Old Muggable Mork

"Old Muggable Mork"
Season 3, Episode #19 (#70) in series (95 episodes)
Cora's visit home is marred when she is mugged, her stolen spirit of much more concern to her family. Until Mork hatches on a plan to help her take back what was stolen in "Old Muggable Mork" in Season 3 (ep.#19).
"Mork & Mindy" episode
Guest Star(s):	Elizabeth Kerr Ron Recasner Brian Cutler Charles Thomas Murphy Anthony Peck Scott Marshall Bebo
Network:	ABC-TV
Production code:	319 (3x19)
Writer(s)	Dale McRaven & Bruce Johnson
Director	Don Barnhart
Original airdate	April 16, 1981
IMDB	Old Muggable Mork
Episode chronology
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"Mork and the Family Reunion"	"I Heard It Through the Morkvine"
List of Mork & Mindy seasons/episodes

Old Muggable Mork was the 19th episode from Season 3 Mork and Mindy, also the 70th episode in the series. Co-written by Dale McRaven and Bruce Johnson, the episode, which was directed by Don Barnhart, originally aired on ABC-TV on April 15, 1981.

Synopsis

Cora returns to town to visit her grand daughter, Mork and Fred, and ends up getting mugged. With her thoroughly shaken by the experience, Mork disguises himself as an old woman and takes Cora with him in attempt to both catch the muggers and restore Cora's fighting spirit.

Plot

In her apartment, Mindy, flour shmeared, is hard at work in the kitchen, laboring alongside a 'Welcome Home, Grams!' banner, when Mork, dressed in his good shirt and bow tie returns home with a fanfare and a roll of red carpet, which he rolls out in front of Mindy and the counter, all set to give Cora a royal welcome home. Mindy tells him she's trying to make her Grandma's Peach Cobbler, trying being the operative word indicating the mess around the counter, as Cora makes it look so easy. Finishing though she puts it into the oven. Mork is eager to show her what else he has set up for Cora, pulling her across the room with him, as she pulls off her apron, to open the 'Guest Room Armoire;. He has a brand new Trapeze for her and her favourite pin up guy in Lawrence Welk. Laughing, Mindy advises him that while it was very sweet of him, her Grandmother would probably prefer to sleep horizontally for her stay. Isn't she with a swingers club now, Mork queries. Not that kind of swinging Mindy rolls her eyes, it's a group of over 60s who feel that life doesn't have to be dull.

As she explains the door opens and Fred leads in the returned Cora 'Grandma's back and you got her!' she declares as Mindy moves to hug her, incredibly glad she's back. As is Mork who clamps onto their hug, increasingly hard, till Mindy tells him to back off. Mork takes Cora down the red carpet, waving regally all the way, before asking her if she can stay forever, pleading for her to do so. But she's just staying for a short time, 3 days before she's heading off to meet her seniors group in Vegas. Mindy tells her they have a lot of new friends in town and they've planned a luncheon tomorrow so they can all meet her, as they've told her all about her. Not all Cora grins, the best hasn't happened yet. Cora and Mork head down to get the rest of her things, Fred commenting to Mindy that her Grandmother has been incredibly sweet to him all day, not a single insult the entire time, absence he figures really does make the heart grow fonder. Cora re-entering, demanding to know whether he is going to help them or just stand there like a wiener.

The next day at Da Vinci's (** Cut Scene), Cora with Mindy is regaling, Glenda, Jeanie and Remo with her tales. Glenda in particular taken by Cora almost as a figure of fascination. Cora explains to Remo when he mentions never having heard of her Swinging Seniors group, that they are an advocacy group, a bit like The Grey Panthers, only with leather shawls. When Glenda says her group sounds fascinating, Mindy agrees, getting a brainwave thinking it would make a great subject for a story, and invites her Grandmother to do an interview with her at KTNS. Cora waves it away thinking no one is going to be interested in her...before deciding she'll need a new hat.

Later that evening Mindy, dressed and ready to go to the station, is pacing anxiously, turning quickly to the door when Mork enters rapidly and deflating at seeing he's alone, telling her he's 'searched every nook and cranny and can't find granny'. Fretting, Mindy can't understand it, telling him she was only going to get a new hat and then come straight back to the apartment to prep with her for the interview. When Mork tries the old movie style 'native American trick' of listening on the ground for Cora's footfalls, rolling her eyes Mindy heads for the door to try and look for her herself, Mork hopping up rapidly to go with her only for both of them to find Cora outside the door, severely shaken. Sitting her down immediately, asking her if she's alright, Cora says she is but it was terrible, showing them the torn state of her new hat. When Mindy asks her what happened, she explains she was on her way home after getting the hat, coming through the Park....before she bursts into tears...telling them she was mugged.

Mugging on Mork

The police arrive to take details of what happened, but the police officer tells them while they'll do their best she shouldn't get her hopes up, they can't be everywhere at once, and there's just too many of 'them' and too few of the police. As he leaves, Mork asks Mindy if that's what they call a 'Cop Out?' And Mindy agrees that it ticks her off. Cora gets mugged by 3 men in broad daylight and the cops can't do anything?! Cora apologizes but hopes Mindy doesn't mind if she doesn't do the interview that night, Mindy understanding of course and offering to get her anything she wants, Mork offering her jello with corn, or tapioca with peas, but all Cora wants is to lie down, heading into the bedroom. Moving back to Mindy he asks her what's wrong with Cora, feeling as if the air has been let out of her life. Sighing, Mindy tells him Mugging is a terrible experience, unlike on Ork he notes where it's literally someone coming up to you and pulling faces. On Earth she continues you get roughed up, and robbed and it's really scary. Mork can't get his head around why anyone would do that to Granny? Mindy pointing out it's easier to target the elderly, they can't fight back as well. Mork reiterates, as he has before, that Earth is only the planet in the Universe that has no respect for it's elders. Not much to be proud of she notes before getting up to go to work. thanking Mork when he tells her he'll look after and protect Cora while she's gone. Knowing they'll expect her to fill the airtime at work that the interview was going to, Mork asks her what she'll do? And she figures she might do an editorial, looking towards her bedroom where Cora is, and nodding knowing exactly what it will be about.

Later again, and Fred in full whites and tails for the Symphony, comes back out of Mindy's bedroom to tell Mork that Cora is still fast asleep, before the two men sit down in front of the TV for Mindy's spot. Mindy explaining to viewers how this segment was supposed to be an interview with one of Boulder's outstanding senior citizens, who couldn't be there tonight, because she was mugged, in broad daylight, in a park where she has felt safe for over 50 years. Crimes against the elderly are going up year on year, but what is the point of a longer life expectancy if your forced to spend it behind locked doors? This time it was her grandmother, but at any time it could be a member of any one of the viewers families. Urging people to get involved and to do it now. Her stirring editorial raising Mork's ire to fever pitch. Mork yelling his anger about the whole thing out the window into the night, and waking Cora up in the process. Apologizing Mork tells her that Mindy just goosed his civic conscience, Fred elaborating on Mindy's editorial on violence against the elderly.

Touched by her granddaughter's actions, Cora is still dubious about how much good it will do. It just isn't safe outside, and she's scared, she declares, before telling them she's going back to Boston, and not on to Las Vegas, her group will have to swing without her. Fred wishes she'd think it over, then apologizes having to head off to the concert, Mork heading with him to the door, wanting to know if there's anything they can do for her. Fred tells him that the problem is she no longer feels safe. That the money they stole from her can be replaced, but what really burns him up is that they stole her spirit and how do you replace that? As he goes back to Cora, he asks her not to give up, that it allows the muggers to win, but she doesn't know what to do, reminding him what the police officer said. And wishing hard that 'those punks' could be in her shoes and feel what she felt. As soon as she says that, Mork pauses, his mental wheels starting to spin rapidly, a smile starting to spread as 'raindrops fall upon the fertile fields of fair play'. Intrigued by what he's talking about, Cora presses him, and he tells her he things he has a fool proof plan, hoping he's fool enough to pull it off.

In Boulder Central Park later that night, a very nervous Cora rounds the public toilets to knock on the Men's door, to the bemusement of a passing couple, calling for 'Clara' to hurry up. The door opening, Mork dressed in some of Cora's clothes, wearing a wig, glasses and a hat, carrying a carpet bag, and made up to look like an elderly woman emerges to take her arm. Cora asks Mork if he really thinks this is a good idea? In a high pitched, Southern accent, 'Clara' reminds her not to call him Mork, and tells her they need to spread out the Velveeta to catch these rats but she admits to be scared to death, asking him if he's sure he can handle the muggers. No he says, she is going to handle them, just like they planned. Mork starts to speak loudly about Clara's son 'the doctor' yelling loudly about how he never writes anymore just sends money, 'Lots of cold hard cash!!' Sitting on the bench 'Clara' complains about how heavy 'her' bag is having cashed all her Treasury bills today. Hearing someone coming, Cora starts to get very jittery, Mork trying to calm her then jumping as he looks around to see a Boy Scout beside them. The 'Woodchuck' advises them that it's dangerous there late at night and asks to let him walk them home, but they assure him they're fine, 'Clara' telling him that Cora has brass knuckles and she has an inflatable doberman in her carpet bag. After he heads off to get his merit badge in girl scout watching instead, Cora feels it's not working and gets up to go, but Mork stops her saying they came there to get mugged and they're not leaving till they do.

Just as he says that, three men emerge from one of the paths, rapidly towards them. Mork commenting that they look like the road cast of Deliverance referencing the infamous 'Squeal' line, Cora informing him that these were her muggers. Encouraging Cora to have courage, Mork refuses to let him have 'Clara's' bag and when they start to get insistent, he zaps each of them with his finger, each of them suddenly sagging, feeling and sounding like they're 100 years old. Mystified, Cora asks Mork what's wrong with them, they sound so old, and he explains they are, he's hit them with an 'Orkan age warp', so on the outside they're young but on the inside they 'celebrating the Bi-Centennial'. One of them yells at his friends to grab Mork and Cora, then immediately has to sit down. Another tries to take Mork's carpet bag but he just blows on him, and knocks him over. The third tries to take Cora's watch, that her husband gave her, and she pleads with him to leave it, but Mork reminds her she doesn't have to give them anything, they are now in her shoes. When the mugger comes back at her again for the watch, she tells him 'Blow it out your nose and stick it in your ear!' before, karate chopping him in the chest, sending him in a slow motion fall to his knees. Impressed Mork tells her he didn't know she knew karate. She doesn't' Cora smiles but she loves Bruce Lee movies. 'Enter the Granny!' Mork enthuses.

Taking down one of the muggers with a stamp to one foot and kick to his other leg, Cora then delights in granting them their wish and giving the Muggers her purse, as hard as possible, Mork offering her Clara's one as it's "Industrial strength!" with which she takes down the other two. At that point, the scout arrives back with the police in tow. Cora advising the police officer that these were the men who mugged her earlier that day. Looks like they picked on the wrong ladies, he answers taking in the state of the muggers, telling them they will have to come down to make a statement at the station later, doing a double take when 'Clara' flirts, 'You got it blue eyes' . Cora tells the boy scout that he deserves a very special merit badge for his actions, but he shrugs saying who needs merit badges, he'll make the cover of 'Boy's Life' for this. Taking 'Clara's' arm Cora suggests happily that they head on home, Mork agreeing they should hike on back, and that he needs to get the girdle he's wearing back to Mindy as its riding right up.

A day or so later in the apartment, Fred picks up the luggage, calling for everyone, Cora all set to head to the airport to catch her plane not to Boston, but the shuttle to Las Vegas, her pride and confidence happily restored, now off to Las Vegas for more fun, and insulting 'Fredzo' at will. Mindy tells her three days wasn't enough, next time she will have to come back for longer, Cora assuring her she will, before Mindy calls on Mork telling them they are ready to go. Mork comes down from the attic, but not as himself, dressed now in a new Clara ensemble with a 'bolder print'. Stunning, Fred observes dryly, Cora telling him he's just jealous because he doesn't have Mork's legs. But Mindy has had enough of him in a dress. Cora tells her not to be hard on him, after all if it wasn't for him dressing up like her she would still be in a blue funk, and they owe him a lot. Mindy decides she's right, moving to Mork and putting her arm around his shoulders in thanks, before asking him doing a 'Clara' voice of her own, to take the dress off. 'for her'. But Mork advises them that he has a 'date' with a very wonderful gentleman caller, the door being knocked on as he says it, and hushing them not to 'spoil it' as he opens the door to the boy scout, telling them they'll be crossing a very very wide street and not to wait up.

Mork makes his report to Orson in full dancing mode, Orson wanting to know what's gotten into him now? The Spirit has him, Mork replies still moving. Orson reminds him that he's been warned about dangers of Earth Spirits before, and wants to know if he's possessed again? No Mork assures him, he's just dancing to the beat of life. This week he's learned that you have to have the right spirit, otherwise you don't stand a ghost of a chance. Orson wants to know how you get the right spirit? Most Earthlings, he replies, are born with it, but the hard part is to keep it. How do they loose it, Orson asks. In this case, Mork answers, it happens when old people are ignored, pushed aside and targets of abuse. It's not really lost as much as it's stolen from them. That's criminal Orson opines, Mork agreeing, theorizing that Old people have made a major contribution and deserve more of a reward than half price at the movies. If we really want to make their years golden we should repay them through our gratitude and respect.

Cut Scene

Unseen - Mork brings Stephanie & Lola to meet Cora at Da Vinci's

There appears to be a cut, or at least trimmed, scene set in Da Vinci's when Cora is being introduced around to all Mindy & Mork's friends. Mindy is shown with Glenda, Remo & Jeanie meeting her.

But there was a section where apparently Mork brought some of the kids from the Pine Tree Day Care Centre, in the form of Lola & Stephanie to meet her. From the looks of it, Lola (naturally) in particular looking engaged by the meeting.

Trivia

General

• This episode marked the long awaited return of Elizabeth Kerr as Grandma Cora Hudson, not seen since the first season finale. Some time relatively soon after this, Cora must have made the decision to move back to Boulder permanently, as she is resident there by the time Mork proposes to Mindy.
• We discover that Mindy has a Great Aunt Mildred, aged 70, who lives in Boston.
• It is interesting that of the younger cast the only one who didn't have a scene with Cora was Nelson. Especially as it seems that (with the two McConnell brothers, Dave & Fred being sole siblings), Nelson has to be from Mindy's mother's side of the family, making Cora his grandmother as well...giving Cora another daughter, the aforementioned crazy rich Aunt that Mindy says she has.
• Mork alludes back to something raised in Old Fears, that Earth has no respect for it's Elders.
• Scott Marshall son of producer Garry Marshall, returns for his third appearance on the show, after previously playing a local boy who returned Mork, marked property of Mindy McConnell, to her in Mork's Vacation.
• Orson refers back to the events of Putting the Ork Back in Mork, during Mork's report, wanting to know if Mork is possessed by Earth spirits again.

Popular Culture

• Mork has Cora's favourite pin up guy in his 'guest room Armoire' for Cora, showing Mindy a poster of Lawrence Welk
• Mork in dishing till dawn tells Cora she'd better watch out as they've put Walter Cronkite out to stud, and Brooke Shields gets another mention for being ubiquitous in the media and just a kid made to look older than she was, along with Jimmy Carter losing his job (in the Presidential election)
• When Mindy observes that Cora belongs to a club that believes life doesn't have to be dull after 60, Mork remarks 'Unless you watch Tom Snyder', Snyder being the cigarette smoking host of Tomorrow, on NBC.
• Mork yells the famous Peter Finch line from the movie Network, 'I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!' out the window.
• Cora mentions her group are like The Grey Panthers, the senior advocacy group that sprung up in the 1970s in response to enforced retirements, and operates to this day on wide range of senior social issues. The leather shawls she mentions are a parody of the leather vests The Black Panther movement were noted for.
• Their 'slogan' "Bert Parks, Lives!" is a reference to the actor, singer, and radio and television announcer, best known for hosting the annual Miss America telecast from 1955 to 1979, when he was unceremoniously fired on grounds of his age, to bring in a more youthful audience.
• Mork/Clara greets the muggers with the comment that they look like the road company from Deliverance, and telling them to 'Squeal!'. referring to the 1972 Survival/Thriller movie where the protagonists are hunted by inbred backwoodsmen, the 'Squeal' referring to the infamous male sexual assault scene, designed to flip the script to make men think about experiencing rape themselves...not too far from Mork's flip the script intent here.
• Mork/Clara enthuses to Cora that they have a Quenelle, when Cora takes all three of the muggers down. A Quenelle being a presentation technique which makes a three-sided oval shape out of soft, malleable dish components.

Quotes/Excerpts

• Cora: Grandma's back and you got her!!!

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• Cora: Well, Boston is really the best. Dear, you've got a little something on your face; there *wipes flour off Mindy's face*... but living with my little sister Mildred is never easy. Well, you know how it is when they're that age, they think they have all the answers. Well, I suppose I was the same way when I was 70. But enough about me, now tell me, what's the poop around here?
• Mork: Oh, let's scoop! Ah, we'll dish till dawn! First of all, uh, Mindy got a job, I got a job, Carter lost a job, awww. I wondered why peanut butter was getting so expensive. And uh, Brooke Shields turned 40 on her 15th birthday, coleslaw is hard to re-heat and also they put Walter Cronkite out to stud; watch out grandma!

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• Mork: Min, I looked through every nook and cranny and I couldn't find Granny!
• Mindy: Oh Mork, I just don't understand it! I mean, she was just going to go out and buy a new hat and then come straight back here and get ready for the interview.

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• Mork: *Movie Native American imitation* Me watch out now! *lies down with his ear to the floor*
• Mindy: What are you doing?
• Mork: Listening for thundering beat of sensible shoes.

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• Mork: *to Fred* What kind of planet are you running here Pops?! If this happened back on Ork we'd have those thugs recycled into Bed Pans!

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• Mork: *yells out window* I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore! *beat as he listens to someone yell something back at him* Hey wait a minute! Whaddya mean?! No sir I don't have a mother and that makes me mad too!!

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• Cora: Well, what can I do about it, Mork? You heard what that policeman said. Oh I wish those punks could be in my shoes and then they'd know how I felt!!
• Mork: Yeah....*pauses* Wait a minute. Time out! *starts to smile* Woah woah woah woah woah! Ohhhh ho ho! Raindrops falling on the fertile fields of fair play!
• Cora: *intrigued* Mork, what are you talking about?
• Mork: Well Grandma, I think I have a foolproof plan. I just hope I'm fool enough to pull it off!

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• Mork/Clara: *as Muggers appear* Oh look! It's the road company from Deliverance! Hullo boys! Squeal!!

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Promo

Mork & Mindy -Old Muggable Mork - Episode Promo

Old Muggable Mork - Episode Promo

Promo for Old Muggable Mork (second up on vid) as part of ABC's Thursday April 16, 1981 prime time lineup (along with "Bosom Buddies")

Image Gallery

Cast

Starring

• Robin Williams as Mork
• Pam Dawber as Mindy McConnell
• Conrad Janis as Fred McConnell
• Jay Thomas as Remo DaVinci
• Gina Hecht as Jeanie DaVinci
• Crissy Wilzak as Glenda Faye Comstock
• Ralph James as Orson

Guest stars/Recurring cast

• Elizabeth Kerr as Cora Hudson
• Ron Recasner as Policeman #1
• Brian Cutler as Policeman #2
• Charles Thomas Murphy as Mugger #1
• Anthony Peck as Mugger #2
• Scott Marshall as Boy Scout
• Gregg Berger (Voice) as Bebo

External links

• "Old Muggable Mork" at TV.com