Helen Roper
Encyclopedia
Helen Roper is a character on the situation comedy series, Three's Company
and its later spin-off series The Ropers
. In both shows, she is played by Audra Lindley
.
The character was based on the UK character Mildred Roper on the series Man About the House
and its spin-off George & Mildred (which are what Three's Company and The Ropers were based on) which was played by Yootha Joyce
.
, and he almost never delivers, which often frustrates her.
Helen enjoys a friendship with the three tenants who live above her; Jack Tripper
, Janet Wood
, and Chrissy Snow
, whom she referred to as "the kids". Helen, unlike her husband, knows that Jack is not gay. Unlike her cheap, tightfisted, and very suspicious husband, Helen does not mind that he lives with the girls, and is very understanding on that. She frequently tries to defuse tense situations arising between her husband and their three tenants.
Eventually, she and Stanley move to Cheviot Hills, California
, an affluent suburb of Los Angeles, and her natural snobbishness asserts itself, often aided and abetted by her sister, Ethel Armbruster, who clearly despises Stanley.
Despite her attempts to become on the same par as her more affluent neighbors, she is still very kind and made friends as well with Anne Brookes, the wife of Jeffrey Brookes III, the real estate agent who lives next door, and enjoys the company of their son, David.
, Janet Wood
, and Cindy Snow
's apartment in a special guest appearance. Helen was frustrated with Stanley, for he forgot their anniversary (again?). She went downstairs to Ralph Furley
's apartment to get some sleep (Mr. Furley was out of town at the time). Mr. Furley returned early, and went to bed, unaware that he was not alone. Soon Mr. Roper came in and said, "Helen, if this (a relationship/affair with Furley) is what you want, so be it." Helen was upset and still angry at this. "Aren't you gonna fight for me?" she replies. Later Stanley came back and started fighting for Helen against Mr. Furley, which made Helen happy. Soon, the two went to sleep in Mr. Furley's bed, which could have been the answer to Helen's wishes.
Three's Company
Three's Company is an American sitcom that aired from March 15, 1977, to September 18, 1984, on ABC. It is based on the British sitcom, Man About the House....
and its later spin-off series The Ropers
The Ropers
The Ropers is an American sitcom that ran from March 13, 1979 to May 22, 1980 on ABC. The series is a spinoff of Three's Company and based on the British sitcom George and Mildred...
. In both shows, she is played by Audra Lindley
Audra Lindley
Audra Marie Lindley was an American actress, most famous for her role as landlady Helen Roper on the sitcom Three's Company and its spin-off, The Ropers.-Career:...
.
The character was based on the UK character Mildred Roper on the series Man About the House
Man About the House
Man About the House is a British sitcom starring Richard O'Sullivan, Paula Wilcox and Sally Thomsett that was broadcast for six seasons on ITV from 1973 to 1976. It was created and written by Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke. The series was considered daring at the time due to its subject matter of...
and its spin-off George & Mildred (which are what Three's Company and The Ropers were based on) which was played by Yootha Joyce
Yootha Joyce
Yootha Joyce was an English actress, best known for playing Mildred Roper in Man About the House and George and Mildred.-Early life:...
.
Forever frustrated wife
Helen is always looking for sex with her eternally uninterested husband, StanleyStanley Roper
Stanley Roper is the name of a fictional character from the sitcom Three's Company and its spinoff The Ropers.-Background:In Three's Company, Stanley Roper owns and manages the apartment building in Santa Monica that is home to Jack Tripper, Janet Wood and Chrissy Snow. He has a love-hate...
, and he almost never delivers, which often frustrates her.
Helen enjoys a friendship with the three tenants who live above her; Jack Tripper
Jack Tripper
Jack Tripper is a fictional character on the sitcoms Three's Company and Three's a Crowd, based upon the character, Robin Tripp, of Man About the House and Robin's Nest. Jack was played by the late John Ritter.-Introduction:...
, Janet Wood
Janet Wood
Janet Wood is a fictional character on the television sitcom Three's Company played by Joyce DeWitt.-Fictional character biography:Janet and Chrissy shared an apartment in Santa Monica, California, and needed a third roommate to pay the rent after their old roommate, Eleanor, got married and moved...
, and Chrissy Snow
Chrissy Snow
Christmas "Chrissy" Noelle Snow was a fictional character on the sitcom Three's Company. Chrissy was played by Suzanne Somers.In the original unaired pilot to Three's Company, the character that became Chrissy was portrayed by Susanne Zenor. Zenor was not picked for the second filming, so actress...
, whom she referred to as "the kids". Helen, unlike her husband, knows that Jack is not gay. Unlike her cheap, tightfisted, and very suspicious husband, Helen does not mind that he lives with the girls, and is very understanding on that. She frequently tries to defuse tense situations arising between her husband and their three tenants.
Eventually, she and Stanley move to Cheviot Hills, California
Cheviot Hills, Los Angeles, California
Cheviot Hills is a small residential district on the West Side of Los Angeles, California. It served as the location for the Three's Company spin-off The Ropers.-Geography:...
, an affluent suburb of Los Angeles, and her natural snobbishness asserts itself, often aided and abetted by her sister, Ethel Armbruster, who clearly despises Stanley.
Despite her attempts to become on the same par as her more affluent neighbors, she is still very kind and made friends as well with Anne Brookes, the wife of Jeffrey Brookes III, the real estate agent who lives next door, and enjoys the company of their son, David.
The Return to Three's Company
Helen and Stanley came back to Jack TripperJack Tripper
Jack Tripper is a fictional character on the sitcoms Three's Company and Three's a Crowd, based upon the character, Robin Tripp, of Man About the House and Robin's Nest. Jack was played by the late John Ritter.-Introduction:...
, Janet Wood
Janet Wood
Janet Wood is a fictional character on the television sitcom Three's Company played by Joyce DeWitt.-Fictional character biography:Janet and Chrissy shared an apartment in Santa Monica, California, and needed a third roommate to pay the rent after their old roommate, Eleanor, got married and moved...
, and Cindy Snow
Cindy Snow
Cindy Snow is a fictional character on the 1977-1984 sitcom Three's Company, portrayed by Jenilee Harrison during the show's fifth and sixth seasons . The cousin of the character Chrissy Snow, Cindy was phased out to make way for Chrissy's permanent replacement Terri Alden...
's apartment in a special guest appearance. Helen was frustrated with Stanley, for he forgot their anniversary (again?). She went downstairs to Ralph Furley
Ralph Furley
Ralph "RF" Furley is the name of a fictional character from the sitcom Three's Company, played by Don Knotts.Mr. Furley is the landlord of a Santa Monica apartment building that is owned by his brother, Bart, who acquired it from Stanley Roper. It is the home to Jack Tripper, Larry Dallas, Janet...
's apartment to get some sleep (Mr. Furley was out of town at the time). Mr. Furley returned early, and went to bed, unaware that he was not alone. Soon Mr. Roper came in and said, "Helen, if this (a relationship/affair with Furley) is what you want, so be it." Helen was upset and still angry at this. "Aren't you gonna fight for me?" she replies. Later Stanley came back and started fighting for Helen against Mr. Furley, which made Helen happy. Soon, the two went to sleep in Mr. Furley's bed, which could have been the answer to Helen's wishes.