"Mork & Mindy" (1978) TV series 1978-1982

Creators:

Garry Marshall
Joe Glauberg
Dale McRaven
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

14 September 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Sci-Fi

Plot:

A wacky alien comes to Earth to study its residents, and the life of the human woman he boards with is never the same.

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Alien Contact | Miniaturization | Improvisation | Farce

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Robin Williams	...	Mork / ... (94 episodes, 1978-1982)
Pam Dawber	...	Mindy McConnell (94 episodes, 1978-1982)
Conrad Janis	...	Frederick McConnell (69 episodes, 1978-1982)
Ralph James	...	Orson (52 episodes, 1978-1982)

Series Directed by
Howard Storm		(59 episodes, 1978-1981)
Bob Claver		(15 episodes, 1981-1982)
Jeff Chambers		(5 episodes, 1978-1980)
Frank Buxton		(4 episodes, 1981)
Harvey Medlinsky		(3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Joel Zwick		(3 episodes, 1978)
Don Barnhart		(3 episodes, 1981-1982)

Series Writing credits
Joe Glauberg		(94 episodes, 1978-1982)
Garry Marshall		(94 episodes, 1978-1982)
Dale McRaven		(94 episodes, 1978-1982)
Tom Tenowich		(17 episodes, 1978-1981)
April Kelly		(15 episodes, 1978-1981)
Ed Scharlach		(14 episodes, 1979-1981)
Bruce Johnson		(12 episodes, 1978-1981)
David Misch		(7 episodes, 1978-1980)
Wendy Kout		(7 episodes, 1980-1982)
George Zateslo		(5 episodes, 1980-1982)
Cindy Begel		(5 episodes, 1981-1982)
Lesa Kite		(5 episodes, 1981-1982)
Gordon Mitchell		(4 episodes, 1978-1979)
Lloyd Turner		(4 episodes, 1978-1979)
Alan Eisenstock		(4 episodes, 1979-1982)
Larry Mintz		(4 episodes, 1979-1982)
John B. Collins		(4 episodes, 1981-1982)
Deborah Raznick		(4 episodes, 1981-1982)
Bruce Kalish		(3 episodes, 1979-1980)
Philip John Taylor		(3 episodes, 1979-1980)
Andy Guerdat		(3 episodes, 1980-1981)
Steve Kreinberg		(3 episodes, 1980-1981)
Ron Osborn		(3 episodes, 1981)
Jeff Reno		(3 episodes, 1981)
Winifred Hervey		(3 episodes, 1982)
Neil Lebowitz		(2 episodes, 1978)
David O'Malley		(2 episodes, 1979)
Brian Levant		(2 episodes, 1981)
Richard Rosenstock		(2 episodes, 1981)
Roy Teicher		(2 episodes, 1981)

Series Produced by
Bruce Johnson	....	producer / supervising producer (94 episodes, 1978-1982)
Anthony W. Marshall	....	executive producer (94 episodes, 1978-1982)
Garry Marshall	....	executive producer (94 episodes, 1978-1982)
Dale McRaven	....	producer / supervising producer (94 episodes, 1978-1982)
James O'Keefe	....	associate producer (50 episodes, 1978-1980)
Colleen D. Murphy	....	associate producer (44 episodes, 1980-1982)
Ed Scharlach	....	producer (22 episodes, 1980-1981)
Tom Tenowich	....	producer (22 episodes, 1980-1981)
Brian Levant	....	producer (22 episodes, 1981-1982)

Series Original Music by
Perry Botkin Jr.		(71 episodes, 1978-1982)

Series Cinematography by
Meredith M. Nicholson		(77 episodes, 1979-1982)
F. Bud Mautino		(14 episodes, 1978-1979)
Travers Hill		(3 episodes, 1981)
Stephen H. Burum		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Robert Paltz		(66 episodes, 1978-1981)
Robert P. Seppey		(22 episodes, 1978-1981)
John Therieau		(4 episodes, 1981-1982)
Mike Wilcox		(3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Robert James Kern		(2 episodes, 1978)

Series Casting by
Linda M. Trescony		(71 episodes, 1978-1981)
Susan Edelman		(22 episodes, 1981-1982)
Bobby Hoffman		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
James F. Claytor Sr.		(73 episodes, 1978-1982)

Series Set Decoration by
Sharon Thomas		(38 episodes, 1979-1982)
Lynne Albright		(22 episodes, 1980-1981)
Jacqueline S. Price		(14 episodes, 1978-1979)

Series Makeup Department
Dorinda Carey	....	makeup artist (70 episodes, 1979-1982)
Charlene Johnson	....	hair stylist (68 episodes, 1978-1981)
William Lyon MacKenzie	....	makeup artist (24 episodes, 1978-1979)
Carol Mercatoris	....	hair stylist (2 episodes, 1978)
Adele Taylor	....	hair stylist (2 episodes, 1978)

Series Production Management
Norm Gray	....	unit production manager (50 episodes, 1978-1980)
Gene Sultan	....	unit production manager (44 episodes, 1980-1982)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Don Barnhart	....	second assistant director / first assistant director (53 episodes, 1978-1982)
Gene Sultan	....	first assistant director (34 episodes, 1979-1981)
Miles Kristman	....	second assistant director / first assistant director (25 episodes, 1980-1982)
Bob Graner	....	assistant director (24 episodes, 1978-1979)
George W. Fulton	....	second assistant director (11 episodes, 1978-1979)
Lee Rafner	....	second unit director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Bob Fox	....	stand-by painter (50 episodes, 1978-1980)
Margaret Mazzola	....	leadman (33 episodes, 1979-1980)
Frank Bellina	....	property master (31 episodes, 1979-1980)
Louis Zamora	....	labor foreman (5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Joe Wood	....	construction coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Bruce Schoengarth	....	sound editor (40 episodes, 1978-1980)
John Hicks	....	production mixer / sound mixer (37 episodes, 1978-1981)
Rick Wachter	....	production mixer (26 episodes, 1979-1980)
James R. Wright	....	sound mixer (5 episodes, 1979)
Larry Mann	....	sound editor (4 episodes, 1979)
Bill Henderson	....	sound re-recording engineer (2 episodes, 1979)
Peter Collier	....	sound editor (2 episodes, 1980)
Dominick Gaffey	....	production mixer (2 episodes, 1981-1982)
Rusty Amodeo	....	utility sound (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Ken Speed	....	special effects assistant (1 episode, 1979)

Series Stunts
Jesse Wayne	....	stunt double: Robin Williams (2 episodes, 1981-1982)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
James Saper	....	camera operator (94 episodes, 1978-1982)
Wayne Kennan	....	camera operator (22 episodes, 1981-1982)
Richard Debolt	....	camera & mechanical design (20 episodes, 1978-1979)
John C. Moulds	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1978)
Cliff Concialdi	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Dave Friedman	....	still photographer (unknown episodes)
Michael Hofstein	....	first assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Gerald B. Wolfe	....	still photographer (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Ronny Hallin	....	casting coordinator (94 episodes, 1978-1982)
Bobby Hoffman	....	casting consultant (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sharlene Williams	....	costumer: women (94 episodes, 1978-1982)
Robert Fuca	....	costumer: men (73 episodes, 1978-1981)

Series Music Department
Perry Botkin Jr.	....	composer: theme music (94 episodes, 1978-1982)
Bickford Webber	....	music editor (44 episodes, 1980-1982)
Patricia Peck	....	music editor (43 episodes, 1978-1980)
Bennett Salvay	....	music coordinator (22 episodes, 1981-1982)
Mary Morlas	....	music editor (5 episodes, 1978)

Series Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver (1 episode, 1978)

Series Other crew
Jane Ficker	....	script supervisor (94 episodes, 1978-1982)
Bruce Johnson	....	story consultant (94 episodes, 1978-1982)
Jim Buck	....	technical coordinator (70 episodes, 1979-1982)
April Kelly	....	executive script consultant / story editor (50 episodes, 1978-1980)
Tom Tenowich	....	executive story editor (50 episodes, 1978-1980)
Milt Josefsberg	....	executive consultant (44 episodes, 1980-1982)
Wendy Kout	....	story editor / program consultant (42 episodes, 1980-1982)
George Zateslo	....	executive story editor / story editor (41 episodes, 1980-1982)
Ed Scharlach	....	executive story supervisor / story editor (32 episodes, 1979-1980)
David Misch	....	story editor (26 episodes, 1979-1980)
Deborah Raznick	....	program consultant / assistant to associate producer (24 episodes, 1979-1982)
Erik Emi	....	technical coordinator (23 episodes, 1978-1979)
Gordon Mitchell	....	executive creative consultant (22 episodes, 1978-1979)
Lloyd Turner	....	executive creative consultant (22 episodes, 1978-1979)
Ron Osborn	....	story editor (22 episodes, 1980-1981)
Jeff Reno	....	story editor (22 episodes, 1980-1981)
John B. Collins	....	program consultant (22 episodes, 1981-1982)
Richard Rosenstock	....	executive script consultant (22 episodes, 1981-1982)
Roy Teicher	....	executive script consultant (22 episodes, 1981-1982)
Bruce Kalish	....	story editor (18 episodes, 1979-1980)
Philip John Taylor	....	story editor (18 episodes, 1979-1980)
Jim Parker	....	executive story consultant (16 episodes, 1979-1980)
Brian Levant	....	creative consultant (16 episodes, 1980-1981)
Stuart Gillard	....	executive story editor (13 episodes, 1980-1981)
Tom Moore	....	story editor (3 episodes, 1980)
Jeremy Stevens	....	story editor (3 episodes, 1980)
Robert Banas	....	choreographer (3 episodes, 1981-1982)
Ed Meyer	....	advertising (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Henderson Productions
• Miller-Milkis Productions
• Paramount Television

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Television (1982-)

Other Companies

• Glen Glenn Sound Company  recorded by (as Glen Glenn Sound)
• Laserium  laser special effect
• Paramount Studios  filmed at

Also Known As:

Runtime:

30 min (95 episodes) | Argentina:30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | USA:TV-G | Australia:G | Finland:S | Australia:PG (some episodes) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

1619 Pine St, Boulder, Colorado, USA

Company:

Henderson Productions

Trivia:

Mork's furry alien pet, Bebo, was credited as himself.

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Mork:Nanu-Nanu!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Robin Williams: Weapons of Self Destruction (2009) (TV)

Fond childhood memories.

This show is my earliest TV memory---my father loved this show and we watched it a lot together when I was very small. I recently discovered Seasons 1 and 2 by chance at my local Fred Meyer, picked them up and enjoyed them immensely. I was reminded again of how funny Williams really is.

Robin is at his manic best, and it's obvious that he often forsakes the script and happily heads off into improv la-la-land. Some of it is of course dated now, but it is still very funny. People sometimes disparage Pam Dawber, but she did exactly what she was supposed to do---be the straight man (or woman). Williams is SO manic that he needed an EXTREMELY normal, average straight man to contrast with, and that's exactly what she is. She's cute and perky, the quintessential girl next door. When she explains basic human nature to a confused Mork (which she does constantly) she seems totally believable, like having an older sister explain something about people you didn't understand before.

Watching it as an adult, I did notice a few things I didn't realize as a child: Pam Dawber spends many scenes trying desperately to not laugh and break character at William's improvisations. You can see it in her face; to me, it makes it even more entertaining. Also, the live audience contributed a lot to the general air of cheerful hilarity on the show. When Mork or Exidor show up for the first time in each episode, the audience literally screams in delight.

All in all, watching the first two seasons again I was greatly entertained, laughing throughout, and it brought back great childhood memories. If you're into checking out past decades of pop culture, you need to see this show.