Garry Marshall was told by ABC president Fred Silverman that the network is dying on Thursdays nights and wanted to move Happy Days or Laverne and Shirley to Thursdays. Marshall didn't want the network to bust up his hit shows so he wanted a chance to create another show that could maybe be put in the 8pm slot on Thursdays. Marshall then found Robin Williams who was a last minute replacement on the pilot episode for Mork and Mindy which was a Happy Days episode and the network executives wasn't that impressed.

Then he created the one hour special which was the first episode of Mork and Mindy that aired on a Monday and then when the network exes saw the ep they felt it was good enough for Thursdays at 8pm where it stayed for the entire first season.

Garry Marshall Interview, from "One season in American Television", Marc Elliot, 1983

Ironically, what Garry Marshall feared ended up happening after all the next season when HD and L&S were busted up and L&S was moved to Thursdays at 8pm.

Ironically, what Garry Marshall feared ended up happening after all the next season when HD and L&S were busted up and L&S was moved to Thursdays at 8pm.


Yeah he said he always fought hard for his shows but they moved them anyway the next year when M&M was moved to Sundays and L&S was moved to Thursdays.


Maybe Sundays nights needed a BOOST and they figured since L&S and M&M were both hits they could help Thursdays and Sundays

I think I remember reading somewhere when M & M started; that Gary Marshall created it because his son liked STAR WARS and asked him to create a show about an alien.

I think I remember reading somewhere when M & M started; that Gary Marshall created it because his son liked STAR WARS and asked him to create a show about an alien.


He mentioned something in the book about looking for a unqiue performer to play Mork and wanted the actor to blow everyone out so it sounds like that is true

He also said the network executives didn't like the Mork on Happy days but when the One Hour Pilot special was created they were impressed.