Mildred Roper arrive, George often runs away to the pub or next door, unless Mildred bellows for him to sit. Upon the death in 1980 of Yootha Joyce, who had played Mildred, Thames Television did talk of producing a spin-off for the character of George, looking at him cope with life as a widower. This project did not materialise, but Brian Murphy did reunite with "George and Mildred" co-star Roy Kinnear and writers Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke for "The Incredible Mr. Tanner", a comedy produced for Thames soon after Yootha Joyce's death. Yootha Joyce appeared as Mildred Roper in all episodes
Darren McGavin roles throughout the 1960s and 1970s, before being cast in the title role of the television horror series "" (1974–1975). Additional film credits include "Airport '77" (1977) and "Hot Lead and Cold Feet" (1978). In 1983, McGavin starred in Bob Clark's seasonal comedy "A Christmas Story", portraying Mr. Parker, the father of Ralphie Parker. From 1989 to 1992, he had a recurring role opposite Candace Bergen on the sitcom "Murphy Brown", playing the title character's father, for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. He had supporting roles in the