Robin Williams was a one-of-a-kind talent whose versatility and boundless energy made him one of the most beloved actors in all of Hollywood. Not only was he absolutely hilarious, but he was also a genuinely warm, kind and generous person. Williams’ breakout role came in the form of the alien Mork on the hit television series, Happy Days (1974-84), with his talent immediately recognized by his co-stars, including the Fonz himself, Henry Winkler.
Mork, the alien from the planet Ork
Mork, an eccentric alien from the planet Ork, made his TV debut on Happy Days during the fifth season episode, “My Favorite Orkan,” which aired in 1978. In it, no one believes Richie (Ron Howard) when he says he saw a flying saucer and was later interviewed by an alien named “Mork.” Portrayed by Robin Williams, the character quickly became a fan favorite, thanks to the actor’s improvisational humor, energetic physical comedy and his unique portrayal of the quirky alien.
Mork’s popularity in Happy Days made it clear that the character needed to be shown more, leading to the creation of the spinoff series Mork & Mindy (1978-82). It became an instant hit, catapulting Williams to stardom and cementing Mork’s place in history.
Henry Winkler stepped aside to let Robin Williams shine
While sitting in on an episode of the Fake Doctors, Real Friends with Zach and Donald podcast, Henry Winkler recalled sitting in auditions for Mork after the original actor who played the alien left the show.
“When Robin came to audition, now it’s Wednesday. We start Monday morning at 10 o’clock on the soundstage. That is at, 9 o’clock, we read. 10 o’clock, we’re on the soundstage,” he explained. “Nobody wanted to play this alien from outer space.”
The actor continued, “Finally, a young, very shy, very quiet man comes with the casting director.” When it came time to embody the character, however, Robin Williams’ electric personality came to the surface, with Winkler explaining, “And then this human being picked up the script. When he opened his mouth, it was like a volcano went off on stage 19 at Paramount.”
With talent like that, Winkler knew what he had to do. “I knew, get out of his way, know my lines, and don’t try to stand toe to toe with this genius that is now standing in front of me,” he revealed.
Garry Marshall also recognized Robin Williams’ talent
Garry Marshall, the creator of Happy Days, also recognized Robin Williams’ incredible talent. He reflected on the actor’s success in the role, saying, “When Robin Williams came on as a Martian, he was all over the place and was improvising some, and they gave him room. At the end of the episode, 300 people in the audience stood up and applauded, which is not usually done. It didn’t take a genius to know he could do his own show, and we made one for him, Mork & Mindy.”
To fill the role, Marshall was looking to actors like Jonathan Winters and John Bryner to take on the character, but his sister, who was in charge of casting the zany martian, urged him to consider Williams. She had been told by their other sister that he was the best guy in her acting class. Therefore, despite his initial reservation, she told Marshall to “make time” for the actor.
“So I made time, and he did the whole audition standing on his head. He was a whole different fresh view of a guy doing an outer-space alien,” he explained.
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The rest, as they say, is history!