George And Mildred (ITV 1976-1979, Brian Murphy, Yootha Joyce)

Sitcom spinning off from Man About the House which sees George and Mildred move to middle class suburbia and quickly outraging their new next door neighbours The Fourmiles. George knew that their street was full of “toffee-nosed snobs” but Mildred relished her new suburban idyll.

Brian Murphy and Yootha Joyce had a natural chemistry as henpecked George and the always hoping for more from life Mildred. The other mainstay of the series was of course the Fourmile family next door whose lifestyle Mildred coveted.

George and Mildred was extremely popular and after the series ended in 1979 the following year saw a big screen outing. This was decidedly lacklustre with most of the action taking place in a hotel and George being mistaken for a hit-man. Sadly Yootha Joyce died on 24 August 1980 otherwise it is highly the series would have continued a little while longer.

The Ropers lived at 46 Peacock Crescent, Hampton Wick, Middlesex, England.

Other George and Mildred related material includes a 1977 stage show that ran for a Summer season on Bournemouth Pier and an appearance in character on the David Nixon Show on 3 May 1976.

Incidentally in Man About The House Norman Eshley played Robin Tripp’s brother, the man who swept Chrissie off her feet and married her in the final episode.

production details
UK / ITV Network-Thames / 38×25 minute episodes / Broadcast 6 September 1976 – 25 December 1979

Writers: Johnnie Mortimer, Brian Cooke / Producer: Peter Frazer-Jones

cast
Brian Murphy as George Roper
Yootha Joyce as Mildred Roper
Norman Eshley as Jeffrey Fourmile
Sheila Fearn as Ann Fourmile
Nicholas Bond-Owen as Tristram Fourmile
Avril Elgar as Ethel
Reginald Marsh as Humphrey
Roy Kinnear as Jerry
Gretchen Franklin as Mother

THE EPISODES

SEASON ONE 10 Episodes / Mondays 8.00pm / 6 September – 8 November 1976

1. MOVING ON
George and Mildred are planning to move into a new ‘all mod cons’ home but new neighbour Jeffrey Fourmile (an estate agent) is determined to ensure their sale doesn’t go through.

guest cast
JEANNETTE FARRIER as Jane / MARGARET LACEY as Woman at Door

2. THE BAD PENNY
Having managed to buy their new house George and Mildred get on with the job of moving in, George soon manages to upset Jeffrey when he spoils a dinner party for a prominent female MP.

guest cast
DIANA KING as Margaret / JOHN HARVEY as Charles / JOHNNY WADE as 1st Removal Man / HARRY LITTLEWOOD as Locksmith / STAN VAN as 2nd Removal Man

3. …AND WOMEN MUST WEEP
Mildred insists that George gets himself a job but its actually she who ends up working (as secretary to Fourmile).

guest cast
JEANNETTE FARRIER as Jane / DENNIS RAMSDEN as Employment Clerk / CLAIRE DAVENPORT as Shop Assistant / DORIS KITTS as Shop Assistant / AZAD ALI as Shop Assistant

4. BABY TALK
After baby sitting for Ann and Jeffrey, Mildred is feeling decidedly broody and comes up with the idea of adoption, when this fails George buys her a little Yorkshire Terrier.

guest cast
ANTHONY SHARP as Mr Trubshawe / VEIDA DRAISEY as Jill

5. YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE
After the funeral of one of George’s relatives Mildred’s thoughts turn to being provided for should George pop his clogs.

guest cast
STELLA MORAY as Kate / MICHAEL RIPPER as Uncle Fred / JOHN CARLIN as Funeral Director / RAFIQ ANWAR as Doctor / ARTHUR HOWARD as Vicar

6. WHERE MY CARAVAN HAS RESTED
George trades in his car for a caravan much to the distress of the neighbours who band together to buy it from him. Mildred’s sister Ethel and her husband Humphrey pay a visit, Mildred arranges for Ethel and her husband to sleep in her and George’s bed, George takes to the caravan which then gets towed away to the crushing yard.

guest cast
REGINALD MARSH as Humphrey / AVRIL ELGAR as Ethel / MICHAEL REDFEARN as Salesman / ALISTER WILLIAMSON as Breakers Man / PAMELA WATLING as Mrs Morecambe / RALPH BALL as Mr Morecambe / MARGARET LACEY as Miss Wise / EAMONN BOYCE as Mechanic

7. THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED
Having bought Mildred a dog George is fed up with it and issues Mildred with an ultimatum either the dog goes or he does and then whilst taking the dog, Truffles, for a walk he manages to lose her.

guest cast
PAUL ANGELIS as Man in Pub / NORMAN MITCHELL as Pet Shop Assistant / ANTHONY HEATON as Policeman / VERNE MORGAN as Traffic Warden / BELLA EMBERG as Woman in Park

8. BEST FOOT FORWARD
George finds himself with a broken leg after falling off the house roof whilst trying to fix a TV Ariel.

guest cast
SEBASTIAN BREAKS as Peter / KEN WATSON as Mr Jolly / GAIL LIDSTONE as Nurse / MIKE LEWIN as Ambulance Man / RALPH BALL as Bunny / MAXINE HORNE as Joanne

9. MY HUSBAND NEXT DOOR
Mildred agrees to look after the Fourmiles house whilst they are on holiday, when their TV breaks down George goes round to the Fourmiles to watch theirs, the decorators whom Mildred has hired to paint their lounge mistakenly follows George into the Fourmiles.

guest cast
JOHN LYON as Decorator / RAYMOND FARRELL as Decorator / KEITH SMITH as TV Repairman / JENNY TILL as Receptionist

10. FAMILY PLANNING
George is perturbed to learn that Mildred is keen on having her mother to live with them.

guest cast
REGINALD MARSH as Humphrey / AVRIL ELGAR as Ethel / GRETCHEN FRANKLIN as Mother / JEAN MARLOW as Hilda

SEASON TWO 7 Episodes / Mondays 8.00pm / 14 November – 26 December 1977

1. JUMBLE PIE
Mildred sees the local jumble sale as a chance to get in with the right people, only for a slight mishap with a dead budgie and George’s collection of “art books” to spoil things.

guest cast
TREVOR BAXTER as Reverend Stopes

2. ALL AROUND THE CLOCK
George buys a carriage clock off a bloke in the pub for his and Mildred’s 24th wedding anniversary but after learning that the Fourmiles have been burgled whilst on holiday Mildred begins to wonder exactly where the clock came from.

guest cast
RICHARD COLEMAN as Charles Newman / ROBERT GILLESPIE as Det Sgt Burke / BILL ROURKE as Det Con Mills

3. THE TRAVELLING MAN
George thinks he and Mildred should take in a lodger to bring in some extra cash, Mildred is more than happy with the suave Mr Rogers who moves in but George is less than keen.

guest cast
DEREK WARING as Edward Rogers / HARRY LITTLEWOOD as Frank / CATHERINE KESSLER as Brenda

4. THE UNKINDEST CUT OF ALL
Mildred’s sister Ethel and her husband Humphrey are to come round for a swanky dinner party but unfortunately George has neglected to pay the electricity bill so they send someone around to cut off the Roper’s supply.

guest cast
AVRIL ELGAR as Ethel / REGINALD MARSH as Humphrey / NORMAN MITCHELL as Ted

5. THE RIGHT WAY TO TRAVEL
To try and get a cheap package holiday Mildred tries to persuade staunch socialist George to join the Conservative Association much to the distress of noted member Jeffrey Fourmile.

guest cast
EDWARD EVANS as Bernard West / ZULEMA DENE as Penelope Fordham

6. THE DOROTHY LETTERS
Whilst indulging in a spot of spring cleaning (in the middle of winter) Mildred discovers love letters George has written to another woman prompting her to suggest they see a marriage guidance councillor. Jeffrey Fourmile meanwhile is contemplating having a vasectomy.

guest cast
PEGGY SINCLAIR as Mrs Eastham / JAMES COSMO as Keith

7. NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS
Jeffrey is producing the Christmas pantomime (Cinderella) for the Hampton Wick players and suggests Mildred for one of the main roles (an Ugly Sister) but when Mildred comes down with flu on opening night George finds himself thrown in at the deep end.

guest cast
REGINALD MARSH as Humphrey / AVRIL ELGAR as Ethel / ROY BARRACLOUGH as Henry / ROSEANNE WICKES as Gwen / SUE BOND as Cynthia / DEREK DEADMAN as Cab Driver / MIKE LEWIN as Police Constable

SEASON THREE 6 Episodes / Thursdays 8.00pm / 7 September – 12 October 1978

1. OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
After Jerry tells him about his latest scheme George thinks it would be a good idea to sell the house to raise the capital to back it, Anne Fourmile meanwhile is heavily pregnant.

guest cast
PATRICIA KNEALE as Mrs Clifton-White / ROBERT RAGLAN as Mr Clifton-White / LESLEY STAPLES as Mrs Williams / MICHAEL WYNNE as Mr Williams

2. AND SO TO BED
After George breaks their old bed Mildred is determined that they buy a new one, only George is on a credit blacklist – can his horse race predictions save the day.

guest cast
JIMMY THOMPSON as Bed Salesman / JOHN LYONS as Milkman / HARRY LITTLEWOOD as Syd

3. I BELIEVE IN YESTERDAY
An old American GI boyfriend of Mildred’s wants to stage a reunion.

guest cast
LIONEL MURTON as Lee Kennedy / GRETCHEN FRANKLIN as Mother / CLAIRE DAVENPORT as Gloria / EUNICE BLACK as Gladys / GEORGE MALPAS as Marvin Schumaker / PETER QUINCE as Barman

4. THE FOUR LETTER WORD
Mildred’s brother-in-law offers the notoriously work shy George a job but after learning that Humphrey is planning a weekend away with his secretary George manages to wangle a way out of it.

guest cast
REGINALD MARSH as Humphrey / AVRIL ELGAR as Ethel / MIMI DE BRAIE as Consuela / JENNIFER GUY as Maggie

5. THE DELIVERY MAN
Anne goes into labour whilst Jeffrey is at work its then upto George to get her to the hospital in time (in his motorbike and sidecar of course).

guest cast
CASS ALLEN as Sister Barnes / GAIL LIDSTONE as Nurse Watkins / MICHAEL REDFEARN as Policeman / PAUL MEIER as Doctor

6. LIFE WITH FATHER
George’s father turns up on the doorstep after getting thrown out of his old folks home.

guest cast
REG LYE as Father / BEATRIX MACKEY as Matron / TIM BARRETT as Doctor / TOM HARDY as Barman

SEASON FOUR 7 Episodes / Thursdays 8.00pm / 16 November – 27 December 1978

1. JUST THE JOB

George realises he has found the perfect job after getting a position as a traffic warden and immediately letting the power go to his bed.

guest cast
SIMON LLOYD as Baby Tarquin / ANTHONY SHARP as Headmaster / MICHAEL HAWKINS as Mayor / ROBERT RAGLAN as Brown / GERALD CASE as Jones / LEONARD WOODROW as Smith

2. DAYS OF BEER AND ROSIE
George is shocked to learn that he may have an illegitimate son from a VE night assignation.

guest cast
JEREMY BULLOCH as Bill Albright / TONY MELODY as Ernest Groves / JEAN ROGERS as Jenny / RICHARD SHAW as Landlord / ROBERT MICHAELS as Boy in Pub / URSULA GRANVILLE as Clerk

3. YOU MUST HAVE SHOWERS
When Mildred decides the house must have a shower unit George decides the cheapest option would be to have his dreadful builder friend Jerry to do it.

guest cast
CASS ALLEN as Mrs Armitage / PEGGY ANN CLIFFORD as Miss Ware

4. ALL WORK AND NO PAY
George’s friend Jerry talks him into resigning from his job but George is too scared to tell Mildred and tries to pretend nothing’s happened.

guest cast
BLAKE BUTLER as Mr Higson / DANY CLARE as Elsie Wainwright / TED BURNETT as Lorry Driver

5. NAPPY DAYS
George and Mildred look after baby Tarquin for the day but when the Fourmiles are late home and with Mildred at night class George is left holding the baby, then when the darts team come calling he decides to take Tarquin to the pub with him.

guest cast
NORMAN MITCHELL as Stanley / MARJIE LAWRENCE as Ada / RUSSELL WATERS as Fred / BILLY BURDEN as Farmer / PEGGY AITCHISON as Wife

6. THE MATING GAME
When Truffles the dog comes into season Mildred decides it would be a good idea if it had the chance to mate with her sister Ethel’s dog Pomeroy.

guest cast
ROBERT GILLESPIE as Vet / REGINALD MARSH as Humphrey / AVRIL ELGAR as Ethel

7. ON THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS
George and Jeffrey become hooked on Tristram’s Christmas present, a new computer game (the classic Pong). Humphrey and Ethel pay a visit to swap presents but George and Mildred have neglected to buy them any.

guest cast
REGINALD MARSH as Humphrey / AVRIL ELGAR as Ethel / GRETCHEN FRANKLIN as Mother

SEASON FIVE 8 Episodes / Tuesdays 8.30pm / 24 October – 25 December 1979

1. FINDER’S KEEPERS?
George finds a credit card and Mildred thinks he has used it to buy her a fur coat as an anniversary present. Trsitram meanwhile, has made friends with a boy from the local council estate.

guest cast
TREVOR BAXTER as Oxfam Man / HAL DYER as Mrs Peasley / IVOR ROBERTS as Police Sgt / DEREK DEADMAN as Tommy’s Dad / ROY HERRICK as Nigel / EWAN ROBERTS as Mrs McDonald

2. IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH
When Mildred goes into hospital for a routine operation George’s friend Jerry (accompanied by his “niece” Gloria) invites himself to stay for a few days.

guest cast
SUE BOND as Gloria / AIMEE DELAMAIN as Patient / NINA BADEN-SEMPER as Sister / ROYSTON TICKNER as Doctor

3. THE LAST STRAW
A disenchanted Mildred is contemplating moving, feeling left out of the social side of life but then gets the chance to join a local committee.

guest cast
MICHAEL ROBBINS as Alf / QUEENIE WATTS as Gladys / FREDERIC ABBOTT as Australian Official / BRIAN GODFREY as Reporter / BOBBY COLLINS as Shane / TOMMY BARNETT as Elvis / FLACK as Mrs Jones Dog

4. A DRIVING AMBITION
George convinces himself that Mildred is having an affair but really she is having driving lessons.

guest cast
HARRY FOWLER as Fish ‘N’ Chip Shop Man / ROBERT RAGLAN as Mr Bowler

5. A MILITARY PICKLE
George’s brother Charlie visits and reveals that George is a deserter from the army (after inadvertently not responding to his call up papers during world war II) causing George to start wearing a disguise.

guest cast
PETER BIRREL as Charlie Roper / DAVID NEVILLE as Roland Barrington-Finch / MICHAEL MAYNARD as Sgt Regan / RICHARD SHAW as Army Sgt / HARRY LITTLEWOOD as Mr Turner / MARK HOLMES as Sid

6. FISHY BUSINESS
After Mildred accidentally flushes Moby George’s pet goldfish down the sink (he was having his bowl cleaned at the time), George decides to have a go at keeping homing pigeons, much to the distress of Jeffrey Fourmile.

guest cast
NORMAN MITCHELL as Mr Clayton / TED BURNETT as Rag and Bone Man

7. I GOTTA HORSE
Mildred’s mum reveals to Mildred’s sister Ethel that Mildred may be in possession of a valuable antique horse worth 10, 000 pounds – leaving Ethel desperate to get her hands on it.

guest cast
AVRIL ELGAR as Ethel / GRETCHEN FRANKLIN as Mother

8. THE TWENTY SIX YEAR HITCH
With Ann away Geoffrey needs to call on Mildred to accompany him to a dinner dance – a jealous George decides to have a little fun of his own.

guest cast
PATSY ROWLANDS as Beryl / SANDRA PAYNE as Penelope / TRICIA THORNS as Barmaid / JOHN LYONS as Barman / MIKE LEWIS as Customer