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Robin Williams admitted he made one film for incredibly sad reason despite being hugely famous

Home> Entertainment> Celebrity

Updated 16:53 23 Feb 2025 GMTPublished 16:34 23 Feb 2025 GMT

Robin Williams admitted he made one film for incredibly sad reason despite being hugely famous

You might have forgot this film ever existed

Jess Battison

Jess Battison

Warning: this article mentions suicide which some readers may find distressing.

It’s widely agreed by plenty of viewers and fans that Robin Williams is one of the greatest ever talents.

The American actor and comedian has a long list of credits to his name from the likes of Jumanji and Dead Poets Society to Mrs. Doubtfire and Good Will Hunting.

But the beloved entertainer sadly died in August 2014 due to suicide.

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He’ll never be forgotten thanks to his incredible talent and the work he left behind but among his legendary roles, there are some films and shows you may have forgot ever existed.

And Williams admitted he made one particular movie for an incredibly sad reason, despite him being so very famous.

Remember this film? (Disney)
Remember this film? (Disney)

Back in 2009, Old Dogs released in cinemas and to put it bluntly, it was a total flop.

The Disney comedy film starred Williams alongside John Travolta and was directed by Walt Becker.

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It followed the pair as bachelors who unexpectedly became the caretakers of twin children. With their lives turned upside down, the clueless blokes attempted to balance work and the ‘rambunctious siblings’.

Despite the absolute comedy legend starring in it, Old Dogs panned and currently sits at five percent on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer.

It’s not much better from viewers either, with just 44 percent on the Popcornmeter.

So, the film had fans scratching their heads as to why a pair of esteemed actors like Williams and Travolta would even sign on to such a project.

During a 2010 interview, a journalist at The Independent was struggling to find an appropriate way to approach it when the actor ‘sensed’ what was coming.

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So, he jumped in himself to ‘spare the awkwardness’ and said: “People ask, ‘Why did you make Old Dogs? Because it pays the bills. You’re just out of rehab. Good luck. You’ve got to get out there.”

The film panned. (Disney)
The film panned. (Disney)

During Williams’ career, he suffered from substance abuse problems and severe mental health issues.

Before his death at the age of 63, he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease but it was later revealed to be a misdiagnosis.

An autopsy found the actor was actually suffering from undiagnosed Lewy body dementia (LBD) that was progressively causing his Parkinson's-type symptoms.

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The NHS explains this is one of the most common types of dementia and that those with it may experience; hallucinations and hearing voices; problems with understanding, thinking, memory and judgement; confusion or sleepiness; slow movement, stiff limbs and tremors; disturbed sleep; fainting spells, unsteadiness and falls; depression and anxiety.

Featured Image Credit: Peter Kramer/Getty Images

Topics: Robin Williams, Mental Health, TV and Film, Disney

Jess Battison
Jess Battison

Jess is a Senior Journalist with a love of all things pop culture. Her main interests include asking everyone in the office what they're having for tea, waiting for a new series of The Traitors and losing her voice at a Beyoncé concert. She graduated with a first in Journalism from City, University of London in 2021.

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@jessbattison_

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