Marin County Sheriff's Office Assistant Chief Deputy Coroner Lt. Keith Boyd is defending himself and his office's decision to release graphic details about the death of Robin Williams.

"The Sheriff's Office understands how the release of the kind of information you heard yesterday may be viewed as disturbing by some, and as unnecessary by others," Boyd said in a statement on Wednesday, Aug. 13, to NBC Bay Area. "But under California law, all that information is considered 'public information,' and we are precluded from denying access to it."

On Tuesday, after the untimely death of the late Williams on Monday, Aug. 11, the Marin County Sheriff's Office coroner held a press conference to give a statement on the star's passing and how it happened. 

Extensive information on Williams' suicide, including how he hanged himself in his home and how he was found, was made public, to much public outcry. 

"Frankly, it would have been our personal preference to withhold a lot of what we disclosed to the press yesterday, but the California Public Records Act does not give us that kind of latitude," Boyd continued in the statement to NBC. "These kinds of cases, whether they garner national attention or not, are very difficult for everyone involved."

Williams' passing has been met with extensive grieving from fans, family, and friends alike, around the globe. The late Oscar winner has been remembered not just for his celebrated career, but for his kind heart and warm spirit. 

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SEE ALSO: Robin Williams' Rep Says This Wasn't About Money Troubles

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Robin Williams' widow, Susan Schneider, just revealed that the beloved late actor was in the early stages of Parkinson's disease.

"Robin's sobriety was intact," says Schneider, adding that "he was brave as he struggled with his own battles of depression, anxiety as well as early stages of Parkinson's Disease, which he was not yet ready to share publicly."

The 63-year-old actor was found dead in his California home Monday after committing suicide. Parkinson's Disease, which affects nearly one million people in the U.S., is a chronic and progressive movement disorder with symptoms that worsen over time.

Read Schneider's full statement below (via The Wrap):

“Robin spent so much of his life helping others. Whether he was entertaining millions on stage, film or television, our troops on the frontlines, or comforting a sick child — Robin wanted us to laugh and to feel less afraid.

Since his passing, all of us who loved Robin have found some solace in the tremendous outpouring of affection and admiration for him from the millions of people whose lives he touched. His greatest legacy, besides his three children, is the joy and happiness he offered to others, particularly to those fighting personal battles.

Robin's sobriety was intact and he was brave as he struggled with his own battles of depression, anxiety as well as early stages of Parkinson's Disease, which he was not yet ready to share publicly.

It is our hope in the wake of Robin's tragic passing, that others will find the strength to seek the care and support they need to treat whatever battles they are facing so they may feel less afraid.”

The Parkinson's Disease Foundation notes that the cause of the disease "is unknown, and although there is presently no cure, there are treatment options such as medication and surgery to manage its symptoms." 

Actor Michael J. Fox has publicly battled Parkinson's disease since being diagnosed in 1992.

Williams won an Oscar in 1998 for his role in "Good Will Hunting" and was known for his comedies like "Mrs. Doubtfire" as well as dramas such as "The Dead Poet's Society."

He rose to fame on ABC's "Mork and Mindy" in the 1970s and most recently appeared on the ill-fated CBS sitcom, "The Crazy Ones."

SEE ALSO: Michael J. Fox 'Stunned' By Robin Williams' Parkinson's Diagnosis

MORE: Robin Williams' Ex-Wife And 3 Children Release Heartbreaking Statements

AND: Ben Affleck And Matt Damon 'Owe Everything' To 'Good Will Hunting' Co-Star Robin Williams

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On Friday, Robin Williams' widow, Susan Schneider, revealed that the late actor had been suffering from the early stages of Parkinson's disease — a chronic and progressive movement disorder with symptoms that worsen over time.

While Schneider said "he was not yet ready to share publicly" the news of his disease, actor Michael J. Fox has been very public with his Parkinson's, which he learned he had in 1991.

Following Thursday's revelation about Williams' health, Fox tweeted to his nearly 1.2 million followers:

Stunned to learn Robin had PD. Pretty sure his support for our Fdn predated his diagnosis. A true friend; I wish him peace.

— Michael J. Fox (@realmikefox) August 14, 2014

Longtime pals, Fox also tweeted after news of Williams' death on Monday:

Famously kind, ferociously funny, a genius and a gentle soul. What a loss. #RobinWilliams

— Michael J. Fox (@realmikefox) August 12, 2014

Last year, Fox — who has become the de facto face of Parkinson's — even played a character who suffered from the disease on the short-lived NBC sitcom, “The Michael J. Fox Show."

Parkinson's Disease affects nearly one million people in the U.S.

The Parkinson's Disease Foundation notes that the cause of the disease "is unknown, and although there is presently no cure, there are treatment options such as medication and surgery to manage its symptoms." 

In Williams' wife's statement on Thursday, she said: "It is our hope in the wake of Robin's tragic passing, that others will find the strength to seek the care and support they need to treat whatever battles they are facing so they may feel less afraid."

SEE ALSO: Robin Williams Had Parkinson's Disease, His Wife Reveals

MORE: Hollywood Reacts To The Death Of Robin Williams

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Robin Williams found it "very difficult" to watch his "senses being stripped away" by Parkinson’s disease, a close friend told The Telegraph.

The Hollywood star was in the early stages of the condition at the time of his death, his wife revealed in a statement on Thursday, saying she had tried to support him as he struggled with the diagnosis on top of his depression and anxiety.

Williams, who had fought a life-long battle with depression, had hidden his recent news from many who knew him but confided in a neighbor and friend of over a decade.

The Oscar-winning actor and comedian was said to have been worried that the progressive neurological disorder would have an impact on his film and TV work, the income from which was helping support his family.

His friend said Williams had “envisioned how Parkinson's would limit his ability to work and that was terrifying."

It is thought the entertainer agreed to star in a number of films, including "Mrs. Doubtfire 2" and a sequel to "Night at the Museum," in his final months, to complete as many projects as he could before his symptoms became too noticeable.

His friend said the actor was terrified of his own mortality and that after the shock of his open heart surgery in 2009, it was "very difficult" to watch his “senses and abilities being stripped away from him.”

Early Parkinson's symptoms often include feeling tired and weak, as well as poor hand co-ordination, problems with handwriting, and a sensation of tremors in the arm.

The two friends would often go on bike rides together around their hometown of Tiburon, north of San Francisco, but the trips had become less and less frequent in recent months.

“Robin loved to cycle and staying fit and active,” the friend, who last saw him three weeks ago, said. “However, the fear of losing control of one's body, and not being able to exercise — which is a major mood elevator for lots of athletes — was frightening to him.

“Parkinson's definitely compounded his worries and the depths of depression,” the friend said. “Imagine holding a stack of pennies. At some point you simply can't hold the weight of one additional penny placed in your hand.”

Parkinson's disease is an incurable nervous system disorder that involves a loss of brain cells controlling movement.

It can cause tremors, rigid, halting walking, slowed speech, and sometimes dementia. Symptoms worsen over time, though they can often be treated with drugs.

Depression is often present even in early stages and can sometimes precede tremors that help doctors make the diagnosis, according to experts.

Actor Michael J Fox, who has long had the disease and is known for his efforts to fund research into it, tweeted that he was stunned to learn Williams had early symptoms.

"Stunned to learn Robin had PD. Pretty sure his support for our Fdn predated his diagnosis. A true friend; I wish him peace," Fox tweeted.

Williams' wife, Susan, said in her statement: “Robin's sobriety was intact and he was brave as he struggled with his own battles of depression, anxiety as well as early stages of Parkinson’s Disease, which he was not yet ready to share publicly.

“It is our hope in the wake of Robin’s tragic passing, that others will find the strength to seek the care and support they need to treat whatever battles they are facing so they may feel less afraid.”

• Readers who wish to seek information and/or support on suicide prevention can call 08457 90 90 90, or visit the Samaritans website.

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In the wake of her father's death on Monday, Zelda Williams found herself being targeted by trolls who were harassing her with Photoshopped images of her deceased dad. 

Robin Williams was found dead of apparent suicide. While messages of love and support poured out across the world, Zelda's Twitter account was almost immediately spammed with anonymous accounts posting gruesome images, forcing the 25-year-old to post a statement to her account saying she would be leaving Twitter and other forms of social media to grieve privately. 

I'm sorry. I should've risen above. Deleting this from my devices for a good long time, maybe forever. Time will tell. Goodbye.

— Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) August 13, 2014

Now, Twitter says it is changing its policy about harassment. In a statement to The Wrap, a spokesperson said:

We will not tolerate abuse of this nature on Twitter. We have suspended a number of accounts related to this issue for violating our rules and we are in the process of evaluating how we can further improve our policies to better handle tragic situations like this one. This includes expanding our policies regarding self-harm and private information, and improving support for family members of deceased users.

The change is welcome from many members of the Twitter community, who have found themselves the target of harassment and cyberbullying and found limited support from Twitter's moderators.

NOW WATCH: Your Mac Is In For A Huge Overhaul — Here's What It Will Look Like

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Mara Wilson, who played Robin Williams' youngest daughter in 1993's "Mrs. Doubtfire," was deeply saddened after hearing about her former co-star's unexpected death on Monday.

After news broke of the actor's passing, Wilson — now a 27-year-old writer and prolific tweeter — posted her reaction to her 129,000 followers: "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."

Three days later, Wilson expressed her thoughts a bit further on Thursday in a new blog post. 

Wilson, who also starred in "Matilda" and "A Simple Wish," said losing Williams made her feel "shocked, confused angry, regretful, and above all, sad."

She goes on to say, "He was as warm and talented as everyone says, and a joy to be around. It's as if my favorite teacher died."

Read Mara's full blog post below:

SEE ALSO: Ben Affleck And Matt Damon 'Owe Everything' To 'Good Will Hunting' Co-Star Robin Williams

MORE: Robin Williams' Ex-Wife And 3 Children Release Heartbreaking Statements

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Robin Williams passed away Monday at the age of 63, leaving behind a long legacy of comedy and film. 

While we remember his performances in Oscar-winning film "Good Will Hunting" and Oscar-nominated "Dead Poet's Society," audiences will have a few more chances to see Williams on screen. 

The actor had a total of four movies in post production. The majority of them will be released later this year.

1. "Merry Friggin' Christmas"
Release date: November 7

The holiday picture stars Robin Williams and Joel McHale as an estranged father and son. When McHale's character Boyd Mitchler forgets his son's Christmas presents at home, the duo road trip together to retrieve them.

2. "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb"

Release date: December 19
Williams will reprise his role as the 26th President of the United States, Teddy Roosevelt, alongside Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson as the group try and figure out what's wrong with the magical tablet that brings all of the museum characters to life at night.

3. "Absolutely Anything"
Release Date: 2015

The sci-fi comedy follows Simon Pegg and Kate Beckinsale after a teacher is bestowed with magical powers by a group of aliens. Williams voices an animated dog named Dennis. 

Earlier this year, director Terry Jones ("Monty Python and the Holy Grail") told Empire Magazine he believes Dennis is "going to steal the show."

4. "Boulevard"

Nolan Mack (Williams) runs into a young man (Roberto Aguire) on his drive home from work one day which results in a life-altering epiphany. The film first premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year but has yet to receive a wide release.

Williams was also set to star in an unspecified sequel to 1993 comedy "Mrs. Doubtfire." Variety reports the movie will most likely be shelved; however, no final decision has yet been made on the film.

SEE ALSO: 10 of Robin Williams' best moments on screen

MORE: The 'Mrs. Doubtfire' Sequel Is Most Likely Cancelled

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Since Robin Williams' death last Monday, many are recalling his most memorable roles in Oscar-nominated films "Good Will Hunting" and "Dead Poets Society" along with Disney's "Aladdin." 

While plenty of Robin's most well-known comedy bits, movie scenes, and inspirational speeches have been making the rounds, many of his wonderful performances seem to have fallen by the wayside.

Williams was an incredibly versatile actor whose on-screen presence always elevated the material no matter how small or large the role.

Here are five examples of Robin's lesser-known films in which his performance stood out.

5. "Deconstructing Harry" (1997)

Robin may have been on-screen for only a couple of minutes, but his cameo in Woody Allen's "Deconstructing Harry" as a man who is permanently "out of focus" is so delightfully silly that it may be the most memorable scene in the film.

4. "One Hour Photo" (2002)

Mark Romanek's unsettling debut feature stars Williams in what has to be the darkest, creepiest, and least comedic role of his career. Williams plays a pharmacy photo lab clerk who becomes obsessed with a family whose photos he has been developing for years, and his performance totally anchors what is essentially a one-man show. "One Hour Photo" is a bleak character study of a disturbed person, and while that fact may now hit too close to home, it doesn't take away from his extraordinary performance.

3. "Ferngully: The Last Rainforest" (1992)

Everyone seems to remember Williams as the genie in Disney's "Aladdin," but he also voiced a role in the cult favorite animated film "Ferngully: The Last Rainforest." Much like "Aladdin," Williams acts as the film's comic relief, this time playing a witty, rapping fruit bat named Batty. The environmentally conscious, kid-friendly film has since become a classic, and many claim it inspired James Cameron's "Avatar," though Cameron himself would disagree.

2. "Death to Smoochy" (2002)

This 2002 box-office bomb gets a bad wrap — it's actually a gleefully twisted satire that just may have been a little too over the top for its own good. The film (directed by Danny DeVito) cost a reported $50 million to produce and barely managed to gross $8 million during its entire theatrical run. Williams plays a publicly disgraced children's TV show host named Rainbow Randolph who gets replaced by a Barney-esque character named Smoochy (played by Edward Norton). As the title indicates, Rainbow Randolph doesn't take this career change lightly. The film may be crass and mean-spirited, but so many talented and funny people are involved that it manages to remain engaging and fun. 

1. "World's Greatest Dad" (2009)

Robin Williams' performance in Bobcat Goldthwait's "World's Greatest Dad" is easily one of the best performances of his career. The underseen film suffered from a very limited release (during its widest theatrical release it was playing on just 30 screens) but has since found a second life thanks to home video and streaming services.  

This film in particular will be quite difficult to revisit now, as suicide is a major theme, but the overall message will only be more relevant and profound. Williams plays the father of a child who can be described only as "the absolute worst." After the boy accidentally kills himself, his father stages the scene as if it were a suicide and pens a fake suicide note that winds up making him universally loved posthumously. I won't spoil anything, but the rest of the film depicts how Williams handles his son's newfound status and deals with the fallout.

Goldthwait strikes the perfect balance between "dark" and "heartfelt" here, and Williams' performance is absolutely outstanding. While a dark comedy may not seem like the best recommendation, the film has its heart in the right place and will only be more affecting and powerful given the recent news of Williams' passing. 

SEE ALSO: Norm Macdonald Tweets Amazing Robin Williams Story

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Nintendo has responded to the near 100,000 fans who have signed the Change.org petition trying to get Robin Williams’ name into the next Legend of Zelda game.

Polygon reports that it has gotten an official response from the big N in regards to the fans rallying to get Robin Williams included in some form in the next Legend of Zelda game, which is coming to Wii U. Williams was a big fan of video games, naming his firstborn daughter “Zelda” because of his love of the 1986 classic NES title. As of now, the petition is just a few hundred signatures short of 100,000. The petition begs Nintendo to name a non-playable character in the next Legend of Zelda title “Robin” to pay tribute to the game-loving actor. Zelda Williams, now 25 years old, previously worked with Nintendo with her father, starring in a few promotional videos.

“Robin Williams was loved at Nintendo.” a Nintendo representative told Polygon. “Our hearts go out to his entire family and especially to Zelda Williams, who we’ve worked with multiple times.

“We appreciate the outpouring of support from the gaming community and hear the request of fans to honor him in a future game. We will not be discussing what might be possible for future games during this difficult time, but we will hold our memories of Robin close.”

We recently reported that Blizzard is planning to memorialize Robin Williams in World of Warcraft, as Williams was an avid player of the MMORPG.

SEE ALSO: 5 Underrated Roles Where Robin Williams Stole The Spotlight

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Known for her roles in "Matilda" and as Susan in "Miracle On 34th Street," and, maybe most notably over the last week, Robin Williams' 5-year-old daughter Natalie in "Mrs. Doubtfire," Mara Wilson took to her blog yesterday to openly grieve the death of her co-star and friend who died on August 11 after committing suicide.

Wilson, now 27, remained far from social media since learning of Williams' death last week, but wrote a wonderful and quite lengthy tribute on her blog, describing him in the way his fans have come to know him: hilarious, kind, versatile in talent. 

The post is chock-full of memories and anecdotes about Wilson's relationship with Williams, like the time she ran into him in Washington Square Park — she, a student, while he was filming a movie — but she also described a Williams the public may not have seen:

Robin was so on so much of the time that I was surprised to hear my mother describe him as “shy.” “When he talks to you,” she told her friends, “he’ll be looking down at his shoes the whole time.” I figured he must have been different with grown-ups. I wouldn’t see that side of him myself until a few years later, when I was invited to be part of a table read of What Dreams May Come. He came alive in the reading, and had us all laughing at lunch, but my strongest impression came when we saw each other for the first time that day. Robin crossed to me from across the room, got down to my level, and whispered “Hi, how are you?” He asked how my family was doing, how school was, never raising his voice and only sometimes making eye contact. He seemed so vulnerable. “So this is what Mom meant,” I thought. It was as if I was seeing him for the first time. He was a person now.

Wilson writes her regret of scoffing at the idea of a sequel to Mrs. Doubtfire:

I had thought maybe the next time I saw Robin I would explain myself to him, let him know that I had loved working with him but didn’t feel like we could do it again, and that being in major studio films again meant a level of scrutiny I didn’t think I could deal with. I wanted to apologize and know he understood. It hurts to know I can’t.

You can read Wilson's full blog post here. She ends her tribute with a memory — one of the best lines she had in Mrs. Doubtfire.

SEE ALSO: Robin Williams' 'Mrs. Doubtfire' co-star tweets about losing her friend

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Paradise Drive twists around the Tiburon Peninsula, hugging the Marin coastline. It loops from San Francisco to Sausalito, giving way to views of the city, the Richmond Bridge and the surrounding mountains, crushing in their beauty. It leads inland, shedding tourists en route to Mill Valley, San Rafael, San Anselmo and Fairfax, quaint villages in the tony county where mountain biking was born. Robin Williams rode Paradise Drive into these towns.

Williams' ties to cycling, to Marin County and to San Francisco ran deep. On Monday, news of his suicide engulfed the Northern California enclaves that view him as a celebrated son. His renown as the best his generation had to offer as a comedian and actor looms so large it's disingenuous to pretend he was anything else. Yet the way he wove in and out of everyday life here allowed him safe passage as a neighbor.

"Of course everyone knew him for his celebrity," says Felicia Burgess, a barista at Marin Coffee Roasters in San Anselmo, where he would stop for a coffee after riding from his home in Tiburon. Two customers within earshot then share stories of meeting Williams — on his bike — as she continues. "But around here, he was known as an avid cyclist, well-mannered and a really nice guy. Marin County is known for cycling. People always saw him on his bike."

Williams made his passion clear in a 2013 Reddit AMA: "My favorite thing to do is ride a bicycle. I ride road bikes. And for me, it's mobile meditation." Wander into any local bicycle shop and people know the comedian. Walk into Mike's Bikes in San Rafael and talk to the assistant sales manager, Erik Lindquist, who waited on the actor as a 15-year-old server during the Mork & Mindy era, then continued to commune with him via cycling. Lindquist last saw Williams on the Fourth of July at a private party on Sonoma Mountain, where Williams also loved to ride.

One of the world's funniest men rode through these small towns on customized ultra-light bikes, his infamous body hair contrasting with the shaved legs of other serious road cyclists, giving away his identity. According to Quoc Phan at Tam Bikes in Mill Valley, Williams' reps made him stop mountain biking as a safety precaution — though road biking is often considered more dangerous. So Williams would bike through these towns, completing an informal loop of bike shops, coffee houses and book stores.

Fellow cyclist Johnny Knowles recalls introducing the comic to his young daughter. Williams, remembering the family had a house in Greece, greeted her in Greek. Afterward, she announced she didn't believe it was really him. The comedian, about to jump on his bike, "unzips his sports jersey like a mad flasher," recalls Knowles, "sticks his chest out and yells, 'I am Robin Williams! Who else could have this much chest hair?!' "

Brad McKenzie knew Williams from his regular visits to 3 Ring Cycles in San Anselmo. "He did a Happy Feet routine with my kids here. It was pretty awesome because we had this little show that he did on his own, with just our family here in the shop," he says.

In the fraternity of local bike retailers, Williams was appreciated as a patron and, at times, a savior. When an iconic San Francisco bike store was up for sale 10 years ago, the actor was approached to back a bid that would keep the shop in the hands of its managers. He quietly offered $200,000, but the bid ultimately fizzled. Years ago, when A Bicycle Odyssey in Sausalito was crippled by an embezzling employee, owner Tony Tam faced tough times. The actor wrote him a check for $10,000 as a "down payment for bikes" when Tam refused his offer for help.

But it was the regular outings, where he would come in and shop for parts and gear for customized bikes, like a $12,000 Bianchi, that the small retailers appreciated. Given his collection at one point hovered around 100 bikes (many of which he auctioned off for charity), it was no small act.

"He would come in and special-order parts and then come back and pick them up. He could have shopped online or sent an assistant, but he always came in himself and waited in line, just like anybody else," says George Travin, a bike mechanic at Tam Bikes. "He always picked up in the store to support the business. Very humble, quiet. He's just a nice guy."

The staff at The Depot Bookstore & Cafe down the street echoed the sentiment. "There's a Barnes & Noble nearby, but he came here to shop for his daughter's birthday card and asked us which one we liked," a clerk tells me. Williams had coffee with an elder statesman of comedy, Mort Sahl, at the Depot on Sunday, less than 24 hours before he died.

For the last 10 years, Williams biked to the Throckmorton Theatre in Mill Valley for Tuesday Night Comedy With Mark Pitta & Friends. "He sort of created his own little safe haven to come and work on his new material," says the theater's marketing director, Julian Kaelon. Afterward, Williams would dine with Sahl down the street at Vasco. This past Tuesday, the show was canceled for the first time. The theater remained dark as fans dropped off flowers and cards and wrote messages in memoriam.

Almost a decade ago, Knowles, who currently works at Tam Bikes, knew Williams as a customer at Sunshine Bicycle Center in Fairfax. Knowles' father had cancer, and he bought him Lance Armstrong's book, It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life.

Knowing that Williams and Armstrong were friends, Knowles asked Williams to get the book autographed by the Tour de France champion. Williams delivered the signed book two weeks later, having added his own line, "Dearest Jack, Don't get caught in a hot tub with a bunch of naked men."

Then Williams asked, "Where does your father live?" Learning his was just a few blocks from the store, the comic offered, "Let's go see him and say hello." Sadly, Knowles' father was in San Francisco getting chemotherapy but loved to tell the story of how Robin Williams came to visit.

"He made us feel like we were lucky enough to be his friend," says Knowles. "That's what I think is so upsetting to people — that this guy we thought was so happy and funny and brought so much joy to our lives was so depressed himself."

Williams won't bike on Paradise Drive anymore, or stop in at Odyssey or Mike's or Tam's or 3 Rings or Above Category. He won't buy any more gear, order any more coffee, swap notes over any more books. But between all of these stops between San Francisco and Sonoma and Marin, Robin Williams rides on.

Email: Soo.Youn@THR.com
Twitter: @lalasoo

SEE ALSO: Robin Williams Had Parkinson's Disease, His Wife Reveals

MORE: Robin Williams Still Has 4 New Movies Coming Out — Here's What They Are

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The Emmy Awards take center stage Monday with "Breaking Bad", "True Detective" and "Orange is the New Black" among the favorites of TV's 66th annual version of the Oscars.

But this year's ceremony will be overshadowed by the apparent August 11 suicide of Hollywood great Robin Williams that rocked the entertainment world.

With emotions still raw, his friend and fellow actor-comedian Billy Crystal will pay tribute to the Oscar winner during the "in memoriam" part of the primetime program.

Last year, Williams -- who himself received two Emmys in the 1980s -- honored the memory of comedian and former "Mork and Mindy" sitcom colleague Jonathan Winters during the same segment.

But despite the underlying sadness, the Emmys -- to be hosted by comedian Seth Meyers -- still promise to serve up a fair amount of laughs and suspense.

Cult crime series "Breaking Bad" -- which won best drama last year -- is once again among the top contenders for the coveted title although dismayed fans saw it end almost a year ago after five seasons.

Bryan Cranston, who played the cancer-stricken teacher-turned-drugs kingpin Walter White in the blockbuster series, is nominated in the lead actor category, a top prize snagged in 2013 by Jeff Daniels of "The Newsroom" who is his competitor again this time around.

"Breaking Bad" is also up for statuettes in the best supporting drama actress and actor categories.

Another hot commodity is HBO crime drama "True Detective" that scored competing lead actor nominations for its co-stars Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey, a police duo who hunt for a serial killer in Louisiana.

It, too, is in the running for best drama series. 

But Netflix's breakthrough women's prison show "Orange is the New Black" is also very much on the radar, vying for the best comedy series crown against long-running series "The Big Bang Theory", "Louie", "Modern Family" and "Veep", as well as HBO newcomer "Silicon Valley".

Taylor Schilling from "Orange is the New Black" and Julia Louis-Dreyfus from "Veep" are among those facing off for lead actress in a comedy. 

The race for lead drama actress, meanwhile, pits last year's laureate Claire Danes from "Homeland" against Michelle Dockery from "Downton Abbey", Lizzy Caplan from "Masters of Sex", Julianna Margulies from "The Good Wife"" Kerry Washington from "Scandal" and Robin Wright from "House of Cards". 

- 'Game of Thrones' a big player -

 Not to be forgotten is HBO's grisly royal feud saga "Game of Thrones", which picked up the most nominations this year -- 19 in all -- including for best drama series.

Based on George R.R. Martin's best-selling novels about power struggles between dueling clans in seven mythical kingdoms, it has been renewed for a fifth and sixth season.   

Overall, HBO heads into the ceremony with a winning 99 nods, compared to 31 for online streaming giant Netflix.

"Fargo", an offshoot of the quirky 1996 Coen brothers' movie, heads into the ceremony with nominations in an impressive 18 categories, with Billy Bob Thornton a contestant for lead actor in a miniseries. 

But there were some notable snubs when the nominations were announced in July, including CBS's widely-acclaimed "The Good Wife" in the best drama race, which aside from "Breaking Bad", "Game of Thrones" and "True Detective", also features "Mad Men", "Downton Abbey" and Netflix's "House of Cards". 

The Emmys -- to be presented at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles -- kick off at 5:00 pm (0000 GMT Tuesday).

Joining Meyers on stage will be a slew of celebrities, including fellow comedians Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon. 

Others slated to make an appearance include the actresses Halle Berry, Debra Messing and Lucy Liu, as well as singer Gwen Stefani and nominees Cranston and Harrelson.

SEE ALSO: Why This Year's Emmys Will Air On A Monday Night For The First Time In Nearly 40 Years

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Robin Williams loved cycling. He rode all the time. He traveled to see the Tour de France in person. When asked how many bikes he had he said "too many to count,"according to CNN.

A few weeks before Williams' death on Aug. 11, he donated a beloved custom-made bike to help raise money for charity. It went for $20,000 on Saturday night, and the funds will go to a San Francisco Bay Area education charity called 10,000 Degrees, PageSix reports.

This is the bike:

As The Hollywood Reporter's Soo Youn wrote, "Williams made his passion clear in a 2013 Reddit AMA: 'My favorite thing to do is ride a bicycle. I ride road bikes. And for me, it's mobile meditation.'" He told a friend at his local bike shop that cycling saved his life.

Williams' collection was said to have 100 bikes, but he donated many of them.

The bike auctioned off Saturday was made by cult builder Dario Pegoretti, who's something of a god in world of custom bicycles.

When Williams met the fashionable Italian for the first time Pegoretti was suffering from lymphoma, The Wall Street Journal's Jason Gay reported. Pegoretti said Williams gave him strength and left him with "beautiful memories."

In the video below, Pegoretti demonstrates his frame-painting technique. You can see why anyone would love to ride a Pegoretti.

In a 2013 "Daily Show" episode, Jon Stewart told Williams he looked amazing, and Williams replied: "I've just been riding my bike. It's been pretty sweet." 

The world will remember Williams as a great comedian and actor. Cyclists will also remember him as one of their own.

Williams told The Journal that cycling was the closest you could get to flying.

Watch this moving clip from ABC:

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Monday night's Emmy Awards In Memoriam segment started with a live rendition of "Smile," performed by Sara Bareilles.

While Peter O'Toole, Lauren Bacall, James Garner, Maya Angelou, and many others were all honored, the segment ended with Robin Williams, who died earlier this month.

Williams' longtime friend Billy Crystal eulogized the late actor, saying: "He made us laugh hard, every time you saw him... I spent many hours on stage with Robin and the brilliance was astounding. His relentless energy was thrilling. I used to think if I could just put a saddle on him and stay on for eight seconds I would do okay."

Crystal then told a funny story about going to a baseball game with Williams:

Robin, Whoopi, and I were once in Shea Stadium, in the broadcast booth with the great Tim McCarver. It was comic-relief day for the New York Mets. Robin knew nothing about baseball. I asked him, "What's your favorite team?" And he said, 'The San Franciscoes.' So he was a little lost in the conversation, so I got an idea and I said, "You know, Tim, we have a great Russian baseball player with us." I looked over, his eyes got all bright, his ears perked up like he was a little dog that was inside all day and the master came and said, "Hey, you want to go for a walk?" So I said, "What's baseball like in Russia?" Without missing a beat, he said, "Well, we've only got one team: the Reds." Well, the next pitch, the batter fouled one off and it came screaming back at us, we ducked down, it slammed against the wall. Robin turned around and bounced it into his hands, and then he stood up and screamed, "I love America. I'm going to defect." 

"He could be funny anywhere," Crystal continued. "We were such great friends that he would come to all of our family functions, weddings, Bar Mitzvahs... and he would sit with my older, immigrant relatives like he was just one of the guys. And he would tell them about his journey from his little shtetl in Poland to America. One uncle of mine said, 'I came to America after World War II and I hitchhiked.' Robin responded, 'I waited until there was a 747 and a Kosher meal.'"

"As genius as he was on stage, he was the best friend you could ever imagine: supportive, protective, loving," added Crystal, getting emotional. "It's very hard to talk about him in the past because he was so present in all of our lives."

"For almost 40 years, he was the brightest star in the comedy galaxy," said Crystal. "But while some of the brightest of our celestial bodies are actually extinct now, their energy long since cooled, but miraculously, because they float in the heavens so far away from us now, their beautiful light will continue to shine on us forever. And the glow will be so bright, it'll warm your heart, it'll make your eyes glisten, and it'll make you think to yourselves: Robin Williams, what a concept."

Watch the touching tribute below:

Robin Williams and Billy Crystal's bromance goes way back:

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In 1992, Disney's animated feature "Aladdin" raked in a whopping $504 million worldwide.

Part of the film's success was due to Robin Williams' beloved genie character, whom the late actor voiced and improvised so well that Disney decided to make Genie a pivotal role.

Williams ended up recording about 30 hours of written and improvised dialogue for "Aladdin" because, according to a 1993 interview with New York Magazine, he "wanted to leave something wonderful behind for his kids."

So Williams took a hefty pay cut and agreed to be paid $75,000 for his work on the Disney film instead of his usual fee of about $8 million— but there was a catch. Williams did not want his voice used to merchandise products.

"I don't want to sell stuff," Williams later told New York magazine. "It's the one thing I don't do."

"We had a deal,"the actor later said on the "Today Show.""The one thing I said was I will do the voice. I'm doing it basically because I want to be part of this animation tradition. I want something for my children. One deal is, I just don't want to sell anything — as in Burger King, as in toys, as in stuff."

Williams said Disney execs signed off on the deal, "Then all of a sudden, they release an advertisement — one part was the movie, the second part was where they used the movie to sell stuff. Not only did they use my voice, they took a character I did and overdubbed it to sell stuff. That was the one thing I said: 'I don't do that.' That was the one thing where they crossed the line."

Disney initially defended using Williams' voice, saying, "He agreed to the deal, and then when the movie turned out to be a big hit, he didn't like the deal he had made."

But the studio quickly changed its tune and sent the actor an apology in the form of a Pablo Picasso painting estimated at the time to be worth $1 million, according to artnet.

The painting was a self-portrait of the artist as Vincent van Gogh, which apparently really "clashed" with the Williams' wilder home decor.

Williams' friend and fellow actor Eric Idle even suggested Williams go on TV and burn the Picasso live as a form of protest.

Williams told New York mag that his previous "Mork & Mindy" merchandising was different because, "the image is theirs. But the voice, that's me; I gave them myself. When it happened, I said, 'You know I don't do that.' And they [Disney] apologized; they said it was done by other people.

"You realize now when you work for Disney why the mouse has only four fingers — because he can't pick up a check," he joked to the magazine.

Ultimately, Disney and Williams made up, later making a third "Aladdin" sequel (he sat the second one out), 1996's "Jack," and "Bicentennial Man" in 1999.

When Williams died this August, Disney sent a final peace offering:

SEE ALSO: Disney Has Been Hiding A Secret Message In Its Movies For Years

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Very few of us get the opportunity to script our own farewell. David Chase and Vince Gilligan did it with their own brilliant television programs. Stephen Colbert did it last night. And the late, great Robin Williams pulls it off beautifully with Night At The Museum: Secret of the Tomb, which you can start seeing today. 

This column will talk openly about Night at the Museum, so bail now if you want to avoid all spoilers.

Mike Reyes mentioned in his review of the third and final Night At The Museum chapter, commenting that director Shawn Levy and co-stars Robin Williams and Ben Stiller "end the film with an emotional finale that closes out the series in a bittersweet manner." Williams returns to his role of the wax-figure Teddy Roosevelt, who comes to life each evening to help museum security guard Larry (Stiller) on a series of increasingly wacky adventures. 

This time out, though, fate truly intervened. From the time it was announced, this third installment in the popular (and financially successful) Night at the Museum series always was going to be its last. And while the door sort of is left open for a spinoff franchise structured around a new sidekick character – no spoilers – you get the impression while watching the goofy but sweet Secret of the Tomb that everyone involved was working toward closure. Ben Stiller’s character, Larry, gets tender sendoffs from each major character, from Owen Wilson’s finger-sized cowboy to the monkey who slapped his face throughout the trilogy. 

Then he gets to Robin Williams’ Teddy Roosevelt, and their goodbye takes on new meaning. 

It’s not overdone. You get the impression that the scripted farewell shared between Stiller and Williams is exactly what director Shawn Levy planned. Maybe he ended up using more of the footage in his arsenal, in order to check off all of the emotional beats on the scene. But the unexpected passing of Robin Williams earlier this year gives this sequence – and this entire sequel – a warm, comforting and melodramatic tinge that will create more than a few lumps in the throats of fans. 

Night At The Museum: Secret of the Tomb isn’t Robin Williams’ last role. Not technically. He’ll lend his voice to Absolutely Anything, which is due in theaters in 2015. But this is the last time that we will see the brilliant, gifted and hysterical comedian on screen. And the way that the fates converged, he is given an incredibly touching send off, a cinematic farewell that fans of all ages will appreciate this holiday season, and beyond.

SEE ALSO: Robin Williams Still Has 4 New Movies Coming Out

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Being depressed is like having a terrible headache, says one Atlanta businessman.

Except that a few days of rest do not stop the pain: "You're just expected to keep going."

Trying to "man up", he sought little help for his condition, choosing to hide it instead. "It all gets so debilitating that you don't want to go on," he explains.

He tried to kill himself more than once; fortunately, his attempts came to nothing.

But the same cannot be said for a growing share of Americans. The suicide rate has risen from 11 per 100,000 people in 2005 to 13 seven years later. In the time it takes you to read this article, six Americans will try to kill themselves; in another ten minutes one will succeed.

Over 40,000 Americans took their own lives in 2012 — more than died in car crashes — says the American Association of Suicidology. Mondays in May see the most incidents.

The rates are highest in Wyoming and Montana, perhaps because guns — which are more effective than pills — are so common there (see chart). Nationally, guns are used in half of all successful suicides.

What drives people to self-destruction? Those who suffer from depression are, unsurprisingly, most at risk. The suicide rate also rises when times are hard. During the Depression it jumped to a record 19 per 100,000.

It grew after the recent financial crisis too. "Even just uncertainty over employment" makes people worry a lot, notes Yeats Conwell, a psychiatrist at the University of Rochester Medical Centre.

The over-75s have historically been most likely to kill themselves, especially if they are lonely or ill. But now it is the middle-aged who are most at risk. In 2012 the suicide rate for Americans aged 45-54 was 20 per 100,000 — the highest rate of any age group.

For those aged 55-64 it was 18; for the over-65s it was 15. The middle years can be stressful, because that is when people realise that their youthful ambitions will never be fulfilled.

Women make nearly four times as many suicide attempts as men, but men succeed four times as often. Men favour bloodier methods: most use a gun, whereas less than a third of women do. Women may be better at asking for help; overall, they are two and a half times more likely than men to take anti-depressants.

Whites are nearly three times as likely as African-Americans to kill themselves. Blacks are five times more likely to be murdered with a gun than to kill themselves with one; for whites it is the other way round.

Military veterans are especially prone to suicide. Data from 48 states suggest that 30 out of 100,000 veterans kill themselves each year — a rate far higher than among civilians. Many find it hard to overcome the trauma of combat, or to adjust to civilian life.

A survey by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, an advocacy group, found that 31% of veterans had considered taking their own lives. Congress is mulling a bill to overhaul how the Department of Veterans Affairs handles the problem.

Activists say the government does too little to prevent suicide. Christine Moutier of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention complains that only $40 million of federal funding will go to anti-suicide programmes this year. This does not include the billions the government spends on mental-health problems more broadly.

Some treatments, such as anti-depressants, are often quite effective. More than 20 studies have found that when anti-depressants are more widely available, fewer people end their own lives. For example, between 1991 and 1996 Swedes swallowed 240% more anti-depressants and the suicide rate fell 19%.

But it is hard to prove a causal link. And other studies suggest that certain anti-depressants lead young people to think more about suicide.

Making it slightly harder to kill yourself is also surprisingly effective. American pharmacists still sell painkillers loose in pots, enabling people to pour the whole lot down their throats in one movement. This is unwise. After Britain switched to blister packs in 1998, which require you to punch pills out one by one, deaths from overdoses of paracetamol (the active ingredient in Tylenol) dropped 44% in 11 years.

Some who ponder suicide may be dissuaded by counselling. Behavioural therapies, alone or in family settings, allow sufferers to talk through their emotions and actions.

A Danish study of 65,000 people who attempted suicide between 1992 and 2010 suggests that providing people with "a safe, confidential place to talk" during up to ten sessions saw repeat attempts and actual suicides drop more than 25%.

Three states have concluded that not all suicides should be prevented. In Oregon, Washington and Vermont "Death with Dignity" laws allow terminally ill, mentally competent residents to ask for prescription drugs to hasten their deaths.

Such laws have no discernible effect on unassisted suicide: from 1999 to 2010 suicides among those aged 35-64 increased 49% in Oregon, which has allowed terminally ill patients to end their lives since 1997, compared with a 28% increase nationally.

And what of those left behind? A suicide deeply affects six people close to the deceased, research suggests. Since 1988 some 5 million Americans have suffered the loss of a loved one in this way.

Christy Simpson, a counsellor in Georgia, knows it can be difficult for families to discuss a loved one's suicide; her mother asked her to tell friends that her sister died in a car accident after she jumped to her death.

Ms Simpson believes that eroding the stigma around suicide would help. "My parents could never talk about [it]. My mother went from perfect health to her grave within seven years," she says. "The message I got was that what had happened was extremely shameful and that we had failed as a family."

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Robin Williams' children and wife have gone to court in a fight over the late comedian's estate.

In papers filed in December in San Francisco Superior Court, Williams' wife, Susan, says some of the late actor's personal items were taken without her permission and asks the court to exclude the contents of the Tiburon home that she shared with Williams from the jewelry, memorabilia and other items Williams said the children should have.

The children, Zachary, Zelda and Cody, counter that Susan Williams is "adding insult to a terrible injury" by trying to change the trust agreement and rob them of the late actor's clothing and other personal items.

"The Williams' children are heartbroken that Petitioner, Mr. Williams' wife of less than three years, has acted against his wishes by challenging the plans he so carefully made for his estate," attorneys for the children said in court papers.

James Wagstaffe, an attorney for Susan Williams, said Monday that his client was only seeking guidance from the court about the meaning of certain terms in the trust.

"This is not ugly," he said. "I would not say this is anticipated to be a highly contested proceeding."

An attorney for the children, Allan Mayer, declined to comment.

Williams died at his Tiburon home in August. The coroner ruled his death a suicide that resulted from asphyxia caused by hanging.

Susan Williams has said the actor and comedian was struggling with depression, anxiety and a recent diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.

Williams had publicly acknowledged periodic struggles with substance abuse, and he had entered a substance abuse program shortly before his death. According to the coroner's report, his wife told an investigator that Williams did not go there because of recent drug or alcohol abuse, but rather to reaffirm the principles of his rehabilitation.

Williams' trust granted his children his memorabilia and awards in the entertainment industry and some other specific personal items, according to court documents. Susan Williams says that because he wanted her to continue to live at the Tiburon home, it makes sense that he intended only for his children to have the specific personal items he delineated that were kept at another home he owned in Napa.

"Any other interpretation would lead to Mrs. Williams' home being stripped while Mrs. Williams still lives there," her attorneys wrote.The children dispute that interpretation, saying there were no specific limits on the location of those items.

The two sides also disagree over items put in storage, watches Williams owned and his memorabilia.

This article was written by SUDHIN THANAWALA from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.

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In 1998, Robin Williams accepted the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "Good Will Hunting."

In the 87 year-history of the awards, Williams' speech remains one of the most memorable for its perfect storm of humor, humility, and heart.

The comedian, who died of an apparent suicide last August, was nominated three other times but this was his only Oscar win.

"Good Will Hunting" starred Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, who also took home gold statues for Best Writing. The movie, about an under-achieving janitor at M.I.T who has a gift for mathematics, grossed $225 million worldwide.

Williams played Sean Maguire, a part-time therapist who aims to help the young man (played by Damon) open up and find direction in life. Their relationship culminates in a memorable breakthrough that will bring any viewer to tears.

That year, the Best Supporting Actor category pinned Williams against some of the greats. Robert Forster ("Jackie Brown"), Anthony Hopkins ("Amistad"), Greg Kinnear ("As Good as It Gets"), and Burt Reynolds ("Boogie Nights") were also nominated.

When his name was called, Williams jumped out of his seat, kissed his now-ex wife Marsha Garces, and ran into the arms of his co-stars.

Since his passing, Damon and Affleck have said they "owe everything" to Williams. 

Williams took the stage visibly shaking. He clutched his heart with joy and blew kisses to the cheering crowd.

"This might be the one time I'm speechless," he said.

He began with the polite acceptance speech fodder — by giving thanks to the Academy and showering the other nominees with praise. But the tone quickly shifted, with Williams nailing joke after joke, transforming the expo center into a comedy club.

"Thank you, Ben and Matt, I still want to see some I.D.," he deadpanned.

And, "Thank you, Gus Van Sant, [the director] for being so subtle you're almost subliminal."

The mood turned sentimental once again when he thanked his then-wife, Garces, saying that she "lights [his] soul on fire every morning."

The most heart-wrenching moment was when Williams raised his gaze to the ceiling to thank his late father. He took a deep breath and broke into a smile.

"Most of all, I want to thank my father, up there, the man who when I said I wanted to be an actor, he said, 'Wonderful, just have a back-up profession like welding.'"

Watching Williams transfix an audience in just over 60 seconds is pure magic.

Watch the full speech below.

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Attorneys for Robin Williams' wife and children are headed to court in their battle over the late comedian's estate.

The attorneys are scheduled to appear before a San Francisco probate judge on Monday, as they argue over who should get clothes and other personal items the actor kept at one his Northern California homes.

In papers filed in December, Williams' wife, Susan, says some of the late actor's personal items were taken without her permission.

She has asked the court to set aside the contents of the home she shared with Williams from the jewelry, memorabilia and other items Williams said the children should have.

Williams' children, Zachary, Zelda and Cody, say Susan Williams is trying to change the trust agreement and rob them of the late actor's belongings.

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