Though he is best known for his performance as the Genie in Disney’s 1992 film Aladdin, Robin Williams has been acting for more than 60 years, winning a legion of fans across the world. For decades, the popular comedian and actor has used his voice for various animated characters, but after voicing Peter Griffin for almost a decade, he decided to branch out and offer his acting services to the big screen once more. Between 1989 and 1992, he delivered some of the most memorable film performances of the era, playing everything from an Elvis Presley lookalike to a doting grandfather, and demonstrating an uncanny ability to perfectly capture a moment on camera.
While his films provided a glimpse into the lighter side of life, it was Williams’ work as a voice actor that established him as one of the greatest living English speakers. Among his most recognizable characters are Cruella de Vil from The Jungle Book, Queen Elizabeth I from Cecil B. De Mereale, and the Genie from Aladdin. The list of characters is long, and with more than 70 films to his credit, it’s fair to say that he didn’t just play a few iconic parts, but rather carved out a niche in Hollywood history.
‘Viagra’
In early 2019, pharmaceutical company Pfizer filed a lawsuit against a company called Microdose, alleging that its ‘Viagra Alternative’ product, created to help men with erectile dysfunction, was in fact a copy of Viagra. The lawsuit was largely seen as a public relations stunt by the company, which was eventually settled out of court.
What is Viagra?
Viagra is a prescription medication used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) in men. It works by increasing blood flow into the penis, resulting in an erection sufficient for the pleasure of both partners. If you’re not experiencing an erection, Viagra may not be the right medication for you. Consult your doctor to determine the right treatment for your specific situation.
The lawsuit against Microdose was brought due to the fact that Pfizer owns the rights to the name ‘Viagra’, and because the product and marketing material both included the name ‘Viagra’, the company alleged that Microdose was in fact trying to pass off its product as Viagra.
Why did Viagra become such a phenomenon?
The advent of Viagra was serendipitous. In the 1960s and ‘70s, scientists were trying to find a solution for hypertension, which is a condition where the blood vessels in the body constrict, resulting in increased blood pressure. In 1966, an Irish physician named John Bonaventura invented a chemical named Sildenafil, which he successfully tested on himself. In December of that year, he submitted a paper to the European Journal of Pharmacology suggesting that the drug could be used to treat erectile dysfunction. The article was published two months later, and it wasn’t long before pharmaceutical companies came calling, seeking to license the drug for use in treating ED.
Before the invention of Viagra, there were a number of other ED medication options, including amphetamine and papaverine. Even during the time when Viagra was being developed, scientists, psychologists, and doctors were trying to find ways to enhance male sexual functioning. In the 1970s, the field of sex therapy grew in part due to the increased availability of Viagra and similar medications, and as a result, a greater number of men were seeking help for their sexual problems. As a result, this led to a rise in the number of practitioners, as well as a rise in the number of patients seeking help for their problems. The combination of the two led to a new era of ‘sexual medicine’. However, even today, as the field has somewhat settled down, Viagra is still considered by many experts to be the gold standard for ED medication. With over 100 million prescriptions written annually, it is by far the most prescribed drug for ED.
Robin Williams Voice Work
Even though his acting career spanned more than six decades, Robin Williams started as an unknown teen actor, breaking into the industry in the mid-1950s. He had originally intended to go to college, and had even auditioned for a few plays, but didn’t end up continuing his education. After graduating from high school, he trained to be an English teacher, and spent the next several years touring the country, appearing in regional theater productions. It was during this time that he began branching out into voice acting, appearing in commercials, audiobooks, and TV shows, even performing theme songs for a few TV shows.
Although he had always been interested in acting, it was at this point that he committed to the craft, reading a lot of plays, taking class, and going on auditions. By the time he was 30, he had already appeared in more than a dozen films and dozens of commercials, and had even narrated several audiobooks. Most notably, he provided the voice of Genie in Disney’s 1992 film adaptation of Aladdin, which was a break from the norm for the actor, who hadn’t traditionally played young characters. This was also the first of a handful of films in which he would play against type, taking on dramatic roles (he played Lewis Protheroe in the 1998 film adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile).
Although he wasn’t the first to play the role of Genie in film, he was the first to bring the character to life. In a 1992 interview with Vanity Fair, Williams said:
“Genie was kind of fun because it was such a departure. You know, usually you play young characters, and I’ve never played young characters. In fact, I’ve never played anyone over 30. So, this was a fun experience for me. It also was a great opportunity to work with people I normally wouldn’t work with—you know, the Wachowskis [the film’s directors], who are really clever and gifted filmmakers, and Richard Donner, who was just extraordinary. And it was just a joy to work with him.”
Although Williams has established himself as one of the greatest living English speakers, it’s his work as a voice actor that established him as an actor to watch out for. His versatility as an actor came from the fact that he was able to seamlessly transition to voice acting once more, demonstrating an uncanny ability to perfectly capture a moment on film, no matter the role.
Robin Williams’ legacy will live on for decades to come. His death was mourned by fans around the world, and though many have cited his work as the Genie in Aladdin as his defining moment, it’s clear that his vocal talents will live on for years to come.