Robin Williams Net Worth

As perhaps one of the most well-known comedic actors on the planet, Robin Williams utilized his talents on the big screen to put a smile on everyone’s faces. But despite his renown as a comedy performer, Williams made waves with more dramatic roles, too. He was a multifaceted talent that, sadly, we all will sorely miss. But let us explore his lasting legacy, starting with Robin Williams’ net worth!

Robin Williams’ Net Worth

As an actor and comedian, Robin Williams brought a lot of monetary value to any studio or performance he worked on. At the time of his death in 2014, Robin Williams net worth sat comfortably at around $50 million.

As a lead actor, Robin Williams’ films have grossed an estimated $3.7 billion at box offices worldwide. After inflation, that’s around $6 billion.

Sadly, in his later days, Robin Williams dealt with severe debt and was near to filing bankruptcy, all due to multiple divorces over his lifetime.

He was quoted saying, “Divorce is expensive. I used to joke they were going to call it ‘all the money,’ but they changed it to ‘alimony.’ It’s ripping your heart out through your wallet.”

Who Was Robin Williams

Born July 21st, 1951, in Chicago, Illinois, Robin Williams grew up in a wealthy family. His father, Robert Williams, was a senior executive at Lincoln-Mercury Motors, and his mother, Lauren Williams, was a retired model hailing from New Orleans.

As a child, Williams found himself quite shy. He hardly spoke to other children, though he finally burst from his shell in high school and was performing on stage in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Upon moving to California, Williams attended Redwood High School in Larkspur, then attended college at the College of Marin in Kentfield. He enrolled in Julliard School in New York City upon graduating from Kentfield.

Here, at Julliard, professors urged Williams to forego dramatic roles in favor of standup comedy. They felt he had a gift with one-liners and his erratic behavior on stage.

His first role in Hollywood was that of the alien “Mork” in Happy Days. His appearance was such a hit nationwide that executive producer Garry Marshall created a spin-off based around Robin Williams’ character. That series, Mork & Mindy, ran for 94 episodes, in which Robin earned $35,000 per episode.

Shortly after this television series, Williams landed a role on the big screen. He featured in the live-action version of Popeye, followed by The World According to Garp. The following 30 years saw Williams tackle role after role, some comedic and some dramatic, with box office hits released regularly.

Robin Williams’ Highest Performing Films

Some would claim that Robin Williams never made a bad film. It’s an argument worth noting, especially considering the influence and success his films drew from all ages.

At the time of his passing, Robin Williams; top films included:

• Night at the Museum ($579 Million)
• Aladdin ($504 Million)
• Mrs. Doubtfire ($441 Million)
• Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian ($402 Million)
• Happy Feet ($385 Million)

Depending on how old you are, chances are you grew up watching one or more of Robin Williams’ movies on the regular. Mrs. Doubtfire became a household staple for some families. And many of today’s youths grew up watching Robin Williams and Ben Stiller’s antics in Night at the Museum.

Robin Williams’ Lasting Legacy to His Children

Across multiple marriages during his lifetime, Robin Williams fathered three children: Zachary, Zelda, and Cody. Many will recognize Zelda Williams, named after Princess Zelda from The Legend of Zelda. She followed in her father’s footsteps to become an actor, starring in roles including Teen Wolf and The Legend of Korra.

In any case, Robin Williams cared deeply for his children and set up trust funds for all three. Each child would receive 1/3 of the total share at age 21, half of the remaining amount at 25, then the total share at 30.

Speaking on his untimely passing, Zelda Williams said:

“Dad was, is and always will be one of the kindest, most generous, gentlest souls I’ve ever known, and while there are few things I know for certain right now, one of them is that not just my world, but the entire world is forever a little darker, less colorful and less full of laughter in his absence. We’ll just have to work twice as hard to fill it back up again.”

All three children made a statement regarding their father’s passing, expressing how much the man meant to them above all else.

A Look at the Actor’s Bay Area Property

As part of his legacy left to his children, Robin Williams bestowed his Bay Area house to his children. Due to a legal dispute between the three children and Robin’s ex-wife, that home became something of a battleground.

As a result, in 2020, the former actor’s home sold under the asking price. The house was put on the market at $7.25 million. It sold for $5.35 million, though.

The new owner, upon purchase, was treated to a contemporary Mediterranean home with six bedrooms and six-and-a-half bathrooms. The main living room featured an open floor plan, with the kitchen and dining room connected and an impressive view of the ocean through floor-to-ceiling windows.

Interesting Facts About Robin Williams

Now that we know more about Robin Williams’ net worth and the legend of his acting career let’s explore a few fun facts about him to remember his life better.

• Williams formed a unique bond with Koko the Gorilla at The Gorilla Foundation in Northern California. Koko’s caregivers showed her a Robin Williams film, and she fell in love. The two became friendly, sharing laughter and more. Koko fell into a deep sadness when she learned of Williams’ death.
• In 1974, by happenstance, a photographer captured a picture of two mimes working in Central Park. One of the mimes, oddly enough, was Robin Williams.
• His role as Mork almost never happened! In February of 1978, the producers of Happy Days found another actor to play the role, but the actor quit. Williams came in, revamped the entire part from the ground up, and the rest is history.
• Before his role voice acting Genie in 1992 hit Aladdin, most Hollywood actors avoided voice acting roles altogether. His portrayal led to a renaissance in celebrity voice acting.
• Steven Spielberg found filming Schindler’s List a draining, depressing experience overall. But it was Robin Williams who called him each week to make him laugh and smile, to keep his spirits up during the whole ordeal.

There we have it! A look at Robin Williams’ net worth, his film successes, and a glimpse into his extraordinary life!

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