Skip to content
MovieCove
Audra Lindley

Audra Lindley

Actor · Died October 16, 1997, aged 79 · Los Angeles, California, USA

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. Born in Los Angeles, California, Lindley was the daughter of show business parents. She got her early start in Hollywood by being a stand-in, which eventually progressed to stunt work. Nothing panned out, and she went to New York in her mid-20s to work in theater. Among her many Broadway plays were: On Golden Pond, Playhouse 90, Long Day's Journey into Night, and Horse Heavens. She took time off to get married and raise five children. Upon resuming her career, she began to make steady appearances on television, 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. 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). (Lindley wore a wig to maintain the character's exaggerated hairstyle.) 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. Lindley continued to appear steadily on television and in film, such as Revenge of the Stepford Wives in 1980 and as Fauna, the owner of the "Bear Flag Restaurant," a Monterey, CA brothel portrayed in the 1982 film Cannery Row. In 1982, she appeared in the film Best Friends starring Goldie Hawn and Burt Reynolds. One of her last roles was a character part in the lesbian-themed film Desert Hearts (1985). Lindley wanted to reshoot one key scene. The director, Donna Deitch, replied that they did not have the budget for reshooting. Lindley said that she would buy a portion of the film if Deitch let her do just that one take again. Deitch agreed, and Lindley kept her word. Lindley garnered further parts of all sizes 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 also played Shepherd's mother in the 1972 film The Heartbreak Kid. Lindley died from leukemia on October 16, 1997, at Cedars Sinai Medical Center with a Cybill script by her hospital bedside. She was married to and divorced from Dr. Hardy Ulm (1943–1960); they had five children. She later married and divorced James Whitmore (1972–1979) Description above from the Wikipedia article Audra Lindley, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 24, 1918
Died
October 16, 1997 (aged 79)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
32 on MovieCove · 56 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 28% in 30 days

What are Audra Lindley's films like?

Across their 21 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
38%
Morality
19%
Power
14%
Self
13%
Survival
7%
Ideas
5%
Society
3%
Family bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTruth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 19 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 11 · Serious 5 · Dark 3

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 17 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 6 · Charged 8 · Intense 5

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 12 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 11 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 10 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 6 · Engaged 13 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 10 · Affecting 6 · Heavy 3

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 18 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

5 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 3 of 5 analyzed roles.

Ally
3 of 5
Trickster
1 of 5
Shadow
1 of 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
12
Warm
10
Joyful
4
Contemplative
5
Dread
3
Other
15

How their films linger

Feel-good12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet5
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous2
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Audra Lindley's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 14 of their 32 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Audra Lindley's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

56 credits, 32 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Sisters and Other Strangers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Irene Connelly

  • The Relic(1997)

    as Dr. Matilda Zwiezic

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Sudden Death(1995)

    as Mrs. Ferrara

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan(1995)

    as Jean

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Cybill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 3 episodes · as Virginia Sheridan

  • Friends(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Frances

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The New Age(1994)

    as Sandi Rego

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Corpse Had a Familiar Face(1994)

    as Monica/Edna's mother

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Hart to Hart: Crimes of the Hart(1994)

    as Katherine Kendrick

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Just My Imagination (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Elizabeth Thompson

  • The Hidden Room (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 1 episode · as Elsie

  • Absolute Strangers(1991)

    as Anne Zusselman

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Tales from the Crypt(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Anita

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Troop Beverly Hills(1989)

    as Frances Temple

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Bridesmaids (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Lulu

  • Take My Daughters, Please(1988)

    as Rebecca

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Spellbinder(1988)

    as Mrs. White

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Lady in the Lake(1988)

    as Mrs. Chaney

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Stamp of a Killer(1987)

    as Granny

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Sunday Drive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Aunt Joan

  • Matlock(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Mary Ann Newton

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Desert Hearts(1985)

    as Frances Parker

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Maggie Saunders

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Best Friends(1982)

    as Ann Babson

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Cannery Row(1982)

    as Fauna Flood

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Day the Bubble Burst(1982)

    as Evangeline Adams

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Skyward Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Billie

  • Revenge of the Stepford Wives(1980)

    as Barbara Parkinson

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Silent Lovers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Laura Hope Crews

  • The Ropers(1979)

    Show 28 episodes · as Helen Roper

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all shows

  • When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?(1979)

    as Ceil Ryder

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Pearl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 3 episodes · as Lily - General's Wife

  • Getting Married(1978)

    as Catherine Lawrence

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Love Boat(1977)

    Show 2 episodes · as Agnes Larrabee · as Anita Wolfe · as Mrs. Worth · as Portia Fairchild · as Vanessa Norris

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • The New Love Boat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Mae Allen

  • Three's Company(1976)

    Show 76 episodes · as Helen Roper

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Fay (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 10 episodes · as Lillian

  • The Bob Crane Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Canterville Ghost (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Mrs. Otis

  • Chico and the Man(1974)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all shows

  • The Heartbreak Kid(1972)

    as Mrs. Corcoran

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Bridget Loves Bernie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 24 episodes · as Amy Fitzgerald

  • Taking Off(1971)

    as Ann Lockston

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Another World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1,643 episodes · Actor

  • Route 66(1960)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Naked City(1958)

    Show 2 episodes · as Grace Youngham · as Mrs. Denton · as Sheila Braden

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • From These Roots (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 343 episodes · as Laura Tompkins

  • An American Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Mrs. Davis

  • Search for Tomorrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Lux Video Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Irene Stoddard · as Nurse Claxton · as Olive

  • Robert Montgomery Presents (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 3 episodes · as Maggie

  • The Philco Television Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • The Male Animal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Student (uncredited)

  • Dangerously They Live (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Nurse (uncredited)

  • One Foot in Heaven(1941)

    as Mother (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Manpower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Nurse (uncredited)

Career shape

Star power in the 92nd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 56 titles from 1941 to 1997; peak year 1971.

Biggest box office

Sudden Death (1995)

$64M worldwide

Highest rated

Taking Off (1971)

Midcredits 90th

Most popular right now

Three's Company (1976)

Film career

19411997

Peak 1971 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1971Screen debut· Taking Off

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting56 of 56: 56 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score54th

By decade

1940s5 · acting1950s6 · acting1960s2 · acting1970s14 · acting1980s17 · acting1990s12 · acting

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 0% of 10 roles
7186

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Audra Lindley's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 44th percentile, the median of all 22; across their 19 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 47th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

47thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Reach · how many have seen their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Midcredits score across 32 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th12
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

12 of their 32 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Cult Classic4
  • Crowd Pleaser12
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed12

Most divisive · actor

Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan (1995)

83rd percentile spread · 21% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Taking Off (1971)

Midcredits 90th · 78% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 16 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 38. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Audra Lindley's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 14 · minimalMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles31–51 · median 44 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 33 · mildMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 41 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 24 · mildMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Audra Lindley work with?

People who share at least 2 of Audra Lindley's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Norman Fell shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers