20 Times Robin Williams Broke People On Set

Robin Williams was the undisputed king of humor, effortlessly entertaining crowds with his sharp, swift comedic insights about life. Whether he was delivering stand-up comedy, voicing characters like the Genie in “Aladdin,” or acting in films as diverse as a British nanny, he consistently had audiences in stitches and yearning for more laughter.

Without a doubt, Robin’s talents were not something his fellow actors could resist. He possessed a unique knack for making even the most stoic and seasoned actors falter and chuckle, particularly when they were portraying serious or emotional scenes. Whether he was playing a president, improvising, or attempting to elicit a smile from Frank Sinatra, here are twenty instances where Robin Williams went off-script and left his co-stars in fits of laughter.

Robin Williams could even get the Chairman of the Board laughing

Prior to becoming the main star of “Mork and Mindy,” Robin Williams honed his skills as an improvisational comedian. He refined his talent at New York’s Julliard school, on the streets as a mime, and later on television as a regular cast member in “The New Laugh-In Show” from 1977. Although this series did not last long, it provided Williams with an opportunity to sharpen his comedic abilities for the global stage, and he even managed to amuse stern Rat Pack leader and music legend Frank Sinatra.

The actor only just began his portrayal of a redneck praising Old Blue Eyes, but Sinatra couldn’t contain his laughter after hearing four words. He continued to chuckle uncontrollably until Williams exited the stage. This small moment showcases the incredible talent Robin Williams possessed — talent that would ultimately produce remarkable work.

A game of improvisation broke John Ritter

Robin Williams was renowned for his improvisation skills, and this was evident on shows such as “Whose Line is it Anyway?” However, he typically kept audience members off stage during improv skits. But when filming his first HBO stand-up special, “Off the Wall,” he broke this rule for a fellow sitcom legend – the late John Ritter.

In their fast-paced exchange, the pair quickly fire off witty remarks, leading to a scene interruption during their improvised act. Ritter playfully grumbles, “I was just savoring some Perrier water and having a good laugh, now I’m up here and I’m soaked!” As they restart the act, Williams flashes a suggestive grin. “Seems like you’re all set then!” he quips. The risqué remark sends Ritter into a fit of laughter, prompting him to flip his cowboy hat, which is part of their improvisation, over his head with his boot.

He never failed to make Pam Dawber laugh on Mork and Mindy

On ‘Mork and Mindy,’ Robin Williams made his initial breakthrough, using the character of Mork from Ork as an outlet for his boundless enthusiasm. Improvising freely, he generated moments of genius that always kept his co-stars on their toes. Pam Dawber, who portrayed Mindy, Mindy, Mindy’s human love interest, frequently found herself in a mental sparring match with Williams, which often left her laughing uncontrollably as she struggled to keep pace.

In the extended goof-up mentioned earlier, you can clearly see Williams making Dawber burst into laughter several times because he stumbles over his lines, comes up with spontaneous actions, and in turn, necessitates numerous retakes. Eventually, Williams has to tell Dawber, “It seems like you’re anticipating something I’ll say!”, all while she is helplessly laughing.

Robin’s salty humor could get him in trouble

In the provided blooper, Robin Williams and Pam Dawber exhibit a similar playful dynamic as seen in a more blue instance. Williams adopts a caveman-like tone and queries, “Why are you laughing at me?” To which Dawber responds, “Because you were about to call him a jerk.” Williams feigns surprise and denies the accusation, claiming he only made her say it. Their banter results in mutual laughter.

In another instance, Williams stands up for himself against accusations from their director. He exclaims, “It wasn’t me!” instead. “She stumbled into the prank trap,” he explains. Later, the director reappears on set, joining Dawber and Williams in laughter. Remarkably, even after being playfully dismissed by Williams, the director strolls onto the set through a prop door, attempting to reconfigure the scene. This incident showcases the lively, unconstrained, and enjoyable atmosphere of the “Mork and Mindy” set, which provided an ideal playground for Williams’ talents.

Mrs. Doubtfire gave him free reign to improvise

In “Mrs. Doubtfire,” Robin Williams showcased his exceptional improvisational skills to the fullest. He appeared to relish developing the character of the nanny and making her feel authentic. The movie offered him ample room for experimentation until he achieved the perfect take. Although several scenes were eliminated from “Mrs. Doubtfire,” one striking demonstration of Williams’ method involves his character, Daniel Hillard, experimenting with multiple disguises, thanks to the makeup supplies provided by his brother Frank (Harvey Fierstein).

In the video shown earlier, Williams portrays the Wicked Witch of the West from “The Wizard of Oz,” inquiring about ruby slippers and referring to Fierstein as Dorothy. Theatre veteran Fierstein appeared to enjoy interacting with Williams’ spontaneous lines, and eventually burst into laughter off-camera when Williams came up with the joke, “I need your assistance; it’s been four weeks since I last used a wand.

He made the unflappable Phil Hartman crack on SNL

Phil Hartman played a crucial role as the consistent, calm force that maintained the cohesion of “Saturday Night Live” during his extended tenure as a performer there. It was unusual for him to lose composure while performing in the show’s sketches. However, when he performed alongside Williams in the “Master Thespian” sketch, Williams successfully made Hartman laugh and even managed to elicit a rare smile from his typically stoic demeanor.

In this scene, I, as a fan of the drama, find myself in the role of director Williams, a rather fastidious and flamboyant figure. My co-star, Hartman, portrays Godfrey, my trusted sidekick. When it comes to delivering the “declaration of war” papers, I instruct Hartman’s character. However, Hartman corrects me – “The armistice papers.” I quickly acknowledge his correction – “You’re right, I apologize for the mistake.” In a more forceful tone, I exclaim, “Oh, forgive me!” before abruptly snapping my fingers and shouting, “Continuity!” My dramatic outburst elicits a chuckle from Hartman, who not only smiles but laughs heartily. Despite his character’s smug demeanor, it’s evident that Williams is the source of his laughter in this moment.

He brought mirth to the Jumanji set

In the initial version of “Jumanji”, Robin Williams portrayed a character who matured from boyhood to manhood within the confined realm of the game. Once back in reality, Alan is struggling to adapt and complete the perilous and potentially lethal game he started as a child. The outtakes from the movie showcase Williams’ carefree nature, with one actress, Bonnie Hunt, frequently laughing due to his antics.

Before we start filming, he asks in an unusual tone, ‘Is this the movie you desire?’ He then returns to his normal self, greets the camera audience, saying ‘Hello to everyone at Sony,’ and playfully adds, ‘Or Sony!’ Hearing this, Hunt can’t help but laugh heartily.

I just farted

One unforgettable goof from the movie “Jumanji” involves Robin Williams and Bonnie Hunt trying to deliver dramatic lines, but instead, a humorous scene unfolds as Williams’ character, Alan, becomes part of the house’s floorboards. In the film, this incident deepens their romantic tension. Meanwhile, in the realm of bloopers, it serves as an opportunity for Robin Williams to make Bonnie Hunt laugh uncontrollably.

In the dialogue, Hunt says, referring to the script, “I thought I heard voices.” Williams responds, “Don’t worry, it was just a harmless gas release.” Hunt laughs. “Shall we repeat that scene?” Williams murmurs playfully. “The part where you let one go?” Hunt inquires, matching her wit.

He cracked up Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting and it stayed in the movie

In the movie “Good Will Hunting”, Robin Williams earned an Oscar for portraying a compassionate yet mourning therapist. Although most parts of the film didn’t provide much opportunity for him to showcase his improvisational skills, there was one scene where Williams allegedly ad-libbed, and this spontaneous act left Matt Damon in stitches.

In this part of the conversation, Sean Maguire (played by Williams) shares an amusing anecdote about his wife getting nervous, which causes her to pass gas. This tale not only brings a genuine smile to Will Hunting’s face (Damon), but also makes the camera operator laugh out loud. Pay attention during your next viewing and you’ll notice that the camera’s field of view slightly shakes as the humor intensifies and Williams delivers his punchline with full force.

During a DVD commentary, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon later acknowledged that Robin Williams’ impromptu lines elicited genuine feelings from Damon. Only an incredibly gifted comedian could manage to make everyone laugh hysterically while seamlessly integrating such a narrative within their character.

It was a gas on the set of Patch Adams

The movie “Patch Adams” is often recognized for its emotional impact, intended to bring tears to viewers’ eyes by dramatizing the life of the actual character, Hunter Doherty “Patch” Adams, albeit in a significantly fictionalized manner. However, behind the camera, Robin Williams demonstrated immense courage and a knack for humor, keeping his fellow actors amused with his antics amidst the heavy scenes of pathos.

In the previous mistake, character Williams, portraying Patch, attends an autopsy alongside other medical students. Monica Potter and Daniel London display unease as the camera zooms in, and to alleviate the tension, Williams pretends to pass gas. “Stop!” London pleads with Williams, who then embraces him, causing everyone else to laugh too. Williams carries on with his joke, messing around with the fake corpse until Potter discovers the fart machine hidden under the autopsy table that Williams had stashed there. He even goes as far as stealing a skeleton and mimicking Sammy Davis Jr., but then quickly gets back to business – all this happening just before the lights above flicker off.

Williams made the whole Death to Smoochy crew crack up

Robin Williams’ knack for dark humor shines in ‘Death to Smoochy’, a film that has evolved into a beloved cult black comedy. In this movie, Williams portrays Rainbow Randolph, a chaotic and envious children’s entertainer.

Randolph’s frenzied enthusiasm mirrors that of Williams, and this exuberance is evident even in the film’s outtakes. He careens down a brick wall with glee, yelling loudly, before getting close to the camera. He exclaims, “Death to Smoochy!”, sticking his tongue out at the lens. This antic behavior leaves the entire crew, as well as himself, in stitches.

Pants-splitting hilarity ensues on the set of A Night at the Museum

In the “Night at the Museum” movie franchise, Robin Williams skillfully portrayed a balanced mix of gracious nobility and lively American charm as Teddy Roosevelt. His interpretation of Roosevelt was also filled with humor, as shown by an outtake from the first film where he accidentally tore his pants while dismounting a horse.

Despite the noticeable tear in the recording’s audio, he maintains composure and continues with the scene alongside Ben Stiller. However, eventually, he has to stop filming due to splitting his pants, which prompts Ben Stiller to burst into laughter.

Robin Williams’ beaver joke broke Ben Stiller

Robin Williams didn’t accidentally amuse his co-stars on set; at times, he deliberately allowed the script to convey the humor. For instance, in the “Night at the Museum” outtake, Teddy Roosevelt clarifies that his bond with Sacagawea (Mizuo Peck) is professional only: “We’re simply two friends who share an affection for beavers.

Ben Stiller catches the double-entendre and skillfully averts his gaze from Williams, uttering part of his next line (“of course”), then moving a few steps further in the scene before bursting into laughter. Later, he turns back towards Williams, who is still chuckling at his own performance.

Cheryl Hines couldn’t stop giggling at Robin’s antics

As a gamer, I’d say “Robin Williams’ role in ‘RV’ didn’t exactly stand out in his later works, mainly because it was just one of those big-budget family comedies that didn’t quite hit the mark and left viewers scratching their heads. However, the movie did produce a hilarious blooper reel where Robin Williams couldn’t stop laughing at our goof-ups on set, and we all had a good chuckle watching him play around.

In the given blooper, Williams amuses Cheryl Hines by acting like a masseur. He jokes, “This is what I call deep acupuncture, a joyful massage, indeed,” as he massages Hines’ muscles, causing her to laugh at his antics.

Ben Stiller can’t hold it together in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

In “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian,” Robin Williams reappears as Teddy Roosevelt, both in his bust form and as the lifelike wax figure familiar to Larry (Ben Stiller). On one occasion, the conversation between Larry and Teddy caused Ben Stiller to laugh so much that it disrupted a filming attempt.

Larry queries Teddy about a comment he made the previous night regarding the key to happiness, causing Stiller to chuckle. Despite himself, Stiller regains his composure and the conversation continues for a bit more, but each time Teddy is asked to reveal the secret of happiness, Stiller erupts in laughter again. In the end, they manage to deliver one of the most heartwarming scenes in the entire “Night at the Museum” series, but their failed attempts along the way are also amusing.

That time Robin Williams got John Travolta to choke on his coffee

Despite receiving harsh criticism upon its release, “Old Dogs” still manages to delight viewers with its blooper reel due to the infectious camaraderie between Robin Williams and John Travolta. These veteran actors effortlessly play off each other, which might be the film’s sole redeeming quality. This dynamic resulted in a blooper reel brimming with amusing exchanges like the one linked above, where Williams elicits laughter from Travolta with a clever quip.

In response, Travolta assertively states, “I’m not under your command!”, followed by a sip of coffee. Williams replies, “That was quite mature,” to which Travolta erupts in laughter, almost spilling his drink in the process. This sets off the entire crew, causing them all to laugh heartily as Travolta loses his composure.

He made Kelly Clarkson cackle in The Crazy Ones

The last television series starring Robin Williams before his passing was titled “The Crazy Ones,” and each episode concluded with a humorous compilation of mistakes or mishaps that took place during the filming of that specific episode, which they referred to as blooper reels.

In the first episode, it falls to Simon (portrayed by Robin Williams) to win over Kelly Clarkson and persuade her to record a catchy tune for McDonald’s. Reportedly, the entire song that Williams and James Wolk (Zach in the series) sang on set was improvised. As they performed, Clarkson struggled to keep her composure before ultimately breaking out in laughter when Williams sang, “You didn’t give me enough ketchup packets” accompanied by an explosion sound. He then exclaimed excitedly, “Money shot, money shot!

He could make Sarah Michelle Gellar laugh in The Crazy Ones too

Sarah Michelle Gellar and Robin Williams effortlessly built a genuine connection while portraying a father-daughter duo in “The Crazy Ones.” Given her role, it was inevitable that she would be drawn into Williams’ knack for improvising and delivering spontaneous humor.

In the video, Williams jokes, “With the right shoes, Dorothy can certainly travel a great distance.” Gellar struggles to hide her laughter from the start, and when Williams starts mimicking Glinda the Good Witch, she finds it particularly hard to keep a straight face. He adds, “We stuffed every metaphor we could find into everything we do.” Later on, he jokingly asks, “How long can we keep this joke going? Until the end of time!

Gellar keeps laughing uncontrollably while the camera moves elsewhere, and it must be said that Williams’ mischievous behavior certainly isn’t making it any easier for her to suppress her laughter.

The camera switches away from Gellar, who is still chuckling, and Williams’ playful antics are not helping her hold back her giggles at all.

You look pretty!

Williams had a knack for making his co-stars laugh with his humorous antics, and this time, donning Sarah Michelle Gellar while mimicking a hairdresser did the job. “You’re looking good,” he compliments, fiddling with Gellar’s appearance. She tries to downplay it but he persists, “Trust me, you are, you look amazing! Don’t deny it, you’re stunning. In truth, you’re a stunner.” Gellar chuckles. “You’re looking good, you’re looking good!” he repeats.

Instead of getting her next line out, she takes a deep breath and becomes serious. “I will do this,” she promises. However, as soon as she looks at him, she can’t help but laugh. Williams’ natural behavior only intensifies her laughter, leading to a wave of giggles that the director eventually has to interrupt due to its overwhelming magnitude.

His fondness for Pam Dawber still shone through years after Mork and Mindy

It seems appropriate to conclude this compilation of bloopers by returning to the beginning, as Pam Dawber and Robin Williams, years after “Mork and Mindy” finished, continue to make each other laugh.

The event under discussion is quite straightforward – it was simply Williams failing to knock before Dawber opened the door, which brought about the same hearty laughter in her as it did back in the 1970s. This moment carries a particular significance because Dawber is now the sole surviving main cast member from “Mork and Mindy” who outlived Williams.

2025-07-17 13:32