View source for Mork & Mindy

{{Short description|American television sitcom (1978–1982)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = Mork & Mindy.png
| caption              = 
| genre                = {{Plainlist|
* [[Sitcom]]
* [[Science fiction on television|Science fiction]]
* [[Fantasy television|Fantasy]]
* [[Farce]]
* [[Slapstick]]
}}
| creator              = {{Plainlist|
* [[Garry Marshall]]
* [[Dale McRaven]]
* Joe Glauberg
}}
| starring             = {{Plainlist|
* [[Robin Williams]]
* [[Pam Dawber]]
* [[Elizabeth Kerr]]
* [[Conrad Janis]]
* [[Tom Poston]]
* [[Jay Thomas]]
* [[Gina Hecht]]
* Jim Staahl
* Crissy Wilzak
* [[Jonathan Winters]]
}}
| theme_music_composer = [[Perry Botkin Jr.]]
| opentheme            =
| composer             = 
| country              = United States
| language             = English
| num_seasons          = 4
| num_episodes         = {{Plainlist|
* 91 (original run)
* 95 (syndication)
}}
| list_episodes        = List of Mork & Mindy episodes
| executive_producer   = {{Plainlist|
* [[Anthony W. Marshall]]
* Garry Marshall
}}
| producer             = {{Plainlist|
* Bruce Johnson
* [[Brian Levant]]
* Dale McRaven
* Ed Scharlach
* Tom Tenowich
}}
| camera               = [[Multiple-camera setup|Multi-camera]]
| runtime              = 22–24 minutes
| company              = {{Plainlist|
* [[Henderson Production Company, Inc.]]
* [[Miller-Boyett Productions|Miller-Milkis Productions]] (1978–1981)
* [[Miller-Boyett Productions|Miller-Milkis-Boyett Productions]] (1981–1982)
* [[Paramount Television]]
}}
| channel              = [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
| first_aired          = {{Start date|1978|9|14}}
| last_aired           = {{End date|1982|5|27}}
| related              = {{Plainlist|
* ''[[Love, American Style]]''
* ''[[Happy Days]]''
* ''[[Laverne & Shirley]]''
* ''[[Blansky's Beauties]]''
* ''[[Out of the Blue (1979 TV series)|Out of the Blue]]''
* ''[[Joanie Loves Chachi]]''
}} 
}}
'''''Mork & Mindy''''' is an American television [[sitcom]] that aired on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] from September 14, 1978, to May 27, 1982. A [[Spin-off (media)|spin-off]] after a highly successful episode of ''[[Happy Days]]'', "[[My Favorite Orkan]]", it starred [[Robin Williams]] as Mork, an [[Extraterrestrial life|extraterrestrial]] who comes to Earth from the planet Ork, and [[Pam Dawber]] as Mindy McConnell, his human friend, roommate, and eventual love interest.

==History and episodes==
{{Main|List of Mork & Mindy episodes{{!}}List of ''Mork & Mindy'' episodes}}

===Premise and initial success===
Mork first appears in the ''Happy Days'' season five episode "[[My Favorite Orkan]]", which aired in February 1978, and is a take on the 1960s sitcom ''[[My Favorite Martian]]''. The producers wanted to feature a spaceman to capitalize on the popularity of the recently released [[Star Wars (film)|''Star Wars'' film]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/sundance-2018-five-revelations-from-new-robin-williams-documentary/| title=Sundance 2018: Five Revelations From New Robin Williams Documentary| date=January 21, 2018| magazine=[[Us Weekly]]| first=Mara| last=Reinstein| access-date=August 9, 2025}}</ref> Williams's character, Mork, attempts to take [[Richie Cunningham]] to his planet of Ork as a specimen, but he is foiled by [[Fonzie]]. In the initial broadcast, it turned out to be a dream of Richie's. However, when Mork proved popular, the syndicated version was re-edited with a scene filmed showing Mork erasing the experience from everyone's minds.<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Burkhead |first=Cynthia |date=2010-12-01 |title=Dancing Dwarves and Talking Fish: The Narrative Functions of Television Dreams |type=PhD |publisher=[[Middle Tennessee State University]] |url=https://jewlscholar.mtsu.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/0a49ba47-50e6-4139-a93b-776eedd9d41e/content |access-date=2022-11-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://gizmodo.com/everything-you-always-wanted-to-know-about-the-making-o-1745756292 |title=Everything You Always Wanted To Know About The Making of ''Mork and Mindy'' |last=Anders |first=Charlie Jane |date=2015-12-02 |website=[[Gizmodo]] |access-date=2022-11-09 |quote=In the original cut of the episode, Mork is just a weird dream that Richie Cunningham is having}}</ref>

The character of Mork was played by then-unknown [[Robin Williams]], who impressed producer [[Garry Marshall]] with his quirky comedic ability as soon as they met. [[Dom DeLuise]] and [[Roger Rees]] were offered the role, but both passed.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://parade.com/424126/michelewojciechowski/na-nu-na-nu-remembering-mork-and-mindy/| title=Na-Nu, Na-Nu! Remembering Mork & Mindy 40 Years Later| first=Michele "Wojo"| last=Wojciechowski|date=September 14, 2018| magazine=[[Parade (magazine)|Parade]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| url=https://www.eonline.com/news/568740/how-robin-williams-became-mork-from-ork-that-happy-days-episode-was-supposed-to-be-the-biggest-piece-of-s-t| title=How Robin Williams Became Mork From Ork: That Happy Days Episode Was Supposed to Be the "Biggest Piece of S--t"| date=August 12, 2014| first1=Natalie| last1=Finn| first2=Baker| last2=Machado| website=[[E!]]}}</ref> [[Richard Lewis (comedian)|Richard Lewis]] and [[Jeff Altman]] were considered.<ref>{{cite book| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pi3bg5e5nuoC&q=jeff+altman+richard+lewis+mork&pg=PA103| title=My Happy Days in Hollywood: A Memoir| isbn=978-0-3078-8502-9| last1=Marshall| first1=Garry| date=24 April 2012| publisher=Crown}}</ref> When Williams was asked to take a seat at the audition, he sat on his head, and Marshall cast him on the spot, later wryly commenting that Williams was the only alien who auditioned.<ref>{{cite web| title=Robin Williams Biography| url=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/robin-williams.html| website=[[FYI_(American_TV_channel)#The_Biography_Channel|Biography Channel]]| access-date=August 9, 2025| url-status=usurped| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716212135/http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/robin-williams.html| archive-date=16 July 2012}}</ref>

''Mork & Mindy'' is set in [[Boulder, Colorado|Boulder]], [[Colorado]], in the then-present-day late 1970s and early 1980s, as opposed to the ''[[Happy Days]]'' setting of [[Milwaukee]] in the mid 1950s and early 1960s. Mork explains to Richie that he is from the "future": the 1970s.
{{:List of Mork & Mindy episodes}}

===First season===
[[File:Robin Williams and Pam Dawber 1978.jpg|thumb|Williams and Dawber in a promotional photo, 1978]]
Mork arrives on Earth in an egg-shaped spacecraft. He has been assigned to observe human behavior by Orson, his mostly unseen and long-suffering superior (voiced by [[Ralph James (actor)|Ralph James]]). Orson has sent Mork to get him off Ork, where humor is not permitted. Attempting to fit in, Mork dresses in an Earth suit, but wears it backwards. Landing in Boulder, Colorado, he encounters Mindy McConnell ([[Pam Dawber]]), who is upset after an argument with her boyfriend, and offers assistance. Because of his odd garb, she mistakes him for a priest and is taken in by his willingness to listen (in fact, simply observing her behavior). When Mindy notices his backward suit and unconventional behavior, she asks who he really is, and he innocently tells her the truth. She promises to keep his identity a secret and allows him to move into her attic. Mindy's father, Fred ([[Conrad Janis]]), objects to his daughter living with a man (particularly one as bizarre as Mork), but Fred's mother-in-law and Mindy's grandmother, Cora ([[Elizabeth Kerr]]), approves of Mork and the living arrangement. Mindy and Cora work at Fred's music store, where Cora gives violin lessons to Eugene ([[Jeffrey Jacquet]]), a 10-year-old boy who becomes Mork's friend. Also seen occasionally are Mindy's snooty old high school friend, Susan ([[Morgan Fairchild]]), and the possibly insane Exidor ([[Robert Donner]]).

Storylines usually center on Mork's attempts to understand human behavior and [[American culture]] as Mindy helps him to adjust to life on Earth. It usually ends up frustrating Mindy, as Mork can do things only according to Orkan customs. For example, lying to someone or not informing them it will rain is considered a practical joke (called "splinking") on Ork. At the end of each episode, Mork reports to Orson what he has learned about Earth. These end-of-show summaries allow Mork to humorously comment on social norms.

Mork's [[greeting]] is "Na-Nu Na-Nu" (pronounced {{IPAc-en|ˈ|n|ɑː|n|uː|_|ˈ|n|ɑː|n|uː}}), with a hand gesture similar to [[Mr. Spock]]'s [[Vulcan salute]] from ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' combined with a handshake. It became a popular [[catchphrase]] at the time, as did "Shazbat" ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ʃ|æ|z|b|ɒ|t}}), an Orkan interjection that Mork uses. Mork says "KO" in place of "OK".

''Mork & Mindy'' was Robin Williams's first major acting role. Scripts were shorter than on ''Happy Days'', with notes specifying, "Robin will do something here", to let Williams improvise.<ref name="goldberg20140811">{{cite magazine |last=Goldberg |first=Lesley |date=2014-08-11 |title=Henry Winkler Recalls Robin Williams' 'Happy Days' Debut |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/henry-winkler-recalls-robin-williams-724774/ |magazine=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |language=en-US |access-date=2022-03-18}}</ref> However, his improvisations often had to be replaced with pre-written "ad libs" scripted by a large team, due to Williams's true ad libs being unsuitable for a general television audience.<ref>{{cite book |last=Misch |first=David |date=April 1, 2012 |title=Funny: The Book: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Comedy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nJPGyQIvWgQC&pg=PA104 |location=Milwaukee |publisher=Applause Theatre & Cinema Books |isbn=978-1-5578-3965-7}}</ref>

The series was extremely popular in its first season. The [[Nielsen ratings]] were very high, ranking at 3, behind ''[[Laverne & Shirley]]'' (at 1) and ''[[Three's Company]]'' (at 2), both on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], which was the highest-rated network in the U.S. in 1978. The show gained higher ratings than ''Happy Days'', the series that had spawned it, at number 4.<ref name="directory">{{cite book| last=Brooks| first=Tim| author2=Earl Marsh| title=The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8KztFy6QYwC&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+Complete+Directory+to+Prime+Time+Network+and+Cable+TV+Shows&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjtu6Gu9v6OAxVT78kDHTXTN5EQ6AF6BAgNEAM#v=onepage&q=mork%20%26%20mindy&f=false| publisher=[[Ballantine Books]]| location=New York| date=June 24, 2009| isbn=978-0-3454-9773-4}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.amug.org/~scrnsrc/top_tv_shows_70s.html| title=Screen Source: Top TV Shows, 1970's| access-date=10 January 2016| url-status=usurped| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151020084338/http://www.amug.org/~scrnsrc/top_tv_shows_70s.html| archive-date=20 October 2015}}</ref> However, network management sought to improve the show in several ways. This was done in conjunction with what is known in the industry as [[Counterprogramming (television)|counterprogramming]], a technique in which a successful show is moved opposite a ratings hit on another network. The show was moved from Thursdays, where it outrated [[CBS]]'s ''[[The Waltons]]'', to Sundays, where it replaced the canceled sci-fi series ''[[Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica]]''. The show then aired against two highly rated shows: [[NBC]]'s [[anthology series]] titled ''[[The Sunday Big Event]]'', and [[CBS]]'s revamped continuation of ''[[All in the Family]]'', titled ''[[Archie Bunker's Place]]''.<ref name="directory"/>

===Second season===
The second season saw an attempt to seek younger viewers, and premiered a new disco arrangement of the gentle theme tune.

The characters of Fred and Cora were dropped from the regular cast. It was explained that Fred went on tour as a [[Conducting|conductor]] with an [[orchestra]], taking Cora with him. Fred and Cora made return appearances in later episodes. Recurring characters Susan and Eugene made no further appearances after season one, and [[Chuck Cunningham Syndrome|were never mentioned again]].

New cast members were added. Among the new supporting characters were Remo and Jeanie DaVinci ([[Jay Thomas]] and [[Gina Hecht]]), a brother and sister from New York City who owned a new neighborhood deli where Mork and Mindy now spent a lot of time. Also added as regulars were their grumpy neighbor, Mr. Bickley (who was occasionally seen in the first season, and ironically worked as a verse writer for a greeting-card company), portrayed by [[Tom Poston]], along with Nelson Flavor (Jim Staahl), Mindy's snooty cousin who ran for city council.

The show's main focus was no longer on Mork's slapstick attempts to adjust to the new world that he was in, but on the relationship between Mork and Mindy on a romantic level. Also, some of the focus was on Mork trying to find a steady job.

Because of the abrupt changes to the show and time slot, ratings slipped dramatically (dropping to 27th place). The show was quickly moved back to its previous time slot, and efforts were made to return to the core of the series; however, ratings did not recover.

===Third season===
For the third season, Jeanie, Remo and Nelson were retained as regulars, with Jeanie and Remo having opened a restaurant. Nelson was no longer into politics, and wore more casual clothes.

Mindy's father and grandmother returned to the series. The show acknowledged this attempt to restore its original premise, with the third season's hourlong opener, titled "Putting the Ork Back in Mork".

Several supporting characters were added to the lineup. Joining were Lola and Stephanie, two children from the day-care center where Mork worked. Also added was Mindy's close friend Glenda Faye Comstock (Crissy Wilzak), a lovely young widow on whom Nelson develops a crush. Wilzak lasted one season as a regular.

When these ideas failed to improve ratings, many wilder ideas were tried in an attempt to capitalize on Williams's comedic talents. The season ended at number 49 in the ratings.

===Fourth season===
Despite the show's steady decline, ABC agreed to a fourth season of ''Mork & Mindy'', but executives wanted changes. The show began to include special guest stars this year.

At the beginning of the fourth season, Mork and Mindy got married.<ref>{{citation| title=Mork Marries Mindy| date=May 20, 2016| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWsrntLNuh0| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211107/fWsrntLNuh0| archive-date=2021-11-07| url-status=live| language=en| access-date=2021-04-25}}{{cbignore}}</ref> [[Jonathan Winters]], one of Williams's idols, joined the cast as their child, Mearth. Because of the different Orkan physiology, Mork laid an egg, which grew and hatched into the much older Winters.<ref>{{cite web| title=TV Playbook: ''Let's Add a Kid!''| website=[[IGN]]| first=Jonah| last=Krakow| date=June 13, 2012| url=http://uk.tv.ign.com/articles/935/935812p1.html|access-date=August 9, 2025}}</ref> Winters had previously appeared in a Season 3 episode as Dave McConnell (Mindy's uncle and Fred's brother). It had previously been explained that Orkans aged "backward", thus explaining Mearth's appearance, and that of his teacher, Miss Geezba (portrayed by then-11-year-old actress [[Louanne Sirota]]). After four seasons and 95 episodes, ''Mork & Mindy'' was canceled in summer 1982. The show ended at 60th place at season's end.

==Characters==
===Main characters===
* Mork (portrayed by [[Robin Williams]]) – An alien from the planet Ork sent to observe human behavior. Mork mentions many times that Orkan scientists grew him in a test tube.
* Mindy McConnell (portrayed by [[Pam Dawber]]) – A female human who finds Mork and teaches him about human behavior. Eventually falls in love, marries Mork and raises an Orkan "child".
* Fredrick "Fred" McConnell (portrayed by [[Conrad Janis]]) – Mindy's father, a widower with conservative values. In the first season, Fred owned a music shop with Cora. In the third season, Fred became the conductor of the Boulder Symphony Orchestra.
* Grandma Cora Hudson<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077053/fullcredits#cast |title=Full cast and crew for "Mork & Mindy"|website=[[IMDb]]}}</ref> (portrayed by [[Elizabeth Kerr]]) – Mindy's less-conservative, [[rock music|rock]]-loving grandmother and Fred's mother-in-law.
* Franklin Delano Bickley (portrayed by [[Tom Poston]]) – Mindy's downstairs neighbor. He has a job involving writing [[greeting card]]s. At first, Franklin is a total grump and always complains about noise. In time however, he warms up and becomes a friend to Mork and Mindy and the gang.
* Mearth (portrayed by [[Jonathan Winters]]) – The "child" of Mork and Mindy and godson of Orson. Because of Orkan physiology, Orkans age backwards starting with elderly adult bodies, but with the mind of a child and regressing to feeble "old" kids.
* Remo DaVinci (portrayed by [[Jay Thomas]]) – The co-owner of The New York Delicatessen in season 2 and DaVinci's Restaurant in season 3. The character was dropped after season 3.
* Jeanie DaVinci (portrayed by [[Gina Hecht]]) – The sister of Remo DaVinci and co-owner of The New York Delicatessen in season 2, and DaVinci's Restaurant in season 3. The character was dropped after season 3.
* Nelson Flavor (portrayed by Jim Staahl) – The strait-laced, driven, yet aloof cousin of Mindy with dreams of political power. The character is dropped after season 3.
* Glenda Faye Comstock (portrayed by Crissy Wilzak) – Mindy's friend and recent widow who becomes the love interest of Nelson, seen only in Season 3.
* Orson (voiced by [[Ralph James (actor)|Ralph James]]) – Mork's mostly unseen and long-suffering superior who has sent Mork to Earth to get him off-world because humor is not permitted on Ork. Although often perplexed and exasperated with Mork's light-hearted demeanor and casual humorous views regarding his mission and life in general, Orson maintains at least a grudging respect for Mork, is patient and thoughtfully curious when receiving Mork's weekly reports, and generally allows Mork the freedom to do as he pleases while gathering information on Earth.

===Recurring characters===
* Eugene (portrayed by [[Jeffrey Jacquet]]) – A ten-year-old boy who takes violin lessons from Cora, and befriends Mork in Season 1. He and Mork invariably go through elaborate incantations and pantomime when greeting each other, and Mork occasionally consults Eugene regarding social matters; Eugene is always more than willing to assist, although he often feels a bit awkward advising someone so much taller and older than himself.
* Arnold Wanker (portrayed by [[Logan Ramsey]]) – The [[landlord]] of Fred and Cora's music store in Season 1.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0651264/| title=Mork & Mindy - To Tell the Truth| website=IMDb| access-date=April 26, 2011}}</ref> He dies in Fred's music store, but Mork, misinterpreting the comments made to his wife, brings him back to life (a "one-in-a-billion" chance).
* Susan Taylor (portrayed by [[Morgan Fairchild]]) – Mindy's snooty ex-friend from high school who was seen only in Season 1. In the episode "Mork's First Christmas", a glimpse was shown into why Susan is such a shallow person.
* Exidor (portrayed by [[Robert Donner]]) – An odd man (with possible [[mental illness]]) who regards himself as a [[prophet]]. He often appears wearing a flowing white robe with a brown sash. He recognizes Mork as an alien, but nobody believes him. As the leader of a [[cult]] called "The Friends of [[Venus]]", of which he was the only member, Exidor regularly engaged in conversations with [[Imaginary friend|imaginary members of his cult]] (such as "Pepe" and "Rocco"), but was the only person who could see them. Although his behavior is usually wild and absurdly eccentric, he is shown to have a strongly caring and compassionate side; he frequently makes noisy and vigorous attempts to cure maladies or correct wrongdoings (which often turn out to be either imaginary or laughably minor), and he always immediately rushes to Mork's aid ("I got here just as soon as I heard, Mork!") when requested, although his well-meaning efforts to assist Mork seldom produce any actual results. Most times, Exidor is found yelling at his imaginary cult. He makes the comment, "Entourages can be the pits!". When the [[Venusians]] abandon him, Exidor begins to worship [[O. J. Simpson|O.J. Simpson]] when Mork encounters him at the Boulder Police Station. He also had a plan to become "Emperor of the Universe" by becoming a rock star; his musical instrument of choice was the [[accordion]]. Exidor appears to be something of a [[squatting|squatter]], for on at least two occasions, he is present in homes not his own. One time, Mork visits Exidor at a very nice apartment where he supposedly lived with his imaginary girlfriend and her twin sister. Another time, he is "on vacation" in Mindy's family home, where he apparently believed there was a beach in the living room closet. Exidor eventually gets married, in a "forest" (Mindy's attic). Mindy thought his wife would be imaginary, but she turns out to be a real woman named Ambrosia. Exidor became highly popular with audiences, and prompted wild applause from the studio audience when entering a scene.
* Mr. Miles Sternhagen (portrayed by [[Foster Brooks]]) – Mindy's boss when she gets a job at a local TV station. He is overbearing and demanding of Mindy when sober, but occasionally turns up drunk and cheerful (per Brooks's famous "drunk" act).
* Todd Norman "TNT" Taylor (portrayed by [[Bill Kirchenbauer]]) – An obnoxious and arrogant [[Promiscuity|womanizer]]. He later teaches Mork to drive at the FastLane Driving School.
* Cathy McConnell (portrayed by [[Shelley Fabares]]) – Fred's new younger wife and Mindy's stepmother, seen in Seasons 2–4.
* Lola and Stephanie (portrayed by Amy Tenowich and Stephanie Kayano) – Two children from the daycare center where Mork works later in the series, during Season 3. Lola is a young [[Philosophy|philosopher]] and Stephanie is a chubby girl who loves to eat.
* Billy (portrayed by [[Corey Feldman]]) – A daycare-center child who appeared during Season 3. He wants to be like his namesake, [[Billy the Kid]]. Mork introduces him to the Orkan hero Squellman the Yellow.
* Bebo (vocal effects provided by an uncredited [[Gregg Berger]]) – Mork's ball-of-fur pet who spoke Orkan gibberish and was introduced and seen only in Season 3. He was occasionally seen around the house and stood by Mork during his reports to Orson. Although Gregg Berger provided the vocal effects of Bebo in the first appearance, the recordings were archived for later use. The credits had Bebo listed as being portrayed by "himself".

==Connections to other shows==
Actor-director [[Jerry Paris]] was inspired to create the character of Mork after directing an episode of ''[[The Dick Van Dyke Show]]'', titled "It May Look Like a Walnut", in which [[Dick Van Dyke|Van Dyke]]'s Rob Petrie has a dream in which he believes the Earth has been surreptitiously invaded by [[walnut]]-eating aliens who steal humans' thumbs and imaginations.<ref name="Weissman">{{cite book| last=Weissman| first=Ginny| author2=Coyne Steven Sanders| title=The Dick Van Dyke Show| year=1993| publisher=Macmillan| isbn=978-0-3120-8766-1| page=60| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yw4clpRWbg4C&q=%22danny+thomas%22+walnuts+thumbs&pg=PA60}}</ref> Series creator [[Carl Reiner]] had written the episode, which was the 20th in [[The Dick Van Dyke Show (season 2)|the show's second season]], and the 50th episode produced. When Paris moved on to direct ''[[Happy Days]]'', he introduced Mork in a similarly atypical season-five episode, titled "My Favorite Orkan".<ref name="Weissman"/><ref name="IMDb-MyFavoriteOrkan">{{cite web| url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0596274/| title=''Happy Days'': My Favorite Orkan (1978)| website=IMDb| access-date=2009-12-09}}</ref> In it, Richie tells everyone that he has seen a [[flying saucer]], but no one believes him. [[Fonzie]] tells him that people make up stories about [[Unidentified flying object|UFO]]s because their lives are average, or "humdrum".

[[File:Mork and Fonzie 1978.jpg|thumb|In the pilot episode, [[Fonzie]] is unamused by Mork's antics.]]
While Richie is home alone, Mork walks in. Mork freezes everyone but Richie with his finger, and says he was sent to Earth to find a "humdrum" human to take back to Ork. Richie runs to Fonzie for help. When Mork catches up with him, he freezes everyone, but finds himself unable to freeze Fonzie because of The Fonz's powerful will. Mork challenges Fonzie to a [[duel]]: finger vs. thumb. After their duel, The Fonz admits defeat, so Mork decides to take Fonzie back to Ork instead of Richie.

Richie wakes up and realizes he was dreaming. There is a knock on the door, and, much to Richie's dismay, it is a man who looks exactly like Mork, except in regular clothes, asking for directions.

When production on ''Mork & Mindy'' began, an extra scene was filmed and added to this episode for subsequent [[rerun]]s. In the scene, Mork explains to Orson that he decided to let Fonzie go, and was going to travel to the year 1978 to continue his mission. In the pilot episode of ''Mork & Mindy'', Orson tells Mork that he is assigning him to study the planet Earth. Mork remembers that he has been to Earth before to collect a specimen (Fonzie), and adds that he "had to throw it back, though. Too small."

Fonzie and Laverne (of ''[[Laverne & Shirley]]'') appeared in the first episode of the show. In this segment, Mork relays to Mindy his trip to 1950s Milwaukee where Fonzie sets up Mork on a date with Laverne.

Mork returned to ''Happy Days'' in the episode "Mork Returns", in which Mork tells Richie that he enjoys coming to the 1950s because life is simpler and more "humdrum" than in the 1970s. Fonzie sees Mork and immediately tries to run away, but Mork freezes him and makes him stay. Mork eventually releases Fonzie, but not before Fonzie asks him to reveal two things about the future: "cars and girls". Mork's response is, "In 1979... both are faster." The episode is mostly a [[retrospective]] in which clips are shown as Richie and Fonzie try to explain the concepts of love and friendship to Mork.

Mork also appears in the first episode of ''[[Out of the Blue (1979 TV series)|Out of the Blue]]'' episode titled "Random's Arrival" as a crossover stunt.

==Home media==
[[Paramount Home Entertainment]] released the complete series on [[DVD]] in [[DVD region code#1|Region 1]], in both individual season sets and a complete series configuration,<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Mork-Mindy-Season-4-and-Complete-Series/20342| title=Mork & Mindy DVD news: Announcement for The 4th Season and The Complete Series| website=[[TVShowsOnDVD.com]]| access-date=10 January 2016| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304214102/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Mork-Mindy-Season-4-and-Complete-Series/20342| archive-date=March 4, 2016}}</ref> while the four seasons are available in [[DVD region code|Regions 2 and 4]]. The Region 1 DVD of Season 1 was from Paramount alone; subsequent releases in Region 1, as well as international Season 1 releases, have been in conjunction with [[CBS Home Entertainment|CBS DVD]].

In Australia, only the first three seasons were individually released, followed by a complete series boxset December 17, 2014. In 2020, Via Vision Entertainment obtained the rights to the series, and released a complete series box set December 16, 2020.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2" |DVD name !! rowspan="2" |Episodes !! colspan="3" |Release dates
|-
! Region 1 !! Region 2 !! Region 4
|-
| The Complete First Season || align="center" |25 || September 7, 2004 || October 29, 2007 || September 19, 2007
|-
| The Second Season || align="center" |26 || April 17, 2007 || April 7, 2008 || March 6, 2008
|-
| The Third Season || align="center" |22 || November 27, 2007 || September 1, 2008 || September 4, 2008
|-
| The Fourth Season || align="center" |22 || December 9, 2014|| TBA || TBA
|-
| The Complete Series || align="center" |95 || December 9, 2014|| December 15, 2014<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00PD8DJAW|title=Mork & Mindy: Complete Collection [DVD]| website=Amazon UK| date=December 15, 2014| access-date=January 10, 2016}}</ref> || December 17, 2014<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mork And Mindy - Season 1-4 {{!}} Boxset| url=https://www.sanity.com.au/products/2288777/Mork-And-Mindy---Season-1-4--Boxset| access-date=2020-11-30| website=Sanity| language=en}}</ref>
December 16, 2020<ref>{{cite web| title=Mork & Mindy: The Complete Series| url=https://viavision.com.au/shop/mork-mindy-the-complete-series/| access-date=2020-11-30| website=Via Vision Entertainment| language=en-AU}}</ref>
|}

==Primetime Emmy Award nominations==
For its first season, ''Mork & Mindy'' was nominated for two [[Primetime Emmy Awards]]: [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series|Outstanding Comedy Series]] and [[Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series]] for Robin Williams. The program lost to ''[[Taxi (TV series)|Taxi]]'', and Williams lost to [[Carroll O'Connor]] for ''[[All in the Family]]''.

==Syndication==
''Mork & Mindy'' was syndicated by Paramount beginning in fall 1982, to low ratings. By 1983, most stations that owned the show rested it in summer, when weaker programming tended to air. Few stations renewed the show a few years later.{{citation needed|date=April 2011}} By 1987, the show aired in only a handful of TV markets. However, the expansion of cable television broadened its reach. [[Nick at Nite]] reran the show from March 4, 1991, to November 27, 1995.<ref>Nick at Nite Log - 1985-present</ref> The show also aired on [[Fox Family Channel]] in the late 1990s. From 2008 to 2011, the show aired in [[Binge-watching|marathons]] on [[SyFy]].<ref>{{cite web| title=Mork And Mindy finally being used on SyFy| url=http://blog.sitcomsonline.com/2011/02/mork-mindy-finally-being-used-on-syfy.html?m=1| website=Sitcoms Online| date=February 15, 2011| access-date=August 9, 2025}}</ref> It has aired in subsequent years on [[MeTV]], the [[Discovery Family|Hub Network]] and various other classic television stations airing on various [[digital subchannels]]. The show formerly aired on [[Antenna TV]] on Saturdays.<ref>{{cite web| title=Where to Watch Mork and Mindy?| url=https://www.cgaa.org/article/where-to-watch-mork-and-mindy| first=Ella| last=Bos| date=December 1, 2022| website=CGAA| access-date=August 9, 2025}}</ref> It currently airs on sister network [[Rewind TV]] weekdays at 9am ET and Saturdays from 7am to 9am ET<ref>{{cite web| title=Mork & Mindy| url=https://rewindtv.com/title-item/mork-mindy/| website=Rewind TV| access-date=August 9, 2025}}</ref> and currently streams on [[Pluto TV]].<ref>{{cite web| title=Mork & Mindy| url=https://pluto.tv/us/on-demand/series/5fb9b0975eb0df001b147c3b| website=Pluto TV| access-date=August 9, 2025}}</ref>

==Filming locations==
[[File:1619 Pine St, Boulder, Colorado.jpg|thumb|1619 Pine Street, [[Boulder, Colorado]], the location used for the external shots of Mindy's house on ''Mork & Mindy'']]
In an interview with [[Garry Marshall]] June 30, 2006, [[Pat O'Brien (television)|Pat O'Brien]] mentioned that ''Mork & Mindy'' was filmed on Paramount stage 27, the former studio for his [[infotainment]] program ''[[The Insider (TV series)|The Insider]]''.

The house from the show is located at 1619 Pine Street, just a few blocks from the [[Pearl Street Mall]] in Boulder. This was also used in the show as Mindy's actual address in Boulder, as shown in the episode "Mork Goes Public". The same house was used for exterior shots on the series ''[[Perfect Strangers (U.S. TV series)|Perfect Strangers]]'', in Episode 21 of Season 5, "This Old House", in which the show's main characters, cousins Larry and Balki, remodel a home for a fix-and-flip with hope of huge profits. It is often mistaken as the house that the cousins moved into with their wives during the final two seasons. In addition, it was used in three episodes of ''[[Family Matters]]'' as Myra's house.<ref>"We're Going to Disney World (Part 2)", "Crazy For You (Part 1)", and "Crazier for You (Part 2)"</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=April 2012}}{{original research inline|date=April 2012}} {{As of|2024|06}}, the house was valued at $3.1 million, with the date of its last sale as 1974, for US$80,000 ({{Inflation|US|80000|1974|2023|r=-3|fmt=eq}}).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1619-Pine-St-Boulder-CO-80302/13177031_zpid/ |title=1619 Pine St, Boulder, CO 80302 |website=[[Zillow]] |access-date=July 4, 2016}}</ref>

==Spin-offs and adaptations==
* In the United Kingdom, a long-running [[comic strip]] version was written by [[Angus P. Allan]], illustrated by Bill Titcombe, and printed in children's television magazine, ''[[Look-In]]''. Several British-produced [[Yearbook|annuals]] were also released that tied in with the series.
* A subsequent [[animated series]] titled ''[[Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour]]'' ran on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] from 1982 to 1983. The ''[[Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour#Mork & Mindy|Mork & Mindy]]'' segments were a [[prequel]] with Mindy as a student in high school. The character of Eugene returned in this spin-off voiced by [[Shavar Ross]].
* In 2005, a [[Television movie|made-for-television movie]] titled ''Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Mork & Mindy'' aired on [[NBC]]. [[Chris Diamantopoulos]] portrayed Robin Williams, [[Erinn Hayes]] portrayed Pam Dawber and [[Daniel Roebuck]] portrayed producer [[Garry Marshall]]. The movie depicts Williams' instant stardom and behind-the-scenes turmoil that the cast and crew would have with the network.
* In 1979, a short-lived Brazilian version of the series appeared as ''Superbronco''. It was produced by [[Rede Globo]] and starred comedian [[Ronald Golias]] and actress Liza Vieira. ''Superbronco'' had only one season and was canceled despite it being among the ten highest TV audience rated shows in 1979.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Television|United States|1980s}}
{{sister project links|auto=yes}}
*{{IMDb title|0077053|Mork & Mindy}}

{{Happy Days}}
{{Garry Marshall}}
{{MillerBoyett}}
{{People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Comedy}}

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