A Morkville Horror

"A Morkville Horror"
Season 2, Episode #8 (#33) in series (95 episodes)
Mindy and Mork discover her family home has an after life of its own, when she tries to put it on the market in "A Morkville Horror" in Season 2 (ep.#8).
"Mork & Mindy" episode
Guest Star(s):	Robert Donner
Network:	ABC-TV
Production code:	208 (2x8)
Writer(s)	Tom Tenowich & Ed Scharlach
Director	Howard Storm
Original airdate	October 28, 1979
IMDB	A Morkville Horror
Episode chronology
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"Mork Gets Mindy-itis"	"Mork's Health Hints"
List of Mork & Mindy seasons/episodes

A Morkville Horror the eighth episode of Season number 2 of Mork and Mindy. also the 33rd overall episode from the series. Co-written by Tom Tenowich and Ed Scharlach, the episode, which was directed by Howard Storm, was shot on August 31, 1979, and premiered on ABC-TV on October 28, 1979.

Synopsis

Mindy has placed the house she was born and grew up in on the market on behalf of her father. However, with Mork helping her to redecorate, Mindy & Mork discover that the previous residents of the house aren't so at peace with any idea of selling outside the family.

Plot

With Fred & Cora away, Mindy is showing Mr. Bickley around the McConnell House. Bickley is suspicious of why her father is trying to 'dump' the place. She tells him her father is trying to 'sell it' because with him and Cora on the road all year it's standing empty. Defending it she tells him its a terrific house and points to the work they're doing on it, Mork having hung new wallpaper in one area of the living room that morning. Noting that room feels different to her she calls to see if Mork is there, and he walks through the wallpaper, having papered over the door. Mindy promises Mr. Bickley that, if he buys it, the place will be completely redone properly, and Mork wants to know why he wants to buy it. Bickley feels apartments are more suited to wild young people, and house Mork says, to wild old people, which puts a grin on Bick's face, and he tells Mindy he may just be interested in the place.

Mindy tells him the house has been in her family for about 80 years but has been renovated a couple of times in that period. He makes overtures of a fatuous offer, and Mindy tells him straight out that the place means a lot to her, she was born there, her mother passed away there, and she spent the first 20 years of her life, she's not even sure she wants to put the place on the market. She suggests he come back tomorrow when she and Mork have the place more together, and he agrees to come back at 7pm the following evening but he has a good feeling about the place. As he heads to the door, Mindy says she has to get home too she's making dinner for Jeanie that night, and tells Mork to stay and clear up, only for Mork to go all macho and tell her to go home and make dinner while he clears up, telling Bickley after a rather bewildered Mindy goes, that she likes it when he talks rough to her, channeling his inner working man.

At Mindy's apartment, Jeanie is helping and talking with Mindy about the house, telling her if she still feels so attached to it to take it off the market. Mindy tells her it's Fred that wants to sell it, and she understands why but it's the hardest thing she's ever had to do, and she's not sure why she's feeling like this. Jeanie points out that it's not just a house to her it was her home, and there's a big difference. Mindy nods, one being bricks and wood siding, the other memories...trying not to stay sentimental she jokes she is going to put it in the deal that no one gets to sleep in her bedroom. As they laugh, the door opens and a twitchy, freaked out Mork, his hair on end, enters, his eyes wide, at first amused then concerned, Mindy gets up asking him what's wrong only for him to dive past her and under the dining table with manic laughter. Trying to get him out, and asking him what happened he tells her, her house attacked him.

When she rolls her eyes, and makes it clear she doesn't believe him, he clambers out and acts out in detail how, as he was hanging more wallpaper when a wind blew him across the room, then it got very cold, then very hot, then a swarm of bees came in, then a swarm of flies, then the window slammed shut on him, before the furniture attacked him, and a disembodied voice screamed at him 'Get out of here'. By the time it said here, he was back in the apartment. Mindy eyes him closely, wanting to know if he's been hitting the cream soda again. He pleads with her to believe him, but she asks him how she can believe that her house is haunted?! Jeanie sides with Mork, pointing out there are case histories of haunted house, but Mindy has lived there for 20 years and it's always been a normal house. Turning back to the twitching Mork, Mindy tells him she will go back there with him tomorrow, in the broad light of day so he can see that all those things were just a product of his over active imagination, at which he promptly faints.

The next day, Mindy is back in the house telling him everything is fine and normal, only to notice he hasn't actually come in. When he does enter he's wearing a football helmet, shoulder pads, baseball catchers chest protector, boxers groin guard, hockey pads, and using two baseball bats as a makeshift cross. Telling him he's perfectly safe, and asking doesn't he feel ridiculous in that get up. She gets him to take a look around, pointing out there's no flies, no bees, he agrees but is adamant they were there the night before, and even if they got in through cracks, it doesn't explain why the furniture moved. She suggests that sometimes a passing truck can cause tremors that move things. He starts to accept that maybe his mind was playing tricks on him. Walking through the living room with him, she fondly notes how everything still has a certain warmth and uncovers a rocking chair, showing him the needlepoint done on it by her mother, and the spot on the wall where her growth was measured from aged 2 to 13. With a little bit of her and her family in every room she knows why she's having such a hard time selling the place.

When Mork tells her anyone would be lucky to have a house like this, she's touched and hugs him, but as she does she hears a voice saying 'Get out of here'. Swallowing a little she asks Mork if he heard that, and he hopes it was a truck. The voice comes again, and Mork tries to pull Mindy towards the door, but she stops him, thinking its coming from the closet. Mork is freaked and wants to talk about it over Tea in Wyoming, but she refuses to leave, it's her house. Handing her a bat and telling her good luck and aim high, she has to stop him again, as the voice speaks once more. Telling Mork she wants him to open the door on the count of three, he counts to three rapidly and tries to get out the front door but she drags him back to the closet door, taking up a position with her bat, ready for him to open the door on three. having to prod him to get to three as he gets stuck on two. When he pulls the door open she lifts her bat to hit the occupant...and finds Exidor. With a beach towel and sea shells draped around him, exotic locales pinned on the walls inside the closet, Exidor is 'vacationing' with his crew. Another back and forth between the demented street prophet and the exasperated Mindy results in her throwing him out of her house, again.

With the strange goings on seemingly explained, Mindy suggests to a relaxed Mork that they should look around to see what else needs to be done before the house is sold. He agrees but suggests they do it quickly as it's getting kind of cold. Behind them a picture falls off the wall startling them. As they start to smile again, the place is suddenly plunged into darkness, the lights flashing on and off, a wind whipping up, and the remaining pictures start to spin on the walls, an eerie cackling laugh sweeping around them. Clinging to each other, the furniture starts moving around them, the doors opening and closing wildly. As the front door swings open, Mork yells at Mindy they should get out of here and they run.

In the Deli, Mork is sitting along at a table, wild eyed and traumatized, while Mindy sitting at the counter stunned, watches him trying to find a logical explanation with Jeanie, who says the most logical one is that her place is haunted. But Remo tells Mindy she should be careful about talking about it to anyone or she could find herself in a straitjacket. She insists she's not imagining things, that they saw it, and turns to Mork for support on that, only for him to go into hysterics, flinging himself from his seat to his knees, clinging to Remo yelling that there ghosts in there hundreds of them. Remo shakes him out of it, telling him he needs to be cool like Jack Nicholson and strong like Charles Bronson both of whom Mork impersonates. Jeanie is of the opinion that Mindy has disturbed the spirit world, but Mindy has no idea how, Jeanie points out that she's selling a house that's been in her family a very long time but Remo just thinks its garbage. Jeanie confesses however, that after Mork's initial tale of what went on in the house she did a little research.

Pulling out a book 'Colorado Legends' she found in the library, opening it she shows Mindy & Mork a familiar looking house, her home in 1921 when it was known as Lafillette House. Mindy telling her Lafillette was her mother's maiden name, Jeanie says two sisters built the house in 1894, Lucinda and Deirdre Lafillette. who must have been Mindy's Great Great Aunts. The legend, Jeanie says, that Lucinda the older sister was the less attractive of the two but madly in love with handsome silver miner named Harrison Monteith, but he only had eyes for the younger prettier Deirdre. One night Harrison was found mysteriously poisoned, but no one could prove who did it. After that the sisters boarded themselves up in the house and were never seen alive again. Which just cheers Mindy up no end. Jeanie thinks it sounds like the sisters may not want the house sold, which reminds Mindy they have to meet Mr. Bickley there at 7 that night. Jeanie thinks if they tell him that story they may scare the pants off him, but Mork thinks he'll take it as well as he has, and heads out with Mindy. His pants around his ankles.

That night is a literal dark and stormy one, the rain pouring down as Mr. Bickely arrives and enters the house looking for Mindy and Mork, not seeing them he heads into the back of the house to have a look around at the area he hasn't' seen yet. Almost immediately after Mindy opens the front door cautiously and looks in, Mork tries to get in and get out, but Mindy demands he gets back in to the house, and hold her hand. Looking around everything seems okay, but Mork feels something, and tells her he thinks he's sensitive to the ghosts. The sound of the toilet flushing startles them, and as foot steps move closer and the kitchen door swings open Mork & Mindy bury their faces in each other shoulders, only for Bickley to say he was testing the plumbing. Moving to him quickly Mindy tells him that there have been weird things happening in the house, and wants to know what he would say if they told him they thought it was haunted. He answers they were just trying to cool his interest because they have a better offer, but he's not going for it, he wants the house. As soon as he says that, the covers fly off the furniture, and he flees out the front door.

Mork & Mindy try to follow but the door slams shut in their faces. None of the other doors will open either, and the front window is suddenly boarded up. Clinging to Mork, Mindy realizes they're trapped, but Mork starts to stiffen up telling her something is happening to him, and a moment later gives out a scream which terrifies Mindy. Thinking he's just trying to scare her she tells him to cut it out...but Mork isn't Mork anymore. He's Lucinda, and she tells Mindy she's *not* selling the house, it's *their* house, Deirdre, the soft spoken intellectually challenged sister speaks up through Mork. Realizing that Mork is possessed and scared out of her wits, as he pursues her across the room, she locks herself in the closet as Lucinda and Deirdre discuss what they're going to do, a knock at the door aggravating 'Lucinda' further and she heads for the kitchen intent on making 'that tea that makes them cough up their pancreas'

When the front door opens, Exidor soaking wet and wearing a Lei and an old fashioned bathing suit, over his robes, singing as he makes his way back to the closet to continue his vacation only to find it hard to open, yanking it open to find the terrified Mindy holding on to the far side...and for the first time ever glad to see him. Telling him that Morks in trouble, and begging for his help, Exidor is only concerned with following the sun, gathering his boogey board and float. Mork emerges from the kitchen with the 'tea', Deirdre delighted to see a 'gentleman caller', Lucinda keen to waste him as he's a man. Mindy desperately tries to get the front door open but it won't budge so darts back to the closet to peer out as 'the ghosts' speak with Exidor, Deirdre flirting with him. Exidor beams at Mindy, things looking up at meeting 'two chicks'. He coaxes 'them' to come with the beach with him, and Deirdre tells Lucinda she's going to go with him, Lucinda deciding to go too even though it means neither of them will ever be able to go back to Mindy's house.

As they depart the board drops off front window and Mork exhales, telling Mindy quietly they're gone. Rushing out of the closet she hugs him in relief that he's alright. He tells her though that she needs to get rid of the house, ditch it burn, but in spite of everything she still feels she can't it's her home, its her past. As Mork moves through the room he tells her that he still doesn't feel they're alone, and Mindy starts to look fearful again especially when he tells her that one spirit wants to speak to her. Mork sinks into the rocking chair and starts talking in a soft feminine voice about remembering her little daughter playing peekaboo behind the rocking chair after making a caterpillar from egg cartons. Shaken, Mindy realizes its her mother. Tearful, and unable to think where to start in talking to her, with so much to say to her, her mother tells her its alright she has something to say to her as she hasn't much time, and reminds her of the old teddy bear she had that despite being hugged smooth, with no eyes and stuffing coming out she still didn't want to give up. Her mother tells her there's nothing wrong with giving up the things she has outgrown. Saying goodbye to her, she tells her no matter what, she will always be with her. Mindy tells her she loves her. And a moment later, Mork is freed again, telling her the spirit is gone, with no memory of it himself.

Nodding, Mindy moves to the couch telling him it was her mother. Joining her, he asks her what she said to her. And she tells him about the teddy bear but thinks her mother was talking more about the house. And she realizes that whether she has the house or not the memories that were made there will always live on inside of her. Sliding his arm around her, Mork suggests maybe he and she can create some more memories to keep them company, stroking her hair and holding her close, as the camera pans over to the chair that is rocking on its own.

The episode finishes with Mork reporting to Orson, in a football helmet for protection, with his report to be given in rhyme to make it fun: "I went to fix up Mindy's House. I was quiet as a mouse. When suddenly the HOUSE and it wasn't San Andreas Quaking! The room filled with flies and bees and scared me out of my BVDs. And a voice told me get out of here!! I said Ahh naaaahh in fear! I ran to Mindy's willy nilly, they all told me that I was silly. There's no such thing as ghosts, said she, and pried my arms from around her knee. I swore to her that there was a spirit and took her to the house to hear it .Then, we got the explanation it was my friend Exidor on vacation. I said he was a silly goose then all HELL broke loose! La la laaaaaa, said Mr. Bickley a moment later he turned sickly. Then we found out why the house was cold. It was unwilling to be sold. What's the moral of this poem? That's there no place like your ho-em." Orson enjoys the rhyme but when Mork tries to continue talking in rhyming couplets, Orson cuts him off and calls 'Next!'

Goofs

1. As Mork is pointing out the stain on Mindy's mother's chair the shadow of a microphone can be seen briefly moving over the wall behind them.
2. While Remo is trying to calm down Mork at the Deli, a couple (a woman in a blue blazer and a guy in a yellow rain coat) leave the Deli, passing between Remo and Mork at the table and Mindy and Jeanie at the counter. When Remo then gets Mork to try and be more like Jack Nicholson and Charles Bronson the couple are back sitting at the Deli counter, and subsequently get up and leave, passing between the boys and girls again.

Continuity

• This episode leaves a rather large unanswered question in terms of family continuity. Mindy tells Jeanie that Lafillette was her mother (Elizabeth's) maiden name. But Cora's, Elizabeth's mother's, married name, is Hudson. This by default means that Hudson should have been Mindy's Mother's maiden name. Unless Mr. Hudson is not Elizabeth's father / Cora married a second time.

Orkan Facts

• Mindy asks Mork if he's been hitting the Cream Soda again after he comes in to the apartment in a manic state following his first experiencing the ghosts in Mindy's House. Indicating that Cream Soda initiates weird behavior in Mork and that along with Ginger Ale (like different forms of alcohol in humans) different forms of carbonated drinks have different effects on Mork.

Trivia

General

• The title of the episode is a play on words of The Amityville Horror (1977)
• Remo's cynical verbal (and probably sweary) reactions to the 'ghost stories' have both clearly been dubbed over with nonsensical terms.
• Lafillettle Mindy's great great Aunt's surname is French for 'The Little Girl'
• Mindy's mother will make a second pivotal 'appearance' in Reflections and Regrets

Pop Culture

• Bickley tells Mork the house is ripe for a photo layout in House Bizarre a riff on the classic home décor magazine 'House Beautiful'
• In his full sports protective gear, Mork calls on the Evil Spirit to be gone, invoking major league baseball catcher and tv personality Joe Garagiola Major League Baseball Commissioner, Bowie Kuhn and American Football line backer, and commentator Dick Butkus as a kind of sports 'Holy Trinity'.
• Mork 'quotes' Timothy Leary in regards to the mind playing tricks on one. Leary being the notorious clinical psychologist, and (much arrested) proponent of psychedelic drugs.
• As Mindy pushes Mork towards the closet door to open it so she can tackle whose inside, he does one of Bert Lahr's Cowardly Lion scared noise, and again during his rhyming report to Orson
• Mork impersonates both Jack Nicholson and Charles Bronson in trying to recover his equilibrium.
• While Jeanie is discussing the spirit world, Mork does an impersonation of Rod Serling, the creator and host of The Twilight Zone
• 'Deirdre' describes herself as full of 'Mishigas' the Yiddish word for 'Craziness'
• Exidor enters singing 'Lovely Hula Hands' (1940) by Robert Alexander Anderson, brought back to popularity by Marty Robbins (1963)
• Before joining Exidor, Deirdre says to Lucinda if they leave Mindy's house they won't ever be able to return to 'Belle Reve'. Belle Reve is a reference to the old faded plantation Stella and Blanche DuBois grew up on in Tennessee William's A Street Car Named Desire, the name meaning "beautiful dreams" in French.
• Mork in his rhyming report to Orson says he was scared out of his BVD's a type of men's underwear first turned out in the underwear, which was at the time of the show produced by Fruit of the Loom

Quotes/Excerpts

• Mindy: Why did you wallpaper the door?
• Mork: I didn't want to stop, I was on a roll! What do you think Bick?
• Mr. Bickley: Its worthy of a photo layout in House Bizarre

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• Mindy: Well I have to get home too, I'm making dinner for Jeanie tonight. Mork you stay here and clear up.
• Mork: *dominantly* Well alright! I'll stay here and clear up, *you* go home and make dinner! *Mindy blinks, nods and steps outside, Mork struts up to Bickley.* She likes it when I talk rough to her. *flexes his muscles*

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• Mindy: *suspiciously* Have you been hitting the cream soda again?
• Mork: No Min, Mindy you gotta believe me, you gotta believe me!!
• Mindy: Believe you? What am I supposed to believe, that my house is haunted?!
• Mork: Oh either that or I've lost my mind. *laughs manically* Maybe you better call the police and ask them to look for a little grey squishy thing

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• Mindy: What are *you* doing here?
• Exidor: Vacationing
• Mindy: *groans* But this is my house!
• Exidor: Of course. You can't vacation in your own house! *to Mork* Be kind, she's riding on empty. *Mindy rolls her eyes as Exidor looks back into the closet and blows on a whistle* Out of the water!! Don't you see that fin?!
• Mindy: I hate to burst your very tiny bubble but this is not a resort, it's a private home. And that is a closet.
• Exidor: A closet?
• Mindy: Mhhmmm...the vacation is over, Exidor.
• Exidor: Over?! But I thought checkout time wasn't till 12.00!
• Mindy: *points to door* Out!
• Exidor: Out?! Moi?!
• Mindy: Mhmmhm!!!
• Exidor: Let's go boys! This place is getting too commercial!

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• Mindy: See? I told you there'd be an explanation for all those strange things that were happening.
• Mork: Well...you know something Mindy? Sometimes you're wise beyond your dimples.

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• Mork; *zips in and out* Well he's not here Mind lets go!
• Mindy: Mork! You're acting like a child! Now will you get in here and hold my hand!?!

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• Mork: I wonder what ghosts do when they're not busy scaring people? *sound of toilet flushing scares him and Mindy* That's the last thing i would've dreamed of.

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*Exidor drags closet door open, and Mindy screams*

• Mindy: Oh!! Exidor! Thank god somebody normal is here!!!
• Exidor: It's all starting to make sense now! You kicked me out so you could vacation in there yourself!

Image Gallery

Cast & Crew

Starring:

• Robin Williams as Mork
• Pam Dawber as Mindy McConnell
• Jay Thomas as Remo DaVinci
• Gina Hecht as Jeannie DaVinci
• Tom Poston as Mr. Bickley
• Ralph James as Orson

Recurring guest:

• Robert Donner as Exidor