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On ‘Tonight Show,’ Jimmy Fallon plays tribute to Robin Williams

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FILE - This June 15, 2007 file photo shows actor and comedian Robin Williams posing to promote his film, "License To Wed" in Santa Monica, Calif. Williams, whose free-form comedy and adept impressions dazzled audiences for decades, has died in an apparent suicide. He was 63. The Marin County Sheriff’s Office said Williams was pronounced dead at his home in California on Monday, Aug. 11, 2014. The sheriff’s office said a preliminary investigation showed the cause of death to be a suicide due to asphyxia. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File)

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Jimmy Fallon paid tribute to Robin Williams on the “Tonight Show,” where the late comic made many memorable, seldom-seated appearances.

His voice cracking, Fallon called Williams “the Muhammad Ali of comedy” on Tuesday and stood atop his desk to declare, “O Captain, my captain, you will be missed.” Fallon performed a brief impression of Williams’ fast-talking, riffing delivery, but mostly let a clip from Williams’ first appearance on the “Tonight Show” in 1981 speak for itself.

To the delight of host Johnny Carson, Williams jumped into the crowd playing a mock evangelist. Such frenetic guest spots became regular events for Williams.

With many late-night hosts on break this week, few have yet reacted on air to Williams’ death on Monday. Conan O’Brien heard the news while taping his TBS show Monday.

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