9 Robin Williams Movies You May Have Forgotten About
Robin Williams was one of those actors who could make you laugh one minute and completely break your heart the next. And over a decade after his death at the age of 63 on August 11, 2014, fans are still enjoying his many beloved films. While most fans remember him best from movies such as Mrs. Doubtfire, Aladdin, and Jumanji, his filmography goes far beyond those, including heartwrenching dramas and unconventional comedies overshadowed by his better-known work.
Of course, Williams first became a household name as Mork on Mork & Mindy and went on to headline movies throughout the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s. He received four Academy Award nominations for Good Morning, Vietnam, Dead Poets Society, and The Fisher King, before winning Best Supporting Actor for Good Will Hunting.
In honor of his career and life, let’s take a look at some of his lesser-known films.
1 The Survivors (1983)
Columbia Pictures/Everett Collection
In the ’80s, Williams teamed up with Walter Matthau for The Survivors. Williams plays Donald Quinelle, an executive who loses his job, while Matthau plays Sonny Paluso, a man whose gas station has just been destroyed. The two strangers meet while waiting in an unemployment line and later witness a murder at a diner. When the killer, played by Jerry Reed, begins targeting them, Donald becomes obsessed with learning how to defend himself and enrolls in an extreme survivalist camp.
2 The Best of Times (1986)
Universal/Everett Collection
What if you could go back and fix the most embarrassing moment of your life? That is the idea behind The Best of Times, a sports comedy starring Williams and Kurt Russell. Williams plays Jack Dundee, a banker who remains haunted by the pass he dropped during a high school football game 14 years earlier. Russell plays Reno Hightower, the former quarterback who threw that pass. Jack becomes so determined to rewrite history that he convinces the town to reunite the teams and replay the entire game.
3 Club Paradise (1986)
Everett Collection
Williams headed to the Caribbean for Club Paradise, a comedy directed by Harold Ramis. He plays Jack Moniker, a retired Chicago firefighter who moves to the fictional island of Saint Nicholas. Jack teams up with reggae musician Ernest Reed, played by Jimmy Cliff, to open a resort. Unfortunately, running the place is not nearly as relaxing as living on a tropical island sounds. Peter O’Toole, Rick Moranis, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin and Twiggy are also in the cast.
4 The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)
Everett Collection
While Robin Williams did not play the title character in The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (John Neville did), he still made a huge impact as the King of the Moon, whose head frequently separates from his body. Williams actually appeared in the credits under the name Ray D. Tutto. Directed by Terry Gilliam, the fantasy follows Baron Munchausen as he brings several of his unbelievable stories to life. Eric Idle, Sarah Polley, Oliver Reed, Uma Thurman and Jonathan Pryce are also part of the cast.
5 Toys (1992)
Everett Collection
Released the same year that Williams voiced the Genie in Aladdin, Toys was a much stranger kind of fantasy. Williams stars as Leslie Zevo, the playful son of a toy-company owner who believes toys should inspire happiness and imagination. After Leslie’s father dies, control of the company goes to his military-minded uncle, played by Michael Gambon. He begins transforming the factory’s toys into weapons, leaving Leslie and his sister, played by Joan Cusack, to stop him. Robin Wright and LL Cool J also appear. The film received Academy Award nominations for art direction and costume design.
6 Jack (1996)
Everett Collection
In Jack, Williams plays a 10-year-old boy with an unusual condition that causes his body to age four times faster than normal. Although Jack Powell looks like a 40-year-old man, he is still mentally and emotionally a child. After spending years being homeschooled, Jack begins attending classes with children his own age. He initially struggles to fit in but eventually makes friends and experiences more of the childhood he has missed. Francis Ford Coppola directed the movie, which also stars Diane Lane, Brian Kerwin, Jennifer Lopez and Fran Drescher.
7 What Dreams May Come (1998)
Polygram Filmed Entertainment/Everett Collection
Williams took on one of his most emotional roles in What Dreams May Come. He plays Chris Nielsen, a man who dies in a car accident and finds himself in an afterlife filled with images inspired by his wife Annie’s paintings. When Annie, played by Annabella Sciorra, dies by suicide and becomes trapped in hell, Chris sets out to find her. Cuba Gooding Jr. and Max von Sydow also appear in the fantasy drama, which was based on a novel by Richard Matheson. The movie won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and was also nominated for Best Art Direction.
8 Bicentennial Man (1999)
Columbia/Everett Collection
In Bicentennial Man, Williams plays Andrew, a household robot purchased by the Martin family. It soon becomes clear that Andrew is different from other robots because he can experience emotions, think creatively, and develop his own personality. The story follows Andrew across 200 years as he searches for freedom and works toward his goal of being legally recognized as human. Sam Neill, Embeth Davidtz, Wendy Crewson and Oliver Platt also starred in the film. The film reunited Williams with Mrs. Doubtfire director Chris Columbus and received an Academy Award nomination for makeup.
9 Death to Smoochy (2002)
Everett Collection
Williams showed a very different side in Death to Smoochy. He plays Rainbow Randolph, the corrupt star of a popular children’s television show who loses his job after becoming involved in a bribery scandal. Edward Norton plays Sheldon Mopes, the squeaky-clean performer hired to replace Randolph. Sheldon’s purple rhinoceros character, Smoochy, quickly becomes a hit, sending Randolph on an increasingly unhinged quest for revenge. Danny DeVito directed the dark comedy and also appears alongside Catherine Keener and Jon Stewart.
What other movies would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments!
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Puzzler '80s Comedy Classics
Vol 1, Issue 6
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