"Happy Days" Cast Reveals How Robin Williams Got Cast as a "Martian" in Show's "Worst Script"
11/20/14
by THR Staff


Three of the original "Happy Days" cast members recently reunited to explain just how Robin Williams got cast as an alien on the comedy series.

Anson Williams (Potsie), Marion Ross (Mrs. Cunningham) and Don Most (Ralph Malph) recently appeared on Hallmark Channel's daytime series "Home & Family" to reminisce about the episode.





Williams revealed that series creator Garry Marshall had gone to see Star Wars with his son, who asked his father if the show "could do a Martian episode."

"Mork & Mindy was like the worst script in the history of Happy Days. … It was unreadable, it was so bad... So they hire some guy for Mork — bad actor, bad part," Williams said of the first actor (not Robin Williams) hired to play the role.


"It wasn't his fault," Most chimed in.

Replied Williams: "You're always so nice. He was horrible!"





So when that actor quit, Marshall asked for suggestions on who could replace him, asking: "Does anyone know a funny Martian?"

Watch the video above to hear the rest of the story — and the nice gesture Williams later did for the cast.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/happy-days-cast-reveals-how-750779

http://www.cinemablend.com/television/How-Robin-Williams-Saved-Worst-Happy-Days-Episode-History-68524.html

Robin Williams had a stunning amount of great roles in his long career, but even when he was in something not so great, he was usually the best part. And rather than slowly acquiring these attention-warranting abilities, Williams had them right at the beginning for his breakout guest spot on Happy Days.

I wonder who that 1st guy was they hired for Mork before Robin Williams? Does anyone know? I wonder if there's a lost pilot episode that was never aired?

"Mork & Mindy was like the worst script in the history of Happy Days. … It was unreadable, it was so bad... So they hire some guy for Mork — bad actor, bad part," Williams said of the first actor (not Robin Williams) hired to play the role.

I wonder who that 1st guy was they hired for Mork before Robin Williams? Does anyone know? I wonder if there's a lost pilot episode that was never aired?

"Mork & Mindy was like the worst script in the history of Happy Days. … It was unreadable, it was so bad... So they hire some guy for Mork — bad actor, bad part," Williams said of the first actor (not Robin Williams) hired to play the role.I read somewhere that it was comic actor john byner who was first hired

I read somewhere that it was comic actor john byner who was first hired
I wasn't even sure who he was? I had to look him up?
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0125956/
That episode would have been terrible +True.

Thanks for posting this JamesG. I never seen this. I have Unauthorized story Mork and Mindy and they reenacted that part on Happy Days that Anson was talking about. It was pretty much just as Anson Williams described it. I believe it was the comedian John Byner that was hired to play Mork and walked off the set frustrated.

Thanks for posting this JamesG. I never seen this. I have Unauthorized story Mork and Mindy and they reenacted that part on Happy Days that Anson was talking about. It was pretty much just as Anson Williams described it. I believe it was the comedian John Byner that was hired to play Mork and walked off the set frustrated.


John Byner was hilarious. On one hand, I can't believe he could be so bad, but he worked on The Odd Couple with Garry Marshall so it's possible that it was him. Marshall had a habit of bringing guest stars back. Byner had his own comedy/variety show in Canada which was a big hit. I was lucky enough to see Robin Williams live on his HBO special at the Metropolitan Opera. He was one of a kind. Just so horribly sad what happened to him.