August 3, 2023 – THEME WEEK DAY 4

We’re on our 4th day of our theme week on aliens! Today we’re talking about Mork, from Mork & Mindy!
Mork first appeared on an episode of Happy Days called “My Favorite Orkan”, which aired in February 1978. The show wanted to feature a spaceman to capitalize on the popularity of Star Wars, which had just been released. For inspiration, producers looked back at an episode of the Dick Van Dyke Show, which featured Danny Thomas as an alien.
Robin Williams was unknown when he landed the part of Mork. He impressed produced Garry Marshall with his offbeat comedic ability as soon as they met. When Williams was asked to take a seat at the audition, he sat in the chair upside down, and he was cast on the spot. It was his first major acting role, and the cast was so astounded by his talent that the series writers and network executives were drawn to the set to see it for themselves. They loved the character and Williams so much that they gave him a contract for him to star in his own show just 4 days later.
Mork & Mindy ran for 4 seasons on NBC, from September 1978 through May 1982. The show takes place in Boulder, Colorado – a city that was chosen completely on a whim. Garry Marshall had a niece going to school in Boulder, and when writing up a description of the show’s plot, it was the first city that came to mind. Mork & Mindy’s house is real, and it’s still a popular tourist attraction in Boulder. Learn more here.