Garry Marshall also revealed that Robin Williams would often stage outbursts to rouse the actors.
‘He would take off all his clothes, stand completely naked, and she would try to act. His goal in life was to make Pam Dawber blush,’ he said.
Robin Williams’ struggle with cocaine
Unfortunately, despite the success of ‘Mork and Mindy,’ things didn’t go smoothly for Robin Williams.
‘Robin had high highs and low lows,’ said his “Mork and Mindy” colleague Gina Hecht in the documentary ’The Dark Side of Comedy.
Robin admitted that he started using cocaine on set because he didn’t know what to say between takes to all the crew members and celebrities watching the shoot.
This at first small habit developed into a cocaine addiction that he suffered from throughout his life.
The truth about the hand gesture
Mork’s iconic ‘Nanu Nanu’ greeting was actually inspired by the famous ‘Live long and prosper’ hand gesture from the TV series Star Trek, of which Robin Williams was a big fan. Interestingly, Mork’s Orcan spacesuit has a slightly recycled history, as it was originally used in the 1969 Star Trek episode ‘Savage Curtain’.
The series popularised several other memorable phrases, including ‘Shazbat’ (/ˈʃæzbɒt/), a quirky Orcan exclamation that Mork uses frequently. Another unique twist is that Mork says ‘knockout’ instead of the usual ‘OK’.
From triumph in the ratings to time slot problems
Mork & Mindy quickly became a sensation in the ratings, it was extremely popular and was one of the top three shows in its first season.
However, in its second season, ABC decided to move the show to Sundays to compete with CBS’s Sunday comedy lineup, which included Archie Bunker’s Place (1979). Unfortunately, this postponement caused ratings to plummet.
Even when the show returned to its original Thursday night slot mid-season, it was never able to regain the momentum it had in its debut.
Drama Behind the Scenes
Did you know that Fred (Conrad Janis) and Cora (Elizabeth Kerr) were eliminated from ‘Mork and Mindy’ at the beginning of season two because their characters weren’t quite right for the show’s young audience?
Their absence was explained by a fictional orchestra tour. However, viewers didn’t like this, and by the third season, both characters returned, though Cora only appeared occasionally.
Problems with time travel
Mork’s debut in My Favourite Orcan (1978) took place in the 1950s, while the action of the series took place in the present day. Throughout the series, it is revealed that Orcans get younger with age. However, the reason why Mork remained the same age as when he appeared in Happy Days was never explained.
Raquel Welch in Mork and Mindy.
I had no idea that Raquel Welch had also appeared in ‘Mork and Mindy’, and recognising her wasn’t easy at first.
She actually appears in two episodes of the second season, playing Captain Nirvana. In these episodes, three voluptuous aliens from Necroton capture Mork to find out what he has learnt about Earth.
‘Mork vs. the Necrotons’ was originally an hour-long special designed to boost November ratings – and maybe heat things up a bit. Unfortunately, it ended up being a low point for ‘Mork and Mindy,’ and the show’s shift toward a more complex tone made it less appealing to viewers.
In the episode, Mork receives an urgent call from Orson during a political rally from Nelson Flavor (Jim Staal), warning him that the Necrotons, sworn enemies of the Orcs, have come to Earth to find out what Mork knows about the planet they plan to conquer.
Following the Orcan way of avoiding trouble, Mork hides in Mindy’s couch. Raquel Welch plays Captain Nirvana, the leader of the Necrotons, who uses unusual torture techniques such as tickling feathers and hickeys in a hot bath, with the help of guards Kama (Debra Jo Fondren, Playboy’s 1978 Playmate of the Year) and Sutra (Vicki Frederick).
What’s striking about watching old clips and scrutinising Raquel Welch’s acting is how often people forget that Raquel actually loved doing comedy – and she was very good at it.
Raquel was a pain in the arse
Casting director Joel Thurm recalled that Raquel Welch caused a lot of trouble during the filming of ‘Mork and Mindy.’ Jane Fonda was originally cast to play the villainous Captain Nirvana, but after she backed out due to scheduling conflicts, Welch took her place.
At the time, Welch was transitioning from film star to television roles, which Thurm said was an ‘unsettling time’ for her. During filming, she ‘behaved a little inadequately,’ spending extra time on hair and make-up, staying in the trailer longer than necessary, and even refusing to wear a certain costume. Nevertheless, Thurm admitted that she ‘looked spectacular’ in her silver tight-fitting suit.
After completing the second and final episode, the cast and crew threw a small farewell party for her. Welch crawled up to Thurm and the producers and, in a moment he described as ‘very funny and very true,’ confessed, ‘Look, I know I’ve been a bit of a pain in the arse, but wasn’t I worth it?’.
Looking at old photos from the Mork and Mindy series, it’s hard to imagine she was a ‘handful’ behind the scenes. She looks confident, glamorous and in her element – as always!
The Mork and Mindy series wasn’t just a hit sitcom – it was a cultural phenomenon that introduced the world to the unrivalled comedic genius of Robin Williams.
From Mork’s quirky orc phrases to the unexpected twists and turns behind the scenes, the series remains a favourite part of television history. Whether you watched it back in the day or only discovered it now, one thing is for sure: there will never be another show like it. Nanu Nanu!