Rich Mork, Poor Mork

""Rich Mork, Poor Mork""
Season 4, Episode #8 (#81) in series (95 episodes)
Mork runs into trouble with Mindy on all sorts of levels, when he invests all their savings in Exidor's newest scheme, just to get enough money to buy Mearth everything he wants. in "Rich Mork, Poor Mork" in Season 4 (ep.#10).
"Mork & Mindy" episode
Guest Star(s):	Jennifer Wallace
Network:	ABC-TV
Production code:	408 (4x8)
Writer(s)	Richard Rosenstock & Roy Teicher
Director	Frank Buxton
Original airdate	November 26, 1981
IMDB	"Rich Mork, Poor Mork"
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List of Mork & Mindy seasons/episodes

Rich Mork, Poor Mork is a Mork and Mindy episode from the fourth season of Mork and Mindy, the 81st overall episode in the series. Co-written by Richard Rosenstock & Roy Teicher, the episode, directed by Frank Buxton, was shot on October 16, 1981 and premiered on ABC-TV on November 26, 1981.

Synopsis

Mork tries to smooth parenting by spoiling Mearth with lavish gifts, and risks all of Mindy's hard earned savings by splurging all of it on Exidor's latest venture. A boutique based on himself.

Plot

As Mindy and Cora return from shopping they find Mork consoling a mourning Mearth over the death of his pet spider, Herman. Mindy and Cora suggest that as he's so upset he won't want to see the nice presents they bought him, which naturally ends Mearth's tears as he's presented with a giant lollipop and a plane with a pilot, who Mearth immediately names Mr. Silver. Mork is fascinated by the change in Mearth from tears to happiness in a few seconds, and Cora explains to him that sometimes with children a little present at the right time can make all the difference Mindy warns Mearth not to throw the plane in the house in case he breaks something, and he makes for the window throwing it outside, where it gets snapped up and eaten by a neighbors Chihuahua, setting Mearth back into tears mode. Going to Cora he weeps that with Herman and Mr Silver gone he just doesn't have any friends, trying to soothe him again, Cora reminds him he still has his giant lollipop, but when he pulls it out of his back pocket Herman is stuck to it.

A few days later, Mindy & Mearth return home, Mindy asking for his coat as she turns the apartment light on, both of them stopping dead as they see the apartment just full of huge stuffed toys, wrapped boxes, a giant screen TV, harp, and a dirt bike. Mearth is flabbergasted, but Mindy immediately resigned, and utterly unsurprised to see Mork jump out of the one boxes, making straight for Mearth telling him that its all for him, that he will never be sad or cry again. Entirely getting the wrong idea from Cora. As Mearth dives in to play, Mork tells Mindy he feels just like UNICEF, and that's it for Mindy, telling him that everything *has* to go back, that this is no way to raise a child, he'll end up spoiling him. In addition, she reminds him that she is still making the same salary as she was when it was just him and her, and Mearth's early arrival has already seen their budget stretched to the limit, with them having to dip into her savings just to feed him every month. Mork tries to argue, but Mindy is adamant, everything goes back.

Mork tries to bargain over the harp at least, trying to assert that Mearth is a musical prodigy. Trying to show her, he asks Mearth if he will play the Concerto he wrote for Mindy. Mearth agrees to happily, and sings an on the spot song "Winters Coming" showing absolutely no aptitude for the harp whatsoever beyond strumming it. While both parents applaud at the conclusion, when Mork turns to Mindy for approval, she tells him 'Yes Mork that was cute, you tell him it goes back." When Mork resists sayin he wants Mearth to have everything he never had, and still doesn't, Mindy pulls him away and reiterates again that its no way to raise a child, that by giving him everything now he'll have nothing to look forward to when he grows up. Mork feels it'll break his heart, but Mindy is resolute, it was his idea, he tells him.

With no choice, Mork approaches Mearth, and taking a deep breath, tells him that he's not his and Mindy's child. With Mearth shocked and Mindy berating him, Mork tries again, and this time tells him that he and Mindy are getting a divorce. When Mindy slaps his arm giving out to him, he tells her he's just hitting Mearth with mock hard stuff so that the real thing will be easy. Turning back to Mearth he tells him the truth, they can't afford what he's bought so it all has to go back. Mearth looks like he's taking it well, telling them he understands...then informs them that they don't love him. Refusing to listen to Mindy, he marches off to his room in melodramatic fashion, leaving Mork looking crestfallen Mindy consoles him telling him Mearth will get over it, that it's best for him in the long run, he doesn't want to spoil him like that. Mork finally agrees that she's right, and pulls up a fur coat, thinking Mearth wouldn't have looked good in it anyway. Mindy idlily wondering what size it is?

Later, alone in the apartment, everything long returned, Mork is distracted by the sound of Exidor outside the door, before he opens it himself and comes in, in chef's regalia, and informs Mork he's late. He is having a BBQ and came over to borrow...everything. The BBQ is for his musical comedy workshop. Mork prevails on him for advice, saying he wants to shower Mearth with gifts, but Mindy says they can't afford it, who's right? Exidor says he'd like to help him but this is a bad time and suggests he gets a job, but Mork says he has no skills, and is affronted when Exidor suggests real estate, claiming he has 'some pride'. Exidor however has a sudden revelatory vision, clear as a bell, like 'having the cable'. He tells Mork that in order to make money you have to spend money, make that once in a lifetime investment that will take care of his family's needs for ever. Mork tells them all they have in saving is 900 dollars and his stock in Air Libya. That's perfect, Exidor feels, and asks him what is the one thing that the world is crying out for more of, even more than Nixon impersonators. What? Mork asks excitedly, "Me!" Exidor exclaims.

Exidor's Boutique is suddenly a reality, signs for its grand opening up. Exidor manning the counter of a shop full of T-shirts with his image, prophet robes, waders, khaki socks and army surplus blanket 'coats'. Heading into the back, Exidor tells 'Guillermo' a clothes rack with his face on it, to keep an eye on the shop while he goes get more tags for the clothes. When he's in the back, first Mork, then Mindy enter the store, down the only apparent way in, a fireman's pole from above. Mork enthuses immediately about the place, but Mindy is already less than enamored of a shop you have to get to by going through an animal hospital, knocking twice to ask for a man named Juanita and then sliding down a pole, and while Mork already sees 20 things he wants to buy, amused, she tells him she can't see 20 things she can identify. While Mork continues to enthuse about the 'hot new thing' Exidor is on to, Mindy remains equal parts bemused and amused, largely as she would expect from a store Exidor has concocted, something she tells Mork as he shows her Exidor's 'Exid-Orios', made of chocolate, cheese and meat, calling the whole thing ridiculous.

Mork tells her she can't be so negative, and prevails upon her to find something positive about the store, and looking about her, decides that the color combination on the cookie is 'excellent'. Mork welcomes that, and cheerily informs her that, he, she and Exidor, are all partners. Mindy's smile slowly fades, Mork getting a sharp, "What?" Mork tells her that in the grand tradition of some of the most famous bankers (and a pop band) he has invested all their 900 dollars in Exidors boutique. Nervously edging backwards asking Mindy not to hit him as she understandably starts to fume. Fuming that turns into incandescence as she tells him she's 'Black Poet' angry. Cringing, Mork tries to rally and bluff his way out of it, telling her she just doesn't know how to handle sudden wealth, and she should be happy that he made such a shrewd investment. Giving all their money to Exidor is shrewd, she wants to know? Wondering why he didn't just flush it instead? Dragging him aside she reminds him angrily that he has responsibilities now, to her and to his son, and that means he can't take risks with their future. But he feels like he's not taken a risk. Starting to run out of patience, she tells him that you can't make an investment unless you can afford to lose, and they can't, and now they're going to lose everything. Mork tells her not to panic that Exidor knows what he's doing.

Naturally Exidor takes that moment to return, yelling into the back of the store that the Mannequins just had a break 10 minutes ago and spent their time dribbling. Seeing Mork he greets him as 'Partner' and refers to Mindy as 'the Little Woman', which given her mood is a red rag to a bull, telling him not to call her that she demands their money back immediately. Exidor reminds them he's only been open 2 hours. But Mindy does not care, restating they want their money back. Exidor tells her business is a little slow, but they're going to have their 2 for 1 sale. Buy 2 get 1, who could resist?! Mindy tells him that's the most ridiculous thing she's ever heard, which fires Exidor up. Advancing on her he wants to know if she's insinuating if he's some kind of crackpot, reminding her that's what they said about David Rockefeller. No one ever said that about Rockefeller she fires back. "I did!" he tells her before getting into a fight with 'Pepe' about his tailoring skills and dragging 'him' in the back. At that, Mindy turns to Mork and gives up. Convinced that their money is gone. Mork chases after her as she tries to leave, giving up on his bravado and apologizing telling her he was just trying to increase their wealth admitting it was a risk and a pretty dumb thing. Trying to be calm, she takes his hands and gives him one thing, tha this his heart is always in the right place, it's just his head is sometimes in....her anger flaring, unable to finish the sentence, she says she's going home, and desperately tries to find a way out of the subterranean store. Mork tries to convince her that 'this is America' that if they can say designer jeans and pet rocks they can sell this stuff, but ends up talking to himself as she leaves. Racking his brains, Mork has an Exidorian style revelatory vision, which Exidor re-emerges to see, and joining Mork, asks him what he's watching?

The 'Grand Opening' signs on Exidor's boutique change to 'Fashion Show' and underground a small crowd have gathered around an even smaller plinth, applauding as Mork makes an entrance wearing an Exidor T-shirt and introducing himself as 'Mr Mork' taking them on a tour of Exidor 'where style and elegance meet, for a very brief moment'. What follows is convertible prophet robes that turn into an evening dress and tennis ensemble, with waders. Business prophet robes, with spatz, bowler and umbrella, and finally Mearth in an 'Western Themed Prophet Robe ensemble By the time Mork announces that the swimsuit collection will be up next, the entire audience gets up and runs for it, and Mearth turns to his father and asks if thinks there will be other children to play with in debtor's prison?

Back at home, while Mearth is eating lunch, Mindy is desperately trying to deal with their bills. Mork running up totals there too. Entering, he tells her he's sold his Air Libya stock. For 2 dollars. Sagging he tries but asks Mindy to tell Mearth what he's done, then critiquing whatever she says as either too harsh on him or not harsh enough. Between them, ultimately, they explain that Mork has lost their money. But Mindy, calmed down, tells a depressed Mork not to be so hard on himself, anyone can make a mistake. He just happened to make a really big one. But they'll get by, she says, as much in hope as anything.

Exidor walks straight back into the apartment, telling them to forget about the boutique, he's dumped it, and slumps on one of the bar stools, dejected, telling them it's a good thing, otherwise they'd be rich too "Rich?!" the entire family chorus. The place he tells them has gone through the roof. "Why?!!" an utterly mystified Mindy asks. and Exidor supposes they're wondering Why? Teenagers, he tells them, they'll buy anything their parents hate. Now everywhere he goes people are wearing Exidor outfits, kids, infants, socialites. Mork asks him if he's a Mogul now, and Exidor tells him he's miserable. He just wanted to appeal to the 'Intellectual Fringe' Handing 'Perky' her investment plus profit, Mindy finds herself looking at a roll of 50 dollar bills that would choke a horse, and looking it over tells Mork 'This isn't Monopoly Money! It's real money!" Exidor admits he sold out, and is just designing now. The person who bought it is a little strange, he thinks, moving to the door, but business breeds strange bedfellows he remarks opening the door to the sight of Cora in Exidor attire.

Utterly shocked, Mindy asks her Grandma, why?!! And her grandmother tells her to "Wise up', Exidor or not, a buck is a buck. Exidor tells Cora that when she dresses like that she reminds him of his own grandmother, telling Mork & Mindy that she was a strange woman, "heavy into voodoo." as he and Cora leave. Delighted, Mork takes the money from Mindy declaring they can at least buy him a little something...like a DeLorean. But Mearth stops him, and looks to his mother, telling her he doesn't want her to worry anymore. That they've given him a wonderful set of toys, in his head, imagination, before making them laugh with just the dishes and cutlery on the table as props.

Mork makes his report to Orson, who wants to know how his godson Mearth is getting on? Mork is happy to reply that he's 'in the pink', and him...he's a wreck. He had no idea that being a parent was so difficult. Orson thought that the only hard part of being a parent was giving birth. Only in the short view Mork tells him, in the long view children test their parents every day, and they can't slide through the essay questions. Orson suggests sending the child to obedience school, which would be good Mork thinks if you want to teach them dog tricks, but it's not teaching them about life. You have to give them love, understanding, companionship. And boy, Mork says, is he lucky he has Mindy. Orson never realized raising a child carried so much responsibility. Mork nods telling him that being a parent is 'on the job training' , but the problem is once you've learned the trade you're out of the business. But if you do things correctly, you'll always be connected with the firm.

Goofs

The boom mike comes into view at the top of the screen in the middle of the fashion show in the boutique just after the model Sissy has stepped off the podium.

Trivia

General

• The title of the Episode is a play on Rich Man, Poor Man, a star studded ABC Mini Series (1976) based on the novel by Irwin Shaw
• Although the episode ends with Cora buying Exidor's boutique, there are no subsequent references to the store.

Pop Culture

• Mork calls Cora's idea of a little gift to a kid to change their mood a 'Pre-School ABSCAM' referring to the Arab / Senate bribe scandal uncovered by an FBI in the late 70s/80s.
• When Mearth notices a giant TV, Mork says, "You'll finally be able to see all the lines in Dick Clark's face." Clark was a TV personality who rose to fame in the 1950s and, at that time, was the butt of many jokes due to his youthful appearance.
• Mindy asks, "Why does our place look like Bob Barker's den?" Barker was the longtime host of the TV game show "The Price is Right."
• Mindy says Mearth "eats more than Trigger," which was the horse owned by Roy Rogers who appeared in many of his films.
• Exidor says, "I've got 40 starving people in my back yard singing Brigadoon. Brigadoon is a appropriately for Exidor and his 'crew', a musical about a mythical Scottish town that is only visible once every 100 years.
• Exidor tells 'Guillermo' a clothes rack with his face on it, that he's going in the back for more 'inspected by Number 7' tags, wondering who would've thought Mickey Mantle would've ended up that way. Mantle being a NY Yankees baseball legend, who wore the number 7 which was retired in his honor.
• When Mork tells Mindy she'd look smashing in a prophet robe, Mindy remarks that Anthony Quinn would look smashing in it. The dual Oscar winning Quinn having spent a lot of time of the past 10 years playing Arabs and in Biblical Epics.
• Introducing Mindy to 'Exidorios' Exidor's variation on Orios, Mork mentions Wally Amos, William Morris Talent Agent who became famous for Famous Amos Cookies / Cookie Kahuna
• Mork tells her that in the "grand tradition of J.Pierpoint Morgan, J.Paul Getty and Jay and the Americans", he's invested all their money. While the first two definitely were Bankers, Jay and the Americans were a 1960s pop group
• Mork tells Exidor that they've had a change of heart, much like Renée Richards wanted to change dressing rooms. Richards, born Richard Raskind, became an (often controversial) international transgender figure after she underwent gender reassignment and competed on the women's tennis professional tour.
• Exidor mentions Evita, a Tony Award winning musical.
• Exidor accuses David Rockefeller of being a crackpot. Rockefeller is chairman of Chase Manhattan Bank and noted for his wealth.
• Mork says he bought the soundtrack to Beatlemania, a heavily-ridiculed concert film featuring a set of Beatles impersonators.
• Mork says Mindy's description of his mistake as 'little' is like saying Lizzie Borden was a 'little nuisance with an axe'. Borden having been tried (and acquitted) of the axe murder of both her parents in the late 1890s.
• Exidor says even Lee Radziwill is wearing his outfit. She was the younger sister of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, and a leading socialite of the day sometimes known as Princess, due to her second marriage to a Polish nobleman.

Quotes/Excerpts

*Mindy & Mearth stare at the room full of gifts*

• Mearth: The Tooth fairy *has* been keeping up with inflation!
• Mindy: *flatly* Gee, I wonder who could be behind all this.
• Mork: *bursts out of a giant box* SURPRISE!!!
• Mindy: *resigned* No, not really.

___________________________________________

• Mindy: I am still making the same salary for three as when there were just two of us. I mean we have to dip into our emergency savings every month just to feed him! He eats more than Trigger!!

___________________________________________

• Mork: Mearth?
• Mearth: Yes?
• Mork: Son?
• Mearth: Yes?
• Mork: *looks back at Mindy, who nods firmly. He looks back at Mearth* You're really not our child! *Mearth gasps*
• Mindy: What?!?! Mork!!
• Mork: Alright Mind! *to Mearth* I was just kidding. You see, the real truth of the matter is well.....your mother and I are getting divorced. *Mearth looks horrified*
• Mindy: What?!!? *steps forward and smacks Mork, glaring at him*
• Mork: Min, after two of those this is going to be an emotional lay up you know what I'm sayin'?

___________________________________________

• Mork: *slides down firepole and calls up* C'mon Mind! Oh this place is wonderful! Just like what the Marquis de Sade would've done if he'd gone into retail.
• Mindy: Woaah! *slides down and looks back up* Yeah this is a great location Mork You walk through an animal hospital, knock twice, ask for a man named Juanita, and slide down a pole.
• Mork: Don't worry 'bout that. How many times do you see a hamster neutered on the way into Macys?!

___________________________________________

• Mork: In the tradition of J.Pierpoint Morgan, J.Paul Getty and Jay and the Americans! I have invested our 900 dollars in the Exidor Boutique! *Mindy's eyes flash furiously as she draws herself up, Mork takes a step back* Don't hit me! Don't hit me! I have corrective shoes on!

___________________________________________

• Mindy: *simmering, furious* Mork. You may have seen me angry before. But now I'm talking real angry. *eyes flash* I'm talking Black Poet, y'know what I mean?!"

___________________________________________

• Mindy: *looking at bills* 42 dollars for telephone?! *trying to figure it out then inhales slowly* Mearth? Has Daddy been calling Dial-A-Joke again? Mearth?
• Mearth: *pauses eating* I'm no fink. *goes to go back to food* Yes.
• Mindy: Mearth? See, Daddy did a really dumb thing.
• Mork: It's not that bad, Min!
• Mindy: Mearth, Daddy's upset because he made a little mistake.
• Mork: Well saying a mistake is like saying Lizzie Borden was a little nuisance with an axe.
  

Image Gallery

Cast

Starring

• Robin Williams as Mork
• Pam Dawber as Mindy McConnell
• Conrad Janis as Fred McConnell
• Jonathan Winters as Mearth
• Robert Donner as Exidor
• Elizabeth Kerr as Cora Hudson
• Ralph James as Orson

Guest stars

• Jennifer Wallace as Sissy

External links

• "Rich Mork, Poor Mork" at TV.com