Mork's First Christmas

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"Mork's First Christmas"
Season 1, Episode #13 (#13) in series (95 episodes)
Mork, experiences his first Christmas, both learning and teaching a few lessons about the true meaning of Christmas in "Mork's First Christmas" in Season 1 (ep.#13).
"Mork & Mindy" episode
Guest Star(s):	Morgan Fairchild David Ketchum Ysabel MacCloskey Patrick Cranshaw
Network:	ABC-TV
Production code:	113 (1-13)
Writer(s)	Dale McRaven & Bruce Johnson
Director	Howard Storm
Original airdate	December 14, 1978
IMDB	Mork's First Christmas
Episode chronology
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List of Mork & Mindy seasons/episodes

Mork's First Christmas was the 13th episode of Season 1 of Mork and Mindy, and also the 13th in the series. Co-written by Dale McRaven and Bruce Johnson, the episode, which was directed by Howard Storm, first aired on ABC-TV on December 14, 1978.

WHAT WAS IN MORKS LAST PRESENT????

Mork on learning about Christmas, guilts Mindy into inviting her amoral nemesis, Susan Taylor, to spend the day with them. On discovering that he can't afford to buy Christmas presents for everyone, he resolves to make personalized, unique gifts for Mindy, her family and Susan.

Plot

Mork returns home to Mindy's Apartment in a panic, telling Mindy the town is under siege and they have to blow town as quick as possible as a plague called Christmas has struck and is everywhere. There are mindless hordes on the street just milling around, and last night when she was at school there were groups out just singing for trouble. Mindy tries to tell him that they are just Carolers, but he's not convinced, not with Santa Claws out there, and he wants to get out of town with her before they are infected. Dragging him back as he tries to run, Mindy tells him to relax it's just part of Earth's Christmas holiday. After he relaxes, Mindy explains to him that the men in the red suits are collecting money, and the carolers are just singing to make people happy. She tells him that the entire holiday is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, a wise and wonderful man, which is why this time brings out the best in people. A time for caring and sharing and opening your heart to your fellow man. Mork understands. For a few short weeks each year, humans try to act more human, and thinks Orson will be pleased to hear about it.

Mindy's high school nemesis and former friend, Susan (Morgan Fairchild) ends up celebrating Christmas at Mindy's apartment.

A knock at the door sends Mork to open it and Mindy is less than thrilled to see Susan Taylor outside, especially when she starts to flirt with Mork again. Getting up she insinuates herself between Mork and Susan pushing her away from him while 'greeting' her wanting to know what brings her to a place without valet parking? Susan replies Christmas and, as Mindy grits her teeth, takes hold of Mork's arm and walks away with him. Susan tells Mork the two of them are her best friends after all. Her only friends Mork points out. Susan admires Mindy's place as being so 'homey' while hers is just 'elegant', she tells Mork playing with his hair, and not a place hat she'd like to spend Christmas alone. Mindy rapidly brings up the lawyer Susan is dating, Patrick but apparently he has this pesky habit of spending Christmas with his wife. Mork suggests having him come over and bring his wife with him, but Susan laughs pointing out she doesn't know she exists.

Mork thinks he has the solution, and seeing where he's going before he can finish it, Mindy grabs him and violently drags away. When he confirms he was intending to invite Susan to spend Christmas with him, she tells him in no uncertain terms she wants to spend Christmas with him, her Dad and her Grandmother, and not Susan. He reminds her of what she said about it being a time of caring and sharing and opening your heart, but he sees now that it's a nice idea, but obviously just a sham. Mindy's upset that she's undermining the meaning Christmas tries to explain that it's not that, his idea is nice, it's just that Susan is just so 'yiiick' and her ego is so inflated. But Mork gives her the puppy dog look, and nuzzles up against her, and she caves. Rushing back to Susan he tells her, that even though she's yiiiiiick, and inflated, she's welcome to spend Christmas with them. To Mindy's initial relief Susan says she couldn't as she's a nooner and would never be able to get up in time for the festivities...but Mork offers to wake her up. It gets worse for Mindy when Susan suggests she comes over on Christmas Eve, and spends the night then Mork can wake her up in the morning in time for the fun. As Mindy watches on with a pained smile, Mork thanks Susan for thinking of them and she demurs saying what are friends for, before telling Mindy she prefers to have the meal before 1pm, and she only eats white meat.

The next day, Eugene arrives dragging in the Christmas Tree for the apartment. Mork wants to know why he's dragging around a tied up dead plant, and Eugene wants to know hasn't he ever seen ever seen a Christmas Tree, when he says no, Eugene tells him you decorate it. It's one of three things you do at Christmas, one decorate the tree, two eat Turkey, three exchange gifts. Mork gets him to stop, needing to hear about the gifts part again. Eugene explains that Mindy will buy him something, and probably her father and grandmother, and Mork figures ipso facto he should buy them something. Susan arrives telling Mork she's full of the essence of Christmas, Eugene grimacing when he hears her, and is even less impressed when she just pats him on the head dismissively when he sticks out his hand to greet her. When Susan provides a treasured item for the top of the tree, a Gucci angel, which Mork tells her is most welcome, and tells her winged friend to fly and be free, and it smashes to the ground, feeling remorse at the loss of her prized possession, Susan waves it off as she has 6 more at home and will drop off another with Mindy later on. When she goes Mork asks Eugene if he'll come with him to help pick out presents for the family, and Eugene is happy to but tells Mork that she has the wrong idea about Christmas, getting presents is nice but giving them is what the gig is all about. So like Mindy said, Mork thinks, caring and sharing, and Eugene nods, it's the time of brotherly love.

Cut to the Ski Shop where Mork has gone to and people having knock down drag out fights over scarves, and Eugene searching for Mork who he eventfully finds him hiding under a table. Eugene tries to get him out but Mork says no way these people are out for blood and he'd rather go swimming in a blender. He clears the place out by making a faking announcement of a sale on the non existent second floor When he tells the Salesman that's left that he only has 12 bucks for presents for 4 people, and the salesman suggests he buys gifts at McDonalds. Mork looks a little forlorn about what he has to spend, and opines that at home they used to make presents for people, and Eugene says that's fine he can do that instead! But Mork thought that was against the law because of the commercialization of Christmas,. Eugene tells him the stores would rather you buy them but making them is great too, and re-engaged, he starts to list off things like guy, string and a little tiny whip as things he'll need, heading off.

Christmas Eve night, and Mork excitedly tells Mindy that he's hidden her present somewhere around the house, then stops her from sitting down on the exact spot he's hidden it. Wondering why he didn't just put it under the tree, he tells her because he didn't want her to see it. When she asks him didn't he wrap it, he didn't realize he had to, and leaning down looks behind the cushions and starts insulting the present. Pulling out one of hers she shows him what she means with the paper and ribbon and he gets the idea, but wants her to guess what he got her, but she doesn't want to ruin it. So he wants to guess what she got him, but she doesn't want to do that either, and he goes off the deep end, shaking her and wanting a hint. Laughing she tells him no, grabbing her presents and moving them away from him, telling him he'll have to wait till tomorrow and Christmas morning, telling him he's just like a little kid. Making the mistake of putting down her bag of presents as she goes to get more, she finds him trying to scan it and shake it, and almost lets the cat out of the bag of what it is as she tries to stop him.

Susan arrives, loving the presents under Mindy's tree and bemoaning the fact that her boyfriend, Patrick gave her a picture of himself for his present. Mork wonders why she opened it and she says she didn't have to, as pictures of herself is what she's giving for her presents this year before handing over 4 of them for Mindy to put under the tree. Mindy, deciding to get in the spirit, tells Susan to forget about Patrick, that she and Mork are going to make sure she has a really nice Christmas. Susan tells them she appreciates, and admits that she wangled her invitation but is very happy they invited and hopes they have a really nice Christmas. Mindy is sure they will, and Mork says in the Christmas spirit they should open presents and dives on them, Mindy having to wrestle him off them again, including the one he's hiding behind his back. Feigning nonchalance, 'Mork the Emotionless' saunters off to bed saying he's in control, that come the morning they should just give him a call whenever and if the energy is right he'll come down...because y'know Christmas is really for kids. With him gone, Susan notes that despite of what he said Mork does seem to be really excited about Christmas, and smiling Mindy says he is, its really his first one as his 'parents' never celebrated Christmas. Susan thinks that's sad, and Mindy agrees heading off to bed, Susan noting to herself that Mork is not alone in that, before following Mindy into the bedroom to settle down for the night.

Christmas morning and Mork is playing happily (and incorrectly) with the Simon game Mindy gave him for Christmas, while Cora is enthusing over the antique cameo brooch Fred has given her, something he guessed she wanted after hearing her mention it to Mindy every day since July. Susan thanks Mindy for the gloves, and Mindy Susan for the wonderful picture of herself, at which point Mork announces it's time for his gifts now, saving the best for last. Handing them out to Cora, Fred, Susan and Mindy. Fred pulls out what looks like a badly made fur hat, which he says looks nice but checks with Mork as to what exactly it is...and Mork says that Fred always wanted a rug, and tells him to try on the home made wig. Cora opens her, to find a small oddly colored sculpture of a man at a grand piano, Mork tells her she said that she likes music and antiques so he made her a portrait of Liberace made out of old bubblegum, with hand painted wads, smiling fixedly Cora tells him it's unusual. Susan rather apprehensively say she can't wait to see what she got, and Mork tells her it's the only one he paid for as she wanted it to be returnable. It turns out to be a saucer. When she asks why a saucer, to Mindy's embarrassment, Mork tells her it's because Mindy said she'd only appreciate something shallow. As Fred tries not to laugh, Mindy moves things along rapidly opening her own gift and finding inside the rather large box, a rather unique bracelet. Hand made by Mork. Finding it interesting, she asks what kind of beads he used. They're not beads he tells her, but he knows she likes them as she has a whole collection in the attic, they're flies. When she drops it like a hot potato he laughs and tells her they can't fly now they're dead. He shows her how he painted all their eyes by hand, made little clothes for them and put sequins on them so they could look like Liza Minelli in Cabaret. Trying to be positive, she tells him she really appreciates how long it took him to make it, he tells her he put it in such a big box to fool her, and she agrees she never would've guessed what was in there. Asking them all if they liked his gifts, they all smile and nod, and he says wait till they see what he got for the entire house and runs upstairs.

With him gone, Fred moves over to give Cora a closer look at his 'wig' shaking his head, but at the same time Susan has opened her present from Patrick and his horrified to find that it's not a picture of himself but a framed 1000 dollar bill. Getting up she says she has to get him something and put it in his mailbox as she didn't get him anything. Holding it up she shows them the bill, and says to them that they have to admit that *this* is what Christmas is all about, not like the stupid presents Mork made for them, just as Mork's feet appear at the top of the stairs. As she leaves the others don't see or hear him come down with his last gift in his arms, and Fred asks what they should do. Mindy doesn't know, but is just so embarrassed for him, knowing he worked so hard on all that stuff. Cora agrees, a rug, gum and dead flies are kind of hard to warm up to, and feels sorry for him. Fred wonders do they tell him, they don't want him to make the same mistake next year. But Mindy asks her father how are they supposed to tell him, the look on his face was so happy. From behind them, Mork says they don't have to, making them all turn sharply.

Telling them he made a fool out of himself he carries his last gift across the room and puts it in the trash, turning and apologizing to them for embarrassing them, and saying he'll be up in his room, turning to go. Fred stands up quickly, and says okay the gifts weren't terribly practical, but that doesn't' matter. Mindy tells him her Dad is right, that it's not the gift it's the thought that counts, which Cora agrees with. Cocking his head, Mork moves towards them, asking are thoughts important? Fred saying of course. Brightening Mork says he should've just given them one of those for Christmas. Mindy looks confused, and Cora asks can he really give a thought? He says no, but they can give it to themselves, he can make it happen. Lifting his hand he uses his power on each of them in turn, their gazes turning distant and both softened and stunned. Murmuring that she doesn't believe it, Mork asks Mindy what her thought was and she recalls her dog Peppy that she had when she was young that she let loose at a picnic and he ran away. After a week she thought he had been run over. What she remembers is the way she felt the way Peppy ran up the drive way, Looking to Mork, beyond touched, she takes his arm and thanks him sincerely. A moved Cora recalls her first Christmas with her husband, poor as church mice they still managed to buy a tree, and it was the best Christmas ever. Fred has a serious look on his face, and Mork asks him what's wrong, but Fred says nothing, nothing at all, he was just remembering the first time he held his newborn daughter, and wondering how anything so tiny could make him so happy, looking to Mork he thanks him, as does Cora from the bottom of her heart.

Her arm linked with Morks, and in tears, she tells him she'd forgotten how much she'd loved that dog, and smiling he asks her if he liked it even better than flies, laughing she tells him even better than flies. Looking to them all he tells them he wants to say something to them too. Tearfully, he tells them that this was his first Christmas and they made it really wonderful. Coming together in a moved and moving moment, all the McConnell's tearfully grab a tissue and wipe their eyes, and blow their noses. And a moment later Mork too grabs a kleenex, and shoves it in his mouth making them all laugh.

The episode ends not with a report to Mork but with Mork sneaking downstairs in the middle of the night with a candle to sit at the foot of the Christmas Tree gazing up at the lights.

Trivia

General

• This marks the second appearance of Patrick Cranshaw, the old man fighting for merchandise in the Ski Shop, who returned to portray crotchety TV cameraman Jake Loomis in season 3 and 4
• Mork hurls Susan's Gucci angel and cries, "Fly! Be free!," just as he did with an egg in The Mork & Mindy Special. In one of his final interviews, Robin Williams remarked that fans frequently spit the line back at him. "People remember the silliest stuff," he said.
• There is no report to Orson in this episode. The first time this occurs.
• The end credits are unusual in that they play over original footage, rather than still-photographs. Mork sneaks down from the attic in the dark and sits under the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree.

Pop Culture

• Mork says the 'roving gangs' of carol singers are out to beat up Monty Hall and his family. Monty Hall being the host of the long running show Lets Make A Deal.
• Mork gets a Simon machine for Christmas, launched like the show in 1978, the iconic musical memory skill electronic game massively popular through the late 70s and 80s.
• He also gets an electronic R2-D2.
• Mork tells Fred his new rug is just like Howard Cosell's only Indoor / Outdoor.
• Mork gives Cora a portrait of flamboyant celebrity pianist Liberace made out of old bubblegum.
• And he gives Mindy her bracelets of flies having put sequins on them so they could look like Liza Minelli in Cabaret.

Quotes

• Mork: There's a plague! It's an epidemic, it's called Christmas!
• Mindy: Ohhhh, the Christmas plague.
• Mork:' Ah, you know about it? It affects the brain! The mindless hoards are all out in the street milling around. Last night, while you were at school, there was a roving gang terrorizing the neighborhood, they were just singing for trouble!
• Mindy: *smiling* *Singing* for trouble.
• Mork: Yes! They wanted to beat up Monty Hall and his family! They were going from house to house singing, "Deck the Halls! Deck the Halls!"

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• Mork: Quick, we've gotta get you out of here! The whole town's under Martial law! There's a little fat dude in a red suit on every corner! And he's called Santa CLAWS! And he's stopping everybody! And people are really sick cuz they're putting plastic babies on everybody's lawn covered in straw! I don't know, but we've gotta get out of here before we're all infected!
• Mindy: Mork, relax. Now, this might be hard for you to understand, but it's all a part of our Christmas holiday.
• Mork: Oh, that explains it.

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• Mork: Mindy, you don't have to worry about it snowing tonight because here's your fair-weather friend, Susan.

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• Mindy: Well, Susan Taylor! Whatever brings you into this neighborhood? After all, there's no valet parking.
• Susan: Mindy! Nonsense! I'd go to a tacky area to see a friend.

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• Susan: Ciao!
  Mork: Grub!

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[Eugene brings in a bundled Christmas tree]

• Mork: A tree in bondage? Eugene, you're weird. Why are you dragging this dead thing around?
• Eugene: Haven't you seen a Christmas tree before?
• Mork: Ohhh, a Christmas tree. No.
• Eugene: Man, sometimes you act like you're from another world!

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• Susan: *from outside the door, sing-song* Knock-knooock!
  Mork: Who's there?
• Susan: Susannnn.
• Mork: Susan, who?
• Susan: Susan Taylorrrr!
• Mork: What a terrible knock-knock joke.

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• Susan: I am so thrilled that you and Mindy have invited me to spend this special time of the year with you that well, I've decided to share with you one of my most cherished possessions, a heavenly top-piece for our tree: my Gucci Angel. *She pulls a ceramic angel from a box*
• Mork: Well, any friend of yours is a friend of ours, and your winged guest is welcome here. Fly, little friend, be free! *Mork tosses the angel in the air, it hits the floor and shatters*
  Mork: Oooh, heavy remorse! I've killed your flighty friend! I'm sorry, it was your most prized possession!
• Susan: That's alright, I have six more at home.

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• Susan: Ciao!
  Mork: Pekingese!

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• Mork: At home, we used to make presents for people.
• Eugene: Sure, you can do that!
• Mork: I thought that's against the law! You know, because on TV they say you've gotta buy everything, it's part of the commercialization of Christmas, you know!
• Eugene: The stores would rather you buy them, there's no reason you can't make 'em.
• Mork: Oh. Oh yay, excitement, tingle! I gotta get the material then. See what do we need? We need lots of gum, a ball of string, some dustballs and a little tiny whip!

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• Susan: *from outside the door* : Knock-knooock!
• Mork: *To Mindy* Don't say, "who's there," it's a setup for a terrible joke.

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• Mindy: Oh, Susan, forget about Patrick. We're gonna see that you have a really nice Christmas this year.
• Mork: Yes, we have presents, even for you.

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• Susan: Mork certainly seems to be excited about Christmas.
  Mindy: Oh, he is. It's like it's his first one. You see, his parents never celebrated Christmas.
  Susan: Oh, that's sad.
  Mindy: Yeah, it is.[Mindy exits]
  Susan: Mork and I have a lot in common.

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• 
  Cora: *unwraps her gift* Um, a painting?

• Mork: Yeah, you said you like music and antiques, so I combined the two and I made a portrait of Liberace, made out of old bubblegum. I painted each wad myself!

___________________________________

• Susan: *sarcastically* Gee, I can't wait to see what I got.
• Mork: Yours is the only one I bought, cuz you said you wanted something returnable.
• Susan: *unwraps her gift and holds it up* A saucer?
  Mork: Surprised?
• Susan: Oh, yes! Why a saucer?
• Mork: Well, Mindy said you'd only appreciate something shallow.

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• 
  Mindy: *opens the large box he gave her* It's a bracelet!

• Mork: No, it's a lawnmower! Of course it's a bracelet! It's hand-made by Mork.
• Mindy: Well, it's really interesting. What kind of beads are these?
• Mork: Oh, they're not beads. I know you'll love it cuz there's a whole collection of 'em up in the attic. They're flies! *Mindy drops the bracelet like it burns* They can't fly now, silly, they're dead! And look, I hand-painted each and every one of their eyes. Which was really a drag, took a long time. And I made little clothing for 'em right there, little pants. Oh, look! Look! His human's open! And if you look real close and you hold 'em up to the light, you can see I put sequins on the wings so they could look like Liza Minelli in Cabaret!

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• Mindy: Poor Mork, I'm so embarrassed for him. He worked so hard on all this stuff!
  Cora: I know. A rug, gum, dead flies... It's tough to warm up to!

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• Fred: Okay, so your presents weren't very practical, but it doesn't matter.
• Mindy: *sympathetically* Oh Mork, dad's right. It's not the gift, it's the thought that counts.
• Cora: That's true, Mork, it is the thought.
• Mork: Thoughts are important?
• Fred: Well, of course!
• Mork: I should've given you one of those for Christmas!
• Mindy: What?
• Cora: You can give a thought?
• Mork: No, but you can give it to yourselves, I can make it happen! Let me show you.

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• Mork: What was your thought?
• Mindy: Well, when I was a little girl, I used to have this dog named Peppy, and I let him loose one afternoon at a picnic and he ran away. A week went by and I thought he'd gotten run over by a car. And I just remember the way I felt the day that Peppy ran up the driveway. *tearfully but happily takes his arm* Thanks, Mork.

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• Cora: I was just remembering my husband, and our first Christmas together. We couldn't afford furniture or gifts for each other, but we bought a tree. And it was the best Christmas, ever!

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• Mork: What's wrong, Pops?*
• Fred: Nothing, nothing at all. You just made me remember the first time I held my newborn daughter. My hands were so large and clumsy. I just couldn't believe anything so tiny could make me so happy. Thank you, Mork.

Image Gallery

Cast

Starring

• Robin Williams as Mork
• Pam Dawber as Mindy McConnell
• Elizabeth Kerr as Cora Hudson
• Conrad Janis as Fred McConnell
• Jeffrey Jacquet as Eugene

Guest Starring

• Morgan Fairchild as Susan Taylor
• David Ketchum as the Ski Shop Salesman
• Ysabel MacCloskey as The Woman
• Patrick Cranshaw as The Old Man

External Links

• Hulu