Due to a misunderstanding about Monopoly money, gold-digger Kathy Cumberland believes Mork is rich and claims she is carrying his child in "Mork's Baby Blues" in Season 2 (ep.#4).
Mork's Baby Blues was the fourth episode of Season 2 of Mork and Mindy, also the 29th series episode overall. Co-written by David Misch & April Kelly, the episode, directed by Howard Storm, shot on August 24th, 1979 and premiered on ABC on September 30, 1979.
After cleaning Mindy out at Monopoly, Mork starts waving his 'money' around and talking like a bigshot. Overheard, and misunderstood, by an out of work actress and gold-digger Kathy Cumberland, she lures her 'rich' mark home overnight, and then tries to make everyone believe she is carrying Mork's child.
Plot[]
Mr. Bickley is trying to wangle a discount on his meal from Remo & Jeanie in the NY Deli, when Mork struts in talking to an imaginary chauffeur and handing out Monopoly money to strangers as if it's real. Mork is in a celebratory mood having cleaned Mindy out in a game of Monopoly the night before. After Remo takes Mork's 5k of Monopoly money to store for 'safe keepiing' with his potato peelings and coffee grounds. a pretty young woman enters and takes a table nearby. As she's checking out the menu, Mork continues to talk with Bickley at the counter, as if he's a real life bigshot, discussing building tax shelters, how he built all those hotels and houses and whether to invest in utilities or build a railroad. Bickley gets up to go telling him if he really wants to know what to do with all that money, he should pay for Bickleys dinner. Throughout the entire conversation with Bickley, the girl at the table has been eavesdropping and as soon as he leaves, she 'bursts into tears'.
Attracting Mork's attention, he approaches her to find out what's wrong, and sits down with her. She tells him her life is a horrible failure, that she came to Boulder to become a star, to sing, dance, and make movies, which even Mork finds funny and bizarre. She tells him she's all alone, she has no money and no friends. Mork tells her he has lots of money and he'll be her friend. Unable to believe her luck she invites Mork over to dinner at her house at 7.00 but he's happy to go along with her straight away, making her even happier. As he's leaving Remo asks if he wants his five grand back, but Mork tells him to keep it, it's just paper...which Kathy again misunderstands and is even more overjoyed to hear.
Later in Kathy's apartment, Mork has finished up his meal and thanking her, gets up to say his goodbyes. She stops him leaving, saying she's hardly gotten to know him, and invites him over to the couch with her. They talk about money and as he moves to go she drags him down onto her lap. However Kathy's seduction attempts on Mork go about as well as Susan Taylor's before her (in Mork's Seduction). Mork being either oblivious to, playing with or misconstruing everything she says. On being asked to put his arms around her, Mork makes a wide circle with his arms around her; she tells him they could do something fun like remove his suspenders, which he does himself, but tells her that's not fun, he does it every night. When she strips off her sweater because its 'hot' it makes no impact, beyond him advising a good way to get cool is sit on a fudgsicle. When she feigns tiredness, and he still doesn't get the hint, it makes Kathy both start to wonder if he's all there. Nothing working, she tries to spell it out for him, that she wants him to spend the night with her. But still unable to get him to share her bed with her, she leaves him to sleep on the couch.
The next morning In the apartment, a deeply worried Mindy is making phone calls around trying to find out what's happened to Mork,. As she hangs up, he enters all smiles. Relieved but perplexed Mindy asks him where's he's been, what he's been doing. She is even more perplexed when he tells her 'Nothing' and heads into the kitchen. Following him she queries that, pointing out he's been gone all night. When he tells her he met a lonely actress, Mindy visibly starts to get antsy, but tries to casually press him for more detail. His super casual explanation of the innocent events comes across badly, and by the time he tells Mindy he he put his arms around the girl, Mindy's jaw has tightened. And it gets worse, her eyes flashing, as he tells her when he took off his suspenders, his host got overheated, took of her top, and wanted to go bed. As he heads for the attic Mindy is left hanging, and straight out demands to know what happened? With a placid smile on his face, he shrugs and casually tells her that he spent the night with her, and turns to head up the attic steps. Now furiously jealous and just plain furious, Mindy snatches up a sopping wet cloth from the sink and fires it right at the back of his head. The cloth slowly sliding down his back. Mork turns with that same placid smile on his face and enquires if anything is wrong? She replies 'Nothing' with the same placid smile and tone as he, and he happily goes up into the attic leaving her to prowl and snarl to herself.
Two weeks later, Mork is alone in the apartment and a knock at the door reveals Kathy who he has not seen since that night. She expresses disappointment at that as he had said he was going to be her friend, but forgives him. She wonders about the apartment thinking it might have been more expensive looking but he explains its not his it belongs to the girl he lives with. Hearing that, Kathy asks whether said girl knows about the night he spent with her. Mork confirms he told Mindy all about it, which pleases Kathy immensely. She tells him that the night they spent 'together' had a lot of meaning for her, and asks him what it meant to him, translating his innocuous answers somehow into a possible declaration of love on his part, which he doesn't think he meant. Moving back to directness, she asks him to marry her. As he's mid fluster over her proposal, Mindy returns.
Seeing them together on the couch, Mindy asks Mork who 'this' is, and he tells her this is the girl he spent the night with. Mindy immediately turns evaluative, and her extended hand is not reciprocated by Kathy, who takes the wind out of Mindy's sails by telling her that she and Mork were talking about getting married. Mindy, with undertones of proprietary behaviour around Mork, informs Kathy that she and he have been living together for some time now, and Mork doesn't always get the complexities of interpersonal relationships. She's sure she's a very nice girl but is pretty sure wires have been crossed. With Mindy's folded arms drawing a battle line, the passive aggressive conversation between the two women continues when, Kathy calls Mindy 'Dear' but delivers an early coup de grace by announcing that's Mindy that doesn't understand, she's having Mork's baby. Both of them turn to look at Mork, who can only deliver a Bickley style 'La la la laaaaa' while Mindy stares at him in pure shock.
Kathy wants to know that Mork intends to do the right thing, and that it's going to take a lot of money to raise 'their child' properly after they're married. Unsettled by the notion of marrying Kathy, Mork asks Mindy if he marries Kathy can he still live with her? An angry and disappointed Mindy tells him she'll pass. Mork tells Kathy that he wants to stay living with Mindy and to Mindy's shock asks Kathy if she will take money instead? Kathy tells him that is a cruel thing to say, but immediately holds out her hand for the cash, doubling up on Mindy's shock. Mork empties his pockets and gives Kathy 15 dollars. Deriding it Kathy warns him he'll have a paternity suit on his hands if he doesn't pay up. Mindy speaks up saying she'd better have proof he's the father, to which Kathy replies, that even if she can't prove it she can make his life miserable in court and have his name all over the newspapers. With her gone, Mork asks Mindy what is he going to do? Her disappointment showing, backing off him, she tells him that perhaps she's not the best person to talk to right now, that....somehow...she finds it a little difficult to be objective. Walking into her bedroom she closes the door. Left alone, Mork stands forlorn, confessing he doesn't want to marry anyone who is not Mindy.
In the Deli, Remo, is dressed in full Hawaiian holiday style and trying to get Jeanie to put on a skimpy sarong, which she refuses to do. A dejected Mork enters and Remo asks him what's wrong. Mork tells him he's thinking of getting married. Remo sits with him and congratulates him, telling him he's happy for him and is sure that Mindy is real excited too. Remo's expression changes when Mork tells him its not Mindy, and that he's gotten another girl pregnant. Jeanie emerges having given in and put on the Sarong and Remo immediately goes to cover her up from Mork. Confused, by his actions, Remo explains to her that Mork has gotten a girl pregnant. Jeanie is stunned but tells Mork that marrying her is the honorable thing to do. Mork says he does want to do the honorable thing, and decides he'd better marry her tonight, and heads off to make some phone calls.
In Kathy's apartment she's all packed and ready to go when Mork arrives in his best suit. Kathy is happy he's agreed to settle things quickly and wants to know where the money is. Mork clarifies that by settling things he meant marry her. Shocked she says he said on the phone that he was going to take care of everything, and he says he is, including her and their 'bundle de joie'. She almost blurts out she's not pregnant, but instead tells him there's no reason for them to get married she can take care of the baby by herself with his money. But he wont' hear of it, he intends to be her husband and starts calling her pet names. Unnerved, Kathy tells him she's not good enough for him, and he can't throw away his life over one little mistake. But he tells her after they're married he can sleep on the couch again and have lots of little mistakes.
Spotting her luggage he thinks she's all set and ready to go on the honeymoon. And Kathy is feeling things spiraling out of control, as there's a knock at the door. It's the Justice of the Peace that Mork has organised, Justice Aaron Abbot,. Mork hopes that Mindy got the note he left her, as he doesn't want her to miss it. Kathy tries to talk Mork out of it by listing her rotten habits and morals, but Mork won't be dissuaded from doing the right thing. Mindy arrives with Mr. Bickley. Seeing him, Mindy rushes to Mork to talk him out of it telling him she knows he thinks he's doing the right thing, but he doesn't really know what he's doing, while Mr.Bickley tells him this is the stupidest thing he's ever done. Mindy pleads that she's going to miss him, but he tells her it's his duty.
The JP tells them he needs to get started, but Kathy tells Mork she'll take 4 rather than 5,000 dollars, then drops continuously down to 500 and Bickley advises him that that is a good deal, but Mork says he's buttered his bread and now he's going to lie in it. The JP starts the ceremony and when he gets to the 'objection' question, Mindy strenuously objects, joined by Bickley, then Kathy herself. Kathy tells Mork 50 dollars and she's gone...and Mork tells her all he has is the 15 dollars he offered her before. Finally understanding that he's not rich she realizes she's wasted her time. At that the JP himself objects and leaves. Mork tries to go on with the ceremony but Kathy stops him and confesses to a delighted Mindy that Mork never laid a hand on her. Bickley accuses Kathy of extortion. But Mork still doesn't get there's no baby, till Mindy tells him directly Shocked Mork asks Kathy why she wanted him to marry her, still not understanding her motivation, Bickley grabs her and says she can explain that to the police, pulling her to the door, but Kathy's attempts to charm him make it unclear if she'll ever get to the station.
Mork sits bewildered, telling Mindy just as he thought he was beginning to understand Earthlings some new weirdness comes along. Mindy sits beside him and tells him the problem is he's a magnet for weird. She explains Kathy was out to get the money, she thought he had, and never thought he was going to marry her. When Mork asks wouldn't any human being do that, Mindy tells him no, that's one of the other reasons he has trouble, he's not fully human yet. But it's also one of the reasons she thinks he's so special. He thinks she's special too so he guesses that means she's not fully human either. He tells her that he had a honeymoon all planned and wonders if Mindy would like to go along with him, she thinks maybe she would and asks where. He tells her Three Mile Island.
The episode finishes with Mork's report to Orson, where he reports that things aren't always what they appear to be on Earth, including the Oceans being clean, New cars appear to be well built, Ronald Reagan's hair being brown, and there also double deceptions. When Orson asks him what that has to do with his week, Mork tells him he met a woman who was not what she appeared to be. He says that on Earth some humans believe that they should be married before they get pregnant, possibly because it's too expensive to bring the kids along on the honeymoon. Orson tells Mork he's proud of him for trying to do the right thing despite the consequences. Mork thanks him saying he believes he should take responsibility for the things he does. The problem is he cant' figure out whether he did them or not.
Trivia[]
General[]
Shooting Script - Title
Alternate titles for the episode included 'From Here to Paternity', and 'The Immorkulate Conception'. Probably unsurprisingly, given the times, the latter (which was the shooting script title) was changed.
Orson tells Mork he's proud of Mork of trying to do the right thing in spite of the consequences, but how Orson came to that conclusion from the amount of detail Mork told him is unclear
Pop Culture[]
During his 'native american' dance in Kathy's apartment, Mork throws in a quick arm point and 'Alive' referencing John Travolta's Saturday Night Fever routine to the Bee Gees' 'Stayin' Alive'
Mork refers to Kathy as 'Ke-mo Sab-ette' a feminiized version of Kemo-Sabe Tonto's name for The Lone Ranger in the radio and TV show.
Mork tells Mindy that she's won a 'Naughayde' wig for correctly identifying him as he entered. 'Naugahhyde the wig of the champions!' However Naugahyde is an artificial leather used in upholstery that became popular in the 1960s.
Remo in trying to get Jeanie to wear a sarong tells her 'If it worked for Lamour it'll work for La Less!' Apart from being a jibe at his sisters looks, this is also a reference to Dorothy Lamour the famed Paramount movie star, who did the Road movies with Bob Hope & Bing Crosby but was also famous for her early roles playing 'native' girls in Sarongs.
Jeanie tells Remo he looks like he walked out of a Don Ho nightmare, referencing the Hawaiian entertainer and singer (who would be referenced again multiple times in subsequent seasons)
When Kathy tells Mork her surname is Cumberland, Mork says 'like the Gap!' meaning the Cumberland Gap in the Appalachian Mountains made famous in the folk song
Mork tells Mindy he'd planed his vacation with Kathy, that he's now inviting her on, at Three Mile Island. Which that year was the site of the Nuclear Plant Accident.
Mork tells Orson of Kathy 'That was no lady that was almost my wife' doing a Groucho Marx impersonation.
Quotes[]
Jeanie: Wow, how'd you'd get to be so 'rich'?!
Mork: Well it's a long story....*everyone turns to go* BUT! I'll make it real short *they return* I played Mindy at Monopoly last night, and I beat the Chance off of her! I cleaned out her Community Chest!
______________________
Mork*trying to get the 'crying' Kathy's attention* Ahem........ahem.....a hem and a sleeve.
______________________
Kathy:*stroking his face* You have a very kind face.
Mork: And you have kind of a face too.
Kathy: And your hair! It's so soft!
Mork That's because I gargle with Lanolin.
Kathy: Would you like to dance?
Mork: Oh I'd love to!! *gets up and starts doing native American style ritual dance*
______________________
Mork: Alright I guess I can rough it right here on Mr Couch.
Kathy:*frustrated* But...what about my Mr Bed?!!!
Mork I don't think there's room for the couch! Besides where would you sleep?!
______________________
Mindy: Well where have you been?! What have you been doing?!
Mork: Nothing!
Mindy: Nothing? You were gone all night.
Mork: Well I met a lonely actress.
Mindy:*unsettled* .......And?
Mork: Well...she asked me over for Dinner.
Mindy:*trying to be casual* Did you go?
Mork: Sure! I was hungry.
Mindy: *following him around kitchen* So...so what happened after dinner?
Mork: Nothing. We just sat on the couch that's all.
Mindy:*smiling but agitated* That's all?
Mork: Well pretty much yeah, There was a little dancing, and then I put my arms around her.
Mindy: Ohh ho....you did did you? *jaw tightens*
Mork: Yeah, then i took off my suspenders and she got a little overheated and she took off her top and then BOOM she wanted to go to bed. *heads out of kitchen with snack, towards attic*
Mindy:*taken aback* Well?!?!?
Mork: Nothing! I just spent the night with her that's all. *smiles* Buh-bye!. *starts to head up steps*
*Mindy furiously jealous picks cloth out of sink and fires it across the room hitting him square on. Mork slowly turns to look back at her as the cloth slides off him, Mindy's glare slipping into an arched eyebrow* Mindy, what's wrong?
Mindy:*lightly in the same tone he's been using* Nothing!
Mork: Good! *heads up the stairs, leaving Mindy to growl and prowl*
______________________
Kathy: Oh that's funny. Yeah that's very funny. Well you listen buster, you're going to have a paternity suit on your hands if I don't get 5,000 dollars in 24 hours.
Mork: Oh listen I'm no legal bozo how about a compromise? 5,000 hours to give you 24 dollars.
______________________
Remo: What's the deal?
Mork: Well, I...I'm thinking of getting married.
Remo: Oh I'm excited for ya! In fact I think it's terrific and I know Mindy's real happy too, huh?!
Mork: I don't think she likes the girl too much.
______________________
Mindy:*rushes to Mork* Can I talk to you for a minute Mork!? I know that you think that you know what you're doing! But I know that you don't really know what you think that you know!
