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| "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" | |
|---|---|
| Season 1, Episode #19 (#19) in series (95 episodes) | |
 When a kidnapper named Chuck "Sleazy" Wilson (Will Porter) solicits Mork to buy a baby, the police ask Mindy to help catch the criminal in "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" in Season 1 (episode #19) | |
| "Mork & Mindy" episode | |
| Guest Star(s): | Susan Lawrence Will Porter Don Galloway |
| Network: | ABC-TV |
| Production code: | 119 (1x19) |
| Writer(s) | April Kelly |
| Director | Jeff Chambers |
| Original airdate | February 15, 1979 |
IMDB 
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Yes Sir, That's My Baby |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Mork Goes Erk" | "Mork's Mixed Emotions" |
| List of Mork & Mindy seasons/episodes | |
Yes Sir, That's My Baby was the 19th episode of season 1 of Mork and Mindy, also the 19th overall series episode. Written by April Kelly, the episode, directed by Jeff Chambers, first aired on ABC-TV on February 15, 1979.
Synopsis[]
Sally returns with her newborn son, and Mork loves him so much he wants a baby of his own, as he ends up buying a baby from a shady character named Chuck for $10,000, unaware that Chuck Wilson is wanted by the FBI for various baby abductions.
Plot[]
In the Music Store, Mork is showing Fred & Mindy the scrapbook he's collated of memories to take with him from Earth when he leaves. Flags of the countries, pictures of their world leaders, Fred asks? But Mork poo poos that, saying he's going for real fun stuff! Like some of their Earth poetry, he shows Mindy, who starts to read, 'There once was a girl from Dundee...' her eyes widening and mouth dropping at the dirty limerick, laughing and asking him where he got that?! The poetry cubicles in the Basketball Arena As Fred heads off to 'read some poetry'. Mork shows Mindy the next page, and she blinks, plucking out the woman's single nylon stocking, wanting to know what this is? A souvenir from a wrestling match. The wrestling matches that happen down by the lake in the parked cars, every time he'd walk by a car one would fly out. While Mindy's smiling at his innocence, Sally enters greeting her, carrying her new baby, followed a very short time after by a guy in a cowboy hat.
As Fred & Mindy gather around her to take in how big he's getting, Mork realizes this is the person 'who used to live' in her stomach the 'former bulge'. Amazed at how tiny he is and wondering how he ever got out, Sally still taken by how Mork is reacting to it, offers him to hold, and he tries to refuse saying he doesn't speak 'small', but as soon as he's in his arms, Mork is smitten. Asking Sally what they talk about, she tells him nothing yet, Mindy telling him in a few months, he will be chattering like crazy. The more he hold him, the more enamored of the baby Mork gets, so when Sally goes with Mindy to pay for the record she's buying, he asks Mindy repeatedly if they can get one. Sally grinning, suggests maybe he and Mindy 'should get together and *talk*', Mindy trying to stop her from matchmaking, Sally showing no regret...neither noticing the tall cowboy hatted customer eyeing Mork's reaction to the baby.
As Sally goes to take him back from Mork to head off, Mindy has to calm Mork a little, but after Sally's gone, doesn't disillusion him when he talks about the sounds the baby made because of gas being proof the baby liked him. When Mork asks her if men can have babies too, Mindy awkwardly tells him that they can 'help', it's kind of a 'union'. When he asks her how it works, Mindy gets flustered, and tries to fob him off on her father 'he's real good at things like that', and runs around the counter, Mork calling after her that she's going to have 'to confront the situation someday!' Going to talk Fred, Fred prevaricates, but tells Mork its been a long time since Mindy was a baby. Mork thinking she must've been a lot of fun to hold...she is now. Fred agreeing saying there's nothing like holding something so small and helpless, that's entirely dependent on you. He's never had anyone dependent on him, Mork thinks, and Fred assures him he'll have a child...or something...someday. Energized, Mork tells Mindy he'll see her later and heads out singing. The guy in the cowboy hat still watching.
And the cowboy turning up at the apartment, Mork putting away his groceries. Mork having noticed him in the Music Store, and again in the grocery store. The cowboy says he noticed when they were in the Music Store that he was really enjoying holding that baby, and that he really wanted one for himself. Mork agrees that he had never held one before, and would give anything to have one for himself. $10,000 the cowboy asks? Mork doing a doubletake. The Cowboy explains that he knows this real nice couple who are trying to find a home for their baby. Taking that and running with it, Mork asks if they don't find one, they'll turn the baby out to be raised by rabbits? Or worse, he tells Mork. It's up to him to stop it. Mork agrees and they shake on it, but before he goes The Cowboy warns him no to say anything to anyone. Mork wants to know what if he has to borrow the money from someone. What he tells them, the Cowboy says, but 'his friends' don't like publicity. One word and it's no deal. Heading out, the Cowboy tells him, he'll be in touch.
Mork "playing father" with a pillow in the hope of getting a real baby of his own.
Later, Mork is sitting on the couch with all the money has beside him, rising up enthusiastically as Mindy enters, buttering her up before asking her a small favour. The loan of 10,000 dollars. Amused, she says no and asks him what he needs that kind of money for? Socks he replies. Gucci Socks. 4 pairs and a garter. Laughing again she tells him she doesn't have that kind of money. What kind does she have he wants to know. The kind that jingles. With her unable to help, Mork tries to come up with ways he could earn that kid of money. Selling apples, selling apples on steroids', babysitting for mainland China, teaching etiquette to Billy Carter, selling dental floss to the Osmonds! As she heads into her room to change her clothes, but will be back to talk this over with him further. Calling after her that he'll be her valet for 2,000 dollars, he settles down to practice being a father with a feather pillow.
The next day the in the Music Store, as Mindy & Cora chat behind the counter, and Fred leafs through some sheet music, a tall well dressed man in a dark coat enters and approaches Mindy and Cora, the latter of whom offers to show him some Disco records. Pulling out his badge he declines politely showing them his badge, informing them he's from the FBI. While Mindy immediately grows serious, Cora grinning offers to show him some police records instead, laughing uproariously at her own joke as Mindy nudges her. The Agent pulls out a clipping and shows it wanting to know if anyone as seen this guy hanging around, Fred immediately takes it from saying yes, he saw that guy hanging around the shop the day before. The Agent informs him he's a creep who kidnaps and sells babies, they were tailing him yesterday when he followed a woman with a baby into their store. Mindy immediately informs him that was Sally, horrified at the idea he could be after her baby. They're not sure but they're watching him, but the odd thing was when he left he didn't follow her anymore. He followed 'some strange looking man with suspenders', to her house he informs Mindy.
To her house, Mindy asks in surprise? Until her father suggests the 'strange man in suspenders' might give her a clue. Blinking, Mindy shrugs that idea off, asserting to her father that Mork wouldn't do anything wrong. Fred's eyes roll to the ceiling meaningfully reminding her of his out of the world view of things. Shifting at that, something clicks with Mindy, and she quickly asks the Agent how much this creep would be looking for a baby? $10,000, he tells her. Nervously, Mindy tells the Agent that, what she meant to say was, Mork wouldn't do anything wrong intentionally. Picking up on her nerves the Agent tells her if she's worried her friend would get into trouble for buying a baby she shouldn't, it's the kidnapper they are after. You wouldn't arrest him? She queries cautiously. No, he tells her. And she confesses that she thinks Mork might be trying to buy a baby, telling him about his trying to borrow ten thousand from her the day before. Did you give it to him he asks her. 'No! I don't have that kinda money!' she stares at him. She does now he tells her dropping 10k in cash on the counter in front of her. As they all stare at it, Mindy pulls her hands behind her, backing off it, not remotely sure about what he has in mind. But the Agent is adamant that they need her help on this. Uncertain, she picks up the money and decides that if the guy is doing what he's saying Mork would want to help too. But the Agent tells her immediately she can't tell Mork anything, that the creep they are after is too sharp, and if he even gets a whiff he's been set up they wont see him again. Cora advises Mindy that he's right, Mork is no actor. The Agent gives her his card and tells Mindy to call him as soon as she knows anything about when the transfer is being made.
When Mindy returns home, she finds Mork with a half egg shaped baby cradle, which he tries to tell her is an Orkan atom smasher. She present him with the 10 thousand he's looking for and assuages his concerns about how she might have got it, assuring him she just 'got a raise', which he buys. When she pulls out a set of baby clothes from inside the baby cradle, he tells her they shrunk in the wash and also he wanted to dress up like Tattoo in Fantasy Island. The baby dummy is a giant ring, and the baby rattle she sits on, a seeing eye rattle for a blind snake. The phone rings and he rushes to get it, 'saved by the bell' Mindy notes, before she listens on to his conversation. Mork setting up the meet up for the baby at the Bus Station the following day at noon. Noticing Mindy he asks her if he can take the call in private in her room, both of them so distracted that they forget the phone cord doesn't extend that far, Mork pulling it out of the wall.
The next day at the Boulder Bus Station, Mork arrives in dark glasses carrying a bag, taking a seat in the station by a sleeping homeless guy. Behind him, the FBI agent and a male and female colleague enter quietly, as Mork chats to the comatose bum, telling he's expecting a baby, coming through any time, 'He's only 6 months old and I haven't seen him in 2 years'. Getting overexcited when the Cowboy arrives with the baby, Mork has to be shushed, and stopped from leaving as the money is checked to see if it's all there. Mork doing the same to see if the baby is all there. 'He's all there, not sure about you', the Cowboy comments before going. As soon as he does, out of sight of Mork, he's nabbed by the FBI, who arrest him, naming as Chuck Wilson, alias Chuck Martin, alias Charles Henthorn, the money they gave Mork, marked so they have him dead to rights. Moving to his female colleague, the Agent says all they need now is to get the baby, but when she goes to look for Mork she tells him he's gone, he must've gone out the back. The Agent says not to worry, he's bound to be heading back to Mindy's, and goes to call her at the store to let her know.
At the Apartment, Mork is telling the baby the tale of 'The Princess & The Jive Toad' as he sits with him on the couch. Resting him in the cradle, Mork reflects on how proud he is to be father, telling the baby he can't wait for him to meet his God Moose, before handing out cigars to himself. Mindy arrives home, clearly full of trepidation, and leaving the door to the apartment deliberately open as she goes to meet Mork who on seeing her is hyper-enthused to show her the baby. Making a raft of crazy excuses, for how he ended up getting him, including that he followed him home, that a burning bush spoke to him, before he tells her effectively what Chuck told him (with his own spin) that the parents didn't want him and he'd only end up in the woods being raised by rabbits. Mindy tries to speak to him, but he can feel what she's going to say and is desperate to make her believe he'll be a good father, and look after all his needs. His attachment to the baby only making it harder for Mindy, telling him so. He doesn't want to make it easy for her, he replies, but she tells him he can't keep him. 'Why not?! I paid good money for him?!' And that's it she tells him, it's illegal to buy a baby. It's not, Mork insists, telling her how Chuck does it all the time, yes she says and he's going to jail because of it. When she notices the FBI Agents have arrived, so does Mork and asks her if they're there to take the baby? She explains that Chuck lied to him, that baby is loved, and his parents are desperate to get him home with them.
When the female agent moves to take the baby, Mork pre-empts her, picking him up and carrying him to her, giving her advice about how to look after him. The Agent thanks Mindy and tells her he'll be in touch with her, but that just makes Mindy, watching Mork's face, feel all the worse. As he returns to sit, emotional and dejected beside her, she tells him how bad she feels it worked out this way, and hopes that he understands why she had to do it, that he understands she had to make sure the baby got back to his parents. And he does. He didn't realize how much his parents loved him. Not knowing what to say she tells him she just feels so sorry for him. But he tells her not to. Now he knows what it's like to be a father. That it's wonderful. That being a father for an hour is better than never being a father at all. Struck by his reaction, Mindy strokes his hair, telling him how amazing his, holding him and laying her head on his shoulder as he talks about how maybe the baby is better off. That he couldn't even get the baby to eat, pulling a huge cooked turkey wing out of the cradle.
Mork makes his report to Orson in good mood, telling Orson he has something special for this week, saying he was a father for an hour and offering Orson a cigar, which Orson takes, saying that's wonderful, before asking Mork what a father is? Mork reminds him of their conversation about a mother (A Mommy for Morky) well a father is the male counterpart. But Orson wants to know why you'd need a father if you have a mother? Sounds like featherbedding to him. No, Mork tells him a father is very important he gives the child love. Orson tells him that is what he said the mother did. But a chld needs lots of love Mork tells him so they can grow up strong inside. Orson wants to know if that is a father's entire function, but Mork says no, he also helps provide food, shelter, leadership, and according to recent facts he worries a lot and dies young so his family can go on living. Orson wonders who would apply to take on a job like that, and figures between the mother and the father the children must be grateful. Not really, they it take for granted, until its gone, then they'd missed it. Orson still doesn't understand why anyone would want to be a parent. Mork telling him its one of those situations you have to be in, but when you hold this little tiny baby in your arms, it makes it all worthwhile. But Orson, personally, will stick with the test tubes.
Trivia[]
Orkan 'Facts'[]
- Mork sings 'Fink-a-doo Hatchling' to his pretend 'pillow baby', Fink-a-doo Orkan for Rock-a-bye.
General[]
- The title is taken from the old popular standard "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" from 1925, with music by Walter Donaldson and the lyrics by Gus Kahn. made popular by Eddie Cantor. It was also a hit for teen heart throb Ricky Nelson in 1960.
- Don Galloway who plays the FBI Agent was well known to TV audiences as Detective Sergeant Ed Brown in the long-running crime drama series Ironside (1967–75).which is why the audience reacts on his entry.
- Cora's 'Mork is no actor' line is obviously an ironic joke based on how good/well trained an actor Robin Williams was, and hits with the audience.
- The scene where Mindy gets home to find Mork with the Orkan shaped baby cradle features prominently on the 1st Years bloopers and outtakes in the bootleg and DVD set with both Robin Williams & Pam Dawber messing up multiple times.
Pop Culture[]
- Mork wonders if Sally's baby's father is Leon Spinks who won the undisputed heavyweight championship in 1978 after defeating Muhammad Ali in a split decision.
- Mork heads out singing 'Yes sir, she's my baby.' based on "Yes, Sir That's My Baby" a popular U.S. song from 1925. The music was written by Walter Donaldson and the lyrics by Gus Kahn.
- "Doody!" Mork replies to Chuck's "Howdy!", referencing Howdy Doody, the puppet
- Among Mork's many money making schemes to get his 10,000 dollars he suggests, teaching etiquette to Billy Carter, President Jimmy Carter's brother who was notorious for putting his foot in things. And selling dental floss to the famously toothy smiles of the Osmond family!
- Superman gets another nod, with the baby clothes Mork's bought featuring him on the front of it.
- Fantasy Island is also referenced again, as Mork tries to explain the baby clothes away as being for Tattoo, but actually Mr Roark's fantasy outfit.
- When Mindy picks up the baby dummy, Mork pretends it's a ring, saying not even Elizabeth Taylor has one that big. Taylor's engagement and diamond rings being world famous for their size (an entire Lucy episode famously revolving around that).
- Mork tells Baby Mindy a 'Jewish Princess' story, where in return for her kiss she gets a Halston Dress, taken to Long Island and has a Condominium built for her. Halston Dresses became hugely popular in the Dresses. Halston, was an American fashion designer who rose to international fame in the 1970s.His minimalist, clean designs often made of cashmere or ultrasuede were a new phenomenon in the mid-1970s discotheques and redefined American fashion. He was frequently photographed at Studio 54 with his close friends Liza Minnelli, Bianca Jagger and artist Andy Warhol.
- Mork bids Baby Mindy good by with a 'Top of the World Ma', the James Cagney line from the movie White Heat.
Quotes[]
- Mork: He's really incredible! Mindy can we get one!? Can we order one today?! How about it? Hmm? Can we get one? Please? We can send away for one!
- Sally: *grins* Wellll, maybe you and Mindy should get together and ..talk.
- Mindy: *eyes her* No matchmaking Sally.
- Sally: Who me?!
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- Mork: That's fantastic, he doesn't have any teeth! Whose his father? Leon Spinks?!
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- Mork: Can men have babies too?
- Mindy: Well....they can help. It's...sort of like a Union.
- Mork: Oh! Like the Teamsters!
- Mindy: Nnnn...well it's not exactly like the Teamsters.
- Mork: Oh sure it is! I hear about Women in Labor all the time!
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- Mork: Dad? How do they do it?
- Fred: How do who do what?
- Mork: Well..how do they...how do they make babies? I mean I know where they come from, I'm no pin head. But how do they get them in there? I mean do they blow 'em up, do they add water, what happens?
- Fred: Well, Mork how a baby gets born isn't as important as the miracle of creation.
- Mork: You don't know either do you?
- Fred: Well it's been a long time since Mindy was born.
- Mork: *exhales* She must've been a lot of fun to hold. She sure is now.
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- Mindy: Listen Mork, I'd really like to help you out, but I don't have that kind of money!
- Mork: What kind do you have?
- Mindy: I have the kind that jingles!
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Image Gallery[]
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Robin Williams as Mork
- Pam Dawber as Mindy McConnell
- Conrad Janis as Fred McConnell
- Elizabeth Kerr as Cora Hudson
- Ralph James as Voice of Orson
