The past year was a tough one for Hollywood when it came to saying goodbye to all the great talents who passed away. While pop star Sara Bareilles sang a touching rendition of the Charlie Chaplin classic “Smile,” the Emmy Awards acknowledged James Avery, Maya Angelou, Lauren Bacall, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Casey Kasem, Don Pardo, Harold Ramis, Mickey Rooney, Elaine Stritch, Shirley Temple and many more before ending with a special tribute to Robin Williams from the late actor’s friend Billy Crystal.
“He was the greatest friend you could ever imagine,” Crystal said in the tribute. “It’s very hard to talk about him in the past because he was so present in all of our lives.”
Above, watch the Emmys’ heartfelt tribute, which certainly improves upon the unexpectedly brief 23-second tribute the MTV Video Music Awards threw together last night.
Robin Williams' Life in Pictures
Robin Williams in the 8th grade at Detroit Country Day School in Birmingham, Mich. in 1965.Courtesy Williams FamilyIn the 8th grade, Robin Williams, #15, played on the basketball team at Detroit Country Day School.Seth Poppel—Yearbook LibraryRobin Williams in high school.Courtesy Robin WilliamsWilliams' played the spinach-loving sailor Popeye in its eponymous 1980 film.Paramount/APRobin Williams in September of 1981Steve Ringman—San Francisco Chronicle/CorbisRobin Williams with his mom, Laurie Williams, during the premiere of "Moscow on The Hudson" at Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif in 1984.Ron Galella—Wire Image/Getty ImagesRobin Williams and Christopher Reeve at Silver Friedman's "The Original Improvisation" in New York in 1988.Jim Demetropoulos—Retna Ltd./CorbisRobin Williams, third from right, dressed as a cheerleader on Nov. 12, 1979 with the Broncos' Pony Express cheerleaders during the filming of an episode of "Mork & Mindy," in Denver.APRobin Williams played radio DJ Adrian Cronauer in director Barry Levinson's comedy drama, Good Morning Vietnam in 1987.Touchstone Pictures/APWilliams taught a generation to seize the day, to make their lives extraordinary, as John Keating in Dead Poets Society.Buena Vista PicturesWilliams played a grown up version of Peter Pan in the 1991 family classic Hook.TriStar PicturesWilliams lent his substantial talents to voicing Genie in Disney's 1992 animated film Aladdin.DisneyHousehold chores were no match for Robin Williams as he donned layers of prosthetics to play Mrs. Doubtfire in the 1993 movie of the same name.20th Century FoxWilliams starred as Alan Parrish, a boy stuck inside a board game for twenty-six years in the 1995 film Jumanji.TriStar PicturesStarring opposite a young Matt Damon, Williams played Dr. Sean Maguire, in the 1997 film Good Will Hunting.MiramaxWilliams played a living android in the 1999 film Bicentennial Man.Buena VistaWilliams took on the likeness of Teddy Roosevelt in Ben Stiller's Night at the Museum.20th Century Fox Robin Williams and his family are seen with their dogs on May 2005. From left to right: Kiwi (poodle), son Cody Williams, Robin Williams, daughter Zelda Williams, Marsha Williams and Mizu (poodle)Lacy Atkins—Emily Scott Pottruck/Trails of Devotion
