“I went to Bangkok, paid for it myself”: $123M Robin Williams Movie Writer Went to Thailand for ‘Inspiration’ as They Wouldn’t Finance His Asia Trip

Robin Williams gave each of his performances a special spark of life thanks to his astounding talent for improvisational comedy and creative character development. He can truly be considered a ‘rare Hollywood gem’ for his dramatic performance in Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), for which he received a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award nomination.

The actor—who passed away in August 2014—had already made a name for himself on television with Mork & Mindy By 1987. And films like Robert Altman’s Popeye and Barry Levinson’s Good Morning, Vietnam—his first successful dramatic role—showed that he had more to offer than just his manic brand of comedy.

Robin Williams

The film, which was set in 1965, also helped to raise the public profile of screenwriter, Mitch Markowitz, director Barry Levinson, and actor Forest Whitaker, who played a supporting role.

How Mitch Markowitz Got Inspired To Write Good Morning, Vietnam?

Mitch Markowitz‘s writing career began with his contribution to television series like M*A*S*H and Van Dyke and Company. Then, he spent nearly two years writing his first film, Good Morning, Vietnam, starring Robin Williams as Adrian Cronauer.

Robin Williams

In an effort to make the movie as authentic as possible, he wanted to travel to Bangkok, given that Vietnam was still closed following the war. Markowitz shared fascinating anecdotes in a rare interview about the creative process and the ensuing struggles behind the scenes:

“I had to do a lot of research because I didn’t know much about the Vietnam War. A while into writing the script, I wanted to go to Vietnam, but the studio wouldn’t pay for it. As it turned out, you couldn’t go to Vietnam until a few years later anyway.”

Instead, he decided to fly to Bangkok, paid for it himself, and reasoned that if he could not get to the place he was writing about, at least he “get close”:

“I went to Bangkok and paid for it myself. I figured if I couldn’t get to the place I was writing about, at least I could get close. I stayed there for a couple of weeks. I went to these clubs like they had in Saigon, and I met former service people over there.”

Robin Williams in Good Morning, Vietnam

Good Morning, Vietnam was written over a period of time ranging from 18 months to two years. Markowitz, who also wrote the screenplay for Crazy People, intended to explore how the war affected families and relationships:

“In the movie, I wanted to delve into how families and relationships were affected by the oncoming war. I wanted it to be funny, but sad as well. I felt that I had a responsibility to the people who died there. The result ended up being anti-American imperialism, but also anti-communism.”

Robin Williams ‘Did a Lot Of Ad-Libbing’ For His Role

Robin Williams

The 1987 film, Good Morning, Vietnam, which featured Robin Williams, who demonstrated his impressive acting range, served as a turning point in his career. The Barry Levinson-directed film was based on real-life DJ, Adrian Cronauer, who was portrayed by the late actor.

Williams’ performance in Good Morning, Vietnam marked a turning point in his career because it proved his ability to switch between comedy and drama with ease. Mitch Markowitz praised the actor’s natural talent and described how he gave the role his all with unwavering devotion:

“Robin, of course, was brilliant. He did a lot of ad-libbing, particularly when he was on the radio. I didn’t like some of it, but some of it I thought was inspired.”

Robin Williams in a still from Good Morning, Vietnam

For those who do not know, Williams was found dead in his California home on August 11, 2014. His death was classified as a suicide with “asphyxia due to hanging” in the final autopsy report.

The late actor received multiple honors throughout his career, including five Grammy Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Primetime Emmy Awards.