Audra Lindley

Audra Marie Lindley (September 24, 1918 – October 16, 1997) 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.[2]

Life and career
Born in Los Angeles, California, Lindley got her early start in Hollywood by being a stand-in, which eventually progressed to stunt work, and she eventually became a contract player with Warner Bros. In 1943, she went to New York in her mid-20s to work in theater. Among her many Broadway plays during her long career were: On Golden Pond, Long Day's Journey into Night, and Horse Heavens. After a break from acting to raise five children, she began to make steady appearances on television in the early 1960s, including the role of Sue Knowles on the CBS soap opera Search for Tomorrow, and a six-year stint as manipulative "Aunt Liz" Matthews on the NBC soap opera Another World. She also had regular roles as Meredith Baxter's mother in the sitcom Bridget Loves Bernie, as well as Lee Grant’s best friend in Fay.[3] In 1971, she starred in the first American film of Milos Forman, Taking Off.[3]

Her greatest fame arrived when she began playing the wisecracking, perpetually unfulfilled, and sexually frustrated Helen Roper on the hit sitcom Three’s Company (1977), in which she wore a wig to maintain the character’s exaggerated hairstyle.[4] The character and her husband, Mr. Roper (played by Norman Fell), were spun off to their own show, The Ropers (1979), which was not a success.[5]

Lindley continued to appear steadily on television and in films, such as Revenge of the Stepford Wives in 1980 and as Fauna, the owner of the Bear Flag Restaurant, a Monterey, California brothel portrayed in the 1982 film Cannery Row. In 1982, she appeared in the film Best Friends starring Goldie Hawn and Burt Reynolds.

She had a supporting role in the lesbian-themed film Desert Hearts (1985).[6] In 1987, she had a supporting role as Judith Light's mother in the TV movie Dangerous Affection. She also appeared in 1989's Troop Beverly Hills as outspoken director of the Wilderness Girls. Also in 1989, she was the main character of an episode of the horror anthology series Tales from the Crypt.

Lindley garnered parts in various TV films and series, including playing Phoebe Buffay's grandmother on Friends, and her last, a recurring role as Cybill Shepherd's mother on the CBS sitcom Cybill. (She had previously played Shepherd's mother in the 1972 film The Heartbreak Kid.)

Personal life and death
She was married to Hardy Ulm, with whom she had five children, from 1943 until his death in 1970.[7][8] She was then married to James Whitmore from 1972 to 1979.[9] Lindley died of leukemia on October 16, 1997, at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.[1]

Filmography
1996-1998 Cybill (TV Series) Virginia Sheridan / Meemaw

- Bakersfield (1998) ... Virginia Sheridan / Meemaw (uncredited)

- Some Like It Hot (1997) ... Virginia Sheridan

- Mother's Day (1997) ... Virginia Sheridan

- A Hell of a Christmas (1996) ... Virginia Sheridan

1997 Nothing Sacred (TV Series) Sister Sebastian

- Parents and Children (1997) ... Sister Sebastian

1997 Sisters and Other Strangers (TV Movie) Irene Connelly

1997 The Relic Dr. Zwiezic

1996 Shoot the Moon Blanche Gaskins

1996 High Incident (TV Series) Claire

- Change Partners (1996) ... Claire

1995 Friends (TV Series) Frances

- The One with Phoebe's Dad (1995) ... Frances

1995 Sudden Death Mrs. Ferrara

1995 Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) Maggie Saunders

- Home Care (1995) ... Maggie Saunders

1995 Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan (TV Movie) Jean / Edna's Mother

1994 The New Age Sandi Rego

1994 The Mommies (TV Series) Susie

- Mommies Day (1994) ... Susie

1994 The Corpse Had a Familiar Face (TV Movie) Monica / Edna's Mother

1994 Hart to Hart: Crimes of the Hart (TV Movie) Katherine Kendrick

1992 Just My Imagination (TV Movie) Elizabeth Thompson

1992 Lifestories: Families in Crisis (TV Series) Betty

- A Deadly Secret: The Robert Bierer Story (1992) ... Betty

1991 The Hidden Room (TV Series) Elsie

- Little Nightmares, Little Dreams (1991) ... Elsie

1991 Absolute Strangers (TV Movie) Anne Zusselman

1989 Tales from the Crypt (TV Series) Anita

- Collection Completed (1989) ... Anita

1989 Troop Beverly Hills Frances Temple

1989 Bridesmaids (TV Movie) Lulu

1988 Tales from the Hollywood Hills: Golden Land (TV Movie) Mrs. Sternholt

1988 Take My Daughters, Please (TV Movie) Rebecca

1988 Spellbinder Mrs. White

1988 Perry Mason: The Case of the Lady in the Lake (TV Movie) Mrs. Chaney

1987 Stamp of a Killer (TV Movie) Grammy

1987 Matlock (TV Series) Mary Ann Newton

- The Author (1987) ... Mary Ann Newton

1986 The Magical World of Disney (TV Series) Aunt Joan

- Sunday Drive (1986) ... Aunt Joan

1985 Zoo Ship (voice)

1985 Desert Hearts Frances Parker

1982 Best Friends Ann Babson

1976-1982 Three's Company (TV Series) Helen Roper

- The Best of Three's Company: Part 1 (1982) ... Helen Roper (credit only)

- Night of the Ropers (1981) ... Helen Roper

- Triangle Troubles (1979) ... Helen Roper (credit only)

- Jack Moves Out (1979) ... Helen Roper (credit only)

- An Anniversary Surprise (1979) ... Helen Roper

Show all 57 episodes

1982 Cannery Row Fauna Flood

1982 The Day the Bubble Burst (TV Movie) Evangeline Adams

1981 Skyward Christmas (TV Movie) Billy

1977-1981 The Love Boat (TV Series) Portia Fairchild / Mrs. Worth / Agnes Larrabee / ...

- Love, Honor, and Obey/Gladys and Agnes/Radioactive Isaac (1981) ... Agnes Larrabee

- Isaac and the Mermaids/Humpty, Dumpty/Aquaphobic (1981) ... Vanessa Norris

- Alaska Wedding Cruise: Buddy and Portia's Story/Julie's Story/Carol and Doug's Story/Peter and Alicia's Story: Part 2(1979) ... Portia Fairchild

- Alaska Wedding Cruise: Buddy and Portia's Story/Julie's Story/Carol and Doug's Story/Peter and Alicia's Story: Part 1(1979) ... Portia Fairchild

- Marooned/The Search/Isaac's Holiday: Part 2 (1978) ... Mrs. Worth

Show all 8 episodes

1981 Insight (TV Series) Carmela

- Little Miseries (1981) ... Carmela

1980 Revenge of the Stepford Wives (TV Movie) Barbara Parkinson

1980 The Silent Lovers (TV Movie) Laura Hope Crews

1979-1980 The Ropers (TV Series) Helen Roper

- Mother's Wake (1980) ... Helen Roper

- Four Letter Word (1980) ... Helen Roper

- The Rummage Sale (1980) ... Helen Roper

- Old Flames (1980) ... Helen Roper

- Men About the House (1980) ... Helen Roper

Show all 28 episodes

1979 When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? Ceil Ryder

1978 Pearl (TV Mini-Series) Lily - General's Wife

- Part 3 (1978) ... Lily - General's Wife

- Part 2 (1978) ... Lily - General's Wife

- Part 1 (1978) ... Lily - General's Wife

1978 Getting Married (TV Movie) Catherine Lawrence

1976 Doc (TV Series) Janet Scott

- And Stanley Makes Three (1976) ... Janet Scott

- A Little Night Visitor (1976) ... Janet Scott

- The Westside Clinic and Deli (1976) ... Janet Scott

- Mama Doc (1976) ... Janet Scott

- EKG and Vote for Me (1976) ... Janet Scott

Show all 7 episodes

1975-1976 Fay (TV Series) Lillian

- Not Another Mother's Day (1976) ... Lillian

- Danny Falls in Love (1975) ... Lillian

- Lillian's Separation (1975) ... Lillian

- Not with My Husband You Don't (1975) ... Lillian

- Jack's Heart Attack (1975) ... Lillian

Show all 8 episodes

1975 The Bob Crane Show (TV Series) Amanda

- Not with My Mother You Don't (1975) ... Amanda

1975 Barnaby Jones (TV Series) Iris Harmon

- Image of Evil (1975) ... Iris Harmon

1975 Maude (TV Series) Marilyn Loftus

- And Then There Were None (1975) ... Marilyn Loftus

1975 Chico and the Man (TV Series) Doris Erickson

- The Beard (1975) ... Doris Erickson

1974 The Canterville Ghost (TV Movie) Mrs. Otis

1974 The Girl with Something Extra (TV Series) Margaret

- Irreconcilable Sameness (1974) ... Margaret

1972-1973 Bridget Loves Bernie (TV Series) Amy Fitzgerald

- Greener Pastures (1973) ... Amy Fitzgerald

- The Information Gap (1973) ... Amy Fitzgerald

- Steinberg and Son (1973) ... Amy Fitzgerald

- Painting, Painting - Who's Got the Painting? (1973) ... Amy Fitzgerald

- To Teach or Not to Teach (1973) ... Amy Fitzgerald

Show all 24 episodes

1972 The Heartbreak Kid Mrs. Corcoran

1971 Taking Off Ann Lockston

1964-1969 Another World (TV Series) Liz Matthews / Elizabeth 'Aunt Liz' Matthews

- Episode #1.1360 (1969) ... Liz Matthews

- Episode #1.1161 (1969) ... Liz Matthews

- Episode #1.1152 (1968) ... Liz Matthews

- Episode #1.1101 (1968) ... Liz Matthews

- Episode #1.1100 (1968) ... Liz Matthews

Show all 212 episodes

1963 Route 66 (TV Series) Abigail Faxon

- Build Your Houses with Their Backs to the Sea (1963) ... Abigail Faxon

1952-1963 Armstrong Circle Theatre (TV Series) Mrs. Hyde

- A Square Mile of Hope (1963)

- The Secret Crime (1962)

- H.R. 8438: The Story of a Lost Boy (1956) ... Mrs. Hyde

- A Man and His Conscience (1952)

1963 The United States Steel Hour (TV Series) Ethel Wheeler

- The Soldier Ran Away (1963) ... Ethel Wheeler

1961-1962 Naked City (TV Series) Mrs. Denton / Grace Youngham / Sheila Braden

- A Horse Has a Big Head - Let Him Worry! (1962) ... Mrs. Denton

- A Case Study of Two Savages (1962) ... Grace Youngham

- Which Is Joseph Creeley? (1961) ... Sheila Braden

1958 An American Girl (Short) Mrs. Davis

1958 From These Roots (TV Series) Laura Tompkins (1958–1961)

1953-1958 Kraft Theatre (TV Series) Mrs. Galt

- Angry Angel (1958)

- Shadow of Suspicion (1956)

- No Riders (1956)

- The Fool Killer (1956) ... Mrs. Galt

- A Simple Matter (1954)

Show all 7 episodes

1955-1957 The Alcoa Hour (TV Series) Ruth Joyce / Laura

- Awake with Fear (1957) ... Ruth Joyce

- Thunder in Washington (1955) ... Laura

1957 Playhouse 90 (TV Series)

- The Ninth Day (1957)

1951-1956 Robert Montgomery Presents (TV Series) Mary Pollet / Maggie

- Soldier from the Wars Returning (1956)

- Lucifer (1955) ... Mary Pollet

- Towhead (1955) ... Maggie

- And Never Come Back (1952)

- I Am Still Alive (1951)

1956 Goodyear Playhouse (TV Series)

- The Film Maker (1956)

1956 The Edge of Night (TV Series) Barbara Barnett (1962)

1955 Ponds Theater (TV Series) Amy Vetter / Hazel McCauley

- The Kingdom of Andrew Jones (1955) ... Amy Vetter

- No Riders (1955) ... Hazel McCauley

1954 Love Story (TV Series)

- Turn Back the Clock (1954)

1952 Repertory Theatre (TV Series)

- A Letter to Mr. Priest (1952)

- Dusty Portrait (1952)

1952 Hands of Mystery (TV Series)

- Hello Captain (1952)

1951 Lights Out (TV Series)

- Friday the Nineteenth (1951)

1951 Search for Tomorrow (TV Series) Sue Knowles (1962)

1950-1951 Lux Video Theatre (TV Series) Nurse Claxton / Olive / Irene Stoddard

- The Promise (1951) ... Nurse Claxton

- Local Storm (1951) ... Olive

- Gallant Lady (1950) ... Irene Stoddard

1951 The Web (TV Series)

- The Shadowy Men (1951)

- Dark Legacy (1951)

1942 The Male Animal Student (uncredited)

1941 Dangerously They Live Nurse (uncredited)

1941 One Foot in Heaven Mother (uncredited)

1941 Manpower Nurse (uncredited)