Man About the House

2022-07-19T22:37:19Z

2A00:23C8:1780:9201:2CF9:491C:1F32:A5E7: /* External links */

{{Short description|Television series}}
{{for|the film spin-off|Man About the House (film)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox television
| genre = [[Sitcom]]
| name = Man About the House
| image = Man about the house.jpg
| caption = From left to right: Thomsett, Wilcox and O'Sullivan.
| runtime = 30 minutes (including commercials)
| creator = [[Brian Cooke]] [[Johnnie Mortimer]]
| producer = Peter Frazer-Jones
| starring = [[Richard O'Sullivan]] [[Paula Wilcox]] [[Sally Thomsett]] [[Yootha Joyce]] [[Brian Murphy (actor)|Brian Murphy]]
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| company = [[Thames Television]]
| distributor = [[Fremantle (company)|Fremantle]]
| network = [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]
| picture_format = [[4:3]]
| first_aired = {{start date|1973|8|15|df=yes}}
| last_aired = {{end date|1976|4|7|df=yes}}
| num_series = 6
| num_episodes = 39 + 1 short
| list_episodes = List of Man About the House episodes
| followed_by = ''[[George and Mildred]]'' ''[[Robin's Nest (TV series)|Robin's Nest]]''
| related = ''[[Three's Company]]'' (US) ''Sam sam'' (NL) ''[[En fyra för tre]]'' (SWE) ''Tre på toppen'' (NOR) ''Lokatorzy'' (POL) ''Troe sverhy'' (RUS) ''El hombre de la casa'' (ECU) ''Tres son multitud'' (CHI)
}}
'''''Man About the House''''' is a [[British sitcom]] created by [[Brian Cooke]] and [[Johnnie Mortimer]] that starred [[Richard O'Sullivan]], [[Paula Wilcox]], [[Sally Thomsett]], [[Yootha Joyce]] and [[Brian Murphy (actor)|Brian Murphy]]. Six series were broadcast on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] from 15 August 1973 to 7 April 1976. The series was considered daring at the time because it featured a man sharing a [[London]] flat with two single women. The show was made by [[Thames Television]] and recorded at its [[Teddington Studios|Teddington]] studio in [[Greater London]]. It is regularly repeated on [[ITV3]].

Two [[spin-off (media)|spin-off]] series were later made: ''[[George and Mildred]]'' and ''[[Robin's Nest (TV series)|Robin's Nest]]''. In 2004, ''Man About the House'' placed 69th in a poll to find ''[[Britain's Best Sitcom]]''. The series was remade in the United States as ''[[Three's Company]]'' in 1977. A [[Man About the House (film)|film version]] was released in 1974.

==Cast==
{{main|List of Man About the House characters}}

===Main stars===
* [[Richard O'Sullivan]] as Robin Tripp
* [[Paula Wilcox]] as Chrissy Plummer
* [[Sally Thomsett]] as Jo

===Co-stars===
* [[Yootha Joyce]] as [[Mildred Roper]]
* [[Brian Murphy (actor)|Brian Murphy]] as [[George Roper (character)|George Roper]]
* [[Doug Fisher (actor)|Doug Fisher]] as Larry Simmonds

===Recurring cast===
* [[Roy Kinnear]] as Jerry (series 3 to 5)
* [[Daphne Oxenford]] as Mrs Plummer (series 1, 4 and 6)

==Plot==
Chrissy and Jo live in a London flat together and work for the same firm. The women find a stranger, student [[chef]] Robin Tripp, asleep in their [[bathtub|bath]] the morning after the farewell party for their departed flatmate Eleanor. When he meets the two girls, Robin has been in London two days, having moved from [[Southampton]] to attend University. The girls are unimpressed with Gabrielle ([[Helen Fraser (actress)|Helen Fraser]]) as a potential replacement for Eleanor, but they are impressed by Robin's culinary skills, as they cannot cook at all. Learning that Robin has been staying at the [[YMCA]], they convince him to move in, on the understanding that it will be a [[Platonic love|platonic]] relationship.

Chrissy tells [[landlord]] George Roper that Robin is [[gay]] to eliminate George's objections to the mixed-sex living arrangement. George, in truth a subletting landlord placed by the council, is a miserly, spiteful and unkempt man under the thumb of his domineering and sexually frustrated wife [[Mildred Roper|Mildred]].

In the second episode, Robin's true sexuality becomes known to Mildred. She takes out her frustrations with George's lack of class and sexual inadequacy by making suggestive remarks to Robin and frequently siding with the [[leasehold estate|tenants]] against George. Mildred openly flirts with Robin, and Robin frequently flirts with Chrissy and Jo. The girls, adhering to their pledge to maintain a platonic relationship with Robin, spurn his mild advances and adapt to his presence in the flat. Chrissy occasionally shows attraction to Robin, but the two never pursue any romantic interaction.

Robin's friend Larry, a [[lovable rogue]], appears on a recurring basis throughout the series. In the third series, he moves into the loft apartment above the trio's apartment and is a frequent source of trouble. Another occasional cast member is George's friend, the dodgy builder Jerry ([[Roy Kinnear]]). Jerry is the only supporting character to reappear in the spin-off ''[[George and Mildred]]''.

Robin's brother Norman Tripp ([[Norman Eshley]]) appears in the final three episodes of the sixth and final series, and starts a romance with Chrissy. Eshley had a previous guest role in the episode "In Praise of Older Men" (Series 2, Episode 3).

==Episodes==
{{Main|List of Man About the House episodes}}

First airing on 15 August 1973, ''Man About the House'' ran until 7 April 1976, spanning 39 episodes in six series. In addition, on Christmas Day 1973, a short special aired as part of ''All-star Comedy Carnival''.

==Theme music==
Written by [[Johnny Hawksworth]] and entitled "Up to Date", the theme song was not specially commissioned for the show, but rather was provided via the [[production music]] company [[De Wolfe Music]]. It also appeared on the 1996 compilation CD ''The Sound Gallery – Volume Two'', but credited to the [[Simon Park Orchestra]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Various - The Sound Gallery - Volume Two|url=https://www.discogs.com/Various-The-Sound-Gallery-Volume-Two/master/146608|access-date=2020-07-12|website=Discogs|language=en}}</ref>

==Film==
{{main|Man About the House (film)}}

A 1974 film version of the show starred all of the main cast members. It was the last in a series of movie screen adaptations of popular TV shows made by [[Hammer Films]],<ref name="film">Tom Johnson and Deborah Del Vecchio, Hammer films: An exhaustive filmography, McFarland, 1996. p375.</ref> though a [[George and Mildred (film)|''George and Mildred'' film]] (featuring Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy) would be made in 1980 by another studio.

==Spin-offs and remakes==

After the series ended in 1976, two successful spin-off series followed:

* ''[[George and Mildred]]'', in which the Ropers move to the suburbs.
* ''[[Robin's Nest (TV series)|Robin's Nest]]'', in which Robin gets married and opens a [[bistro]].

The format of ''Man About the House'' was sold internationally, and it was remade in the United States as ''[[Three's Company]]'' in 1976; in the Netherlands as ''Sam Sam'' in 1994; in Sweden as ''[[En fyra för tre]]'' in 1996; in Norway as ''Tre på toppen'' in 1997; in Portugal as ''Não Há Duas Sem Três'' in 1997;<ref>http://www.rtp.pt/programa/tv/p13286 ''Não Há Duas Sem Três'' on RTP website</ref> in Poland as ''Lokatorzy'' in 2000; in Russia as ''Troe sverhy'' in 2006; in Ecuador as ''El hombre de la casa'' and in Chile as ''Tres son multitud'', both in 2007.

The American ''Three's Company'' adaptation also spawned the same spin-offs as had ''Man About the House:'' ''[[Three's a Crowd]]'' (based on ''Robin's Nest'') and ''[[The Ropers]]'' (based upon ''George and Mildred).''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbcamerica.com/shows/anglophenia/blog/2015/01/5-classic-american-sitcoms-british-first|title=6 American Sitcoms Based on British Originals|last=McAlpine|first=Fraser|website=BBC America|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-27}}</ref>

==Home media==
All six series have been released on DVD in the UK by Network DVD, as have ''George and Mildred'' and ''Robin's Nest''.

'''Region 2 Releases:'''
* Series 1 - 2005 (reissued on 8 April 2013)
* Series 2–30 January 2006
* Series 3–20 March 2006
* Series 4–7 August 2006
* Series 5–22 January 2007
* Series 6–14 May 2007
* The Complete Series (Features the six individual seasons in a box) - 24 September 2007
* The Complete Series (In slimmer packaging) - 26 May 2008

Series 1 and 2 have had a US release as part of a two-disc set by [[FremantleMedia]].

Series 1 and 2 were released in Australia in 2004, but a delay was encountered in releasing further series because of contract renegotiations (the same problem affected releases of ''George and Mildred'' and ''[[Bless This House (UK TV series)|Bless This House]]''). Series 3 was finally released on 16 July 2008, and Series 4 on 5 November 2008. Series 5 and 6 are yet to be released. Series 1 was re-released on 2 April 2009, now with the same cover art as the UK edition. Fremantle Media re-released series 1 on 3 March 2011 with new cover art.<ref>[http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/819011 Man about the house – series 1] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120904201103/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/819011 |date=4 September 2012 }}</ref> Re-releases have continued with Series 2<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/man-about-the-house-series-2/dp/6118166 |title=Buy Man About the House: Series 2 on DVD-Video from |publisher=EzyDVD.com.au |date=2013-04-22 |access-date=2014-03-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610222405/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/man-about-the-house-series-2/dp/6118166 |archive-date=10 June 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> on 3 October 2012, Series 3<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/man-about-the-house-series-3/dp/6139851 |title=Buy Man About The House: Series 3 on DVD-Video from |publisher=EzyDVD.com.au |date=2013-04-22 |access-date=2014-03-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610225618/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/man-about-the-house-series-3/dp/6139851 |archive-date=10 June 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> on 1 May 2013, and Series 4<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/man-about-the-house-series-4/dp/6139850 |title=Buy Man About The House: Series 4 on DVD-Video from |publisher=EzyDVD.com.au |date=2013-04-22 |access-date=2014-03-20 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130914015414/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/man-about-the-house-series-4/dp/6139850 |archive-date=14 September 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> on 1 May 2013. Series 5<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/man-about-the-house-series-5/dp/6142559 |title=Buy Man About The House: Series 5 on DVD-Video from |publisher=EzyDVD.com.au |date=2013-04-22 |access-date=2014-03-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610222411/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/man-about-the-house-series-5/dp/6142559 |archive-date=10 June 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and Series 6<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/man-about-the-house-series-6/dp/6142558 |title=Buy Man About The House: Series 6 on DVD-Video from |publisher=EzyDVD.com.au |date=2013-04-22 |access-date=2014-03-20 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130914015418/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/man-about-the-house-series-6/dp/6142558 |archive-date=14 September 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> finally received a release on 7 August 2013. Via Vision Entertainment announced "The Complete Series" will be released on October 21, 2020,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Man About the House: The Complete Series - DVD|url=https://www.madman.com.au/catalogue/view/54022/man-about-the-house-the-complete-series|access-date=2020-09-02|website=Madman Entertainment|language=en-US}}</ref> which will be the first time this series will be released as a collection.

In 2019, a 19-disc DVD set (Region 2) was issued by Network/Fremantle containing every episode of ''Man About the House'', ''George and Mildred'' and ''Robin's Nest''.

==See also==
* [[List of films based on British sitcoms]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
* {{British Comedy Guide|sitcom|man_house|Man about the house}}.
* {{IMDb title|0069607|Man about the house}}.
* [http://www.deckchairpublishing.co.uk/#/titles/4540234264 Man about the house – George and Mildred book] at Publisher's website.
*{{Screenonline TV title|1190693|Man About the House}}

{{Cooke and Mortimer}}
{{Three's Company}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Man About The House}}
[[Category:Man About the House| ]]
[[Category:1973 British television series debuts]]
[[Category:1976 British television series endings]]
[[Category:1970s British sitcoms]]
[[Category:1970s British sex comedy television series]]
[[Category:English-language television shows]]
[[Category:ITV sitcoms]]
[[Category:Television shows produced by Thames Television]]
[[Category:Television shows adapted into films]]
[[Category:Television series by Fremantle (company)]]
[[Category:Television shows set in London]]
[[Category:Television shows shot at Teddington Studios]]

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Man About the House