Six months after the iconic comedian Robin Williams ended his own life, his wife and three children from earlier marriages have locked horns over the ownership of his possessions, ranging from the deceased actor’s clothing, watches and awards to property.
The dispute is about the ownership of items kept by the late actor at two homes and in storage. The actor owned two houses- one in Napa and one in Tiburon, California, north of San Francisco. Susan, the wife of Robin Williams, has accused his children of taking some of his items without her permission in papers filed by her in San Francisco Superior Court.
Williams’s trust states clearly that the Tiburon residence and its contents should go to his widow upon his death but also adds that the children should get his “clothing, jewelry, personal photos taken prior to his marriage to [Susan] … memorabilia and awards in the entertainment industry and the tangible personal property located in Napa.”
The problem has arisen because Susan and the three children- Zachary, Zelda and Cody- are interpreting these words in a manner that will suit their interests.
While Susan insists that “memorabilia” should not include his “personal collections of knick-knacks,” and that “jewelry” should not include his watch collection, the children counter that those “knick-knacks,” which their father “carefully amassed” during his life, include Japanese anime figurines, antique weapons, carved boxes, theater masks, rare books, lapel pins, fossils, graphic novels and skulls – and should go to them.
The children also accused Susan of “adding insult to a terrible injury” by trying to change the trust and that they are “heartbroken” that she has “acted against his wishes by challenging the plans he so carefully made for his estate.”
The main items around which the dispute revolves include the late actor’s personal effects, including his awards – an Oscar for Good Will Hunting, six Golden Globes, two Emmys and five Grammys.
A hearing on the matter is scheduled for March 30 in San Francisco Superior Court.