YJ
Yootha Joyce
Actor
Born August 20, 1927Died August 24, 1980 (53 years)
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 198o, 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
| 2023 | One Foot in the Grave: 30 Years of Laughs · as Mildred |
| 1980 | George and Mildred · as Mildred Roper |
| 1976 | George and Mildred (TV Series) · as Mildred Roper |
| 1974 | Man About the House · as Mildred Roper |
| 1973 | Frankenstein: The True Story · as Hospital Matron |
| 1973 | Man About the House (TV Series) |
| 1973 | Steptoe and Son Ride Again · as Freda |
| 1973 | Seven of One (TV Series) |
| 1973 | Never Mind the Quality: Feel the Width · as Mrs. Finch |
| 1972 | Burke & Hare · as Mrs. Hare |
| 1972 | Nearest and Dearest · as Mrs. Rhoda Rowbottom |
| 1971 | The Fenn Street Gang (TV Series) · as Glenda |
| 1971 | Jason King (TV Series) |
| 1971 | The Night Digger · as Mrs. Palafox |
| 1970 | All the Right Noises · as Mrs. Bird |
| 1970 | Fragment of Fear · as Miss Ward-Cadbury |
| 1970 | Manhunt (TV Series) · as Denise |
| 1969 | On the Buses (TV Series) |
| 1969 | ITV Saturday Night Theatre (TV Series) · as Erica Seydoux |
| 1969 | Twenty-Nine · as The Prostitute |
| 1968 | Charlie Bubbles · as Woman In Cafe |
| 1967 | ITV Playhouse (TV Series) · as Mrs. Bewley |
| 1967 | Our Mother's House · as Mrs. Quayle |
| 1967 | Cop-Out · as Shooting Range Girl |
| 1966 | A Man for All Seasons · as Averil Machin |
| 1966 | George and the Dragon (TV Series) · as Irma |
| 1966 | Kaleidoscope · as Museum Receptionist |
| 1965 | Play of the Month (TV Series) · as Mademoiselle Motte |
| 1965 | Thirty-Minute Theatre (TV Series) · as Agnes |
| 1965 | Having a Wild Weekend · as Nan |
| 1965 | Die! Die! My Darling! · as Anna |
| 1964 | Redcap (1964) (TV Series) · as Magda |
| 1964 | The Wednesday Play (TV Series) · as Miriam Green |
| 1964 | The Pumpkin Eater · as Woman At Hairdresser's |
| 1964 | Theatre 625 (TV Series) · as Jane Matthews |
| 1963 | The Dick Emery Show (TV Series) · as Vicar's Wife |
| 1963 | A Place to Go · as Bit Role (uncredited) |
| 1963 | Love Story (1963) (TV Series) · as Mrs. Barker |
| 1963 | Sparrows Can't Sing · as Barmaid |
| 1962 | |
| 1962 | Benny Hill (TV Series) · as Bella |
| 1962 | Steptoe and Son (TV Series) · as Avis |
| 1962 | Z Cars (TV Series) · as Clara Smales |
| 1961 | Comedy Playhouse (TV Series) · as Lil Wilson |
| 1961 | The Avengers (TV Series) · as Miss Lister |
| 1959 | No Hiding Place (TV Series) |
| 1956 | Armchair Theatre (TV Series) · as Alice |
| 1955 | ITV Play of the Week (TV Series) · as Cecily Tarrant |
| 1955 | Dixon of Dock Green (TV Series) · as Joyce Watson |