Mork and Mindy Wiki
Register
Advertisement
"Hold That Mork"
Season 2, Episode #13
(#38) in series (95 episodes)
Mork & Mindy ep. 2x13 - Hold That Mork
Mork decides to try out for the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders, as Nelson tries to use it as an opportunity to further his political career in "Hold That Mork" in Season 2 (ep.#13).
"Mork & Mindy" episode
Guest Star(s): Denver Broncos Cheerleaders
Linda Henning
James Staley
Melanie Vincz
Lorrie Mahaffey
Joyce Mandel
Network: ABC-TV
Production code: 213 (2x13)
Writer(s) Bruce Kalish & Philip John Taylor
Director Howard Storm
Original airdate November 25, 1979
IMDB IMDb logo Hold That Mork
Episode chronology
← Previous Next →
"Mork vs. The Necrotons, Part 2" "The Exidor Affair"
List of Mork & Mindy seasons/episodes

Hold That Mork was the 13th episode from season 2 of Mork and Mindy, also the 38th overall episode in the series. Co written by Bruce Kalish & Philip John Taylor, the episode, which was directed by Howard Storm, was shot on November 16, 1979 and premiered on ABC-TV November 25, 1979.

Synopsis[]

When Mork decides to try out for the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders, an all female outfit, Nelson uses it as an opportunity to further his political career.

Plot[]

At the Deli, Mindy, Jeanie, Remo and Nelson are discussing Nelson's political campaign, Mindy wanting to know if he's ever thought of taking a stand on the E.R.A. (Equal Rights Amendment), only for Nelson to remark that he doesn't think he should get involved with Irish Revolutionaries. That's the I.R.A., Mindy clarifies. Remo smugly remarking to Nelson that E.R.A. is Earned Run Average. At which Jeanie suggests that perhaps the two guys should be running mates. As the DaVinci's head back to work, Mork arrives. Backwards. Greeting them both without looking at them, Mork supposes they want to know why he's walking backwards? Mindy though, getting used to it is relaxed, saying she's sure he has his reasons. But Nelson wants' to know. Mork confesses he's lost another job and can't face Mindy. Groaning, Mindy wants to know why, things had been going so well at the Pet Store. Mork tells her they were but he wanted to have a kind of Gestalt pet store, and have all the pets together. Nodding, Mindy sighs suggesting that he found out pretty quick that was mistake? He agrees, saying it was really horrible to see a small chimp trying to peel a goldfish like a banana. Alarmed, Mindy hopes he took it away from the chimp, only to be horrified when Mork tells him the chimp drowned. However Mork says he gave it artificial respiration, and the chimp gave him his number. So he's made a friend but lost a job. Philosophical Mindy tells him to take a seat beside her and have a non paying job helping her to come up with a platform for Nelson.

As Mork goes to sit, a number of very attractive women come in, to take tables, Remo watching as if his dreams have all come true as they take off their coats to reveal their cheerleading outfits. Jeanie remarking that God couldn't have been listening in, as they are all wearing clothes. Mindy opining to Mork and Nelson that there must be a slow leak at the Playboy club. They introduce themselves as the NFL's Denver Broncos 'The Pony Express' cheerleading squad. Mork not getting what that is, introduces himself and wants to know what they do? When it's explained they dance at football games, he want's to know if they can't get into Studio 54? Mindy comments that she saw them on TV at the game on Sunday. Remo enthuses about how great they were, not noticing that the Broncos had won, too wrapped up in them. Mork catches on to the idea that their job is to cheer people up? Not always they note, that day they're in town for a Boulder charity event. Grinning, Mork informs them he's pretty good at cheering people up, and wants them to pretend they need cheering up...that the Ayatollah Khomeini has just bought Disneyland and Minnie Mouse has to wear a big veil. He starts out by doing impressions, including a California Surfer watching a total eclipse; King Kong in Vegas, and Truman Capote as an NFL Quarterback. He gets a round of applause from everyone, Mindy watching on with a proud little smile, until one of the cheerleaders suggests that if he could dance he could be a cheerleader, Mindy quickly noting except for the fact that all professional cheerleaders are female. One of the girls commenting that there's no actual law around that, another suggesting he fill out an application at their HQ. Mork super excited by that says he thinks he will, but when he starts making comments on their outfits Mindy starts pushing him out the door.

In the Apartment, The next day, Mork is moving furniture out of the way in the main room, and as she shifts the beige chair finds a diaper and a baby bottle beneath it, surmising that Mindy is seeing a younger man with a drinking problem, escalating it to Soap Opera drama when she tells him Sally came over with her baby the day before, accusing her of trying to fool him with that 'ridiculous story!', Mindy firing right back that he's right and she was a fool to think he'd fall for it, before both of them grin, and Mindy wants to know why he's moving around her furniture? Kathy and Ann, two of the cheerleaders, are coming over to teach him Crowd Excitation Stimulation, Cheerleading to the laywoman, he explains. Mindy slightly uneasily asks him if he's really thought this through? Whether he understands the social ramifications? He understands ramifications, he replies, that's why Mary had a little lamb. No...she corrects after a moment, she means a lot of people might make fun of him. But he doesn't think so. Having said her piece she says she'll back him in whatever he wants to do, she just doesn't want to see him get hurt. Men and Women should be able to do whatever they want to do, what he's doing is actually very courageous and could just help the Woman's movement. Mork says he just wants to make Susan B. Anthony stand up and cheer....Susan B. Anthony, Mindy informs him, is dead.

A knock at the door brings in Kathy and Ann, Mork freaking out on seeing Ann's pom poms mistaking them for 'Exploding Hybigonees' tosses them out the window before looking sheepish when they don't explode, suggesting it must be their mating season. Kathy and Anne both looking freaked out, Mindy tries to pretend Mork is preparing for a play, called the 'Attack of the Exploding Hybigonees'...by Chekov. But Ann takes the wind out of Mindy's sails by saying she teaches literature and has never heard of it. Mork says it's a very loose translation, she probably knows it as 'Oklahoma'. Exchanging looks Kathy nor Ann are buying that. Mindy clarifies that Ann is both a cheerleader and a lit teacher. No, Ann corrects, she's a lit teacher *and* a cheerleader, and Kathy she points out, is a law student. Mork is surprised thinking it was a full time profession, but Ann laughs saying they only get paid 15 dollars a game, they just do it for fun and excitement. But it takes a lot of exercise and rehearsal, and they move to start exercising him with him. After he realizes their warm up exercises aren't nervous attacks, he gets down on the floor to do the bicycle exercise with them, only for him to stick his legs up in the air and not move. When they query why he isn't riding the bicycle with them, he says he is, his is just a moped.

Sometime later, at the Deli, Nelson enters to announce he's going on National Television, Mindy teasing him that the Gong Show answered his letter. No, he says he's going to debate Kennedy & Carter. Jeanie points out, he can't, he's running for City Council, they are running for President. Nelson feels if he can humiliate them on TV he will go down in history books, Remo suggesting he's more likely to go down in comic books. A well dressed Mork enters looking for Mindy, saying she'll never guess where he's been...only for her to get it right off, to Denver to file an application to the Pony Express, floored by 'another psychic occurrence' between them, he sits down with her Jeanie and Nelson. Asking him how he got on he tells her, he filled in a few forms, and answered a few questions. That's it? She asks. Mork telling her the lady made a deal with him, she won't call him if he doesn't' call her, and this is one Pony Express that carries no 'male'. Mindy tells him that means they're not even going to let him try out, and that that is sex discrimination. Everyone is outraged bar Nelson whose eyes lit up, seeing his platform at last. Who needs Kennedy and Carter when he has Sex. Going on a full on patriotic salvo, about the rights of the everyman under the constitution he fires up Mork who hums along with the Battle Hymn of the Republic, apologizing to Mindy when she has to stop him as he tries to end it with vocal fireworks. Remo though, doesn't know why Mork wants that job 'Real men don't do girly things'. Mork telling him to tell that to Roosevelt Grier. Energized he stands up and tells him, that with Mindy's help he's going to breakthrough every sexual barrier there is. Blinking Mindy wants to know what can she do? Once he gets through this, he tells her, they're going to make her the first female Quarterback!

A few days later, Nelson, Mork and Mindy enter the Pony Express locker room where try outs are being held, Mindy telling both Mork & Nelson to stop staring, reminding them they're just a bunch of girls, before asking if her hair is okay? Kathy introduces Mork to Pam Stockhaus the Manager of the Pony Express, Mindy and Nelson introducing themselves. Pam reacting to Nelson who had been on the news the night before calling her a sexist, and threatening to take them to the United Nations if they didn't let Mork try out? Nelson confirming it, and Pam confirming she discriminates against no one except tall blond politicians. Stepping in Mindy goes to bat for Mork, realizing that Nelson can over step the mark sometimes, but what they're really talking about is Equal Rights. Mork just wants a chance to try out for the job, if he's no good fine, but he should at least have the chance to try. Against her better judgement, Pam agrees. And Mork pulls off a routine that has the whole locker room applauding, until Pam tells him she'll let him know. Kathy tells her that he was great and she should really let him know now. Nelson is just about to get on his high horse, when Palm tells him she was about to say yes, Mork has made the team. Mork is ecstatic, but Pam tells him he's going to have to practice every day, his first game is on Sunday, but there will be no special privileges. Mindy assures her hes' not looking for them, but the issue is there are no facilities for him. He will have to change with the girls in the locker room. Mork assures her when the girls jump he'll jump, when they change he'll change, when they shower he'll shower. That's not equality Nelson notes, that's ecstasy.

On Sunday, reporter Stu Scully is interviewing Pam about the big talking point of the day, NFL's first male cheerleader, which Stu describes as a cataclysmic event in the annals of professional football. When he asks her about the allegations in the press of 'Sexploitation', Pam sarcastically tells him that for the rest of the season they plan to keep Mork 'barefoot and pregnant'. He asks to speak with him, but she's not sure which locker room he's in, till Kathy and Ann run in late and head into a locker room, their screams answering that question. Mork sliding out in a heavy quilted poncho, meets Stu and waves to the camera, giving a shout out to Mindy, Nelson and Orson. But Mork keeps giving the same answer "We've got a good ball team, Stu, a good ball club!" to every question, finally asking him to stop the interview as he's actually incredibly nervous. Pam brings him forward to say a few words to the squad, and he gives his usual mix of crazed and uplifting ending in a group cheer at the end of which Mork is revealed in his full cheerleading outfit.

Hold That Mork Robin Williams Denver Broncos Cheerleaders

Cheerleader Mork

Out on the field at Denver Mile High Stadium, Nelson is making hay walking around the Stadium sidelines with a 'Win With Flavor - Mork's Friend' banner, a vaguely embarrassed Mindy by his side. Stopping by the entrance for the Pony Express they wait, and as the squad runs out, laugh and cheer as Mork runs past them with the girls, the crowd cheering for him, 'We Want Mork' being flashed on the big screen. However the sheer size of the Stadium, the number of people cheering for him and the entire event start to get to him, . Mindy's smile starting to fade, she can see his nerve starting to go, before Mork bolts and races back along the sidelines past her and Nelson back into the changing rooms. As Nelson gives chase, Mindy stands upset and dejected for him. Inside the changing rooms, Nelson looks around, calling for Mork, a voice coming out of a locker, neither of them sure which one. Nelson is angry, saying he realizes its not easy for a guy to go out in a halter top in front of 73,144 people, but he feels Mork has squashed his chance at greatness. Nelson's anger is nothing to Mindy's however when she comes in and tells her cousin to leave Mork alone, sure he feels bad enough already, though she's a bit mystified as to where he was. Nelson departs feeling it's his own fault, the Democrats have a Donkey for a symbol, the Republicans an Elephant he had to pick a guy in a skirt, telling her to try locker 1045 when she asks where he is.

Knocking on the door she tries to coax him out, eventually opening the door to bring him out, asking him gently what happened out there. He's not sure he tells her as they sit together. He was fine when he ran out, then he looked up and saw thousands of Orange Faces. Then he felt kind of ridiculous. Then he got chicken apples. Smiling a little she tells him she thinks its called Stage Fright...but actually he says it's called Orkan Law. They're not allowed to have meetings of more than 6 people, the 7th gets stage fright. She tells him that she never would have had the nerve to do even what he did, and tells him to look at it this way, even though it didn't work out at least he had the nerve to go out and try something he really wanted to do. A lot of people never even do that. He's not a failure because he ran off the field, he's a success because he ran on. Starting to smile, he thanks her for making him feel better. Good, she smiles, telling him to change his clothes and she'll buy him lunch. As she heads to walk out towards the field entrance he asks if they can't go out that way. Ah the crowd right, she remembers. No, he says it's a Linebacker, No Neck Nedboy...when he ran out on the field he winked at him.

Giving his report to Orson Mork is in cheerleader mode, spelling out F...A...T...S...O...getting cut off by Orson who demands to know what he's doing. Mork explains its part of what he learned this week after joining a squad of lady cheerleaders. How did you pass as a woman, Orson demands to know. Lied about my height, sir, Mork replies. He explains everything is divided by sexes, men's and women's fashions, boy and girl talk, stenographers and dictators. Do Earthlings always separate the men from the women, Orson asks. Yes sir, Mork confirms they even have His and Her towels. But the real problem is when they start to separate the men's from the women's jobs. Is it a question of quality, Orson wonders? No Mork replies, rather it's a question of E-quality...when you're dealing with people, it's hard to tell the value of the merchandise when you're looking at the package, or you could paraphrase that and say sometimes the best man for the job is a woman. And in your case, Orson queries, the best woman for the job, was him? Mork is philosophical saying he gave it a shot, but he says after centuries these humans have tried so hard to prove that all men are created equal it's kind of nice to know they are still working at it.

Trivia[]

Orkan 'Facts'[]

  • We are introduced to the concept of the Hibijonee, which would manifest itself further in the animated series, via Mork's pet, Doing. An Orkan style tri-portioned sentient dog. Their parts resembling round fluffy pom poms, which, in this case, when separated, can explode (unless it's mating season).

General[]

  • This was another story heaved upon the crew by ABC executives. "We're starting to go away from the innocent Mork to bizarre transvestite comedy," Robin Williams remarked.[1]
  • The episode was partially filmed Nov 11 1979 at a game between the Broncos and New England in front of 74,000 fans at Mile High Stadium, where the Broncos won 45 to 10, with the scripted / in studio portion filmed 5 days later back in Los Angeles, with the episode airing just 9 days after that.
  • This was Petticoat Junction's Linda Henning second appearance on the show, this time guest starring as the Pony Express squad leader Pam Stockhaus, after previously appearing as Fred's love interest in Season 1's It's A Wonderful Mork
  • Lorrie Mahaffey who played Ann, was at the time married to Anson Williams, Potsie over on sister show, Happy Days.
  • Mork goes through another two jobs this episode, this time getting sacked from a Pet Store, before getting it into his head to be a Cheerleader.

Pop Culture[]

  • Mindy asks Nelson about the possibility of taking a stand on the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex which after first being introduced in 1923, was to the forefront of political activism in 1979, and is still being fought for today.
  • Mork comments on the cheerleading outfits, saying he didn't realize Liberace had any children. The piano playing showman famous for his glittering, sequined outfits.
  • Mork wants to know if they dance at football games because they can't get into Studio 54, the most famous, celebrity filled nightclub in New York at it's height in the 70s.
  • To depress them Mork suggests they imagine the Ayatollah Khomeini has just bought Disneyland. The Ayatollah the hardline Islamic leader who had just led The Iranian Revolution, taking over the country and turning it into an Islamic Republic.
  • Mork references King Kong again when doing an impression of him in Vegas, using people as dice.
  • He also impersonates Truman Capote (who Mindy says his real voice sounds like in Stark Raving Ork), the diminutive southern author of Breakfast at Tiffany's and In Cold Blood.
  • Mork says he wants to make Susan B. Anthony stand up and cheer, before being informed by Mindy that she is dead. Mork commenting no wonder she looks so bad on that dollar coin. Susan B. Anthony being one of the U.S.'s first and foremost speakers on women's rights and suffrage, reaching national heroine status by the time of her death in 1894. she was also the first American woman to feature on any kind of coinage/money, the dollar Mork speaks about having coming out that same year, 1979.
  • Mindy tries to pass off Mork's freak out over the pom poms/'Exploding Hibijonee' as from a play called 'The Attack of the Exploding Hibijonees' by the Russian playwright Chekov. And when Ann proves to be a literature teacher, Mork covers further by saying its' a loose translation, they may know better as the Rogers & Hammerstein musical, Oklahoma.
  • Mindy teases Nelson that his 'National Television' appearance will be on The Gong Show, the competitive variety show notorious for the poor standard of the contestants.
  • Nelson announces he's going to debate Kennedy & Carter, speaking about Edward Kennedy who was going up against Jimmy Carter, incumbent President, for the Democratic Nomination for the Elections later that year.
  • Mork tells Remo to tell that to Roosevelt Grier while he's needlepointing on his nose, when Remo makes the allegation that 'Real Men' don't do girly things. Roosevelt 'Rosie' Greer being an Actor, Singer and former NFL player, a member of the New York Giants and the original Fearsome Foursome of the Los Angeles Rams, who in 1973 authored Rosey Grier's Needlepoint for Men.
  • Mork tells Mindy that when they're finished with him they're going to make her the first female Quarterback, joking about how long the 'counts' will be then. Referring to the Quarterback counting down the snap...with all the Offensive Line bent over in front of them.
  • Mork tells the the Squad to win this one for the Zipper, a gag based on the famous Knute Rockne's "Win just one for the Gipper" speech given to the University of Notre Dame's American Football team in the 1920s
  • Mork tells Mindy he got 'Chicken Apples' cramming together Chicken Shit and Horse Apples, to get it past the censors
  • Mork signs off doing a Walter Cronkite impersonation, and delivering a line made famous by Ethel Barrymore (Great Great Aunt of Drew). That's all there is there isn't' anymore.

Quotes[]

  • Nelson: I wonder where all these beautiful girls came from?
  • Mindy: Maybe there's a slow leak at the Playboy Club.
  • Mork: *taking in the cheerleading outfits* I didn't know Liberace had any children.

___________________________________________

  • Mork: *to the cheerleaders* One question. How many chandeliers died to make those costumes?
  • Mindy: *grabbing hold of him* Time to go! *pulling and pushing towards Deli door*
  • Mork: When you dance do you signal low flying planes.

___________________________________________

  • Mork: *pushes back chair* Oh no. A diaper! Mindy is seeing a younger man! *looks at bottle* And he has a drinking problem!
  • Mindy: *overhearing* Sally brought her baby over yesterday.
  • Mork: *snaps at her in Soap Opera fashion* You expect me to believe that ridiculous story?!!??
  • Mindy: *snaps back in same fashion* You're right! I was a fool to think you'd fall for it!!

___________________________________________

  • Mindy: Mork, I really wonder if you've thought this thing through?
  • Mork: Of course I have! *pauses* Haven't I?
  • Mindy: Well if you get the job, you've just got to understand the social ramifications.
  • Mork: Oh I know about ramifications. That's why Mary had a little lamb.

___________________________________________

  • Jeanie: You came up with a platform!!
  • Nelson: No, nary a plank! Who needs a platform when I'm going to be on...National Television.
  • Mindy: *smacks him on the arm cheerily* The Gong Show answered your letter!!!

Promo[]

Mork_&_Mindy_-_Hold_That_Mork_-_Episode_Promo

Mork & Mindy - Hold That Mork - Episode Promo

Promo for Hold That Mork - (following promo for classic claymation Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July) 


Image Gallery[]


Cast[]

Starring[]

Guest starring[]

References[]

External links[]

Advertisement