Robin Williams' calls helped Steven Spielberg get through 'Schindler's List' shoot

Veteran filmmaker Steven Spielberg has revealed he heavily depended on actor Robin Williams during the shooting of Holocaust drama, "Schindler's List" in the winter of Poland.

The 71-year-old director, who became friends with Williams after working together in 1991 film "Hook", said he would rely on the episodes of "Saturday Night Live" and weekly phone calls by the late actor to deal with the catharsis of the Oscar-winning period film, USA Today reported.

"Robin knew what I was going through, and once a week, Robin would call me on schedule and he would do 15 minutes of stand-up on the phone, and I would laugh hysterically, because I had to release so much.

"But the way Robin is on the telephone, he'd always hang up on the loudest, best laugh you'd give him. He'd never say goodbye, just hang up on the biggest laugh," Spielberg said.

The director was speaking at the Tribeca Film Festival's 25th anniversary screening of the movie here.

The film went on to win an Oscar for Best Picture and a directing award for Spielberg at the 1994 ceremony.

Williams committed suicide on August 11, 2014. His autopsy reports revealed he was suffering from depression and anxiety.

Spielberg earlier said he felt "resentment and anger" while filming "Schindler's List" and "Jurassic Park" as shooting for the movies simultaneously was emotionally exhausting for him.