Yootha Joyce

Yootha Joyce

8/20/1927 – 8/24/1980Wandsworth, London, England, UK

British actress best known for her role as Mildred Roper in the '70s sitcom Man About the House and its spin-off George and Mildred. Born to musical parents Hurst Needham and Jessica Rivett in 1927, Joyce was trained at RADA, toured with ENSA and came to prominence via the Joan Littlewood Theatre Workshop, securing roles in TV shows such as The Avengers, Man in a Suitcase, Te Saint, Jason King and Steptoe and Son, and the films The Pumpkin Eater, A Man For All Seasons, Charlie Bubbles, All the Right Noises and Burke and Hare. She was married to fellow actor Glynn Edwards from 1956 to 1968, and they remained friends all her life. An alcoholic, Joyce died from liver failure in 1980, just four days after her 53rd birthday. Her sitcom co-star Brian Murphy was by her side. In 1986 the Smiths used an image of Joyce on the sleeve of their UK single release "Ask" and the German release of "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" securing her place as a British cultural icon.

Filmography (53 titles)

Man About the House: 50 Years of LaughsMovie

Man About the House: 50 Years of Laughs

Archive Footage · 2023

The World of Hammer6.8Show

The World of Hammer

Self (archive footage) · 1994

George & Mildred8.0Movie

George & Mildred

Mildred Roper · 1980

George and Mildred6.9Show

George and Mildred

Mildred Roper · 1976

Man About the House4.9Movie

Man About the House

Mildred Roper · 1974

Frankenstein: The True Story7.5Movie

Frankenstein: The True Story

Hospital Matron · 1974

Frankenstein: The True Story8.5Show

Frankenstein: The True Story

Hospital Matron · 1973

Man About the House7.1Show

Man About the House

Mildred Roper · 1973

Steptoe & Son Ride Again6.8Movie

Steptoe & Son Ride Again

Freda · 1973

Seven of One7.3Show

Seven of One

Mrs Scully · 1973

Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width5.7Movie

Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width

Mrs. Finch · 1973

Burke & Hare5.2Movie

Burke & Hare

Mrs. Hare · 1972

Nearest and Dearest7.1Movie

Nearest and Dearest

Mrs. Rhoda Rowbottom · 1972

Jason King7.8Show

Jason King

1971

The Road Builder6.3Movie

The Road Builder

Mrs. Palafox · 1971

All the Right Noises5.8Movie

All the Right Noises

Mrs. Bird · 1970

Show

Conceptions of Murder

Maria Kurten · 1970

Fragment of Fear5.9Movie

Fragment of Fear

Miss Ward-Cadbury · 1970

The Misfit9.0Show

The Misfit

Pamela · 1970

Manhunt6.8Show

Manhunt

Denise · 1970

Show

W. Somerset Maugham

Elvira · 1969

On the Buses7.3Show

On the Buses

1969

Maigret at BayMovie

Maigret at Bay

Mlle. Motte · 1969

ITV Saturday Night Theatre7.0Show

ITV Saturday Night Theatre

Erica Seydoux · 1969

Twenty-Nine4.5Movie

Twenty-Nine

The Prostitute · 1969

Your Name's Not God, It's Edgar5.0Movie

Your Name's Not God, It's Edgar

1968

Charlie Bubbles6.6Movie

Charlie Bubbles

Woman in Cafe · 1968

LutherMovie

Luther

Katharine Luther · 1968

Show

City '68

Hilda · 1967

ITV Playhouse7.0Show

ITV Playhouse

Phoebe · 1967