The Art of Russell Pierce

I first saw Williams on the show Mork and Mindy and was captivated by this whirling dervish, it was impossible to take your eyes off of him. Turns out that wasn’t just a character he was playing, he was bouncing off the walls with a mind set to overdrive in real life. His comedy specials were a master class in improvisation. I was constantly amazed at the speed of his brain, bouncing from one character and dialect to another in a heartbeat all while being hilarious. Then he started taking on serious acting roles like the psychiatrist in Good Will Hunting and I realized his depth was incredible. He also had a good heart, trying to help people less fortunate than him throughout his career. He was one of only 20 students accepted into the prestigious Julliard School where fellow students and professors were constantly amazed at his talent. In his Junior year, his professor, John Houseman suggested he leave the school because there was nothing left they could teach him. He did and the rest is history.