If you were not familiar with the name Marsha Garces Williams before now, you probably have heard it since Robin Williams’ death. Marsha was Robin’s second wife, his former nanny, and she now goes by the name Marsha Garces. She was born June 18, 1956 and is an American film producer and philanthropist. She is mother to two of Robin Williams’ children and spent a great number of years married to the actor and comedian. She even produced some of his most popular and famous movies. It’s safe to say she had a big role in who Robin was for many years, despite the marriage eventually ending in divorce. There are many things people do not know about Robin’s second wife. Since his death, more people are talking about the family and the wives he left behind.
Here are five things you didn’t know about Marsha Garces:
She was actually the live-in nanny for Robin and his first wife Valerie Velardi. Robin allegedly cheated on his wife with Marsha, who was hired to care for his son Zac. Later he would marry Marsha and they would have two children together as well. While some might have called her a “homewrecker”, she was married to Williams for a very long time herself and the couple seemed very happy and committed at the time. She was very heavily involved in his career over those years as well.
Marsha was married to Robin Williams for nearly 20 years and the two had two children together– Zelda Rae and Cody Alan are the kids that were born to Marcia and Robin. Zelda was the first and was born in 1989 and Cody came along two years later in 1991. Marsha ended up asking for a divorce in 2008 for unknown reasons. Robin and Marsha divorced technically for “irreconcilable differences”.
She grew up in Wisconsin. Marsha Garces was from Shorewood, Wisconsin. She attended Shorewood High School. Her father was Filipino and her mother was Finnish. Her father served in the US Navy during WWII. It seems funny that a gal from Wisconsin would end up married to the most famous comedian of all time, but that is what happened.
Marsha is a film producer. She worked on several of Robin Williams’ films and productions. These include Mrs. Doubtfire, Patch Adams and others. In 1993 she won a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture for Mrs. Doubtfire and in 2003 she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Speak for Robin Williams: Live on Broadway.
Marsha is also a known philanthropist. Much like her more famous ex-husband, Marsha is quite the philanthropist. She started the Windfall Production charity with Robin and several others over the years. She still is active in charity and is considered to be a very generous person in the community.
She supported Robin for nearly two decades throughout his career and his addictions. It is said that the divorce took a large toll on Robin financially. Some reports said he has paid more than $33 million to his ex-wives and that he continued to take on new acting roles in order to pay the support he owed his exes. One can’t really imagine the pressures and stress this would add to a person unless you’ve been in a similar position.
Marsha is a huge part of the life that Robin led and surely is going through some horrible feelings right now. One does not spend twenty plus years with someone and not be devastated by such a tragedy.
Image credit: CHP/FAMEFLYNET PICTURES
