Actors Henry Winkler AND Robin Williams both have had long and decorated careers that include fan-favorite roles in film and TV.
But both got their start in sitcoms where they could flex their comedic chops, and Winkler had the privilege of watching Williams in his element, making it alive to audition to play the crazed alien Mork in an episode of Winkler’s classic series. Happy days before the performance spawned its own spin-off.
Winkler said Scrub alumni Zach Braff and Donald Faison on their podcast Fake doctors, real friends that no one wanted to play Mork, and the studio had little time to cast someone, and do it quickly:
“When Robin came to audition, it’s now Wednesday. We start Monday morning at 10 on the stage. It’s 9, let’s read. At 10 we are on stage. Nobody wanted to play this alien from outer space.
Wednesday, now, we’ll shoot Friday. Wednesday finally arrives, with the casting director comes a young man, very shy, very quiet. [Mimics Williams] ‘Bye, bye, bye.’”
At the time of his audition, Williams was still gradually emerging in the industry, with a few small roles in film and television. He was a regular performer on the sketch comedy show Rowan and Martin’s laughter in 1977, but he was still nowhere near the caliber of stardom that awaited him.
Winkler went on to say that while Williams had started out timidly, what happened in that audition when Williams went to work changed the atmosphere in the room:
“And then, this human being took over the script. When he opened his mouth, it was like a volcano had erupted on stage 19 at Paramount. And I knew, ‘Get out of the way, know my lines, and don’t try to clash with this genius that was now in front of me.’”
This makes sense to any Robin Williams fan in hindsight, but to someone who just met him, I bet it was a total trip. What he could do was like magic, and so rare.
So, of course, Williams got the role, and that one appearance led to the studio giving him his own spinoff based on the episode, and that’s how we got Mork and Mindy.
via: CinemaBlend
by Jessica Fisher
Source: Geek Tyrant
Lloyd Grunewald is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. He is a talented writer who focuses on bringing the latest entertainment-related news to his readers. With a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and a passion for writing, Lloyd delivers engaging articles that keep his readers informed and entertained.
