Robin Williams is one of history's most prolific actors, with a career spanning almost forty years, the winner of 66 awards, and over 100 credited roles across movies and television. He was loved by all internationally not only for his acting but also for his humility and compassion.
As a successful and accomplished actor, Robin Williams brought 100% to each and every role, making it difficult to narrow down his greatest. However, there are movies that remain in the hearts and memories of fans, for their fantastic storylines, as well as the incredible performances by Robin Williams.
8 Genie (Aladdin)
The famed blue Genie from Aladdin brought tons of fun and energy to the movie, all thanks to Williams' phenomenal performance. Disney gave him the chance to flex his acting skills by lending so many different voices to this role that it could have served as a voice acting reel for future auditions.
When street-thief Aladdin finds a golden oil lamp, he unleashes the giant blue Genie who promises him wishes which Aladdin uses to try and better his life, although somewhat selfishly. There is redemption for him in the end though when he gives the Genie what he desired above all else: his freedom. Other actors have since assumed the role, but none quite captured the same magic of Robin Williams' performance, leaving the original Genie as the one that will go down in history.
7 Professor Philip Brainard (Flubber)
Most nineties kids will remember and fondly look back on Flubber, another iconic comedy with Williams' at the helm as Professor Philip Brainard, the man behind the creation of the titular Flubber. Professor Brainard is looking for a way to secure funding to save the college he is employed at from closure, and his solution is to try and create an entirely new energy source, which results in the creation of what one character describes as flying rubber, giving rise to the name Flubber.
With his relationship with his fiancee and college President Sara Jean Reynolds on the line, Brainard does his utmost to ensure that his creation is a success, and, of course, chaos ensues. It's a fun, family-friendly movie that casts Robin Williams as a mad scientist; a role in which he succeeds in every measure.
6 Teddy Roosevelt (Night at the Museum)
One of William's final roles saw him take up the mantle of historical figure Theodore Roosevelt in the family-friendly comedy Night at the Museum. In this movie, freshly recruited security guard Larry Daley gets more than he bargained for when exhibits at the museum start to come to life at night.
With museums known to have dinosaur skeletons and taxidermied animals, the threat to Larry is immediate, and hilarious for viewers to watch. There are also statues of famous historical figures such as Thoedore Roosevelt, who is portrayed by Robin Williams. Mixing together famous quotes and also hilarious lines, Williams brings another level of excellence to this role, doing justice to the real-life figure that he portrays.
5 Alan Parrish (Jumanji)
Standing out as one of Robin Williams' most popular movies, Jumanji casts the lovable funny man as Alan Parrish, who gets trapped within the confines of the titular board game for more than two decades. After twenty-six years, two siblings named Peter and Judy discover the board game and decide to give it a try, releasing jungle animals and a grown-up Alan Parrish.
It is a hilarious movie filled with action and excitement. Williams' portrayal of Alan is perfectly executed, as viewers see him develop from the bearded, almost feral Jungle man to the hero of the story, going above and beyond to protect Judy, Peter, and his childhood sweethear Sarah.
4 Peter Pan (Hook)
Hook tells a creative reimagining of the classic story Peter Pan, following the tale of a grown-up Peter who has long forgotten all about Neverland and its magic. He is a businessman through and through, and viewers see him prioritize work over his family in such a convincing manner that it's hard not to dislike this version of Peter, to begin with.
When Hook kidnaps his children, however, Peter journeys back to Neverland in order to save them with the help of Tinkerbell. His first attempts are pitiful, with Peter trying to buy off Captain Hook with money, but as the movie progresses, so does his character until he's back to the troublesome young boy who promised to never grow up. It is so masterfully done, viewers themselves would believe in the magic of Neverland.
3 John Keating (Dead Poets Society)
Robin Williams is known for more than just his comedic performances, lending his overwhelming talent to titles such as Dead Poets Society. In this movie, he assumes the role of poetry teacher John Keating at an all-boys school, making use of unorthodox teaching methods to make teenage boys excited about poetry, which is no small feat.
His character ultimately succeeds though, and a number of pupils band together to form the titular Dead Poets Society. Williams brings new heights of passion to this role, proving that there is more to his acting talent than just comedy alone. In fact, he made for such a convincing and good tutor that many viewers wished that they could have taken poetry classes from this fictional teacher.
2 Daniel Hillard/Euphegenia Doubtfire (Mrs. Doubtfire)
In Mrs. Doubtfire, Robin Williams' character acts out a double life as Daniel Hillard, and his very convincing disguise, Mrs. Doubtfire. Right off the bat in this movie, viewers see Robin Williams act his heart out as cartoon voice actor Daniel Hillard, who has some creative differences with the director; the first drop of the cascade that would be the downfall of his life.
Faced with the threat of never seeing his two children again. Hillard hatches a nefarious plan when he sees his wife Miranda post an advert for a housekeeper, and puts his impressive range of voices to work to put her off hiring all hopeful candidates bar one: Euphegenia Doubtfire, who seems too good to be true. That's because she is. With heartfelt comedy and a touching story about family at its center, Williams lends this movie his fantastic range of talent.
1 Sean McGuire (Good Will Hunting)
There are some movies that call for a more subtle approach to their characters, as the story itself is more grounded in reality, and the over-the-top acting methods employed for comedies would not be a good fit. One of these movies is Good Will Hunting, in which the titular university janitor Will Hunting proves to be a mathematical savant, and is forced to attend therapy sessions to shake off his attitudes and reach his full potential.
Williams takes on the role of the therapist Sean MacGuire and demonstrates his subtle acting abilities to an impressive level. The manner in which he speaks, moves, and holds himself lends well to the idea of a more grounded and down-to-earth character without making him come across as too bland. In fact, his performance in the movie was so impressive that Williams was awarded an Oscar for his performance.