite video game series, and Williams sometimes performed at consumer entertainment trade shows. Williams was a big fan of anime and collecting figures. His daughter described him as a "figurine hoarder"; one of his figures was the character Deunan Knute from the anime film Appleseed , which Williams was a fan of. He also liked the film Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence . Williams also became

1233-511: A happy birthday. In 1986, Williams teamed up with Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Crystal to establish Comic Relief USA . This annual HBO television benefit devoted to the homeless raised $ 80   million as of 2014. Bob Zmuda , creator of Comic Relief, explains that Williams felt blessed because he came from a wealthy home, but wanted to do something to help those less fortunate. Williams made benefit appearances to support literacy and women's rights, along with appearing at benefits for veterans. He

1370-476: A high, nasal voice, and he made the most of the script. The cast and crew, as well as TV network executives, were deeply impressed with Williams's performance. As such, the executives moved quickly to get the performer on contract just four days later before competitors could make their own offers. Mork's appearance proved so popular with viewers that it led to the spin-off television sitcom Mork & Mindy , which co-starred Pam Dawber , and ran from 1978 to 1982;

1507-470: A mile a minute. I'd never seen so much energy contained in one person. He was like an untied balloon that had been inflated and immediately released. I watched in awe as he virtually caromed off the walls of the classrooms and hallways. To say that he was 'on' would be a major understatement." Williams and Reeve had a class in dialects taught by Edith Skinner , whom Reeve said was one of the world's leading voice and speech teachers. According to Reeve, Skinner

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1644-427: A murderer on the run from a sleep-deprived Los Angeles police detective (played by Al Pacino ) in rural Alaska. That same year, in the psychological thriller One Hour Photo , Williams portrayed an emotionally disturbed photo development technician who becomes obsessed with a family for whom he has developed pictures for a long time. In the 2004 science fiction psychological thriller The Final Cut , Williams played

1781-618: A nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor . The film is set in 1965 during the Vietnam War , with Williams playing the role of Adrian Cronauer , a radio shock jock who keeps troops entertained with comedy and sarcasm. Williams was allowed to play the role without a script, improvising most of his lines. Over the microphone, Williams created voice impressions of various people, including Walter Cronkite , Gomer Pyle , Elvis Presley , Mr. Ed and Richard Nixon . "We just let

1918-523: A part of the colony of New York . It became a center of slavery , with 42% of households enslaving Africans by 1730. Most were domestic slaves ; others were hired out as labor. Slavery became integrally tied to New York's economy through the labor of slaves throughout the port, and the banking and shipping industries trading with the American South . During construction in Foley Square in

2055-704: A paternal half-brother, Robert (also known as Todd), and a maternal half-brother, McLaurin. While his mother was a practitioner of Christian Science , Williams was raised in his father's Episcopal faith. During a television interview on Inside the Actors Studio in 2001, Williams credited his mother as an important early influence on his humor, and he tried to make her laugh to gain attention. Williams attended public elementary school in Lake Forest at Gorton Elementary School and middle school at Deer Path Junior High School . Williams described himself as

2192-501: A petition filed by Ronald Collins and David Skover with Robert Corn-Revere as counsel, the petition having been signed by several stars such as Robin Williams . It was the first posthumous pardon in the state's history. Pataki said his act was "a declaration of New York's commitment to upholding the First Amendment ." In 1964, Solomon brought in a large group of singers and musicians from an off-Broadway show and christened them

2329-630: A professional who specializes in editing the memories of unsavory people into uncritical memorials that are played at funerals. His many television appearances included an episode of Whose Line Is It Anyway? , and Williams starred in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit . He headlined his own one-man show , Robin Williams: Live on Broadway , which played at the Broadway Theatre in July 2002. Williams's stand-up work

2466-440: A quiet child who did not overcome his shyness until he became involved with his high school drama department. His friends recall him as very funny. In late 1963, when Williams was 12, his father was transferred to Detroit. The family lived in a 40-room farmhouse on 20 acres (8 ha) in suburban Bloomfield Hills , Michigan, where Williams was a student at the private Detroit Country Day School . He excelled in school, where he

2603-461: A relatively plausible, sometimes ordinary person, the movie never seems bothered by the jarring contrast between his cheerful pluckiness and the anarchy around him." Williams continued with other smaller roles in less successful films, such as The Survivors (1983) and Club Paradise (1986), although he said these roles did not help advance his film career. In 1986, Williams co-hosted the 58th Academy Awards . The following year, he appeared in

2740-519: A reputation as a despotic leader. He instituted regulations on liquor sales, attempted to assert control over the Dutch Reformed Church , and blocked other religious groups from establishing houses of worship. In 1664, unable to summon any significant resistance, Stuyvesant surrendered New Amsterdam to English troops, led by Colonel Richard Nicolls , without bloodshed. The terms of the surrender permitted Dutch residents to remain in

2877-468: A result of Sandy, and the economic losses in New York City were estimated to be roughly $ 19 billion. The disaster spawned long-term efforts towards infrastructural projects to counter climate change and rising seas, with $ 15 billion in federal funding received through 2022 towards those resiliency efforts. In March 2020, the first case of COVID-19 in the city was confirmed. With its population density and its extensive exposure to global travelers,

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3014-652: A reunion of the Bay Singers at the Cafe Au Go Go and offered the group a six-week Canadian tour. Rollins and Joffe did not originally include Stills on the tour, but Stills made it known to the Bay Singers that he wanted to join their group and the tour. Very comfortable in performing their arrangements and songs they perfected on their radio show and performances before joining the Au Go Go Singers, and knowing that Jack Rollins and Charlie Joffe offered

3151-595: A six-year hiatus, in August 2008, Williams announced a new 26-city tour, Weapons of Self-Destruction . The tour began at the end of September 2009, and concluded in New York on December 3, and was the subject of an HBO Special on December 8, 2009. Years after the films, Janet Hirshenson revealed in an interview that Williams had expressed interest in portraying Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter film series, but

3288-465: A sketch comedy special Carol, Carl, Whoopi and Robin (1987), acting alongside Carol Burnett , Carl Reiner and Whoopi Goldberg . Williams was also a regular guest on various talk shows, including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Late Night with David Letterman , on which he appeared 50 times. Williams's first major break came from his starring role in director Barry Levinson 's Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), which earned Williams

3425-485: A speech denying the request, which was paraphrased on the front page of the New York Daily News as "FORD TO CITY: DROP DEAD." The Municipal Assistance Corporation was formed and granted oversight authority over the city's finances. While a resurgence in the financial industry greatly improved the city's economic health in the 1980s, New York's crime rate continued to increase through that decade and into

3562-714: A troubled homeless man in The Fisher King , respectively. Among the actors who helped Williams during his acting career, he credited Robert De Niro, from whom Williams learned the power of silence and economy of dialogue when acting. From Dustin Hoffman , with whom Williams co-starred in Hook , he learned to take on totally different character types, and to transform his characters by extreme preparation. Mike Medavoy , producer of Hook , told its director, Steven Spielberg , that he intentionally teamed up Hoffman and Williams for

3699-564: A vampire on a day pass. No. In mid-2014, Williams was admitted to the Hazelden Foundation Addiction Treatment Center in Center City, Minnesota , for treatment for alcoholism. In March 2009, Williams was hospitalized due to heart problems. He postponed his one-man tour for surgery to replace his aortic valve , repair his mitral valve and correct his irregular heartbeat . The surgery

3836-483: Is a global center of finance and commerce , culture , technology , entertainment and media , academics and scientific output , the arts and fashion , and, as home to the headquarters of the United Nations , international diplomacy . With an estimated population in 2023 of 8,258,035 distributed over 300.46 square miles (778.2 km ), the city is the most densely populated major city in

3973-467: Is an established safe haven for global investors. As of 2023 , New York City is the most expensive city in the world for expatriates and has by a wide margin the highest U.S. city residential rents; and Fifth Avenue is the most expensive shopping street in the world. New York City is home by a significant margin to the highest number of billionaires , individuals of ultra-high net worth (greater than US$ 30 million), and millionaires of any city in

4110-630: Is said to have "[captured] his different sides: the funnyman mugging for the camera, and a sweet, more thoughtful pose that appears on a small TV he holds in his hands", according to Mary Forgione of the Los Angeles Times . This photo was installed in the National Portrait Gallery in the Smithsonian Institution shortly after Williams died to allow visitors to pay their respects. He also appeared on

4247-615: Is the most populous city in the United States , located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors . The city comprises five boroughs , each coextensive with a respective county . The city is the geographical and demographic center of both the Northeast megalopolis and the New York metropolitan area , the largest metropolitan area in the U.S. by both population and urban area . New York

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4384-591: The Happy Feet film franchise (2006–2011), and an uncredited vocal performance in Everyone's Hero (2006). He also voiced the holographic character Dr. Know in the live-action film A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001). Williams was the voice of The Timekeeper , a former attraction at the Walt Disney World Resort about a time-traveling robot who encounters Jules Verne and brings him to

4521-975: The Night at the Museum trilogy (2006–2014). Williams lent his voice to the animated films Aladdin (1992), Robots (2005), Happy Feet (2006) and its 2011 sequel . During his career, Williams suffered substance abuse issues and instances of severe depression. He was found dead at his home in Paradise Cay, California , in August 2014, at age 63. His death was ruled a suicide . According to his widow, Williams had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease , and had been experiencing depression, anxiety and increasing paranoia. His autopsy found "diffuse Lewy body disease ", and Lewy body dementia professionals said that his symptoms were consistent with dementia with Lewy bodies . Robin McLaurin Williams

4658-810: The Atlantic port to the agricultural markets and commodities of the North American interior via the Hudson River and the Great Lakes . Local politics became dominated by Tammany Hall , a political machine supported by Irish and German immigrants . In 1831, New York University was founded. Several prominent American literary figures lived in New York during the 1830s and 1840s, including William Cullen Bryant , Washington Irving , Herman Melville , Rufus Wilmot Griswold , John Keese , Nathaniel Parker Willis , and Edgar Allan Poe . Members of

4795-716: The Au Go Go Singers , to rival the Bitter End Singers across the street at The Bitter End Cafe. Solomon managed the group until their breakup in late 1965. The Au Go Go Singers included Kathy King (who later toured with Bobby Vinton and appeared in the Broadway show Oh Calcutta and currently works as Kathrin King Segal), Jean Gurney, Michael Scott (who later performed with the Highwaymen and

4932-509: The BBC -inspired music video of international celebrities doing a cover of The Rolling Stones single " It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It) " for the charity Children's Promise. In response to the 2010 Canterbury earthquake , Williams donated all proceeds of his Weapons of Self Destruction Christchurch performance to help rebuild the New Zealand city. Half the proceeds were donated to

5069-909: The Crown , with as many as 10,000 escaped slaves crowded into the city during the British occupation, the largest such community on the continent. When the British forces evacuated New York at the close of the war in 1783, they transported thousands of freedmen for resettlement in Nova Scotia , England, and the Caribbean . The attempt at a peaceful solution to the war took place at the Conference House on Staten Island between American delegates, including Benjamin Franklin , and British general Lord Howe on September 11, 1776. Shortly after

5206-618: The Drama League Award for Outstanding Distinguished Performer. In May 2013, CBS started a new series, The Crazy Ones , starring Williams, which was canceled after one season. The Angriest Man in Brooklyn was his last movie to be released during his lifetime. In the movie, Williams played Henry Altmann, an angry, bitter man who tries to change his life after being told he has a terminal illness . Four films starring Williams were released after his death in 2014: Night at

5343-717: The Holy City Zoo , a comedy club in San Francisco, where Williams worked his way up from tending bar. In the 1960s, San Francisco was a center for a rock music renaissance, hippies , drugs , and a sexual revolution , and in the late 1970s, Williams helped lead its "comedy renaissance", wrote critic Gerald Nachman . Williams said that he found out about "drugs and happiness" during that period, adding that he saw "the best brains of my time turned to mud." Williams moved to Los Angeles and continued performing stand-up at clubs, including The Comedy Store . There, in 1977, he

5480-742: The New York City Fire Department and 71 law enforcement officers. The area was rebuilt with a new World Trade Center , the National September 11 Memorial and Museum , and other new buildings and infrastructure, including the World Trade Center Transportation Hub , the city's third-largest hub. The new One World Trade Center is the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere and the seventh-tallest building in

5617-1000: The Northwest Passage to the Orient for the Dutch East India Company . He sailed up what the Dutch called North River (now the Hudson River), named first by Hudson as the Mauritius after Maurice, Prince of Orange . Hudson claimed the region for the Dutch East India Company. In 1614, the area between Cape Cod and Delaware Bay was claimed by the Netherlands and called Nieuw-Nederland (' New Netherland '). The first non–Native American inhabitant of what became New York City

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5754-630: The Red Cross and half to the mayoral building fund. Williams performed with the USO for U.S. troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. For several years, Williams supported St. Jude Children's Research Hospital . During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Williams had an addiction to cocaine . He was a casual friend of John Belushi , and the Saturday Night Live comic's death in 1982 from

5891-612: The Roxy to help keep his improvisational skills sharp. In England, Williams performed at The Fighting Cocks . David Letterman , who knew Williams for nearly 40 years, recalls seeing him first perform as a new comedian at The Comedy Store in Hollywood, where Letterman and other comedians had already been doing stand-up. "He came in like a hurricane", said Letterman, who said he thought to himself, "Holy crap, there goes my chance in show business". The first film role credited to Williams

6028-576: The Statue of Liberty , a gift from France , was dedicated in New York Harbor. The statue welcomed 14 million immigrants as they came to the U.S. via Ellis Island by ship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and is a symbol of the United States and American ideals of liberty and peace. In 1898, the City of New York was formed with the consolidation of Brooklyn (until then a separate city),

6165-709: The Stonewall riots were a series of violent protests by members of the gay community against a police raid that took place in the early morning of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village . They are widely considered to be the single most important event leading to the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for LGBT rights . Wayne R. Dynes , author of the Encyclopedia of Homosexuality , wrote that drag queens were

6302-612: The steamship General Slocum caught fire in the East River , killing 1,021 people. In 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire , the city's worst industrial disaster, killed 146 garment workers and spurred the growth of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union and major improvements in factory safety standards. New York's non-White population was 36,620 in 1890. New York City

6439-439: The waterfronts since Dutch colonial times; reclamation is most prominent in Lower Manhattan, with developments such as Battery Park City in the 1970s and 1980s. Some of the natural relief in topography has been evened out, especially in Manhattan. Robin Williams Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951 – August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian. Known for his improvisational skills and

6576-416: The 1990s, the African Burying Ground was discovered; the cemetery included 10,000 to 20,000 graves of colonial-era Africans, some enslaved and some free. The 1735 trial and acquittal in Manhattan of John Peter Zenger , who had been accused of seditious libel after criticizing colonial governor William Cosby , helped to establish freedom of the press in North America . In 1754, Columbia University

6713-418: The 19th century, the city was transformed by both commercial and residential development relating to its status as a national and international trading center , as well as by European immigration, respectively. The city adopted the Commissioners' Plan of 1811 , which expanded the city street grid to encompass almost all of Manhattan. The 1825 completion of the Erie Canal through central New York connected

6850-409: The British occupation began, the Great Fire of New York destroyed nearly 500 buildings, about a quarter of the structures in the city, including Trinity Church . In January 1785, the assembly of the Congress of the Confederation made New York City the national capital. New York was the last capital of the U.S. under the Articles of Confederation and the first capital under the Constitution of

6987-410: The Bronx , and Staten Island . Anchored by Wall Street in the Financial District, Manhattan , New York City has been called both the world's premier financial and fintech center and the most economically powerful city in the world. As of 2022 , the New York metropolitan area is the largest metropolitan economy in the world , with a gross metropolitan product of over US$ 2.16 trillion. If

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7124-436: The Cafe Au Go Go. When the Cafe au Go Go closed, the now-famous Stephen Stills was a featured performer at the gala closing. The Cafe Au Go Go and the related New Andy Warhol Garrick Theatre buildings were demolished in the 1970s. 40°43′42″N 73°59′58″W  /  40.728295°N 73.999422°W  / 40.728295; -73.999422 New York City New York , often called New York City or NYC ,

7261-399: The County of New York (which then included parts of the Bronx), the County of Richmond, and the western portion of the County of Queens. The opening of the New York City Subway in 1904, first built as separate private systems, helped bind the new city together. Throughout the first half of the 20th century, the city became a world center for industry, commerce, and communication. In 1904,

7398-459: The Dutch West India Company relinquished its monopoly over the fur trade, leading to growth in the production and trade of food, timber, tobacco, and slaves (particularly with the Dutch West Indies ). In 1647, Peter Stuyvesant began his tenure as the last Director-General of New Netherland. During his tenure, the population of New Netherland grew from 2,000 to 8,000. Stuyvesant has been credited with improving law and order; however, he earned

7535-413: The Dutch colonial Director-General Peter Minuit , as charged by the Dutch West India Company , purchased the island of Manhattan from the Canarsie , a small Lenape band, for "the value of 60 guilders " (about $ 900 in 2018). A frequently told but disproved legend claims that Manhattan was purchased for $ 24 worth of glass beads. Following the purchase, New Amsterdam grew slowly. To attract settlers,

7672-478: The Dutch instituted the patroon system in 1628, whereby wealthy Dutchmen ( patroons , or patrons) who brought 50 colonists to New Netherland would be awarded land, local political autonomy, and rights to participate in the lucrative fur trade. This program had little success. Since 1621, the Dutch West India Company had operated as a monopoly in New Netherland, on authority granted by the Dutch States General . In 1639–1640, in an effort to bolster economic growth,

7809-418: The Go Go were controversial. On more than one occasion the Cafe Au Go Go was raided by the police because of the obscenities that had been used during his performances. By 1966, the police and the courts had managed to silence Lenny Bruce and taught him a lesson that he should not use " foul language " or show disrespect for the church and the law. Eventually bankrupting him just before his death that year. Though

7946-613: The Hudson (1984), What Dreams May Come (1998) and Bicentennial Man (1999). During the early 2000s, Williams demonstrated a new rank of his versatility by playing darker roles than he had in the previous decades. Williams appeared with fellow comedian, Billy Crystal , in an unscripted cameo at the beginning of a 1997 episode of the third season of Friends . Williams's performances garnered various accolades, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Good Will Hunting ; as well as two previous Academy Award nominations, for Dead Poets Society , and as

8083-467: The Iguana . Reeve wrote, "He simply was the old man. I was astonished by his work and very grateful that fate had thrown us together." The two remained close friends until Reeve's death in 2004. Their friendship was like "brothers from another mother", according to Williams's son Zak. During the summers of 1974, 1975, and 1976, Williams worked as a busboy at The Trident in Sausalito, California . He left Juilliard during his junior year in 1976 at

8220-423: The Museum: Secret of the Tomb , A Merry Friggin' Christmas , Boulevard , and Absolutely Anything . Williams married actress Valerie Velardi in 1978, following a live-in relationship with comedian Elayne Boosler . Velardi and Williams met in 1976 while he was working as a bartender at a San Francisco tavern. Their son, Zachary Pym, was born in 1983. Velardi and Williams were divorced in 1988. While it

8357-420: The Native Americans and epidemics brought on by contact with the Europeans caused sizeable population losses for the Lenape between 1660 and 1670. By 1700, the Lenape population had diminished to 200. New York experienced several yellow fever epidemics in the 18th century, losing ten percent of its population in 1702 alone. In the early 18th century, New York grew in importance as a trading port while as

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8494-405: The New York metropolitan area were its own country , it would have the tenth-largest economy in the world . Despite having a 24/7 rapid transit system , New York also leads the world in urban automobile traffic congestion . The city is home to the world's two largest stock exchanges by market capitalization of their listed companies: the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq . New York City

8631-578: The Revolutionary War and escaped slaves, a significant free-Black population gradually developed in Manhattan. The New York Manumission Society worked for abolition and established the African Free School to educate Black children. It was not until 1827 that slavery was completely abolished in the state . Free Blacks struggled with discrimination and interracial abolitionist activism continued. New York City's population jumped from 123,706 in 1820 (10,886 of whom were Black and of which 518 were enslaved) to 312,710 by 1840 (16,358 of whom were Black). Also in

8768-411: The Serendipity Singers ), Rick (Frederic) Geiger (who eventually was accepted into a light opera company in California), Roy Michaels (who later performed with Cat Mother & the All Night Newsboys and toured with Jimi Hendrix ), Nels Gustafson, Bob Harmelink, and soloists Stephen Stills and Richie Furay . (Gustafson and Harmelink had been in an earlier trio with Furay, but quit show business after

8905-415: The United States . As the U.S. capital, New York City hosted the inauguration of the first President, George Washington , and the first Congress , at Federal Hall on Wall Street . Congress drafted the Bill of Rights there. The Supreme Court held its first organizational sessions in New York in 1790. In 1790, for the first time, New York City surpassed Philadelphia as the nation's largest city. At

9042-436: The United States . As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York City, making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world. In 2021, the city was home to nearly 3.1 million residents born outside the U.S., the largest foreign-born population of any city in the world. New York City traces its origins to Fort Amsterdam and a trading post founded on Manhattan Island by Dutch colonists around 1624. The settlement

9179-416: The United States. New York City has more than double the population of Los Angeles , the nation's second-most populous city. With more than 20.1 million people in its metropolitan statistical area and 23.5 million in its combined statistical area as of 2020, New York City is one of the world's most populous megacities . The city and its metropolitan area are the premier gateway for legal immigration to

9316-421: The Youngbloods , the Siegel-Schwall Band , John Hammond Jr. , The Paul Butterfield Blues Band , The Clear Light, Michael Bloomfield , Jefferson Airplane , Cream , The Chambers Brothers , Canned Heat , The Fugs , Odetta , Country Joe and the Fish , The Yardbirds , The Doors all played there. Blues legends Lightnin' Hopkins , Son House , Skip James , Bukka White , and Big Joe Williams performed at

9453-423: The ability to "go from manic to mad to tender and vulnerable   ... [Williams had] the most unique mind on the planet. There's nobody like him out there." While Williams voiced characters in several animated films, his voice role as the Genie in the animated musical Aladdin (1992) was written for Williams. The film's directors said that they had taken a risk by writing the role. At first, Williams refused

9590-432: The area for France and named it Nouvelle Angoulême (New Angoulême ). A Spanish expedition, led by the Portuguese captain Estêvão Gomes sailing for Emperor Charles V , arrived in New York Harbor in January 1525 and charted the mouth of the Hudson River , which he named Río de San Antonio ('Saint Anthony's River'). In 1609, the English explorer Henry Hudson rediscovered New York Harbor while searching for

9727-493: The beginning of the 1990s. By the mid-1990s, crime rates started to drop dramatically due to revised police strategies, improving economic opportunities, gentrification , and new residents, both American transplants and new immigrants from Asia and Latin America. New York City's population exceeded 8 million for the first time in the 2000 United States census ; further records were set in 2010 , and 2020 U.S. censuses. Important new sectors, such as Silicon Alley , emerged in

9864-587: The business elite lobbied for the establishment of Central Park , which in 1857 became the first landscaped park in an American city. The Great Irish Famine brought a large influx of Irish immigrants, of whom more than 200,000 were living in New York by 1860, representing over a quarter of the city's population. Extensive immigration from the German provinces meant that Germans comprised another 25% of New York's population by 1860. Democratic Party candidates were consistently elected to local office, increasing

10001-436: The cameras roll," said producer Mark Johnson, and Williams "managed to create something new for every single take". Williams appeared opposite Steve Martin at Lincoln Center in an off-Broadway production of Waiting for Godot in 1988. Many of his subsequent roles were in comedies tinged with pathos , such as Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) and Patch Adams (1998). Looking over most of Williams's filmography, one writer

10138-519: The cast of The Richard Pryor Show on NBC , Williams was cast by Garry Marshall as the alien Mork in a 1978 episode of the TV series Happy Days titled " My Favorite Orkan ". Sought after as a last-minute cast replacement for a departing actor, Williams impressed the producer with his quirky sense of humor when he sat on his head when asked to take a seat for the audition. As Mork, Williams improvised much of his dialogue and physical comedy, speaking in

10275-613: The city from New Jersey. The East River—a tidal strait —flows from Long Island Sound and separates the Bronx and Manhattan from Long Island. The Harlem River , another tidal strait between the East and Hudson rivers, separates most of Manhattan from the Bronx. The Bronx River , which flows through the Bronx and Westchester County , is the only entirely freshwater river in the city. The city's land has been altered substantially by human intervention, with considerable land reclamation along

10412-439: The city rapidly replaced Wuhan , China as the global epicenter of the pandemic during the early phase, straining the city's healthcare infrastructure. Through March 2023, New York City recorded more than 80,000 deaths from COVID-19-related complications. New York City is situated in the northeastern United States , in southeastern New York State, approximately halfway between Washington, D.C. and Boston . Its location at

10549-632: The city's economy. The advent of Y2K was celebrated with fanfare in Times Square . New York City suffered the bulk of the economic damage and largest loss of human life in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks . Two of the four airliners hijacked that day were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, resulting in the collapse of both buildings and the deaths of 2,753 people, including 343 first responders from

10686-794: The city's ties to the South and its dominant party. In 1861, Mayor Fernando Wood called on the aldermen to declare independence from Albany and the United States after the South seceded, but his proposal was not acted on. Anger at new military conscription laws during the American Civil War (1861–1865), which spared wealthier men who could afford to hire a substitute, led to the Draft Riots of 1863 , whose most visible participants were ethnic Irish working class. The draft riots deteriorated into attacks on New York's elite, followed by attacks on Black New Yorkers after fierce competition for

10823-477: The club after being "rediscovered" in the '60s. Before many rock groups began performing there, the Au Go Go was an oasis for jazz ( Bill Evans , Stan Getz ), comedy ( Lenny Bruce , George Carlin ) and folk music. When the club was sold in 1969 it closed for over a month for renovations including upgrades to the kitchen and a new sound system installed by a then-local audio engineer Kenny D'Alessandro. Van Morrison

10960-688: The colony and allowed for religious freedom. In 1667, during negotiations leading to the Treaty of Breda after the Second Anglo-Dutch War , the victorious Dutch decided to keep the nascent plantation colony of what is now Suriname , which they had gained from the English, and in return the English kept New Amsterdam. The settlement was promptly renamed "New York" after the Duke of York (the future King James II and VII). The duke gave part of

11097-622: The colony to proprietors George Carteret and John Berkeley . On August 24, 1673, during the Third Anglo-Dutch War , Anthony Colve of the Dutch navy seized New York at the behest of Cornelis Evertsen the Youngest and rechristened it "New Orange" after William III , the Prince of Orange . The Dutch soon returned the island to England under the Treaty of Westminster of November 1674. Several intertribal wars among

11234-639: The complaints pertaining to his use of various obscenities; club owner Howard Solomon was arrested too. A three-judge panel presided over his widely publicized six-month trial, with Bruce and club owner Howard Solomon both found guilty of obscenity on November 4, 1964. The conviction was announced despite positive testimony and petitions of support from Woody Allen , Bob Dylan , Jules Feiffer , Allen Ginsberg , Norman Mailer , William Styron , and James Baldwin – among other artists, writers and educators, and from Manhattan journalist and television personality Dorothy Kilgallen and sociologist Herbert Gans . Bruce

11371-462: The cover of the August 23, 1979, issue of Rolling Stone , photographed by Richard Avedon . With his success on Mork & Mindy , Williams began to reach a wider audience with his stand-up comedy, starting in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, including three HBO comedy specials: Off The Wall (1978), An Evening with Robin Williams (1983), and A Night at the Met (1986). Williams won

11508-553: The critically acclaimed dramas The World According to Garp (1982), Moscow on the Hudson (1984), Awakenings (1990), Insomnia (2002), One Hour Photo (2002) and World's Greatest Dad (2009). He also starred in Toys (1992), The Birdcage (1996) and Patch Adams (1998), as well as family films, such as Hook (1991), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), Jack (1996), Flubber (1997), RV (2006) and

11645-678: The demise of the Au Go Go Singers.) It was also at the Cafe Au Go Go that a new folk/rock group, The Company , was formed from some remnants of the Au Go Go Singers: Geiger, Michaels, Scott & Gurney (who together before the Au Go Go Singers performed as the Bay Singers, a popular group in Boston & New York City), and Stills. Immediately after the Au Go Go Singers breakup, the Rollins and Joffe Talent Agency—managers of Dick Cavett , Woody Allen , and other notables—heard

11782-561: The depth of the young actor's talent became evident when Williams was cast in the musical Oliver! as Fagin . He often improvised during his time in the drama program, leaving cast members in hysterics. Dunn called his wife after one late rehearsal to tell her Williams "was going to be something special". In 1973, Williams attained a full scholarship to the Juilliard School ( Group 6 , 1973–1976) in New York City . He

11919-417: The development of large housing tracts in eastern Queens and Nassau County , with Wall Street leading America's place as the world's dominant economic power. The United Nations headquarters was completed in 1952, solidifying New York's global geopolitical influence, and the rise of abstract expressionism in the city precipitated New York's displacement of Paris as the center of the art world. In 1969,

12056-597: The direct-to-video sequel, The Return of Jafar (1994); the Genie was instead voiced by Dan Castellaneta . When Jeffrey Katzenberg was replaced by Joe Roth as Walt Disney Studios chairman, Roth organized a public apology to Williams. He would, in turn, reprise the role in the second sequel, Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996). During this time, Williams lent his voice to FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992). Other dramatic performances by Williams include Moscow on

12193-414: The disease as "the terrorist inside my husband's brain", Schneider said that "however you look at it—the presence of Lewy bodies took his life", referring to his previous diagnosis of Parkinson's. She noted "how we as a culture don't have the vocabulary to discuss brain disease in the way we do about depression. Depression is a symptom of LBD and it's not about psychology – it's rooted in neurology. His brain

12330-406: The end of 1790, the national capital was moved to Philadelphia . During the 19th century, New York City's population grew from 60,000 to 3.43 million. Under New York State's gradual emancipation act of 1799, children of slave mothers were to be eventually liberated but to be held in indentured servitude until their mid-to-late twenties. Together with slaves freed by their masters after

12467-608: The film The Big White (2005) in Alaska. In 2006, he checked in to a substance-abuse rehabilitation center in Newberg, Oregon , saying that he was an alcoholic. Years afterward, Williams acknowledged his failure to maintain sobriety , but said that he never returned to using cocaine, declaring in a 2010 interview: No. Cocaine—paranoid and impotent, what fun. There was no bit of me thinking, ooh, let's go back to that. Useless conversations until midnight, waking up at dawn feeling like

12604-599: The film because he knew they wanted to work together, and that Williams welcomed the opportunity of working with Spielberg. Having Woody Allen , who directed him and Billy Crystal in Deconstructing Harry (1997), helped Williams. Allen knew that Crystal and Williams had often worked together on stage. Williams was the host of a talk show for Audible that aired in April 2000 and was only available on Audible's website. In Insomnia (2002), Williams portrayed

12741-443: The film was the highest-grossing of 1992; it won numerous awards, including a Special Golden Globe Award for Vocal Work in a Motion Picture for Williams. His performance paved the way for other animated films to incorporate actors with more star power. Williams was named a Disney Legend in 2009. Due to Disney breaking an agreement with Williams regarding the use of the Genie in the advertising for Aladdin , he refused to sign for

12878-457: The founding of a Dutch fur trading settlement on Governors Island . In 1625, construction was started on a citadel and Fort Amsterdam , later called Nieuw Amsterdam (New Amsterdam), on present-day Manhattan Island. The colony of New Amsterdam extended from the southern tip of Manhattan to modern-day Wall Street , where a 12-foot (3.7 m) wooden stockade was built in 1653 to protect against Native American and English raids. In 1626,

13015-602: The future. In 2010, Williams appeared in a sketch with Robert De Niro on Saturday Night Live , and in 2012, he guest-starred as himself in two FX series, Louie and Wilfred . Williams made his Broadway acting debut in Rajiv Joseph 's Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo , which opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre March 31, 2011. For his performance, Williams was nominated for

13152-473: The ice (and its subsequent retreat) contributed to the separation of what is now Long Island and Staten Island. That action left bedrock at a relatively shallow depth, providing a solid foundation for most of Manhattan's skyscrapers. The Hudson River flows through the Hudson Valley into New York Bay . Between New York City and Troy, New York , the river is an estuary . The Hudson River separates

13289-563: The journal Neurology two years after his death, Schneider revealed that the pathology of Lewy body disease in Williams was described by several doctors as among the worst pathologies they had seen. She described the early symptoms of his disease as beginning in October 2013. Williams's initial condition included a sudden and prolonged spike in fear , anxiety , stress and insomnia , which worsened in severity and included memory loss , paranoia and delusions . According to Schneider, "Robin

13426-554: The last American stronghold in Manhattan, causing George Washington and his forces to retreat across the Hudson River to New Jersey , pursued by British forces. After the battle, in which the Americans were defeated, the British made the city their military and political base of operations in North America. The city was a haven for Loyalist refugees and escaped slaves who joined the British lines for freedom promised by

13563-611: The mid-1970s, and released several comedy albums including Reality ... What a Concept in 1980. He rose to fame playing the alien Mork in the ABC sitcom Mork & Mindy (1978–1982). Williams received his first leading film role in Popeye (1980). Williams won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Good Will Hunting (1997). His other Oscar-nominated roles were for Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989) and The Fisher King (1991). Williams starred in

13700-419: The most populous urbanized area in the world in the early 1920s, overtaking London . The metropolitan area surpassed 10 million in the early 1930s, becoming the first megacity . The Great Depression saw the election of reformer Fiorello La Guardia as mayor and the fall of Tammany Hall after eighty years of political dominance. Returning World War II veterans created a post-war economic boom and

13837-616: The mouth of the Hudson River , which feeds into a naturally sheltered harbor and then into the Atlantic Ocean , has helped the city grow in significance as a trading port. Most of the city is built on the three islands of Long Island, Manhattan, and Staten Island. During the Wisconsin glaciation , 75,000 to 11,000 years ago, the New York City area was situated at the edge of a large ice sheet . The erosive forward movement of

13974-496: The only " transgender folks around" during the June 1969 Stonewall riots. The transgender community in New York City played a significant role in fighting for LGBT equality. In the 1970s, job losses due to industrial restructuring caused New York City to suffer from economic problems and rising crime rates. Growing fiscal deficits in 1975 led the city to appeal to the federal government for financial aid; President Gerald Ford gave

14111-437: The police had managed to silence Lenny Bruce, George Carlin continued to do his controversial comedy. Carlin eventually went on to have his own trouble with the law. Controversy arose because of the use of obscenities in his counter-culture routine known at the " Seven Dirty Words ". Both Lenny Bruce and George Carlin were two of the most influential stand-up comedians of their time and they along with many others had come out of

14248-890: The role because it was a Disney movie and he did not want the studio profiting by selling merchandise based on the movie. Williams accepted the role with certain conditions: "I'm doing it basically because I want to be part of this animation tradition. I want something for my children. One deal is, I just don't want to sell anything—as in Burger King, as in toys, as in stuff." Williams improvised much of his dialogue, recording approximately 30 hours of tape, and impersonated dozens of celebrities, including Ed Sullivan , Jack Nicholson , Robert De Niro , Groucho Marx , Rodney Dangerfield , William F. Buckley Jr. , Peter Lorre , Arnold Schwarzenegger and Arsenio Hall . Williams's role in Aladdin became one of his most recognized and best-loved, and

14385-497: The show was very popular because Williams became "a man and a child, buoyant, rubber-faced, an endless gusher of ideas", according to critic James Poniewozik . Mork became popular, featured on posters, coloring books, lunch-boxes, and other merchandise. Mork & Mindy was such a success in its first season that Williams appeared on the March 12, 1979, cover of Time magazine. The cover photo, taken by Michael Dressler in 1979,

14522-567: The show was written to accommodate his extreme improvisations in dialogue and behavior. Although he portrayed the same character as in Happy Days , the series was set in the present in Boulder, Colorado , instead of the late 1950s in Milwaukee . Mork & Mindy at its peak had a weekly audience of sixty million and was credited with turning Williams into a "superstar". Among young people,

14659-504: The suggestion of Houseman, who said there was nothing more that Juilliard could teach Williams. Gerald Freedman , another of his teachers at Juilliard, said Williams was a "genius" and that the school's conservative and classical style of training did not suit him; no one was surprised that Williams left. Williams began performing stand-up comedy in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1976. He gave his first performance at

14796-496: The tour based on the Singers' performance, most of the Bay Singers were hesitant to add another member, but ultimately gave in to Stills. The new quintet switched to amplified instruments, took about a week to learn new material (some under the direction of the former Au Go Go Singers arranger, Jim Friedman), named their new group The Company, and then headed for Ontario . While on tour the group first met local boy Neil Young , who

14933-567: The wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and comedies alike, Williams is regarded as one of the greatest comedians of all time. He received numerous accolades including an Academy Award , two Primetime Emmy Awards , six Golden Globe Awards , five Grammy Awards , and two Screen Actors Guild Awards . Williams was awarded the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2005. Williams began performing stand-up comedy in San Francisco and Los Angeles during

15070-597: The world by pinnacle height, with its spire reaching a symbolic 1,776 feet (541.3 m), a reference to the year of U.S. independence . The Occupy Wall Street protests in Zuccotti Park in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan began on September 17, 2011, receiving global attention and popularizing the Occupy movement against social and economic inequality worldwide. New York City

15207-513: The world. In 1664, New York was named in honor of the Duke of York (later King James II of England ). James's elder brother, King Charles II , appointed the Duke as proprietor of the former territory of New Netherland , including the city of New Amsterdam , when the Kingdom of England seized it from Dutch control. In the pre-Columbian era , the area of present-day New York City

15344-422: Was Juan Rodriguez , a merchant from Santo Domingo who arrived in Manhattan during the winter of 1613–14, trapping for pelts and trading with the local population as a representative of the Dutch colonists. A permanent European presence near New York Harbor was established in 1624, making New York the 12th-oldest continuously occupied European-established settlement in the continental United States , with

15481-566: Was heavily affected by Hurricane Sandy in late October 2012. Sandy's impacts included flooding that led to the days-long shutdown of the subway system and flooding of all East River subway tunnels and of all road tunnels entering Manhattan except the Lincoln Tunnel . The New York Stock Exchange closed for two days due to weather for the first time since the Great Blizzard of 1888 . At least 43 people died in New York City as

15618-587: Was "struck by the breadth" and radical diversity of most of the roles Williams portrayed. In 1989, he played a private-school English teacher in Dead Poets Society , which included a final, emotional scene that some critics said "inspired a generation" and became a part of pop culture. Similarly, Williams's performance as a therapist in Good Will Hunting (1997) deeply affected even some real therapists. In Awakenings (1990), he plays

15755-566: Was a consistent thread throughout his career, as seen by the success of his one-man show (and subsequent DVD), Robin Williams: Live on Broadway (2002). In 2004, Williams was voted 13th on Comedy Central 's list of "100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time." Two years later, he was the Surprise Guest at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards , and appeared on an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition that aired January 30. After

15892-539: Was a prime destination in the early 20th century for Blacks during the Great Migration from the American South, and by 1916, New York City had the largest urban African diaspora in North America. The Harlem Renaissance of literary and cultural life flourished during the era of Prohibition . The larger economic boom generated construction of skyscrapers competing in height. New York City became

16029-577: Was a regular on the USO circuit, where Williams traveled to 13 countries and performed to approximately 90,000 troops. After his death, the USO thanked Williams "for all he did for the men and women of our armed forces". Williams and his second wife Marsha founded a philanthropic organization called the Windfall Foundation to raise money for many charities. In December 1999, he sang in French on

16166-483: Was a small part in the 1977 low-budget comedy Can I Do It... 'Til I Need Glasses? . However, his first starring performance was as the title character in Popeye (1980), in which Williams showcased the acting skills previously demonstrated in his television work. Accordingly, the film's commercial disappointment was not blamed on his performance. Mork and Mindy After the Laugh-In revival, and appearing in

16303-507: Was bewildered by Williams and his ability to instantly perform in many different accents. Their primary acting teacher was Michael Kahn , who was "equally baffled by this human dynamo". Williams already had a reputation for being funny, but Kahn criticized his antics as simple stand-up comedy. In a later production, Williams silenced his critics with his well-received performance as an old man in Tennessee Williams 's Night of

16440-512: Was born at St. Luke's Hospital in Chicago , Illinois , on July 21, 1951. His father, Robert Fitzgerald Williams (1906–1987), was a senior executive in Ford 's Lincoln-Mercury Division . His mother, Laurie McLaurin (1922–2001), was a former model from Jackson, Mississippi , whose great-grandfather was Mississippi senator and governor Anselm J. McLaurin . Williams had two older half-brothers:

16577-628: Was completed March 13, 2009, at the Cleveland Clinic . His publicist, Mara Buxbaum, commented that Williams had severe depression before his death. His wife, Susan Schneider, said that in the period before his death, Williams had been sober but was diagnosed with early-stage Parkinson's disease , which was information that he was "not yet ready to share publicly". An autopsy revealed that Williams had diffuse Lewy bodies (which had been misdiagnosed as Parkinson's), and this may have contributed to his depression. In an essay published in

16714-850: Was falling apart." Medical experts struggled to determine a cause, and eventually diagnosed him with Parkinson's disease. The Lewy Body Dementia Association (LBDA) clarified the distinction between the term used in the autopsy report, "diffuse Lewy body dementia", which is more commonly called "diffuse Lewy body disease", and refers to the underlying disease process—and the umbrella term, " Lewy body dementia "—which encompasses both Parkinson's disease dementia (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). According to LBDA spokesperson Dennis Dickson, "The report confirms he experienced depression, anxiety, and paranoia, which may occur in either Parkinson's disease or dementia with Lewy bodies.   ... In early PD, Lewy bodies are generally limited in distribution, but in DLB,

16851-573: Was finalized in 2010. In 2011, Williams married graphic designer Susan Schneider, and they remained married until his death. They lived at their house in Sea Cliff, San Francisco , California. Williams said, "My children give me a great sense of wonder. Just to see them develop into these extraordinary human beings." In New York City, Williams was part of the West Side YMCA runners club and showed promising results with 34:21 minutes at

16988-754: Was founded. The Stamp Act Congress met in New York in October 1765, as the Sons of Liberty organization emerged in the city and skirmished over the next ten years with British troops stationed there. The Battle of Long Island , the largest battle of the American Revolutionary War , was fought in August 1776 within modern-day Brooklyn. A British rout of the Continental Army at the Battle of Fort Washington in November 1776 eliminated

17125-534: Was inhabited by Algonquians , including the Lenape . Their homeland, known as Lenapehoking , included the present-day areas of Staten Island , Manhattan , the Bronx , the western portion of Long Island (including Brooklyn and Queens ), and the Lower Hudson Valley . The first documented visit into New York Harbor by a European was in 1524 by explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano . He claimed

17262-640: Was losing his mind and he was aware of it   ... He kept saying, 'I just want to reboot my brain. ' " Williams was found dead at age 63 in his home in Paradise Cay, California , on August 11, 2014. The final autopsy report, released that November, concluded that Williams's death was a suicide resulting from " asphyxia due to hanging". Neither alcohol nor illegal drugs were involved, and prescription drugs present in his body were at therapeutic levels. The report also noted that Williams had depression and anxiety. An examination of his brain tissue suggested that Williams had "diffuse Lewy body dementia". Describing

17399-468: Was named New Amsterdam in 1626 and was chartered as a city in 1653. The city came under English control in 1664 and was temporarily renamed New York after King Charles II granted the lands to his brother, the Duke of York , before being permanently renamed New York in November 1674. New York City was the U.S. capital from 1785 until 1790. The modern city was formed by the 1898 consolidation of its five boroughs : Manhattan , Brooklyn , Queens ,

17536-409: Was on the school's wrestling team and was elected class president. As both his parents worked, Williams was partially raised by the family's maid, who was his main companion. When Williams was 16, his father took early retirement and the family moved to Tiburon, California . Following their move, Williams attended Redwood High School in nearby Larkspur . At the time of his graduation in 1969, he

17673-576: Was one of 20 students accepted into the freshman class, and Williams and Christopher Reeve were the only two accepted by John Houseman into the Advanced Program at the school that year. William Hurt and Mandy Patinkin were also classmates. According to biographer Jean Dorsinville, both Franklyn Seales and Williams were roommates at Juilliard. Reeve remembered his first impression of Williams when they were new students at Juilliard: "He wore tie-dyed shirts with tracksuit bottoms and talked

17810-657: Was performing with the Squires , as the opening act for The Company. After leaving Canada The Company played at Mr. Kelly's in Chicago where Woody Allen was headlining. In less than a year after the group broke up, Stills, Young, Richie Furay, and two others formed Buffalo Springfield . Howard Solomon not only had The Au Go Go Singers, but had also booked comedians such as George Carlin and Lenny Bruce , who had regular stints at Cafe Au Go Go that would last either from one or two days to three weeks. Lenny Bruce's performances at

17947-420: Was raised and sometimes identified himself as an Episcopalian . In a comedy routine, Williams described his denomination as: "I have that idea of Chicago Protestant, Episcopal—Catholic light: half the religion, half the guilt." He also described himself as an "honorary Jew", and on Israel 's 60th Independence Day in 2008, Williams appeared in Times Square , along with several other celebrities, to wish Israel

18084-453: Was rejected by director Chris Columbus due to the "British-only edict". In 2006, Williams starred in five movies, including Man of the Year , a political satire, and The Night Listener , a thriller about a radio show host who realizes that a child with whom he has developed a friendship may not exist. Williams continued to provide voices in other animated films, including Robots (2005),

18221-598: Was reported that Williams began an affair with Zachary's nanny, Marsha Garces , in 1986, Velardi stated in the 2018 documentary, Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind , that the relationship with Garces began after the two had separated. On April 30, 1989, Williams married Garces, who was six months pregnant with their first child. They had two children, Zelda Rae (b. 1989) and Cody Alan (b. 1991). In March 2008, Garces filed for divorce from Williams, citing irreconcilable differences. Their divorce

18358-455: Was seen by TV producer George Schlatter , who asked him to appear on a revival of his show Laugh-In . The show aired in late 1977 and was his debut TV appearance. That year, Williams also performed a show at the L.A. Improv for Home Box Office . Although the Laugh-In revival failed, it led Williams to his television career; Williams continued performing stand-up at comedy clubs such as

18495-435: Was sentenced, on December 21, 1964, to four months in the workhouse; he was set free on bail during the appeals process and died before the appeal was decided. Solomon later saw his conviction overturned; Bruce's conviction ultimately was reversed posthumously. On December 23, 2003, 37 years after his death, Bruce was granted a posthumous pardon for his obscenity conviction by New York Governor George Pataki , following

18632-401: Was the first artist to play at the re-opened club in August of 1969, having just released his album Astral Weeks . Comedian Lenny Bruce and the club's owner, Howard Solomon, were arrested there on obscenity charges in 1964. In April 1964, Bruce appeared twice at the Cafe Au Go Go with undercover police detectives in the audience. On both occasions, he was arrested after leaving the stage,

18769-647: Was voted "Most Likely Not to Succeed" and "Funniest" by his classmates. After high school graduation, Williams enrolled at Claremont Men's College in Claremont, California , to study political science ; he dropped out to pursue acting. Williams studied theater for three years at the College of Marin , a community college in Kentfield, California . According to the College of Marin's drama professor, James Dunn,

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