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Entertainment & Arts

Robin Williams dead: Celebrities react with shock, disbelief, sadness

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“Heartbroken. Thanks chief -- for your friendship and for what you gave the world. Robin had a ton of love in him. He personally did so much for so many people. He made Matt and my dreams come true. What do you owe a guy who does that? Everything. May you find peace my friend.” -- Facebook  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
2/50
“Robin brought so much joy into my life, and I will carry that joy with me forever. He was such a beautiful man. I was lucky to know him, and I will never, ever forget him,” he said in a statement.   (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
3/50

“This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken,” Susan Schneider Williams said after the death of Robin Williams last August.

  (Jason Merritt / Getty Images)
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In a tweet, the actor’s 25-year-old daughter quoted a passage from Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s “The Little Prince” and added, “I love you. I miss you. I’ll try to keep looking up. Z.”  (Michael Buckner / Getty Images)
5/50
“Just like everyone who knew him or worked with him, I am devastated by the loss of Robin Williams. I worked with Robin in ‘Garp,’ the first of his serious rolls. He brought lightness to his serious work and gravity to his comedy, no matter how wild and crazy. He was a genius performer and a kind, generous human being. What a loss,” he said in a statement.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
6/50
“As funny as he was, he was truly one of the all-time greats,” Arnett said on “Conan.” “He was even better as a person. He was fantastic, just the loveliest, sweetest, one of the kindest guys that I’ve ever worked with.”  (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)
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@TheEllenShow: “I can’t believe the news about Robin Williams. He gave so much to so many people. I’m heartbroken.”  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
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@ConanOBrien: “Absolutely stunned to hear the news about Robin Williams. It’s unimaginable to me that we’ve lost such a genuinely funny and sweet man.”  (Ben Margot / Associated Press)
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Facebook: “The world has lost a special soul. Robin Williams touched our hearts, he gave us laughter, he gave us joy, he made us think about the impossible. I’m blessed to have been able to walk inside his universe. He forever changed this world with his presence.”  (Samir Bol / AFP / Getty Images)
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@billprady: “I can’t begin to tell you how much I will miss Robin Williams.”  (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)
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@hwinkler4real: “Robin Williams was like no other ..To watch him create on the spot was a privilege to behold.. Robin you are an angel now !!! REST IN PEACE”  (Jennifer S. Altman / For the Times)
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“I saw him on stage the very first time he auditioned at the Improv in Los Angeles, and we have been friends ever since. It’s a vary sad day,” Leno said in a statement.  (Sebastian Scheiner / AP)
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Williams’ “The Crazy Ones” costar posted a photo collage on Twitter featuring the two of them working on their 2013 comedy, which can be seen here: http://pic.twitter.com/4Pyx4Kfuxe  (Ben Gabbe / Getty Images)
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@jeremypiven: “my father took me to see Robin Willaims do an [improv] set. Never seen anything like it, he was a spirit like no other. Will never forget him”  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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“He was politically aware; he was spiritually intuned. I guess it was too much to fit into one person. The entire town is depressed. We have to appreciate and enjoy the time we have with these people. The body of work that Robin leaves, he will never be gone.”  (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)
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@PamGrier: “Robin Williams, love you for being so wonderful to me and Richard Pryor way back in the day. Richie loved you.”  (Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images)
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@EugeneMirman: “So absolutely, completely heartbreaking. RIP Robin Williams.”  (Mike Lawrie / Getty Images)
18/50
@MarleeMatlin: “NONONONO My friend @robinwilliams has passed? I am sick! He was so helpful early in my career. I have no words. I am heartbroken. #RIP”  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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@JaredLeto: “Thank you to the beautifully original + brave artist that is #RobinWilliams. You taught us how to stand on the edge, fearless, + shine.”  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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@AlbertBrooks: “Shocked by the news of Robin Williams passing. Rest in peace my friend”   (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)
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@EricIdle: “I can’t believe my lovely friend is gone. My heart goes out to his wife and his beloved children. He brought us so much joy and laughter.”  (Dave J Hogan / Getty Images)
22/50
@TheRealMarilu: “I am in shock.I had never seen him happier & more positive in all the yrs I’ve known him. There’s no one like him. Robin Williams RIP”  (Jim Cooper / Associated Press)
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@cher: “GOOOOD MORNING VIET NAM AWAKENINGS. MRS DOUBTFIRE, GOOD WILL HUNTING, BIRDCAGE, DEAD POETS SOCIETY, GARP!My Faves Couldn’t feel our [love] 4Him”  (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
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@MaraWritesStuff: “Very sad, very upset, very glad I did not have to hear about this though Twitter. Probably going to be taking some time off it for a while.”  (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)
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@SteveMartinToGo: “I could not be more stunned by the loss of Robin Williams, mensch, great talent, acting partner, genuine soul.”  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
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@khloekardashian: “Heart broken!!! #RIP Robin Williams!! Praying for your family on such a sad day. You’ve given so much joy to so many. Devastating we lost u”  (Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images)
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@eddieizzard: “Robin Williams has died and I am very sad. From every comedian here at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, we salute him & we say goodbye”  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
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@jimmykimmel: “Robin was as sweet a man as he was funny. If you’re sad, please tell someone.”  (Richard Shotwell / Invision / AP)
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@helloross: “Shocked & saddened by the loss of Robin Williams. I met him twice & he was such a gentleman & a genius http://instagram.com/p/rk3kz_RRUH/”  (Gabriel Olsen / Getty Images for GLAAD)
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Statement by the president: “Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between. But he was one of a kind. He arrived in our lives as an alien - but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit.”  (Nicholas Kamm / AFP/Getty Images)
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@bobsaget: “His heart was as big as his genius. So sad. Rest in Peace Robin Williams.”  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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@ZacharyLevi: “My thoughts & prayers are with Robin Williams family & friends. He inspired so much of who I am and what I do. I will miss him greatly.”  (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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@MorganSpurlock: “Crushed to hear about Robin Williams ... He was a hero #devastated”  (Dave Kotinsky / Getty Images)
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@SteveCarell: “Robin Williams made the world a little bit better. RIP.”  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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@edgarwright: “Wish Robin could have seen that the world loved him. The fact that people quote from so many different shows, films, stand up says it all.”  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
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@kelly_clarkson: “Devastating finding out about @robinwilliams today. He was an amazing talent and incredibly sweet. So sad.”  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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@OzzyOsbourne: “Such a tragic loss. I will always have amazing memories of @RobinWilliams. Respect and love goes out to his family.”  (Herbert P. Oczeret / EPA)
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@neiltyson: “Mork from Ork: Rare evidence that aliens can be smart, clever, articulate & funny. Robin Williams, RIP”  (Stan Honda / AFP / Getty Images)
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@AnnaKendrick47: “O Captain! My Captain! Rise up and hear the bells. Rise up, for you the flag is flung, for you the bugle trills.”  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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@oliviamunn: “So unbelievably sad to hear about Robin Williams passing. He gave so much to the world. I hope he’s in peace now. RIP”  (Evan Agostini / Invision / AP)
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Statement: “His was truly one of the most brilliant and singular performances in the history of animation. ‘Aladdin’ would not be the classic movie it is without his brilliance.”  (Chris Pizzello / Associated Press)
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@UncleRUSH: “RIP Robin Williams, one of the greatest. Deeply saddened by this news... “  (Brian Ach / Getty Images for Art For Life Gala)
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@DaveSFoley: “So sad about Robin Williams. Met him several times over many years. He was always gracious and kind. So damn sad.”  (Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images for Disney)
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Statement: “I will never forget the day I met him and he stood on his head in my office chair and pretended to drink a glass of water using his finger like a straw.”  (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)
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@JeriLRyan: “WOW. Just heard about Robin Williams. So, so sad. If you’re hurting, please, PLEASE get help.”  (Barry Brecheisen / Invision / AP)
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@RealLucyLawless: “I thought I couldn’t feel sadder than when I heard #PhillipSeymourHoffman died. Now suddenly, I do. #RobinWilliams Hollywood Bereft.”  (Jason Kempin / Getty Images for EJAF)
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@morgfair: “How can Robin Williams be gone? 1 of the kindest men & biggest talents ever! Working on Mork & Mindy was 1 of the highlights of my life!”  (Mark Davis / Getty Images)
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@NicholasSparks: “Today is a very sad day. We have lost a true icon. RIP Robin Williams.”  (Vallery Jean / Getty Images)
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“Robin and I were great friends, suffering from the same little-known disease: depression. I never could have expected this ending to his life, and to ours with him. God bless him and God bless us all for his LIFE!” Chase said in a statement.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
50/50
“So sad to think about this. Hard to speak. Hard to say. Hard to take. All I can think about is what a joy he was to be with. I’m devastated. I’m sending my love to his family and everyone who loved him. My heart is broken by this news,” he said in a statement.  (Imeh Akpanudosen / Getty Images)
By Christie D’Zurilla
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News of Robin Williams' death was received with shock and sadness Monday on social media, with real-world fans and Hollywood celebrities alike expressing surprise and grief over the comic's passing.

"I could not be more stunned by the loss of Robin Williams, mensch, great talent, acting partner, genuine soul," tweeted Steve Martin, whose comedy albums won Grammy Awards in the two years before Williams' breakout "Reality ... What a Concept" LP took the statue in 1980.

"I am in shock," said Marilu Henner, who — like his "Mork & Mindy" costar Pam Dawber — had recently worked with Williams on the TV series "The Crazy Ones." "I had never seen him happier & more positive in all the yrs I've known him."

Comedian Dane Cook found himself "in utter disbelief," while "Supernatural" actor Misha Collins was more reflective: "Breaks my heart that someone who brought so much joy could be quietly suffering so much pain."

Henry Winkler, who starred as the Fonz on "Happy Days," where Williams' Mork character came to life, bid his friend adieu with a memory of what it was like to see him work.

"Robin Williams was like no other," Winkler tweeted. "To watch him create on the spot was a privilege to behold.. Robin you are an angel now !!! REST IN PEACE."

See more celebrity reactions below, and in the story gallery above. Make sure to click open the captions.

Follow Christie D'Zurilla on Twitter @theCDZ and Google+. Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter @LATcelebs.

 

Entertainment & Arts
Christie D’Zurilla

Christie D’Zurilla is an assistant editor for entertainment news on the Fast Break team. A graduate of USC, she joined the Los Angeles Times in 2003 as a copy editor, started writing about celebrities in 2009 and has more than 34 years of journalism experience in Southern California.

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