# Mork of Ork on Happy Days **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 14, 2006, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470 "2006-02-14T16:45:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/21 "2006-02-15T02:15:49Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > Indeed. I haven’t thought of that show in years. I wonder if it is on DVD. I wonder if I would enjoy it as much 30+ years later. I saw a few Episodes a few years ago. It hasn’t aged well. What was quirky and fresh in 1970 is just “corny” and silly now. Mork & Mindy was good for the first year but then something happened, Oh yeah, Robin Williams said he got hooked on coke for a few years. That might do it. Of course the show probably just ran out of material quickly. Jim ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/22 "2006-02-15T02:32:24Z")
Was Mork a true spinoff from Happy Days, or did ABC just use Happy Days as a vehicle for launching the Mork series? When I think of spinoffs, I think of a show like The Jeffersons, when George and Weezie appeared as supporting characters on All in the Family and were found to be popular enough to merit their own show. To me, and based on no hard info whatsoever, the Mork v. Fonz Happy Days episode was more like just a stunt to launch a different show that was already in the works. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/23 "2006-02-15T02:38:12Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > Was Mork a true spinoff from Happy Days, or did ABC just use Happy Days as a vehicle for launching the Mork series? When I think of spinoffs, I think of a show like The Jeffersons, when George and Weezie appeared as supporting characters on All in the Family and were found to be popular enough to merit their own show. To me, and based on no hard info whatsoever, the Mork v. Fonz Happy Days episode was more like just a stunt to launch a different show that was already in the works. Mork was launched as you said. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/24 "2006-02-15T13:56:39Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > Mork was launched as you said. Well, according to information from earlier in the thread, it sounded like Mork just showed up on Happy Days once, and he was so popular, they turned it into a show from there. They had to go back and rewrite the Happy Days episode so that Mork would be an actual alien, and not just a figment of Richie’s dream. If it had been set up as a “launch” from the get go, they wouldn’t have done that. That makes me think “spin off”. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/25 "2006-02-15T14:28:14Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > Well, according to information from earlier in the thread, it sounded like Mork just showed up on Happy Days once, and he was so popular, they turned it into a show from there. > > They had to go back and rewrite the Happy Days episode so that Mork would be an actual alien, and not just a figment of Richie’s dream. > > If it had been set up as a “launch” from the get go, they wouldn’t have done that. > > That makes me think “spin off”. It was a character tryout on a popular show. A common practice. On Star Trek they tried Gary 7 and on Brady bunch is was 3 adopted little kids of three races. There are many examples. Even Laverne and Shirley were introduced as a tryout. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/26 "2006-02-15T14:33:54Z")
Huh. Tell me if this happened, or if this is a product of my fevered crack-addled imagination: Mork shows up in Milwaukee, and tells the Fonz he wants to learn about this ‘Earth thing called love.’ So, the Fonz sets up a double date with Laverne and Shirley, who later on get their own show. Was I smoking the jimson, or was there such an episode? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/27 "2006-02-15T14:36:31Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > It was a character tryout on a popular show. A common practice. No, it wasn’t. Since Williams was an unknown and an 11th hour substitute, it’s not like the network was desperate to give him a series. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/28 "2006-02-15T14:55:00Z")
> [@Johnny Angel](#): > > Mork shows up in Milwaukee, and tells the Fonz he wants to learn about this ‘Earth thing called love.’ So, the Fonz sets up a double date with Laverne and Shirley, who later on get their own show. According to IMDB, Penny Marshall and Robin Williams were never on Happy Days together. However, here is the guest star list for the pilot episode of Mork: Woody Eney … Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Harlan … Bill Hank Jones … Defense Attorney Geoffrey Lewis … Officer Tilwick Penny Marshall … Laverne De Fazio Michael Prince … Judge Leslie Vallen … Court Reporter Henry Winkler … Arthur ‘Fonzie’ Fonzarelli Dick Yarmy … Dr. Litney ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/29 "2006-02-15T15:57:32Z")
> [@Johnny Angel](#): > > Huh. Tell me if this happened, or if this is a product of my fevered crack-addled imagination: > > Mork shows up in Milwaukee, and tells the Fonz he wants to learn about this ‘Earth thing called love.’ So, the Fonz sets up a double date with Laverne and Shirley, who later on get their own show. > > Was I smoking the jimson, or was there such an episode? While Mork does tell the Fonz that he want’s to learn about love and Fonz does set him up with a double date, it’s not with Laverne or Shirley. They had already been spun off. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/30 "2006-02-15T15:59:57Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > According to IMDB, Penny Marshall and Robin Williams were never on Happy Days together. However, here is the guest star list for the pilot episode of Mork: > > Woody Eney … Prosecuting Attorney > Jeff Harlan … Bill > Hank Jones … Defense Attorney > Geoffrey Lewis … Officer Tilwick > Penny Marshall … Laverne De Fazio > Michael Prince … Judge > Leslie Vallen … Court Reporter > Henry Winkler … Arthur ‘Fonzie’ Fonzarelli > Dick Yarmy … Dr. Litney This episode is sometimes included in Happy Days syndication packages. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/31 "2006-02-15T16:02:19Z")
I should have read **tdn** ’s post more carefully before replying to **Johnny**. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/32 "2006-02-15T16:26:17Z")
[Here](http://www.poobala.com/happydaysandmork.html) the guy seems to think that Mork was definitely a spin-off. Not that I have any reason to think he has any better knowledge than _WhatExit?_ about the situation. He says the writers had to go back and rewrite the end of the episode so that Mork actually was an alien, and not just a guy. Seems weird that they would do that if “Mork & Mindy” was already in the works and they were putting him on Happy Days as a tryout. (can’t believe I’m arguing about this) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/33 "2006-02-15T17:21:25Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > [Here](http://www.poobala.com/happydaysandmork.html) the guy seems to think that Mork was definitely a spin-off. Not that I have any reason to think he has any better knowledge than _WhatExit?_ about the situation. > > He says the writers had to go back and rewrite the end of the episode so that Mork actually was an alien, and not just a guy. Seems weird that they would do that if “Mork & Mindy” was already in the works and they were putting him on Happy Days as a tryout. > > (can’t believe I’m arguing about this) I’ll buy it, I forgot about that awful Out of the Blue spin-off/Launch attempt with the Angel. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Goob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/34 "2006-02-15T18:10:40Z")
I second what was said earlier, Robin Williams has admitted that so much of his early free form ad-lib lunacy was due to massive amounts of cocaine. ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/35 "2006-02-15T19:51:46Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > Mork was launched as you said. Hmph. _Everybody_ knows that Mork was launched in a giant egg. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/36 "2006-02-16T01:15:21Z")
> [@Pochacco](#): > > And, of course, everyone knows that _Happy Days_ itself was spun off from _Love … American Style_. Right? And, of course, everyone knows that _Love… American Style_ itself was “inspired by” _American Graffiti_. Right? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/37 "2006-02-16T01:23:25Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > And, of course, everyone knows that _Love… American Style_ itself was “inspired by” _American Graffiti_. Right? I don’t think that is true. Here is the pertinent section of Ronny’s IMDB list. > [@](#): > > \*\*American Graffiti \*\* (1973) (as Ronny Howard) … Steve Bolander > \*\*“M_A_S\*H” \*\* - Sometimes You Hear the Bullet (1973) TV Episode (as Ronny Howard) … Private Wendell Peterson > \*\*“Bonanza” \*\* … aka Ponderosa (USA: rerun title) > - The Initiation (1972) TV Episode (as Ronny Howard) … Ted Hoag > \*\*“The Bold Ones: The New Doctors” \*\* … aka The New Doctors > - Discovery at Fourteen (1972) TV Episode (as Ronny Howard) … Cory Merlino > \*\*“Love, American Style” \*\* - Love and Happy Days/Love and the Newscasters (1972) TV Episode … Richie Cunningham (segment “Love and Happy Days”) Jim ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/38 "2006-02-16T01:40:48Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > And, of course, everyone knows that _Love… American Style_ itself was “inspired by” _American Graffiti_. Right? In 1971? I think you mean Happy Days was “inspired” by _American Graffiti_. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/39 "2006-02-16T20:51:45Z")
Probably; in my defense, I’ll say I was only seven at the time. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470/40 "2006-02-16T23:13:20Z")
> [@Johnny Angel](#): > > Huh. Tell me if this happened, or if this is a product of my fevered crack-addled imagination: > > Mork shows up in Milwaukee, and tells the Fonz he wants to learn about this ‘Earth thing called love.’ So, the Fonz sets up a double date with Laverne and Shirley, who later on get their own show. > > Was I smoking the jimson, or was there such an episode? I think you’re thinking of the episode where Fonz sets Richie up with an “experienced woman”… Shirley, and they go out on a double-date with Fonzie and Laverne. Laverne and especially Shirley were _way_ trashier in this ep, so they may not yet have been set to spin-off and might have just been guest stars. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mork-of-ork-on-happy-days/344470.md?page=3)