One of the best actors and comedians of his time with a ton of remarkable works on the big screen, the late Robin Williams was an immense contributor to the entertainment industry. His exceptionally good performance in superhits like Good Will Hunting (1997) and the original Jumanji (1995) has left an indelible mark on audiences worldwide that will keep him forever in our hearts and minds.

The late Robin Williams

In fact, there was one role – a great one at that – that Robin Williams was selected for; to play the character of the Marvel superhero, Howard the Duck. However, fans couldn’t see his outstanding acting and voiceover skills in the 1986 sci-fi/action movie, because the Night at the Museum star ended up leaving in a mere week because of a bizarre reason.

Robin Williams Was Selected To Voice Howard the Duck

Howard the Duck (1986)

Back in the 1980s, when the casting for the voice actors for playing the Marvel superhero in Howard the Duck was still underway, several big and small actors auditioned for the role. But out of all of them, only one name was selected at the end of the lengthy audition process, and it was Robin Williams‘.

However, as fate would have it, the late actor-comedian didn’t last for long on the set. Since all of the character’s lines were read by puppeteers on sets and the duck’s animatronic beak moved in a way to fit their ‘bland’ delivery, Williams found it hard to sync his voice with the duck’s bill. Thus, he ended up giving up on the project within a mere one week out of frustration.

Years after this, Chip Zien, who ended up bagging the role instead, recalled Robin Williams’ reaction to the same.
“What I was told was by the third day, Robin said, ‘I can’t do this. It is insane. I can’t get the rhythm of this. I am being confined. I am being handcuffed in order to match the flapping duck’s bill.’”
Not being able to put his improvisational skills to work, the late star exited the sets, taking with him fans’ dreams to see him in a superhero movie as well.

Chip Zien Ended Up Bagging The Role Instead

Chip Zien

Initially, Chip Zien wasn’t so interested in auditioning for the voice of Howard the Duck. So when a casting director for Universal Pictures approached him for the same, he didn’t want to do it.

“She asked me if I considered auditioning because I sound a little bit like a duck,” Zien recalled “I was kind of offended. I was miffed.”

It wasn’t until he talked to his agent about the same that he realized how great the character was.

“And I told my agent. He said, ‘Oh, my God! [Did] someone come to you about Howard the Duck? Chip, it’s huge! This is a great thing! I am going to call right away.’ And then I became aware that everyone in the world was auditioning for it, from big names to people like me.” 

Thus, he auditioned for it, and after the entire Robin Williams drama, he was called back for the role.

“So, on Memorial Day 1985, I got a call from my agent who said, ‘You have to get right to the airport! Robin Williams just quit and you’re now Howard the Duck. You need to get there tonight. There is a ticket waiting for you at the counter.’ I was incredibly excited.” 

Just like that, Chip Zien ended up scoring the character of Marvel’s Howard the Duck, which was widely loved by fans in the following decades to even appear in the post-credits scene of James Gunn’s $773 million Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014!