Ropers, The

1 9 7 9 – 1 9 8 0 (USA)
26 x 30 minute episodes

This US version of the UK series George and Mildred was a spin-off from Three’s Company (which itself was the US version of the British series, Man About The House).

The show followed Stanley and Helen Roper (Norman Fell and Audra Lindley) after they sold their apartment building in Santa Monica and moved into suburbia, at 46 Peacock Drive in the upmarket community of Cheviot Hills.

Helen aspired to be a socialite but was destined to always be brought undone by Stanley’s crass behaviour.

The Ropers also starred Jeffrey Tambor (who would go on to star as Hank Kingsley on The Larry Sanders Show) as Jeffrey P. Brookes III, the snobby realtor who thought Stanley and Helen Roper were downgrading the neighbourhood.

Helen found a supportive friend in Jeffrey’s wife, Anne (Patricia McCormack), however.

David (Evan Cohen) was the Brookes’ young son; Jenny (Louise Vallance), an attractive art student who rented a room; and Ethel (Dena Dietrich), Helen’s snobbish sister. Muffin was Helen’s little dog.

While the Ropers were likeable enough on the original show, they failed to make as much of an impression without the rest of the Three’s Company gang to bolster them.

On their own, the characters just weren’t funny or interesting enough to carry their own show and the series was cancelled after just two seasons.

Stanley Roper  
Norman Fell
Helen Roper  
Audra Lindley
Jeffrey P Brookes III  
Jeffrey Tambor
Anne Brookes
Patricia McCormack
David Brookes
Evan Cohen
Ethel
Dena Dietrich
Hubert
Rod Colbin
Jenny Ballinger
Louise Vallance