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Yootha Joyce

Yootha Joyce

Actor · 1927–1980 · Wandsworth, London, England, UK

IMDb

Biography

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.

Acted in 45

2020s

  1. 2023

    Man About the House: 50 Years of Laughs

    Archive Footage

1980s

  1. 1980

    George & Mildred

    Mildred Roper

1970s

  1. 1976

    George and Mildred

    Mildred Roper · 38 episodes

  2. 1974

    Man About the House

    Mildred Roper

  3. Frankenstein: The True Story

    Hospital Matron

  4. 1973

    Frankenstein: The True Story

    Hospital Matron · 2 episodes

  5. Man About the House

    Mildred Roper · 39 episodes

  6. Steptoe & Son Ride Again

    Freda

  7. Seven of One

    Mrs Scully · 1 episode

  8. Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width

    Mrs. Finch

  9. 1972

    Burke & Hare

    Mrs. Hare

  10. Nearest and Dearest

    Mrs. Rhoda Rowbottom

  11. 1971

    Jason King

    TV · 1 Season · Action · Adventure

    72

  12. The Road Builder

    Mrs. Palafox

  13. 1970

    All the Right Noises

    Mrs. Bird

  14. Fragment of Fear

    Miss Ward-Cadbury

  15. The Misfit

    Pamela · 1 episode

  16. Manhunt

    Denise · 1 episode

1960s

  1. 1969

    On the Buses

    TV · 7 Seasons · Comedy

    71

  2. Maigret at Bay

    Mlle. Motte

  3. ITV Saturday Night Theatre

    Erica Seydoux · 1 episode

  4. Twenty-Nine

    The Prostitute

  5. 1968

    Your Name's Not God, It's Edgar

    Movie

  6. Charlie Bubbles

    Woman in Cafe

  7. Luther

    Katharine Luther

  8. 1967

    ITV Playhouse

    Phoebe · 1 episode

  9. Our Mother's House

    Mrs. Quayle

  10. Stranger in the House

    Shooting Range Girl

  11. 1966

    A Man for All Seasons

    Averil Machin

    78

  12. Kaleidoscope

    Museum Receptionist

  13. 1965

    BBC Play of the Month

    Mademoiselle Motte · 1 episode

  14. Thirty-Minute Theatre

    Agnes · 1 episode

  15. Catch Us If You Can

    Nan

  16. Fanatic

    Anna

    60
  17. 1964

    Redcap

    Magda · 1 episode

  18. The Wednesday Play

    Rosalind Arnold · 1 episode

  19. The Pumpkin Eater

    Woman at Hairdresser's

  20. Theatre 625

    Jane Matthews, Miss Binnington · 1 episode

  21. 1963

    A Place to Go

    Bit Role (uncredited)

  22. Sparrows Can't Sing

    Barmaid

  23. 1962

    The Saint

    Milanov · 1 episode

    75

  24. Steptoe and Son

    Delilah, Avis · 1 episode

    78
  25. 1961

    The Avengers

    Miss Lister · 1 episode

    82

1950s

  1. 1959

    No Hiding Place

    TV · 10 Seasons · Crime · Drama

  2. 1956

    Armchair Theatre

    Cissy, Alice · 1 episode

Appearances1