Grief and homage for Robin Williams, comic genius who hanged himself aged 63
An outpouring of grief and homage greeted word that Oscar-winning actor and comedian Robin Williams had taken his own life after a battle with depression.
An outpouring of grief and homage greeted the news that Oscar-winning actor and comedian Robin Williams had taken his own life after a battle with depression.
Struggling with depression, Williams tried to cut his wrist and hanged himself with a belt in a bedroom of his San Francisco Bay Area home, officials said on Tuesday.
The 63-year-old known for his high-energy, rapid-fire improvisation and clowning was one of the most beloved entertainers of his time. One publication called him the funniest man alive.
US President Barack Obama led tributes to an entertainer he described as "one of a kind", while Hollywood titan Steven Spielberg, a close friend, hailed Williams as a "lightning storm of comic genius".
Williams - the star of films such as Good Will Hunting, Good Morning Vietnam and Mrs Doubtfire - was found dead at his home in Tiburon, just north of San Francisco, California, just before noon on Monday, police said. He was last seen alive at his home on Sunday night.
A statement from the Marin County Sheriff's Department said Williams' death appeared to be "suicide due to asphyxia". An autopsy was scheduled, followed by further toxicology testing.
