Robin Williams Trivia

1. In which 1990 film did Robin Williams play Malcolm Sayer, a doctor who worked with catatonic patients?

From Quiz Films Featuring Robin Williams

Answer: Awakenings

'Awakenings' told the story of a doctor who trialled a drug called "L-dopa" on his patients with the hope of extracting them from their catatonic state - a condition characterised by a lack of awareness of external stimuli and loss of motor function. Sayer's gamble at first appeared to pay off when his first patient, Leonard Lowe (played by Robert de Niro), regained his awareness of the world around him. However, after securing the necessary funding to extend the trial to his other patients, Sayer discovered that Leonard's condition was deteriorating and he eventually returned to his catatonic state. The film was based on the real-life work of a British neurologist named Oliver Sacks. The incorrect options are all films with comas or catatonia featuring in the plot.

From Quiz Genie, I'm Going to Miss You

Answer: Aladdin

Playing Genie was Robin William's first role as a character for a Disney film. He became a classic Disney character that children loved for his loud announcer voice, funny tactics, and loyalty for friends. Genie's purpose is to be Aladdin's servant and grant him three wishes. However during the time they have together, Genie becomes Aladdin's friend. He has his moments of magic and jokes, but also cares enough to tell Aladdin the truth when he encounters problems with his girlfriend, the princess Jasmine. Genie tells Aladdin he would love to have freedom. As a genie he was given "phenomenal cosmic power, but an itty bitty living space". After Jafar, the evil magician is defeated, Aladdin uses his last wish to set Genie free.

From Quiz Films Featuring Robin Williams

Answer: Alan Parrish

'Jumanji' was first released in 1995 and featured Robin Williams as a man who spent 26 years of his life (and grew to adulthood) while trapped in a board game that proved to be capable of releasing hordes of wild animals and sucking players into its world. Alan found the game (also called 'Jumanji') and played it with his friend Sarah in 1969 - while Alan got sucked into it, Sarah escaped, uninjured but traumatised. It wasn't until two young siblings, Peter and Judy Shepherd, found and started playing the game 26 years later that Alan had a chance to escape. He then, with the help of Peter and Judy, had to track down his old friend as the game could only be finished once all of its original players were present. The incorrect options are all other characters that appear in the film.

From Quiz Genie, I'm Going to Miss You

Answer: Hook

Years passed from his days in Neverland and the story picked up where the fairy tale left off. Peter gave up his eternal youth to become a husband and a lawyer. He struggles to please his family but always comes up short. Then his life is interrupted by magic. Hook kidnaps his children and Peter must return to Neverland to face his nemesis. While battling Hook, Peter has to regain the trust of his children and promises that he will be a better father.

From Quiz The Film History of Robin Williams II

Answer: Aladdin

Robin Williams plays 'Genie' in this classic tale of a street kid who falls in love with a princess, and uses a magic lamp that he finds in order to gain her affections. Robin Williams does dozens of impressions in this movie, including ones of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ed Sullivan, Groucho Marx and Carol Channing.

From Quiz Films Featuring Robin Williams

Answer: Mrs. Doubtfire

'Mrs. Doubtfire' (1993) proved to be one of Robin Williams' most successful films, earning him a Golden Globe award for Best Actor. This was despite the rather odd premise of his character, Daniel Hillard, dressing up as a woman and taking a job as his ex-wife's housekeeper in order to maintain contact with his children after his divorce from their mother. Although he charmed both his former wife, Miranda (played by Sally Field), and the children, he couldn't keep the charade up forever and his secret double-identity was eventually discovered by first his children (in a hilarious bathroom scene), then by an outraged Miranda and finally by the family court judge who reacted by cutting his access to his children to the bare minimum. However, eventually all was resolved and the character of "Mrs. Doubtfire" subsequently revived his acting career. The incorrect options are all films about characters with child care responsibilities.

From Quiz The Film History of Robin Williams II

Answer: Daniel Hillard

Mrs. Doubtfire's full name is Mrs. Euphegenia Doubtfire. Robin Williams based Mrs. Doubtfire's Scottish accent on that of Bill Forsyth, the two having worked together on 'Being Human'. In the movie, Daniel Hillard is a father who loses his rights to visit his children. In order to get closer to them, he dons the garb of an elderly Scottish woman and comes to work as their nanny.

From Quiz Films Featuring Robin Williams

Answer: Matt Damon

'Good Will Hunting' starred Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Robin Williams, Minnie Driver and Stellan Skarsgård, but it was Damon who played the title role. The film, which was first released in 1997, was directed by Gus Van Sant. It told the story of a genius janitor named Will Hunting who worked in a university, but had the intelligence to solve a series of difficult mathematical problems set out by a Professor Lambeau (Skarsgård). When Lambeau discovered that it was the janitor rather than one of his students who solved the problems, he enlisted a therapist (Williams) to help Hunting overcome issues related to the abuse he had suffered as a child and pursue a relationship with an English girl named Skylar (Driver). Ben Affleck, who co-wrote the film with Matt Damon, played one of Hunting's friends. 'Good Will Hunting' netted Williams an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

From Quiz The Film History of Robin Williams II

Answer: Nine Months

Although I am not a fan of Hugh Grant, and certainly not a fan of 'Nine Months', I will tune into this film if it's on television just to see the Robin Williams' parts. Robin is especially funny when he, as a doctor, passes out at the sight of an epidural syringe. 'Nine Months' is the story of a man who learns that his girlfriend has become pregnant. Together they must come to grips with the fact that they are expectant parents.

From Quiz The Film History of Robin Williams I

Answer: Vladimir Ivanoff

Interestingly, Yakov Smirnoff (who is actually Ukrainian) does appear in this film, but only in a minor role as Lev. In the film, Robin Williams plays a Russian saxophone player who defects in Bloomingdales (of all places). Again, another cheesy role...but Robin will make you laugh and cry here.

From Quiz Films Featuring Robin Williams

Answer: A teacher

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Robin Williams portrayed an English teacher in 'Dead Poets Society'. His character took an unorthodox approach to the teaching of poetry, allowing his students greater freedom to read and understand the works rather than assessing them in a formulaic manner. The eponymous society was a poetry club to which Keating belonged when he was a student and which his own students recreated in his honour. Sadly though, things went horribly wrong when one of the students committed suicide and the headteacher blamed Keating. Williams was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his role in the film, but lost out to Daniel Day-Lewis (who won for 'My Left Foot').

From Quiz The Film History of Robin Williams I

Answer: Good Morning, Vietnam

Robin Williams received his first Oscar nomination for his performance as Adrian Cronauer, a radio DJ who brings joy to American soldiers during the terrifying situation in late 1960s Vietnam. Again, Robin combined his unique talent for spontaneous comedy with a sense of dramatic humanity here, which is no doubt why the Academy decided to honor him with a nomination. Incidentally, the film was very loosely based on a real DJ in Vietnam named Adrian Cronauer.

From Quiz Films Featuring Robin Williams

Answer: John Irving

John Irving wrote both the original novel on which 'The World According to Garp' was based and the screenplay for the film. He is also known for his other major works 'The Cider House Rules', 'A Prayer for Owen Meany' and 'A Widow for One Year'. In 'The World According to Garp', Robin Williams played the title role of Garp - the son of a feminist named Jenny who raped a brain-damaged soldier in order to become pregnant and have a child without having to deal with the presence of a father in his life. Mother and son proved to have vastly different interests but both became published authors. However, their difficult relationship was cut short when Jenny was assassinated at a political rally and the film ended with Garp also being shot by someone outraged by his literary work.

From Quiz The Film History of Robin Williams II

Answer: Goldman

Robin Williams generously allows Nathan Lane to steal the show in this film. Robin was originally cast as Albert, the more flamboyant half of the loving lead couple, but decided that he wanted to play the more reserved Armand Goldman. Lane is perfect as Albert, and Williams provides good supporting acting here.

From Quiz Films Featuring Robin Williams

Answer: The Fisher King

The 1991 film 'The Fisher King' told the story of homeless man named Parry (Williams) who believed he could find the Holy Grail and that the Fisher King was guarding it on God's orders. Parry saved a suicidal former DJ, Jack Lucas (Jeff Bridges), from an attack by a group of thugs and in return Lucas attempted to help him in his delusional quest. However, Lucas also sought to discover Parry's real identity and help him to overcome his tragic past by finding love and happiness again. The film was directed by Terry Gilliam and earned Williams a Best Actor Oscar nomination. The incorrect options are all other films based on Arthurian legends.

From Quiz The Film History of Robin Williams I

Answer: John Keating

Robin's portrayal of John Keating in 'Dead Poets Society' garnered him his second Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Though he did not win the award, it was clear that Mr. Williams would henceforth be regarded as both a master funnyman and a serious actor by his peers. John Keating's favorite phrase in the film is 'Carpe Diem', which is interesting since Robin had previously appeared in the 1986 film 'Seize the Day'.

From Quiz Films Featuring Robin Williams

Answer: Peter Pan

In 'Hook', the infamous "boy who couldn't grow up" had done just that - but, in the process, had lost all memories of his life as Peter Pan in the fantastic world of Neverland. As a result, Robin Williams first appears as the character of Peter Banning, a San Francisco-based lawyer with a wife and two children. However, it turned out that his wife was the granddaughter of Wendy Darling and that he was her old friend Peter Pan. He was then forced to face his past when his children were kidnapped by Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman) and he had to return to Neverland to rescue them with the help of Tinker Bell the fairy. Tootles (Arthur Malet) was one of Neverland's original "Lost Boys" and Mr. Smee (Bob Hoskins) was Captain Hook's bosun.

From Quiz Genie, I'm Going to Miss You

Answer: Old Dogs

Due to a dilemma, Dan Rayburn (Robin Williams) finds himself with the unexpected surprise of watching his twins while his ex-wife is away. The ordeal is a surprise because he has not even seen his wife or been aware he is a father for seven years. He seeks help from his co-worker and business partner Charlie Reed. Inexperienced, mishap after mishap occurs during the same time Dan and Charlie are attempting to secure the business deal of their lifetime. During the experience, Dan realizes how much he loves his kids and tries to restore his former marriage and be their father.

From Quiz The Film History of Robin Williams II

Answer: Hunter

Hunter 'Patch' Adams is a real life person, and once served as a medical advisor for the television series 'M*A*S*H'. He is an acquaintance of Mike Farrell (BJ Hunnicut), one of the producers of this film. The movie is based on a book by Adams entitled 'Gesundheit: Good Health Is a Laughing Matter'.

From Quiz The Film History of Robin Williams I

Answer: Awakenings

In the film 'Awakenings' Robin plays a doctor named Dr. Malcolm Sayer who develops a drug that allows, for a brief time, a number of catatonic encephalitis victims to experience life once again. The film is based on the real life experience of Dr. Oliver Sacks and his patients in the early 1970s.

From Quiz Films Featuring Robin Williams

Answer: Aladdin

The story of Aladdin and the Genie who appeared to him from a magic lamp is much older than the Disney version of it, as it is an ancient Arabic folk tale that appeared in the collection known in English as the 'Arabian Nights'. In the film, a young urchin named Aladdin was granted three wishes by a Genie; took on a new identity as a prince in the hope of marrying the beautiful Princess Jasmine, and went for a ride with her on a magic flying carpet. Aladdin also had to battle against the evil Jafar, free the Genie from life in his lamp and eventually admit to Jasmine that he was not the high-born prince that he pretended to be. Luckily for all involved there was a happy ending and the film ended with Aladdin and Jasmine becoming engaged. The incorrect options were all other Disney films released during the 1990s.

From Quiz Genie, I'm Going to Miss You

Answer: Mrs. Doubtfire

Recently divorced and banned from seeing his children, Daniel Hillard (Robin Williams) gets an idea when he hears his ex-wife is hiring a nanny to watch his children. With his multi-voice talent, Daniel calls his ex-wife, posing as multiple disturbing applicants for the job. Then he calls again as a pleasant sweet lady named Mrs. Doubtfire. After being hired, he dons his disguise as a nanny and becomes an inseparable part of his children's family. "Mrs. Doubtfire" became one of Robin William's classics and one of his most talented roles for both acting and voice acting. Bonus Fact: The Mrs. Doubtfire disguise took over four hours to apply on the set.

From Quiz The Film History of Robin Williams II

Answer: One Hour Photo

Also appearing in this underrated thriller are Connie Nielson, Eriq La Salle and Gary Cole. Mark Romanek directed Robin Williams in this spooky but excellent film.

From Quiz Films Featuring Robin Williams

Answer: La Cage aux Folles

'The Birdcage' utilises different character names and a different setting to 'La Cage aux Folles' (which is a French and Italian language film set in Saint-Tropez) but ostensibly tells the same story. Robin Williams played Armand Goldman, a gay man who lived in Florida with his stereotypically outrageous and effeminate partner. His son from a previous relationship wanted to introduce him to his fiancée's parents, but they turned out to be an ultraconservative Senator and his wife. The film then followed the highly comedic plots that Armand and his partner dreamt up to hide their true lifestyle. 'La Cage aux Folles' was based on a play of the same name by Jean Poiret. The incorrect options are all other films for which Édouard Molinaro is credited as a director.

From Quiz Starring Robin Williams As...

Answer: 'Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest

Williams is the voice of a bat name Batty Coda.

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Last Updated Apr 13 2024 5:47 AM

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