Stand-ups on screen

Robin Williams

On the stage… Coffee spiked with Ritalin and injected with adrenaline: That was the Willaims mindset as he ran loose on stage with his mind on overdrive. Forget punch lines; Williams pummeled audiences into a giddy state of euphoria, and his free-wheeling ad-libbing became is so prevalent that his show would often change night-to-night.

On the big screen… The spinoff success of “Mork & Mindy” led to numerous hit HBO specials, and finally his breakthrough: 1987’s “Good Morning, Vietnam” [pictured], which earned him an Oscar nomination (he’d ultimately win one for “Good Will Hunting”). Williams’ bankable track record included blockbusters (“Mrs. Doubtfire,” “The Birdcage”) and family films (“Aladdin,” “Jumanji”) but lately all that energy hasn’t been able to find the right outlet.