Considered by some to be the best comedian of all time, Robin Williams was born in Chicago in 1951 and went on to make many people laugh. He performed standup comedy and provided his acting talents to many movies.

Williams began his standup comedy career in 1976 at comedy clubs in Los Angeles, California. At The Comedy Store, he caught the attention of famed late night TV host David Letterman. Letterman recalled Williams’ improvisational skills and described them as a “hurricane.”

In addition to a successful career in standup comedy, Williams acted in many iconic films. These included “Good Will Hunting,” “Dead Poets Society,” “Night at the Museum,” and many others. He also played an iconic role in Disney’s “Aladdin,” where he provided the voice for Genie. Williams’ standup comedy and improvisational skills were on full display in that movie, as he was said to have improvised the majority of his lines.

Williams gave philanthropically and was active in several charities. Illinois was lucky to have called this real life genie one of its own.

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