Johnnie Mortimer partnership with Brian Cooke. A version of "Man about the House" later transferred to America under the name "Three's Company". The partnership also wrote two plays, the first a theatrical version of "George and Mildred" (later renamed "When the Cat's Away" after the death of actress Yootha Joyce who played Mildred). The second was "Situation Comedy", and featured two TV situation comedy writers struggling to come up with an idea for a new series (in the end they write a stage play instead). Johnnie Mortimer John Mortimer, born in Clare, Suffolk, (2 July 1931 – 2 September 1992) professionally Johnnie
Yootha Joyce (1972), "Never Mind the Quality Feel the Width" (1973) and "Steptoe and Son Ride Again" (1973). She also appeared as customer Mrs. Scully in the pilot episode of "Open All Hours" (1973). It was not until 1973 that she acquired a starring role, when she was cast as man-hungry Mildred Roper, wife of sub-letting landlord George, in the sitcom "Man About the House". This series, which starred Richard O'Sullivan, Paula Wilcox, Sally Thomsett, and Brian Murphy as George Roper, ran until 1976, deriving its comic narrative from two young women and a young man sharing the flat above the Ropers.