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Mork Meets Robin Williams

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"Mork Meets Robin Williams"
Season 3, Episode #14
(#65) in series (95 episodes)

Mork meets his "lookalike", comedian Robin Williams, who's in town to perform his stand-up act, as Mindy is to interview him, as he drops by their apartment in "Mork Meets Robin Williams" in Season 3 (ep.#14).
"Mork & Mindy" episode
Guest Star(s): Foster Brooks
Rance Howard
Hillary Horan
Johnnie Decker
Network: ABC-TV
Production code: 314 (3x14)
Writer(s) Dale McRaven & Bruce Johnson
Director Howard Storm
Original airdate February 19, 1981
IMDB Mork Meets Robin Williams
Episode chronology
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"There's a New Mork in Town" "Mindy, Mindy, Mindy"
List of Mork & Mindy seasons/episodes

Mork Meets Robin Williams was the 14th episode of season 3 of Mork and Mindy, also the 65th overall series episode. Co-written by Dale McRaven & Bruce Johnson, the episode, directed by Howard Storm, was shot on January 30, 1981 and premiered on ABC-TV on February 19, 1981.

Synopsis[]

When Robin Williams comes to Boulder to do his stand-up act for a benefit, Mindy is instructed by Mr. Sternhagen to get an interview with him or face losing her job. Finding it almost impossible to get to him, she is at her wits end, until the crowd trouble Mork is having, because of his resemblance to the actor, affords them both a chance to meet him.

Plot[]

Mindy is all dressed up on and the phone in her apartment, going in circles to set up an interview with a star for KTNS. As she's pondering what to do next, a handsomely dressed Mork in a new suit promenades down the stairs and does a little GQ style fashion walk for her showing off. Asking what he's so dressed up for as she admires his new look, he tells her it's picture day at the care center, and asks her how he looks. She says real nice and teases him about holding in his stomach, he asks her why she's so dressed up and she says she has a big interview today and asks him how she looks. He tells her, real nice but not to forget to hold in her thighs. He asks her who she's interviewing and she gets excited. telling him Dewey Fishbeck is out with the mumps, so Mr. Sternhagen has asked her to get an interview with he'll never guess who. He doesn't. But when she tells him gleefully, Robin Williams, he's still none the wiser.

When she repeats the name he starts to snigger, and asks if he's really called Robin? And asks her if she knows what Robin means on Ork, before whispering it in her ear. Looking grossed out, she tells him that's disgusting and he nods vigorously, telling her not to look at him he didn't give him the smutty name. She can't believe he's never heard of him, as he's on TV, in movies and in nightclubs, and he's in town doing a solar energy benefit. But Mork doesn't see the big deal and doesn't see why she wants to speak to him. She explains a lot of people are interested in what stars have to say, and she's waiting to hear back from his manager. As she looks at him she starts to notice that Mork kinda looks like him, the more she looks the more she sees it, and getting up she gets William's comedy album 'Reality, what a concept!' from her collection. Giving it to him and looking between him and the picture she thinks he looks exactly like him, but Mork doesn't see it. In fact he has a go at his hair, his eyes, his nose, he thinks his entire face has been airbrushed, and while he's bright and cheery it's obvious Williams has big problems.

At KTNS, Sternhagen wants to know where the Williams interview, but Mindy confesses she's having trouble, as Williams is proving to be inaccessible. Sternhagen isn't having it, telling her that last night Williams turned up at the Comedy Cabaret and performed for nothing. Mindy asks how she was supposed to know that, Sternhagen he found out about it from, Armando, the guy fumigating his office, who heard about it directly from Robin Williams who he met at lunch today at, Da Vinci's restaurant. Hearing that Mindy, is indignant, neither Remo nor Jeanie having told her. But she tells him she'll get the interview, and he says she'd better, the station owner (Mrs Ovits) is putting pressure on him, and opening the drawer he pulls out a gin bottle, reminding her how he deals with pressure.

At a packed Da Vinci's, Jeanie tries to whisk the menu away from a lone Mindy, only to be told curtly she's not done with it, when Jeanie brings it back Mindy tells her straight up, she's mad at her. She knew she was trying to get an interview with Robin Williams and never told her when he turned up. Jeanie is mortified having completely forgotten in the craziness. Nelson arrives wondering why it's so busy. Jeanie explains that Robin Williams turned up yesterday and people are hoping he'll come back, Mindy confessing to be one of them. As Remo whisks his sister away, Nelson sits with his cousin. He's surprised at her, hanging around like some kind of groupie. Mindy tells him she's trying to interview him, but it feels now like everyone in town has met him except her. To prove her point Remo returns with polaroid's of Williams with him, Jeanie, and Armando the bug guy...getting up Mindy says she feels she should've taken fumigation at college.

Depressed, Mindy gets up and heads out the back, Nelson commenting to Remo how upset she is. As they discuss the pictures further, Mork comes in the front carrying a bumper from a VW Beetle, announcing the owner forgot to set their handbrake. With everyone staring at him, one girl calls out that it's Robin, and they all charge towards him. Trying to tell them his name is Mork, and to watch their language, he's chased out of the restaurant. As Remo watches his customers drain out, Nelson observes that Remo might think he's crazy but if that's Robin Williams he looks a bit like Mork. Remo thinks he's crazy. As they watch Remo notes the crowd have caught him, Nelson saying its no big deal, with the money he makes he can afford new clothes...though they probably shouldn't toss him up in the air like that.

Back at the apartment, Mindy is reduced to pretending she's Barbara Walters, telling Mr Williams when he calls back to ask for her secretary, Mindy. As she hangs up, there's a knock on the door, and opening it reveals, Mr. Sternhagen, almost inevitably inebriated, Mindy knowingly asking if he's just came from lunch. He tells her, yes, and he had three or four 'little' drinks, provided by Mrs Ovits who informed him if they don't get the Williams interview he is fired, and of course if he's fired...he's taking her down with him. Mindy pleads with him that she's tried lying, bribery and even tried to buy tickets to his show so she could try and sneak backstage but they were all sold out. He tells her the same thing happened to him in New York when he had to get someone big...and that's how he's in Boulder. When he goes to go, and tries to get into her armoire, Mindy asks him if he drove, and with his car 'parked' in her hedge, guides him into her bedroom to try and get him to sleep off the skin-full he's had.

Just as she gets him in there, she hears noise coming up the stairs towards her apartment and Mork, panting and wild eyed, his clothes shredded and filthy, bursts in slams the door and locks it, before telling her not to panic. When she points out she's not, he tells her she has no reason to, it's not her they're after! Before informing her the entire town has found out he's an alien, chasing him, tearing at his clothes, pursuing him with fountain pens. She wonders how they could've found out he's an alien, and he has no idea, but tells her they called him filthy names. At that her eyes light up, and she moves after him, 'Did they call you...Robin?' When he reacts with outraged disgust, Mindy smiles and tells him that they all thought he was Robin Williams. To which he, again, asks Who? Before wondering if she means the bozo on the record album? He doesn't buy it however, insisting they know he's an alien. Trying to calm him Mindy tells him she's sure they thought he was Robin Williams. Mork, switching to inquiry mode, but still thinking she's way off, asks would they tear Robin Williams clothes off? Yes, she says knowing it sounds crazy. Confused he points out she told him people liked Williams. They do, she confirms, which is why they want his clothes. Mork wonders what they'd do if they didn't like him. Mindy tells him it doesn't exactly work like that, but asks him to come with her down to the auditorium so he can see for himself how much he does look like him. Mork asks her why she's going there, and she explains its her last shot at trying to interview him. When he asks her what she plans to do, all she can say is hang around the stage door till he shows up. Like some groupie, he asks horrified? Exactly she shrugs, nothing else left to do. Mork gallantly volunteers to go with her as her escort, but he still feels they're onto him as an alien so will go in disguise.

Heading to the stage door with Mindy that night, Mork is wearing a Chaplin-esque hat and his Groucho Marx Nose/Glasses disguise, which Mindy points out is actually just drawing more attention from the other people there, than diverting it. Telling him he'll be far less conspicuous if he takes off the nose, pulls down his hat and pulls up his collar, he tries to argue repeatedly but she keeps telling him to trust her, finally asking him *if* he trusts her? Pegged into a corner, he takes off the glasses 'For you', and as soon as he does, the fans mistake him for Robin Williams. Before they can react both Mork and Mindy are mobbed, pushed towards the Stage Door. Security emerges to push them all back from Mork...Mindy included, leaving Mindy sticking her hand up to say she's with him. When the Guard asks Mork if she is, he denies ever seeing her before, before telling her he's joking, and informing the Guard she's his transvestite brother 'Ronald' pulling her inside with him.

Ushered into the dressing room with Mork, Mindy can't believe it, moving around excitedly at the prospect of not only being in Robin William's dressing room but about to meet him. But Mork still can't see what the big deal is. She wants to know if he's kidding, people standing around for hours at the chance to glimpse a big star never mind meet one, and they are about to meet a really big one. Mork is amused at her star struck attitude, reminding her that stars are just big balls of glowing hot gas, and saying he'd rather be at home flossing his ears. As he does the door opens and Robin Williams enters, understandably surprised to see them there, and checking he came through the right door. He immediately notes the similarity with Mork, but shrugs it off, after which Mindy tells him who she is and why she's there and while she doesn't want to impose if she doesn't interview him she'll be fired. Mork chimes in on her behalf saying she's had a rotten year, and after a moment Robin Williams says he has a minute, and his manager isn't here so why not?

Delighted, Mindy introduces Mork to him, and moves to sit with Robin Williams setting up her tape recorder, while Mork pulls out his Observer pad, and tries to conduct a little side interview of his own, meaning Mindy has to try and get him to back off. She wonders of Robin Williams how he keeps up the pace, as he talks about how he falls into almost perpetual jobs one hard on the heels of the other, and confesses he finds it hard to say no. Something Mindy thinks could be the angle to her story. Mork asks him if he wouldn't mind if he had some of his 'star munchies' and when he's given the go ahead, to William's bemusement, and Mindy's embarrassment, he starts to eat the flowers rather than the trail mix. Shifting his attention back to Mindy, Robin tells her he doesn't know why he can't say no, he guesses he just wants people to like him. He used to be able to say no, when he was younger to his friends if he had to stay in and study or do other stuff. But since he got famous, its like saying no makes him this bigshot who has forgotten where he comes from.

Mindy says it's not really her business, but it seems to her if they were really his friends they'd understand the pressure of time he was under...but it also seems to her he can't say no to a total stranger. After a moment of contemplation he tells her she's right. Smiling she adds it also looks like he's taken advantage of a lot, and if he learned to say no he'd have a lot more time to himself, to which he quietly answers maybe that's the last thing he wants. The Guard sticks his head in to say there's 5 minutes to show start and does a double take at the pair of them. Robin apologizes to Mindy that she didn't get much of an interview and hopes she's not too disappointed, but Mork chimes in saying that he's breaking her perky little heart. Standing up, William's makes her an offer, he'll put off his flight, and while his management team is still asleep will sneak down to the station to do an on camera interview, with her.

Surprised, touched and delighted, as she was supposed to just write up the interview for Dewey Fishbeck to read on air....her smile fades, and she shakes her head, saying they were just talking about how he can't say no, and she won't be just another person to take advantage of him. But he tells her not to worry about that, he'll learn to say no another time and invites them to watch the show from the wings. Before they go, Mork asks him if he can ask one question, wondering why he'd have job where people would try to tear his clothes off? He answers he almost fell into performing by accident. Growing up they moved around a lot and making friends wasn't the easiest for him, suffering from the 'terminal shy's'. Because of that he spent a lot of time alone and created his own little world, full of strange and unusual characters. After a while he realized others found the characters kind of funny, and then he found that the characters could say and do things he couldn't, and after a little while there he was. As the intros are made for him on stage, he asks them to wish him luck and heads out. When Mindy comments on the applause from the audience, Mork considers that something like that could make everything else worthwhile, including having your clothes torn off, and they head out to watch.

The episode finishes with Mork's report to Orson, with Mork signing imaginary autographs, and tells Orson his report is about what it's like to be famous on Earth. When Orson replies that's good, Mork says sometimes it is and sometimes not. Most Earthlings try to be recognized for what they do, but when they become stars they realize they are recognized wherever they go. Orson queries as to whether they lose their privacy, and Mork says sometimes they even lose their clothes. Being a star is a 24 hour job and you can't leave your face at the office. Orson asks isn't fame it's own reward, and Mork says yes, but when you're a star everyone wants a piece of you and unless you can say no there would be no pieces left for yourself. Orson comments on the rich lifestyles of Stars, and Mork says that's a common misconception...and that to have that kind of lifestyle you have to pay a heavy price, with responsibilities, anxieties, and some can't handle it But Orson isn't buying it, and when Mork asks why, he says that to him it sounds like most of them have it made, and Mork agrees that some do...but but some are victims of their own fame, sadly recounting people like Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Lenny Bruce, Freddie Prinze and John Lennon.

Trivia[]

Orkan 'Facts'[]

  • April Frankel's Day is evidently the Orkan equivalent of April Fool's Day.

General[]

  • Robin Williams pitched the idea for this episode. He wanted to make it clear to fans, in the aftermath of his rocketing fame, and without undermining or diminishing Mork or the show, that Mork was distinct from who he really was as a person. Understandably given the speed with which he had become famous, he had difficulty adjusting to the intrusiveness of fame, and with it had become increasingly aware of it's pressures and the kind of effects it had on celebrities either in how they coped or how others reacted to them, being devastated by the death of John Lennon, which occurred a little over two months before this show was broadcast.
  • William's Manager's real name, David Steinberg, was not used, instead it is a Mr. Morrow
  • KTNS's invisible/ineffectual anchor Dewey Fishbeck is now down with the mumps.
  • Either the copy of Reality...What A Concept used in the show was from William's own collection, or Mindy took it from the old Music Store stock, as it's marked 'Demo Record - Not for Resale'
  • Rance Howard who plays the security guard at the Stage Door of the Theatre who mistakes Mork for Robin Williams and lets him and Mindy into his dressing room, is the father of Ron Howard, who played Richie Cunningham opposite Robin when Mork launched on Happy Days.
  • The fact that Robin William's manager isn't there is given as the reason why he can get away with giving Mindy an interview. During the 4th Season, the documentary mooted by Pam Dawber chronicling having both Robin Williams and Jonathan Winters on set was agreed on by all, including Robin, but was allegedly knocked on the head by William's management.

Pop Culture[]

  • Mindy wonders if Bob Woodward & Carl Bernstein had as much trouble getting to President Richard Nixon as she is having getting to Robin Williams, the journalistic duo of course being the men who broke the Watergate story that led to Nixon's resignation.
  • Mork's guesses for who Mindy is interviewing includes another mention of mystery (to U.S. audiences) British actress, Rula Lenska famous for her commercials for Alberto VO5 hairspray in the late 1970s and early 1980s; and Menachim Begin the Prime Minister of Israel
  • Mork says Williams looks like he does his hair with Cuisinart, just a food processor at the time, now a range of kitchen appliances.
  • Mindy pretends to be ABC's 20/20 journalist Barbara Walters to try and get to Robin Williams over the phone.
  • Mork, thinking everyone knows he's an alien thinks they're going to tar and feather him and put him on That's Incredible, ABC's reality TV show that covered amazing stunts and supposedly paranormal events.
  • Mork puts on his Groucho Marx glasses to try and fool the crowd into thinking he's not Robin Williams, as he did when trying to evade George in Mork's Greatest Hit
  • Mork tells Robin Williams that it's been a bad year for Mindy, betting on Jimmy Carter (vs Reagan in the Presidential Election) Roberto Durán (vs Sugar Ray Leonard in the WBC Welterweight boxing world title fight) and had to buy Chrysler stock (which fell through the floor)

Quotes/Excerpts[]

  • Mork: Did his parents really call him Robin?! Do you know what Robin means on Ork? *goes and whispers in her ear*
  • Mindy: *grimaces* That's Disgusting!!!!

_______________________________________

  • Mindy: You are Mork! You look exactly like him!
  • Mork: Oh now now, come on now Mind! *holds album cover up to his face* Look at that there look at that. It looks like he does his hair with a Cuisinart. He has a road map for eyes! You could pack a family in that nose, Min! I mean look at that mouth too, Min! *pulls a face* They had to airbrush his entire face! Are you kidding?! Min I'm bright and cheery! This guy has big problems!!

_______________________________________

  • Nelson: Hi scouts, what's going on? The place is so crowded I had to park in the back!
  • Mindy: Yeah, Me too.
  • Jeanie: Robin Williams came in here for lunch yesterday! Everybody's waiting for him to come back!
  • Nelson: How tacky. Mindy what are you doing here?
  • Mindy: Tackily waiting for him to come back?

_______________________________________

  • Mr.Sternhagen: You're...you're up a creek kiddo! The same thing happened to me in New York when...when I was big in the N...Network. I...I had to deliver someone, or I was ou...I was out!
  • Mindy: Well, what you do?
  • Mr.Sternhagen: *looks around him* Does this look like New York to you?

_______________________________________

  • Mindy: Woaaahhhhh...*moves quickly to stop Sternhagen from getting into her armoire, speaks gently* Mr. Sternhagen?
  • Mr.Sternhagen: Yes?
  • Mindy: Did you drive?
  • Mr.Sternhagen: Oh yes, that's my little beauty parked out there innnnn your hedge.
  • Mindy: *smiles and grimaces* Well I don't think you should drive. I think you should take a little nap.
  • Mr.Sternhagen: Oh I can do that when I'm driving.

_______________________________________

  • Mork: Awww poor little star struck Min. Now calm that perky little heart of yours. Don't you understand that a star is just a big ball of glowing hot gas? He's just an ordinary human being that's been hyped by an advertising campaign? Well, personally I'd rather be at home right now, flossing my ears.

_______________________________________

  • Orson: I thought all stars were rich, live in mansions and drive big eggs.
  • Mork: I know, sir, that's the common misconception. But you see to get that you have to pay a very heavy price: you have responsibilities, anxieties, and to tell you the truth, sir, some of them can't take it.
  • Orson: I'm not buying it, Mork.
  • Mork: Why, sir?
    Orson: It sounds to me like they have it made.
  • Mork: Well, most of them do sir, but some are victims of their own fame, very special and talented people. People like Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Lenny Bruce, Freddie Prinze and John Lennon.

Image Gallery[]

Cast[]

Starring/Main cast[]

Guest starring/Recurring cast[]

External links[]

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