Personal Info
Known For:
Acting
Birthday:
August 20, 1927
Place of Birth:
Wandsworth, London, England, UK
Social Media
Yootha Joyce
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 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.
Known For
Filmography
| Year | Movie | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Man About the House: 50 Years of Laughs | Archive Footage |
| 1980 | George & Mildred | Mildred Roper |
| 1974 | Man About the House | Mildred Roper |
| 1974 | Frankenstein: The True Story | Hospital Matron |
| 1973 | Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width | Mrs. Finch |
| 1973 | Steptoe & Son Ride Again | Freda |
| 1972 | Burke & Hare | Mrs. Hare |
| 1972 | Nearest and Dearest | Mrs. Rhoda Rowbottom |
| 1971 | The Road Builder | Mrs. Palafox |
| 1970 | All the Right Noises | Mrs. Bird |
| 1970 | Fragment of Fear | Miss Ward-Cadbury |
| 1969 | Twenty-Nine | The prostitute |
| 1968 | Luther | Katharine Luther |
| 1968 | Your Name's Not God, It's Edgar | |
| 1968 | Charlie Bubbles | Woman in Cafe |
| 1967 | Our Mother's House | Mrs. Quayle |
| 1967 | Cop-Out | Shooting Range Girl |
| 1966 | A Man for All Seasons | Averil Machin |
| 1966 | Kaleidoscope | Museum Receptionist |
| 1965 | Fanatic | Anna |
| 1965 | Catch Us If You Can | Nan |
| 1964 | The Pumpkin Eater | Woman at Hairdresser's |
| 1963 | A Place to Go | Bit Role (uncredited) |
| 1963 | Sparrows Can't Sing | Barmaid |
| 1962 | The Fishing Match | Cissy |
| Year | TV Show | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | George and Mildred | Mildred Roper |
| 1973 | Seven of One | |
| 1973 | Man About the House | |
| 1973 | Frankenstein: The True Story | Hospital Matron |
| 1971 | Jason King | |
| 1970 | Manhunt | Denise |
| 1969 | On the Buses | |
| 1962 | The Saint | Milanov |
| 1962 | Corrigan Blake | |
| 1961 | The Avengers | Miss Lister |
| 1959 | No Hiding Place |