Old Fears was the 12th episode of season 1 of Mork and Mindy, also the tenth overall episode. Written by April Kelly and directed by Howard Storm, was shot on October 27, 1978 and premiered on ABC-TV on November 30, 1978.
After a close friend of Cora's, Barney, dies, sending her into a depression at her dwindling circle. When Mindy tells him that Cora needs friends her own age, Mork takes it on himself to cheer her up, aging himself up as Bill Hohner, squiring her around town and making a new woman of her. All going well, until he confesses his triumph to Mindy who reacts furiously, pointing out what he's doing is likely to break her grandmother's heart. Leaving Mork with a stark choice.
Plot[]
At home, Fred is sitting restringing Cora's electric guitar, when a knock at the door heralds an upbeat Mork carrying a blanket and jar, and Mindy with a picnic basket. Mork announcing that he and Mindy are going nitpicking. Picnic-ing Fred corrects, Mork pointing out now he's nitpicking. Mindy was hoping he and Cora could come along with them and says she has lots of hot chocolate and ham sandwiches in the basket, and Fred notes hat Mork has the blanket and...pepper, he queries of the black substance in the jar? Ants, Mork announces, Mindy having told him that no picnic is complete without them. Fred grimacing, hating ants, tells Mindy he'd love to come but Cora isn't feeling too well. Fred explains that her friend Barney, who she used to play gin rummy with, passed away on Friday Night, and Cora is taking it hard, especially as Barney was 4 years younger than she was. As he's speaking, Mork opens the jar to give the ants some air, and sets it aside as Cora wanders out in her dressing gown still, looking for her glasses, which Mork gently moves from her head to her nose. Giving him a subdued smile she wanders back out again, and Mindy is shaken, admitting her father is right, never having seen her so depressed. Fred is worried, for three days now she hasn't called him a wiener.
Mork asks why Mrs Hudson is so sad? Probably because she's lonely they explain, at her age people don't have so many friends. He finds this hard to understand as on Ork, the Elders have all the friends they want. They're the ones with all the experience and knowledge so are always being surrounded by the young. Mindy wryly notes they have that in the big cities on Earth, but its called mugging. Mork feels he would very much like to help her and wonders what it is she wants to do, maybe he could do it with her. Mindy tells him that's sweet, but her grandmother really needs someone her own age. Fred tells the two of them to head off on their picnic, and hopefully his restringing her guitar will make Cora feel a bit better. Collecting their things, Mork putting the lid back on his jar, Mindy tells Fred she'll call after they're done to see how Cora is feeling, and heads out the door, as he reaches the door, Mork notes his jar is empty, the ants having gotten out. At the same time Fred starts jumping about slapping at himself, yelling Ants, Mork calling after Mindy that Fred said he hated ants but now he's dancing with him, Mindy returning rapidly to grab him and drag him out of the house before Fred can react.
A couple of days later, Mindy is in the Music Store with Mork, and says him she's going to go into the back for a bit to see if she can cheer up her grandmother, telling him to yell if anyone comes in. Just as she heads back into the Practice Room, the door opens and Eugene arrives for his lesson, Mork giving out a scream, startling both Mindy and Eugene. Shaking her head Mindy heads on back while Mork and Eugene greet each other, Mork picking Eugene up to sit on the synthesizer to look him on the face as he wants to ask him a question. Which Eugene appreciates, most other adults just telling him stuff, never asking. Mork asks him what do old people do? Well, Eugene says his mother watches soaps, and she's pretty old, 31. Mork shakes his head, meaning a lot older. Over 40, Eugene realizes, feeling they don't have any fun. They hang out by the parks and museums he tells Mork. Why? Because they're free Eugene replies, while at the park they feed the pigeons, before heading into his lesson.
Later that night, Cora is alone and dejected in the Music Store, not noticing the entrance of a dapperly suited, elderly, be-spectacled man with a cane, who is clearly Mork aged up, approaching her, with a jaunty 'Hey, good lookin'!' Not looking around thinking he's looking for Mindy, she tells him she's not in, but he informs her he's talking to her. Turning around and seeing he's her age (if not older) she starts to smile, and he starts to flirt outrageously with her. Coyly smiling at his suggestions she reminds him she doesn't' even know his name. Just about not giving himself away with a Shazbot, when she tells him her flimsy kimono is at the cleaners. He's looking he tells her for an 'Ethiopian Lip Whistle', a Harmonica. While she's fetching one for him, he asks her out to dinner. Flustered she tells him she's 'pre-indisposed' and he tells her she's beautiful when she's tongue-tied. After she rings up the harmonica, he pursues her further suggesting they 'blow this popsicle stand'. Asking him where he's going he tells her the museum, which she's actually never been to. Seizing his opportunity he tells her to come along telling her this time of year the fig leaves start to fall off the statues. Laughing she agrees, and starts to turn off the lights and grabs her coat. Stopping at the door she realizes she still doesn't know his name. Momentarily flummoxed Mork looks at the harmonica and nabs the name 'Hohner', Bill, C. Hohner. Telling her they stop off at delicatessen for some 'Munchettos' for the birds not them, they head off, with Mork serenading her on the harmonica.
A few days later, in the McConnell House, Mindy and Fred are standing grinning at a revitalized Cora primping herself in the mirror. Teasing her about how she's growing up and on the verge of leaving the nest. Calling them both impossible, Mindy points out that she's the one that's been taking the long lunch hours, and Fred adds, rolling in late at night the past two nights. With the Museum closing at 9, and only being 4 blocks away from the House, Mindy wants to know what they're up to till 10pm when she gets home. Cora claims it's just their age taking them some time to get home. Grilling her more they only get that they've been to the Museum and the Park to feed the pigeons, Cora telling 'Fredzo' to mind his own business when he asks what else they've been getting up to, which delights him as she's sounding like her own self, even if she's hiding something. They are both really eager to meet this man that has made a new woman out of her, and she confesses it so happens he's coming to take her to lunch, which reminds Fred about his chicken pot pie sending him fleeting into the kitchen. Sitting with her grandma, Mindy says okay maybe she doesn't know what she's talking about, but she feels Cora should listen to her heart, sometimes listening to your head means logic gets in the way of things. To which Cora replies that she's right, she doesn't know what she's talking about. Laughing Mindy admits she's meddling but she just wants best for her and Bill, but Cora assures her she's fine, but confesses she feels there's something 'familiar' about him. Before she can elaborate there's a knock at the door, telling Mindy that's probably him, Cora goes to get her coat, Mindy going to answer the door.
Opening the door to 'Bill' Mindy introduces herself as Cora's grand daughter, Mork taking her hand and kissing it, charming her. As Fred enters she introduces him to Bill, and as they extend hands Bill pulls his back to jokingly tell Fred to 'take a hike', making them laugh before shaking hands properly. Fred tells him straight up he's made his mother in law very happy, and Mindy agrees telling him she's like a kid again, and they really want to thank him for that. As he's made them both so happy, and they don't mind what's happening between Cora and him, Bill says he wants to share with them, a little 'secrette', the three of them leaning in, Bill lifts his hand in an Orkan salute and says 'Nanu Nanu'. Their smiles fading, father and daughter lean back, Mindy trying to stay casual as she asks him where he heard that? Smiling 'Bill' replies 'On Ork I'm known as Mork'. Mindy's expression turning to anxiety, Fred looks resigned at the Orkan's actions, but neither can say anything as Cora comes out with her coat on already to go. Asking them if they had a nice chat with Bill, Mindy assures her they did, and tells her grandmother as she goes out, that she hopes she and Bill can chat again, snarling at Mork 'real soon', Mork realizing right away that he's 'up the big creek without locomotion'
Later, at Mindy's apartment, Mindy jaw tight, is sitting stony faced watching TV...waiting. Behind her, Mork, still in Bill's clothes and glasses, but back to his normal age, tries to slip in, and sneak upstairs. Hearing him, without turning, Mindy flicks off the TV with a 'Hold it right there, Casanova'. Turning slowly she watches him unamused as he tries to joke his way out of it telling him he's not going to get out of it by acting dumb. 'But I wasn't acting', he says, before sitting in front of her and trying to tell her he and Cora had a wonderful day, starting out by escorting a boy scout across the street, dragging him away from his mother to do it, then they played chicken with kids on skateboards, then inched their way up mainstream backing traffic all the way to Utah. Real Scamps. Throughout Mindy's quiet fury is evident and when he's finished demands to know how he could do such a thing? With his age machine he explains, setting it for senile -2. Not the mechanics she fires back, she wants to know how she could something so horrible to her grandma? Confused he wants to know how it can be horrible if she's so happy? She's only happy she points out because she thinks he is an old man! But he is one when he uses the machine he argues. Frustrated she tells him he's being unfair to Cora. But he doesn't see how, she was unhappy he made her happy, how can it be unfair. Mindy wants to know what would he do if her grandma falls in love with him, he certainly isn't going to marry her is he? And that might break her heart. Can't he see he could be doing more harm than good? And suddenly he can see what she means, and what he's done, guilt wreathing his face at his short sightedness and stupidity, not understanding how he could so such a dumb thing. Seeing how truly bad he feels, Mindy's anger fades and she follows him, trying to assuage him saying his intentions were good...but the road to Earth is paved with good intentions he tells her. Calling himself a real Nimnul, he turns back to Mindy wondering how he can fix it, he has a date with Cora the following night. Mindy can't see any other way except his breaking up with her, and that she thinks is going to be hard, Cora really liking that old man.
In the Music Store the next day, Mork nabs Eugene, needing his advice again. Sighing, Eugene says he'll do his best, but reminds Mork he's only 10 years old. Mork asks him for advice in terms of how to break up with someone without hurting them. Eugene telling him there has to be 50 ways to leave your lover, before directly listing the methods from Paul Simon's song, Mork scribbling them down urgently. That night at the McConnell House, Fred is fretting over Mork being able to pull this off, Mindy is sure he can, but is more worried about his not hurting her grandmother in the process. Cora emerges, Bill running a little late, but Mork arrives a moment later carrying flowers, kissing Mindy's hand again, and teasing Fred, Mindy murmuring he better make this good. 'No pressure' Mork murmurs, before both Fred and Mindy make themselves scarce. Bill presents her with the flowers as he sits beside her, before both of them say they have something to say to the other. Cora to tells him to go first, and steeling himself Mork stands up, and promptly mangles all the lines from the first 4 ways of 50 ways to leave your lover so badly that Cora hasn't a clue what he's talking about. Telling him to sit back down, she tells him she'll go first instead. First of all, she says, she wants to thank him for helping her through a very rough time. Rough time, Bill repeats, and checks his ankle watch, about 8.10. Laughing, Cora tells him the second thing she has to tell him, is 'I know who you are, Mork!'
'Shazbot!' Mork swears, wondering how she found him out. Chuckling she tells him if he was really old his K.O. would be followed be a Pectate. She assures him he's wonderful when he calls himself a nimnul again, and recalls that she really began to expect that first night, when they went to the Museum and he was very fond of a particular metal sculpture. That, she informs him, was an air conditioner.. And then the previous night when they were lost, he asked directions from a pine tree. He got us there didn't he, he jokes. But smiling at him, Cora tells him but only Mork could do those things. Slightly dejected he figures she doesn't like him anymore after finding out he did do all those things, but getting up to stop him leaving she assures him that on the contrary she likes him more than ever! That he snapped her out of a blue funk, made her realize she has a family that cares about her, a good job and lots of friends of all ages. 'I'll always be your friend, Mrs Hudson' Mork takes her hand, and smiling Cora tells him to call her 'Grandma'. There is one thing that still puzzles her however, she tells him. The night before she tweaked his cheek to see if he was wearing make up, but he wasn't. It is she says as if he has really become an old man.
Mork gives his report to Orson doing 'Push Downs' before demonstrating a bust expanding exercise for him. Orson asking why the sudden interest in exercise? He aged himself he explains and is still a little stiff. Orson is disapproving, feeling that that's a cheap way of him to get respect, but Mork replies that its different on Earth, here the young people get all the attention. Orson gets even more annoyed at that, snapping what do you young people know, they don't have the experience! That doesn't make sense! Mork admits he doesn't understand it himself, everything else on Earth seems to get more valuable as it gets older wine, cheese, furniture, coins, everything except people. Here they ignore their ancient ones. They don't do anything nice for them, Orson asks? On they they do one nice thing Mork tells him, they fix their income. Why do they treat their Elders like that, Orson presses. As they get older, Mork informs him, their bodies fall into a state of disrepair. The first thing to go is their hearing. Why, Orson wonders. Mork giving him his theory...because no one asks them anything. Which is such a waste, he notes, signing off.
Goofs[]
Right before the father enters Mindy's house, Mork's arms are not crossed then crossed.
Trivia[]
Orkan 'Facts'[]
On Ork, the Elders are hugely respected and have all the friends they want. As the ones with all the experience and knowledge they are always being surrounded by the young.
General[]
Mork reveals his alien nature to Cora in this episode.
Always Mrs Hudson to Mork, from this point on Cora tells him to call her 'Grandma', marking another step of Mork's assimilation into Mindy's family.
From A Morkville Horror in the Second Season, the exterior of the McConnell House is replaced to an older two-storey house, more in line with the age of house.
Mindy wryly notes that like on Ork, elderly people are often surrounded by the young, it's just on Earth its called Mugging. Something that will subsequently happen to Cora (Old Muggable Mork)
There is a picture of a younger Cora (Elizabeth Kerr) hanging on the wall right behind Cora when she is responding to Mindy & Fred's teasing. Alongside multiple pictures of Mindy (Pam Dawber) at young ages including her High School Year Book photo scattered around the room.
The McConnell House is 4 blocks away from the Boulder Museum, placing the House on Pine Street, ala Mindy's Apartment
Mindy in advising her about her romance tells Cora, that, maybe she doesn't know what she's talking about, but she should listen to her heart, sometimes listening to your head means logic gets in the way of things. To which Cora replies that she's right, she doesn't know what she's talking about. Interestingly this is exactly the stance both women take after Mork proposes to Mindy (Limited Engagement). Mindy inclined towards (and ultimately) listening to her heart, and Cora suggesting she needs to be logical.
Pop Culture[]
Mork enters the McConnell Home singing La Cucaracha (the Cockroach) while carrying a jar of ants.
'Bill' sings 'I know you canteloupe but oh honey dew', a line from 'The Lobby Song' by Sylvia Fine, sung by her husband Danny Kaye in 1944s 'Up In Arm's
Mork steals the name Hohner off the harmonica for Bill's surname, Hohner being a German manufacturer of musical instruments, since the 1850s.
When Cora tells Mindy there's 'something about' Bill, Mindy starry eyed replies she feels the same way about 'John Travolta', who had just blasted off to superstardom in Saturday Night Fever the year before.
Eugene tells Mork there must be '50 ways to leave your Lover', directly quoting the title and some of the ways from Paul Simon's 1975 hit song.
Cora laughs saying if Mork was really old his K.O would be followed by a pectate. Referring to Kaopectate which is used for the treatment of mild diarrhea indigestion, nausea, and stomach ulcers.
Quotes[]
Fred: Hi honey!
Mork: Hi darling
Fred: Not you! Her! *points to Mindy*
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Bill: Hey good looking!
Cora: Oh Mindy's not it.
Bill: Whose Mindy? I'm talkin' to you brown eyes!
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Cora: Follow me
Bill:*follows her* Woahh...must be jelly cuz jam don't shake like that.
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Mindy: *eyeing Cora* Why are you being so secretive about all this?
Cora: Well...I think that a person should keep one's personal life, personal.
Mindy: Ohhhhh whose the one that always wants to know every little detail when *I* go on a date? Hmm?
Fred: Right! Turn about is fair play *sits* So tell us everything.
Mindy: *eagerly* Yeah! *sits too*
Cora: Well, so far we have gone to the Museum.
Fred & Mindy: Yeahhhhh? Uh huhh..
Cora: And to the Park to feed the pigeons.
Fred: *grinning* And what else have you been doing?
Mindy:*shocked, elbows him* Daaad! She doesn't have to answer that question.
Cora: Oh that's alright dear, I'll answer him. None of your business, Fredzo!
Fred:*beaming* Isn't' that nice?! She's back to normal!
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Cora: Did you have a nice chat?
Mindy: Oh yeah! And...and I hope that Bill and I get a chance to chat again *snarls at Bill/Mork* real soon.
Bill/Mork: Uh oh....looks like I'm up the big creek without locomotion.
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Mork: Oh oh. Sudden realization. Mork the good is suddenly Mork the Bozo. I better call the travel agent and book a heavy guilt trip. *upset* How could I do such a dumb thing.
Mindy: Oh Mork *touches his arm* Your intentions were good.
Mork: There's a saying on Ork. The road to Earth is paved with good intentions.
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Mork: Munchkin, you are wise beyond your height.
Eugene: Well one thing you gotta remember, don't let those chicks railroad you into anything. What it is!. *struts away to his lesson*
Mork:*thoughtfully* Funny planet where chickens run the railroad?
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Cora: But you know there's still one thing that bothers me. Last night, when I tweaked your cheek, I did it to see if you were wearing make up but you weren't! Its as if you really have become an old man!
Mork: Temporarily I am.
Cora: Oh no, no, there's no way on Earth that you can do that.
Mork: You're beginning to get the idea. *touches her hand* Cora there is something I have to tell you, and you better take this one sitting down. *they sit* Cora, I have to tell you something, because I respect you, and because you're getting too close to hide it anymore. I'm from another planet *makes alien theremin music sound* I'm an alien being. Nanu *offers her his hand in Orkan greeting*
Cora: *wide eyed* Do you want to hear something weird?
Mork: Lay it on me!
Cora: I...believe you! *Mork makes a delighted sound* I should've known when you carved our initials in that tree with your finger!
Mork: I can drink with the sucker too!
Cora: Oh what a relief. You know ever since you moved in with Mindy, I've was seeing things that...that made me think my mind was going! But now...well of course! It's so simple! A Man from Outer Space.
Mork: You accept it so easily. Most people just look at me and say...Bull!
Cora: Oh Mork I've been around a long time. I've seen the age of the automobile. And radio. Talking Movies? I've seen a man walk on the moon.
Mork: Me too!
Cora: Well, if we can go there, there's no reason you can't come here!
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Cora: But there's one other thing Mork? If you can make yourself old. Could you make another person...young?
