alone , playing with his large collection of toy soldiers , creating scenarios , and entertaining himself by talking in different voices , which contributed to the impersonation style that later became his trademark .
Prolific television producer Garry Marshall gave Williams his first big break . According to Marshall , his two daughters were big fans of his hit sitcom Happy Days , but his eight-year-old son Scott , who loved Star Wars , did not watch the show because it had no aliens . Scott suggested that Fonzie have a dream in which an alien comes to Happy Days , and Marshall thought it was a great idea . He set out to find an alien . His agent at William Morris sent a few actors who were not quite right for the part before convincing Marshall to see a newcomer named Robin Williams , who at the time was doing stand-up in clubs and performing on street corners , passing a hat for tips . Marshall was skeptical but agreed to meet him . He recalled the first moment he saw Robin Williams : “ I walked into my office and the street performer was sitting on my couch upside down and pretending to drink a glass of water with his finger ” ( 103 ). He would later recall that out of all those who applied for the job , only one alien auditioned . Marshall immediately envisioned Williams as the star of his own TV series , but he first wanted to see how audiences would respond to him on Happy Days , where he played Mork from the Planet Ork .
Prior to his Happy Days gig , Williams did stand-up routines that were marked by profanity and irreverence . As one critic described , “ Onstage , he was known for ricochet riffs on politics , social issues and cultural matters both high and low ; tales of drug and alcohol abuse ; lewd commentaries on relations between the sexes ; and lightning-like improvisations on anything an audience member might toss at him ” ( Itzkoff ). Although Williams toned down his performance for television , it was still edgy , and his wellhoned skills in improvisation and impersonation served him well . Using body language and electronic sounds , he proved such a hit with the Happy Days live audience that he got a standing ovation at curtain call . Seeing this remarkable talent , even Marshall got the chills . Right after the episode aired on ABC , Marshall received a call from Paramount executive Michael Eisner , who said , “ Garry , I heard you have a Martian who got a standing ovation . Can you build a series around him ? Do it fast ” ( Marshall 104 ).
The result was Mork and Mindy , starring Williams and former model Pam Dawber , which aired on ABC from 1978 to 1982 . Williams ’ s performance in Mork and Mindy showcased the talent that catapulted his career . In the series , Orson , the leader of the Orkans , shoots Mork to Earth in an egg , trusting him with the task of observing humankind and reporting back . Mork lands in Boulder , Colorado , and the first person he meets is Mindy , a young
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