Robin Williams: 5 Things You Didn’t Know About His Family Tree

Today we remember comedian and actor Robin Williams, who was born on July 21, 1951. Although the beloved actor passed away nearly a year ago on August 11, the world continues to miss his enthusiasm and warm, infectious spirit.

Image: Eva Rinaldi, Wikimedia Commons

In honor of his memory, here are some things you may not know about his family tree:

1. Robin’s second great grandfather, Anselm J. McLaurin, was a prominent politician in Mississippi. One of the foremost lawyers in the state, McLaurin participated in the convention for the drafting of the Mississippi Constitution in 1890. He served briefly in the U.S. Senate before becoming the first the 34th Governor of Mississippi.

2. While attending the prestigious Julliard School, Robin became close friends with actor Christopher Reeve. The two were roommates in school and remained close until Reeve’s death in 2004. They shared a brotherly bond and both may have loved to have learned that they were also 13th cousins.

3. His third great grandfather, James S. Sutton, served in the American Revolutionary War. He was a second lieutenant in North Carolina.

4. His favorite book growing up was C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. He would read the entire series to his own children. Did you know C.S. Lewis is Robin William’s 12 cousin five times removed?

5. Robin was an avid video game player. He even named his daughter Zelda after Princess Zelda from the popular The Legend of Zelda video game series.

Explore more of Robin Williams’ family tree on Geni.