Robin Williams, an opinion, what finally took his life, but...

US Weekly magazine/Celebrity News/Sophie Vokes-Dudgeon, 8/18/14. "Rob Schneider blames Parkinson's drugs for Robin William's death, 'One of the side effects is suicide'." 

Remembering Robin (8/11/14)

Rob Schneider * Robin Williams
Funny thing, that's our Rob Schneider

Actor Rob Schneider has blamed his good friend Robin Williams' tragic death on a drug he was taking to combat the early symptoms of Parkinson's Disease. Schneider, 50, who has been friends with the Mrs. Doubtfire star for the past 20 years since they first met on Saturday Night Live, took to Twitter on Thursday, Aug. 14, to talk Parkinson's drugs and the role they played in his pal's death. "Now that we can talk about it. #RobinWilliams was on a drug treating the symptoms of Parkinson's. One of the SIDE-EFFECTS IS SUICIDE!" he wrote.  Read more, includes, tribute slide photos (32), and slide TV and movie role photos (15).

Reference, professional summary -  IMDb/Ray Hamel, "Robin Williams Biography".  "Robin McLaurin Williams was born on July 21, 1951 in Chicago, Illinois, a great-great-grandson of Mississippi Governor and Senator Anselm J. McLaurin. Robin briefly studied political science, before enrolling at Juilliard School to study theatre. After he left Juilliard, he performed in nightclubs where he was discovered for the role of Mork on an episode of  Happy Days (1974) and the subsequent spin-off Mork & Mindy (1978). Williams' wild comic talent involved a great deal of improvisation, following in the footsteps of his idol Jonathan Winters. Williams has also proven to be an effective dramatic actor and received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in Good Will Hunting (1997).

On August 11, 2014, Robin Williams was found dead at his home in Tiburon, California USA, the victim of an apparent suicide, according to the Marin County Sheriff's Department. A 911 call was received at 11:55 AM PST, firefighters and paramedics arrived at his home at 12:00 PM PDT, and he was pronounced dead at 12:07 PM PST."  

Related articles- Contra Costa Times/Tony Hicks, 7/1/2014.  "Robin Williams is in rehab without falling off the wagon." "After working back-to-back projects, Robin is simply taking the opportunity to fine-tune and focus on his continued commitment, of which he remains extremely proud," his rep told People.com. The 62-year-old actor plans to stay for several weeks. Williams is at Hazelden Addiction Treatment Center in Minnesota in a program specifically for maintaining long-term sobriety, according to TMZ. Williams has battled chemical dependency since he shot to fame in the late 1970s on sitcom "Mork and Mindy."

NY Post, Page Six/Lindsey Kupfer, 8/18/14. "Robin Williams: 'Celebrity itself is a drug'." After almost 20 years of sobriety, the 63-year-old star of “The Crazy Ones” checked into rehab in 2006 when he began drinking again.Williams fell off the wagon once again on the set of his CBS show in 2013. He checked in to rehab again in July this year to “fine-tune” his sobriety before taking his own life on Aug. 11." 

Reference - Wikipedia (full biography), "Robin Williams." Facebook, "Robin Williams Entertainer".  Note photographs: Clown nose from Boston University/Howard Gotlieb archival research center;  Rob Schneider and Robin Williams from US Weekly magazine (above article). 

Posted by Kathy Meeh