Helen Roper

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Helen Roper
First appearance A Man About the House
Last appearance Night of the Ropers
Portrayed by Audra Lindley
Episode count 55
Information
Aliases Helen Armbruster (maiden name)
Gender Female
Occupation Homemaker/ Landlady
Family Ethel Armbruster (sister)
"Mother" Armbruster (mother)
Spouse(s) Stanley Roper (Husband)

Helen Roper is a character on the situation comedy series, Three's Company and its later spin-off series The Ropers. In both shows, she is played by Audra Lindley.

[edit] Forever frustrated wife

Helen is always looking for sex with her eternally uninterested husband, Stanley, and he never delivers, which often frustrates her.

Helen enjoys a friendship with the three tenants who live above her; Jack Tripper, Janet Wood and Chrissy Snow, whom she referred to as "the kids". Helen, unlike her husband, knows that Jack isn't gay. Unlike her cheap, tightfisted, and very suspicious husband, Helen doesn't mind that he lives with the girls, and is very understanding on that.

Eventually, she and Stanley move to Cheviot Hills, California, an affluent suburb of Los Angeles, and her natural snobbishness asserts itself, often aided and abetted by her sister, Ethel Armbruster, who clearly despised Stanley.

Despite her attempts to become on the same par as her more affluent neighbors, she is still very kind and made friends as well with Anne Brookes, the wife of Jeffrey Brookes III, the real estate agent who lives next door, and enjoys the company of their son, David.

[edit] The Return to Three's Company

Helen and Stanley came back to Jack Tripper, Janet Wood, and Cindy Snow's apartment in a special guest appearance. Helen was frustrated with Stanley, for he forgot their anniversary (again?). She went downstairs to Ralph Furley's apartment to get some sleep. Mr. Furley went to bed and soon Mr. Roper came in and said, "Helen, if this (a relationship/affair with Furley) is what you want, so be it." Helen was upset and still angry at this. "Aren't you gonna fight for me?" she replies. Later Stanley came back and started fighting for Helen against Mr. Furley, which made Helen happy. Soon, the two went to sleep in Mr. Furley's bed, which could have been the answer to Helen's wishes.