August 12, 2014 2:49 PM EDT
L egendary actor and comedian Robin Williams was found dead in his home in Marin County, Calif. on Monday, Aug. 11. Police confirmed Williams’ death as a suicide on Tuesday afternoon.
A veteran of screen and stage, Williams’ career spanned decades, from stand-up to sitcoms to Academy accolades and Oscar wins. A comic genius with a dark side, he inspired generations of performers with his spastic slapstick and gut-wrenching sincerity.
His status as a major Hollywood actor landed him in front of many photographers, who have as many memories of their time with him as they have images to match them. To mark his tragic and untimely passing, and honor his influential career, TIME LightBox presents a selection of photographs accompanied by the recollections of the photographers who made them. Together, they tell the story of a kind and complicated man.
Krystal Grow is a contributor to TIME LightBox. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @kgreyscale
Photographed by Nigel Parry in New York City in 2007
"A whirlwind. That's the only way to describe the privilege of having photographed Robin many times. It's a whirlwind of energy, words, laughter, and characters. You were never sure what prop or article of clothing, he would grab and play with it. Always ingenious, witty, intelligent and kind. It was always a joy and surprising delight. That is how I will always remember him." Photograph by Nigel Parry—CPI, Cover ©TIME Photographed by Dan Winters in 2002
"It was 2002, around the time that he stared in the film One Hour. Mark Romanek had directed it and he played a guy who worked at a one-hour photo shop who was obsessed with one of his women customers. It was a serious role and a real departure for him - he played kind of a sociopath. The photographs are trying to reflect that a little bit. It's not that I was trying to present him as a sociopath but that they were not the typical Robin Williams fare of jokes and over the top humor and comedy. The thing I remember the most about the shoot is that he had a natural disposition to get big and be big and it was a challenge to bring him back in, to an internal state rather then external. He's a physical comedian. The funny story is that he shot a film in 1980s at my high school in California. He came to our Drama class and talked about acting - he didn't lecture us, it was a dialogue and it was the most wonderful, gentle moment because it was so human. I brought that up when he showed up to our shoot years later. He instantly remembered it. That was a really cool full-circle experience." Dan Winters Photographed by Duane Michals in 1979
"He showed up for the shoot with his assistant and this huge trunk full of props, which we had no idea he was bringing. He was very quiet and soft spoken at first, but once he got going with the props it was non-stop. Of course, a lot of people heard I was shooting him so there were a lot more people on the set than normal, but he was such a performer he really seemed to feed off them. When we were wrapping up the shoot we took some photos together, which was really special for me, very personal. I don't think I remember ever having that kind of connection with anyone else I've shot." Duane Michals Photographed by Jeff Bridges on the set of the film The Fisher King in 1991
"My heart is broken. I love Robin so. My heart goes out to his family. He is a treasure chest of creativity and generosity of spirit to us all. Words fail to express...I leave you with this picture." Jeff Bridges Photographed by Mary Ellen Mark in San Francisco in 1998
"It was an honor, as well as a great pleasure to photograph Robin Williams. From the moment we started working he was in constant motion and effortlessly inventing a never ending stream of wonderful ideas. At the end of the shoot I was exhausted and he was still firing on all cylinders as if nothing had happened." Mary Ellen Mark Photographed by Bryce Duffy for Esquire in 2002
"He was a truly funny man and a comedic talent of epic proportions and I was honored to have the chance to photograph him for Esquire Magazine in 2002. When I met him - his frenetic energy was contagious but I was searching for a way to connect with him on a more personal level and capture a side of him that he didn't present to the public very often." Bryce Duffy Photographed by Martin Schoeller for The New Yorker in 2002
"I was hired by the New Yorker in 2002 to photograph Robin Williams, and after doing my research what stood out most for me was that he was a very physical comedian. I came up with this idea to photograph him swinging from a chandelier in a grand hotel room. Most publicists shoot down these kinds of wild ideas, so I didn't tell anyone what I was up to, but rigged up a chandelier at the Waldorf Astoria hotel for him to swing from. When Robin got there and saw what was happening, he lifted up his shirt and showed me this enormous scar on his shoulder. He'd just had surgery and couldn't so much as lift his arm. He was so disappointed! He really felt bad about not being able to do it, because he loved the idea and really wanted to help me accomplish my vision. Unlike most Hollywood stars, he was unfazed by his success and position. He talked to everyone from stylists to the crew, to the hotel staff. We ended up asking a maid at the hotel to swing from the chandelier instead, and I asked him to just sit there and read a newspaper, which I think in the end was an even funnier, more unexpected picture." Martin Schoeller—August Photographed by Gavin Bond for British GQ in 2012
"All photographers, I believe, have a few special people that they want to shoot for personal reasons and more. Robin for me, was one of those people. He didn't let me down, the experience of shooting him for British GQ was one of the most memorable in my career so far. He showed up alone, no publicist in tow and was kind, charming and of course, incredibly funny to the point that I struggled to keep quiet as my sides where splitting with laughter. It was a day I will always remember and certainly a man that I will never forget." Gavin Bond—Corbis Outline Photographed by Mark Romanek on the set of the film One Hour Photo in 2002
"Recording the narration for One Hour Photo was an intense and intimate experience. It was just the two of us in a room all day. Robin was super meticulous and serious about his work, but I remember laughing for hours until my stomach hurt. It was like being locked in a small cage with a man-eating comedy tiger. What a brilliant, kind and utterly magical human being he was. I was so blessed to have known him." Mark Romanek Photographed by Peter Hapak for TIME Magazine in 2011
"Robin went through many emotional stages through the shoot; acting those out made him relaxed; it was a great experience to witness that!" Peter Hapak for TIME Photographed by Art Streiber for Rolling Stone Magazine in 2008
"His personality and performance quotient grew and magnified depending on how many people were around. There were times during that shoot where it was just him and I and he was very soft spoken and subdued, but when there were six or eight people around, he was the lightening rod- he became the center of attention, but not in an egomaniacal way, more like he was meeting expectations. I remember being on that shoot and wanting to sort of go loose with it, so we were backstage in this very barren green room, telling each other jokes. And this probably sounds extremely self-serving, but I told him a joke and he bent over laughing. That was the photo. To the end of my days I will try and remember what that joke was, but he laughed, and it felt genuine." Art Streiber—August More Must-Reads from TIME Where Trump 2.0 Will Differ From 1.0 How Elon Musk Became a Kingmaker The Power—And Limits—of Peer Support The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024 Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024 Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision 
