Lois Lowry's science fiction novel The Giver, like the movie adaptation with Jeff Bridges in the title role, imagines a futuristic community bereft of memory and emotion.

True to his character as the comrade charged with preserving human experience, Bridges mounted an impassioned remembrance of his fellow actor Robin Williams at the August 12th press conference for The Giver at New York's JW Marriott Essex House.

The previous evening, Bridges had learned of the 63-year-old actor/comedian's death on the red carpet of the film's premiere.

“I just want to acknowledge the fullness of life, the joy and the sadness that is in store for us all, and I’m filled with both of them today as I was last night...,” Bridges told the assembled journalists. “I remember pulling up to the (Central Park) Boathouse, where we had our party (for The Giver), and I’m sitting there with my wife, gathering myself and I look out of the window and I say, ‘What? Is that Robin? Is that his ghost? No, It’s Radio Man!' "  

“And it brought back all of these wonderful feelings of what an amazing time we had together here in New York shooting The Fisher King,” he reminisced about the 1991 drama in which he co-starred with his "dear friend."

In equal measures mournful and Dudish, Bridges continued, “…I felt Robin’s spirit as I’m feeling it here now in this room with us. Just before I came down I’m looking out my window to Central Park, my favorite part about New York, and I’m remembering the last scene of me and Robin out there at four o’clock in the morning -- nude, naked. And Robin was just wild and free. He said, 'Let the wild pony dance!' "

"I just had to share that with you, because that’s what’s going on so strongly, and how much I miss him, Bridges gushed while managing to keep his famed paisley eyes dry. "I’m sure you guys do too. What a gift he was to all of us..."

Grateful applause filled the room as Bridges wound down his appreciation. Adding to the din of clapping hands were actors Meryl Streep, Katie Holmes, Brenton Thwaites, Taylor Swift and Odeya Rush and such crew members as author Lois Lowry, director Phillip Noyce, screenwriters Michael Mitnick and Robert Weide and producer Nikki Silver.

Press Conference photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for The Weinstein Company