The Air Force Sergeant Brilliantly Played By Robin Williams Is 'Gobsmacked' By His Death

Robin Williams achieved his breakout movie role in the Academy Award-nominated 1987 film "Good Morning Vietnam." In the film, Williams played Air Force sergeant Adrian Cronauer, in a fictionalized account of the veteran's experience as a disc jockey during the Vietnam War.

Cronauer, who became friends with Williams after the movie's premier, shared his memories of the late actor with staff writer Jeff Schogol, of the Military Times. Aside from being absolutely "gobsmacked" at the death of 63-year-old Williams, Cronauer was upset that a relatively young man died while still having the capacity to do so much more in his life.

Although Williams and Cronauer were "politically way far from each other," Cronauer was impressed with how Williams always tried to bridge the civilian-military divide, especially when Williams took the time to travel to various places throughout the Middle East to entertain the troops.

Equally important to Cronauer was the idea that Williams sympathized with the difficult choices and circumstances that average servicemen found themselves in during the Vietnam War.

"Regardless of what he felt like politically, he recognized the fact nobody seemed to recognize during Vietnam, which was that there's a difference between the people who are making the policy and the people who are carrying out that policy, the military," Cronauer told the Military Times.

Cronauer believed Williams played an extremely important role in providing Americans with a fair portrayal of service during Vietnam.

"Good Morning Vietnam" was the "first film that began to show Americans in Vietnam as they really were instead of a bunch of murderers and rapists and baby-killers and dope addicts and psychotics," said Cronauer.

In its review of the movie, The New York Times raved about Williams' performance. From that review:

Since making his film debut in Robert Altman's ''Popeye'' seven years ago, Mr. Williams has appeared in five movies, including George Roy Hill's ''World According to Garp'' and Paul Mazursky's ''Moscow on the Hudson.'' Each film has had its endearing moments, but there was always the feeling that an oddball natural resource was being inefficiently used, as if Arnold Schwarzenegger had been asked to host ''Masterpiece Theater.''

Just how much of the fresh, cheeky Williams brilliance was going up the chimney can now be seen in ''Good Morning, Vietnam.''

Robin Williams died on Monday. Investigations into the cause of death are ongoing, although suicide is believed to be likely.

You can read Adrian Cronauer's full response to Robin Williams' death here»