off  from _"Man About the House" (1973)_ (qv)) focusing on the Ropers,  Norman Fell (qv) and Audra Lindley (qv) werent too keen on the  idea. Norman Fell felt that you couldnt do a series with *only* the  running gag of Mrs. Roper being undersexed. The network assured him  the show would have more substance than that, and furthermore, if  the show didnt make it a full season, he and Audra could come back  full time to "Threes Company" as the Ropers.  _"Ropers, The" (1979)_ (qv) made it a season and a half before it  was canceled. As a result, Norman Fell and Audra Lindley were out of  work, and there was nothing they could do about it because the show  *did* make it a full season. However, they did reprise their roles  as guest stars on "Threes Company" on a few episodes after "The  Ropers" was dropped.