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From: kitsch2spacea
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  • Very interesting to finally see where "Three's Company" came from.

  • Three's Company was never a paragon for sitcoms. This is better, although I liked John Ritter. Till Death Do Us Part and Steptoe & Son are both very funny, from what I've seen on youtube.

  • Ah, America--we always steal from the best! Both All in the Family and Sanford and Son were based off British shows. The practice continues to this day, with the horrible US versions of far superior UK shows Life on Mars and Being Human. Anyway, the UK Chrissy seen here isn't as buxom as the American version, but I'd still shag the shit out've her.

  • cool love it

  • @teestime1 Absolutely, me too, i use to watch this show, i wish they would bring it to either BBC AMERICA or PBS

  • Like you and me george.

  • First time I've seen this show... early George and Mildred! The spin-off George and Mildred was hilarious, so got me interested.

  • Wow this is horrible compared to Three's Company, lol.

  • @methais I wouldn't say horrible. I would say different. I see where you're coming from, but I find this original version from England rather entertaining.

  • @StanBennet i agree!!! i like it 10 times better than the us version!!

  • @exgroupiefromelmont1 Three's company was great. But this is a heckuva lot more fun!

  • @exgroupiefromelmont1 i agree also..i just happen to love and yes truly prefer the british 70's shows to the american ones!!

  • @methais No you're mistaken; Three's Company was equally awful.

  • I still say this Richard O'Sullivan looks a lot like Elvis Presley from the waist up-Maybe they should have called this sitcom "Elvis Around the House"-lol.

  • The format for Man About The House was sold internationally, and it was remade in the United States as Three's Company in 1977, 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 Poland as Lokatorzy in 2000, in Russia as Troe Sverhy in 2006, and in Ecuador as El Hombre de la Casa and in Chile as Tres Son Multitud, both in 2007.

    so why are you blaming us for stealing you show?

  • Comment removed

  • Paula Willcox ........ What a babe!

  • Far better in many ways to "Three's Company". More "real". Better written (Ritter saved "Three's" without his ability it would have died). Actually hoping to find this to buy as box set. Love Richard O'Sullivan in everything I have seen him in, especially the "Doctor" series (no, not Doctor Who to the uneducated idjits from my side of the pond)

  • Far better in many ways to "Three's Company". More "real". Better written (Ritter saved "Three's" without his ability it would have died). Actually hoping to find this to buy as box set. Love Richard O'Sullivan in everything I have seen him in, especially the "Doctor" series (no, not Doctor Who to the uneducated idjits from my side of the pond)

  • @vanessafetmontreal What's interesting is the spinoff to this show, Robin's Nest, was ALSO Americanized with Three's A Crowd which is the spinoff of Three's Company

  • Is there a series of this on DVD?

  • THIS IS MY GIRLFRIENDS BEST SHOW OF ALL TIME

  • Wow, it's almost verbatim to "Three's Company's" S.1 Ep.1.

  • @MRFABIAN2009 well DUH... that is where Three's Company was pretty much stolen from!!! Robin Tripp... Jack Tripper... DUH!!! How about *researching*... you may learn that more than a few American TV shows were ripoffs of UK shows!!! (Sanford and Son, All In The Family... even Scrubs is pretty much a ripoff of Doctor In The House etc!)

  • @vanessafetmontreal First off i hate when people say we stole their t.v. shows from them. if it was stolen we wouldn't have been able to make Three's Company, that is plagerizing and is illegal.

    Both were equally good in my opinion. it doesn't matter which one is better just watch the one you like and stop complaning, it was like how many years ago. talk about holding a grudge.

  • @MsDoctorWhoFan1 They bought the rights, but it's still stealing an idea, period. Not being able to be original. I like both, as both have their own quirks etc, but just POINTING OUT WHY that, gee, Three's Company and this is "almost verbatim". And if it wasn't for Ritter and Sommers Three's Company likely would have failed, they put in great performances (as well as Don Knotts).  They're even doing it now (The Office anyone?)

  • I own that long wall hanging you see behind his head at 1:14. I bought it as a child, and for years I knew I'd seen it somewhere. Thanks to YouTube, I now know where!

  • this man about the house, if he were 2 cut his hair but keep the long sideburns, he would look a lot like Elvis Presley. especially with his clothing from the waist up.

  • @man975dog Oh shut up, I can't stand Elvis, he was ugly as fuck. Richard O Sullivan is gorgeous!!

  • @Feisty1967 say what u like, but he looks a lot like Elvis Presley-especially from the waist up-this Richard O'Sullivan, if this was his name, wasn't ugly-but he was no Clive Owen-Clive Owen would b considered gorgeous among the British gents.

  • @Feisty1967 can't agree with you more! compering our richard to elvis in an insult.richard was a stunning,sexy and beautiful looking man!!!

  • @mymusic777ify except for his clothing, what was so stunning, sexy and beautiful about him-he's not half these qualities like let's say-ahhhhhh-Clive Owen!!!

  • @man975dog that was the fashion of the 70'.Clive?well...very different men! Richard had deeper qualities both on and off the screen!Clive sure is goodlooking but he is not the one i fell in love with!

  • Jolly good show! But the women in the American version of "Three's Company" seemed rather prettier than the women in this original British version. Even John Ritter from the American version was nicer looking than the man in this British version of "Man About The House".

  • what does she say at 0:54?

  • My god the Brits had bad teeth! That blond chick is scary!

  • @hawaiijim Like I said b4 here, the actors from the American version of "Three's Company" were nicer looking than the actors in this British version of the tv show.

  • @man975dog rather a shallow observation. 

  • @kitsch2spacea this is own ur opinion, but u're entitled 2 it and so am I.

  • @man975dog Does it matter who is better looking?

  • @Uberlaser 2 some it matters but 2 others it doesn't.

  • it looks like three's company ripped this to the hilt.. ven the opening episode

  • @sierria64 true but ibecause of John Ritter the American series didn't tank.

    and it lasted longer than the british version. then how can it copy every episode lol. people are so dense. Jack doesn't even marry one of his romates, he marries a woman he met on a plane. it wasn't copied it was reinvented by American people for Amrican people.

    It's one that didn't fail. Brits do the same with American tv shows. so why are people complaining?

  • @MsDoctorWhoFan1

    It is common to buy the whole series and scripts - the series was BOUGHT. 3's Company used the UK scripts at times word for word - it was well written and travelled.. The names of the characters were the same. It was put in another setting with Americanization of the scripts occasionally. 3's Company was a BIG US hit running longer. Later series were 100% US written as the UK scripts ran out. The UK series was pulled too early. The Ropers had spin off series in both countries

  • This was syndicated when Three's Company was a smash. Love them both.

  • Why is Richard dressed like Danny La Roo?

  • "Three's Company," vastly funnier.

  • How many seasons did this show run? I very well like it. :)

  • Did this show make these actors into superstars like the American version Three's Company did for John Ritter and Suzanne Somers????

  • @vaibanez17 I wouldn't say they were superstars. Perhaps well-known in Britain and other countries where this aired. But certainly not the fame that the Three's Company cast has, especially Suzanne Somers.

  • The blonde is hot!!

  • Loved this when I was a kid!!

  • Absolutely loved seeing this as a kid, along with the others mentioned here. Also we watched in Canada "Chiller Thriller" from England. Wish i could find those great shows on here. Thank you!!

  • So this was the original Three's company? wow! although the accent is so thick that sometimes it's hard to understand certain things. But pretty cool none the less and I'm really ashamed of myself for not having known that the plot to this sitcom originated in the UK. Was it as hugely successful in the UK as the US Version was here?

  • It amazes me that Threes Company was so popular when it was just a copycat of this show. Company was still a wonderful sitcom, but this is where it all started.

  • she said "I told him you were a Puff"

  • This is really the only decent clip of Man About The House on YouTube. I'm gonna get the box set and post some more!

  • Awesome lol!

  • Is washing up, the same as washing the clothes? And what is a Grotemate 0:25 ?

  • @SeattleLA washing up is doing dishes. She says "one grope, mate, and you'd be out!"

  • @mfnickster Thank you. I thought about that after my post. A wonderful show!

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  • @mfnickster

    Hey, I've been swapping videos with Americans of shows where you copied our sitcoms or we copied yours. Here's a short list for anyone interested:

    The Ropers - George & Mildred.

    Man About The House - Three's Company.

    Who's The Boss - The Upper Hand.

    Til Death Us Do Part - Archie Bunker

    Steptoe & Son - Sanford & Son.

    There is one old show from the 70's called Two's Company. It was broadcast in both the US & UK. It starred Elaine Stritch & Donald Sinden.

  • @SeattleLA

    Hey, over here we copied the American show Who's The Boss and called it The Upper Hand.

  • @SeattleLA

    Washing up means washing the dishes, however in the UK and Europe, they do not rinse with water, they just leave the soap on.

  • @goombabear thank you for the information.

  • This clip is enough to get me hooked. I like this show a lot! Can someone tell me what Chrissie says at 0:59 about the fact that there is no lock on the bathroom door.

  • @SeattleLA

    Hey Seattle, they did a spin-off of Three's Company with just the landlord and landlady called The Ropers. In England ours was called George & Mildred.

  • I loved more three's company!! Although,this vid was really cool.

  • 5:17 "i told him you were a..."

    a what? i cant understand what she says...not used to the accent and its probably some slang i never heard lol

    anyone know what she said?

  • @mysticx0 "Poof" - An effeminate or homosexual man.

  • @kitsch2spacea thanks for the quick reply!

  • @mysticx0

    Poof. A fag, homo, gayboy.

  • IkeDyson, No, I thought Suzanne Summers was better-looking than the original Chrissy.

    Also, American and British people have very different tastes in comedy. I would probably would rather watch the cancelled The Ropers over and over than the very boring, yet, successful George and Mildred.

  • @ZebrasFirst

    No, you have to compare our Chrissie (Paula Wilcox) with your Chrissie (Joyce DeWitt), and our Sally Thompsett with your Suzanne Sommers.

    I say it's one a piece. LOL...

  • IkeDyson, No offense, but all the Three's Company cast was better-looking, even Jack!!

  • @ZebrasFirst

    LOL. Get outta here!

  • @ZebrasFirst

    In that case, I've got an American word for you - BALONEY.

  • IkeDyson, How many seasons did "Man About The House" last? Was it cancelled? How about "Steptoe and Son"? Fair enough, I will watch some of each and judge for myself.

  • @ZebrasFirst

    Man About The House ran for about four years. There are NO British sitcoms that run for as long as American ones do. Four of five years for a sitcom to run over here is incredibly hard to better. I can't think of a British sitcom that ran longer than five years...

  • IkeDyson, That's interesting. "Three's Company" lasted eight seasons, and was cancelled. "Seinfeld" lasted nine seasons, and "Friends" lasted ten seasons!! Don't tell me they were based on British originals, also!!! I only watched "Three's Company".

    (This) computer is about to shut down, I'll explain and post with you Wednesday night, Cheerio, old chap!!

  • @ZebrasFirst

    Seinfeld is one of my very favourite American sitcoms, along with Cheers (where they took Frasier from) and Soap...

  • @IkeDyson

    That is why the quality of most BBC shows are better than the ones in the US, because there are fewer episodes per season and fewer seasons. However there have been some excellent US shows, but very few these days.

  • @ZebrasFirst

    Now stop disturbing me! I'm trying to watch Sanford & Son, one of my favourite shows....

  • @IkeDyson

    Joyce DeWitt played Janet Wood, not Chrissy.

  • IkeDyson, How dare you call me a Poof, fag, homo, gayboy!! Well, I never!!!

  • @mysticx0 a poke- someone who likes the same sex. i'm not british but i even understood what she meant

  • the way this guy looks now he will be a stiff in about 1 year

  • My whole childhood summed up! i loved this programme when I was 6 years old, thanks for posting!

  • Wow, "Three's Company" was based on this show.

  • @memyself2k

    I used to watch them both...

  • @IkeDyson Those were the days.

  • @memyself2k

    I just watched Heatwave and Heywood on your channel, plus your News Outtakes! Good stuff you got there.

  • @IkeDyson Thanks a lot.

  • the golden era of british comedy

  • all this shit about christ and allah,you all worship the same god.so fuck up and pray if that your shit....just stop killin each other.

  • I never knew Three's Company was a remake of a British show. My mind is blown O_O

  • @non1mus

    How about this one? Your show "Archie Bunker" was based on our show called Til Death Us Do Part.

  • IkeDyson, I loved "Three's Company". Thank you for sharing the British original!!

    I noticed they kept the original or similar names:

    British- Trip, American- Tripper Both landlord's last names were, Roper.

    My favorite comedy is "Sanford and Son", but, it also was based on a British original entitled, "Steptoe and Son". I cannot imagine it being better than its American version.

  • @ZebrasFirst

    WHAT? I'll have you know that Steptoe & Son" ranks as one of the very most revered of our comedy shows. No American version could touch THAT show, no matter how much I liked Three's Company. It is unacceptable that you Americans would even MESS with that particular show. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha....

  • IkeDyson, I thought we were friends? So, please get off your Britain vs America trip. I'm sure America has done shows aired in Britain that you enjoyed, too. I have never seen "Steptoe and Son", I was just saying I can not imagine it being funnier. From what I heard, it is very boring compared to "Sanford and Son".

  • @ZebrasFirst

    We ARE friends. I am just kidding with you...

  • Comment removed

  • @ZebrasFirst

    Of course we all have our own tastes, and there are plenty of American shows I have loved. When I was in school, I never missed an episode of Hawaii Five O, or The Streets Of San Francisco.

    I am on not a Britain versus America trip. I am just kidding around with you about Steptoe & Son. It is regarded here as a national television treasure....But now I am going to look for clips of Standford & Son to compare..

  • IkeDyson, "Sanford and Son" had Fred and Aunt Esther, did "Steptoe" have anything near those hilarious characters? I strongly doubt it.

  • @ZebrasFirst

    I don't about Stanford & Son. I'm going to see if anyone has posted any clips from it...

  • IkeDyson, Hold on, hold on, wait a minute!!! I'll tell you what, ol chap. Send me one of the best episodes of Steptoe and Son, and I'll send you one of the best of Sanford and Son. (Our favorites). Then, when I return Wednesday night, we'll watch and review. Deal?

  • @ZebrasFirst

    NO DEAL! I just watched a clip from Sanford & Son, and it is FUNNIER than Steptoe & Son. Plus, they have them black characters, which suits me fine, since I am from the Carribean.

    It's got "Huggy Bear" from Starsky & Hutch. Already I think it is funnier, and I've only watched ONE clip!

    So NO DEAL.

  • IkeDyson, I knew you'd see it my way!! "Sanford and Son" for the WIN!!! Yea!!

    *****

    How DARE you say I'm disturbing you!!

    Well, I never!!

  • @IkeDyson

    Yes I agree I do not like comparisons made between our countries and insults thrown back and forth. The quality of many BBC/ ITV shows are quite good. Most of my favorite shows are the BBC classics such as Dad's Army and One Foot in the Grave. There also have been some good American shows, but not as many as there were when I was growing up in the 70s and 80s. But I must admit I prefer the American versions better than the original English ones, it is just a cultural thing.

  • @ZebrasFirst

    "From what you heard"? See, now why would you go by "what you heard", and not check it out yourself?

  • @ZebrasFirst

    Also, we did the spin-off just for the landlord and landlady - called George & Mildred. You did one called The Ropers. Our one was a hit. I believe The Ropers didn't become popular. Shame...

  • @ZebrasFirst

    And the dark-haired girl is also called "Chrissie". As you can see, OUR Chrissie was sexier than YOURS!

    Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...

  • @IkeDyson

    But on the other hand, your Suzanne Sommers is sexier than our Sally Thompsett.

    Ha ha ha ha ha....

  • Why is Richard dressed like Danny La Roo?

  • Timeless...class.Brilliant...E­nglish comedy at its best.

    the 70s were Fab....

  • I don't know my age then, but CHRIST I REALLY FANCIED these two girls!! HOT

  • @LabRat6619 it is terrible that you take the name of our Lord Jesus Christ just to make a point. Remember that He died for all of us. He deserves respect. Thank you.

  • @Sixalienasa

    You make a huge assumption, that I believe in Jesus Christ. You do, I don't.

  • @LabRat6619 If you believed in Jesus Christ you would never take His name in vain. Whether you believe in His divinity or not does not take away from the fact that He is the Son of God the Father our Heavenly Father. It is hurtful to those of us who do accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour to see His name taken in vain. I was trying to point that out to you and hoped by so doing that you would be polite enough to acquiese.

  • @Sixalienasa . I do apologise if I offended you but if you are an intelligent person, which I hope you are you would see one thing. You can only be offended by such words if you are Christian, I AM NOT CHRISTIAN!

    I also make remarks about Allah when I want to because my culture and MY country is founded on FREEDOM. You are free to worship Jesus because you are FREE!

  • LabRat I realise that you are free to believe in what you will. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints of which I am a member, has 13 Articles of Faith one of which is that we believe that all men have the right to choose how they will worship and what they will worship. But I do not have to be free to worship God, although obviously it is a wonderful thing to live in a free country where freedom of choice is a part of the way of life.

  • @Sixalienasa . I believe in Iran you would NO choice as to which religion you want to worship. So you are lucky.

  • @LabRat6619 I agree with you, though I believe I am blessed rather than lucky, but I think we mean the same thing.

  • @Sixalienasa

    Mormonism is apostasy, with your "adapted" Bible... Great that you believe in Christ though...

  • best show ever

  • Splendid set of sideburns.

  • Most of the 70s sitcoms were very good,this was probably the best,some of the one liners are as funny now as they were then,absolute classic tv

  • love pure love

  • I just saw a picture of Richard O'Sullivan how he looks now. I was really shocked. He looks so old and sick. I would never have recognized him at all. He looks like he's in his eighties.

  • @Saartje05 Well he ain't so far off!

  • im related 2 richard o sullivan he is my cousin:)

  • I grew up with UK Sitcoms in Canada...dont think we had american television until I was about 15 yrs old...still remember watching this and Doctor In The House with my sister and her boyfriend (who was English)...also remember running home after school to catch "The Goodies"

  • @ldhorricks Yeah I remember that same running home from school in Dublin to watch the goodies, but I never thought you did the same all the way away in Canada.

  • American networks copied this and many other British Sitcoms. They liked the formats but felt that main stream American audiences may have struggled a bit with the English dialects and some of the unfamiliar dialogue hence opting to buy the rights to create their own versions. However it's worth noting the that occasionally the reverse occurred. EG I refer to the Sitcom "Who's boss? " in which the British copied from America under the title of "the upper hand"

  • greatestmoviemoments -

    It's completely indentical because the idea was taken from Man About The House.

  • Three's company lasted 8 years, not one. Both Sitcom did great and still re runs in different countries Specially 3's company; despite not being the original.

  • In Holland we got A series based on "Man About The House" calles "Sam Sam"

  • brits did alot of shows first that the americans later copied.

  • @BIGINSF the office must be the latest, to be rehashed and dumbed down for yankee audiance.

  • @09dodgem

    In 1998, American TV did a version of Fawlty Towers, called "Payne", but it didn't take off, and lasted only one season I think...

  • The good old days.

  • this episode is completely identical to the first episode of 3's company

  • And wasn't there a show in the US called 'Three's A Crowd' (or something like that) based on Robin's Nest also?

  • Yes there was. I don't think it lasted too long.

  • yes, but lasted only one season

  • Thanks for the info

  • What came first , this or threes company?

  • This. Three's Company was based on Man About the House.

  • The lovely Richard O Sullivan, who looks like my brother Colin, when he was young in the Seventies.

  • Consegui las dos primeras temporadas en HMV de Toronto Canada, pero mi hermano me dijo que las ha visto en ingles en polvos azules.

  • I can't believe how dead on this is for Three's Company. America did a good job making it the same show just set in USA.

  • not as crude and crass and sh*t as 2 pints pint of lager and packet of crisps ..

  • anybody want to see what richard o sullivan looks like now? have a look at my profile

  • I love this show....I seen it due to being curious of where three's company came from

  • threes company is better..

  • "Man About the House" used to be shown on American TV. I used to watch it when I was a kid. It was in the 70's. I wonder if it is on DVD. Probably not.

  • do u live in england? cuz that is where the show is from

  • Comment removed

  • @man975dog

    Hey, I've been swapping videos with Americans of shows where you copied our sitcoms or we copied yours. Here's a short list for anyone interested:

    The Ropers - George & Mildred.

    Man About The House - Three's Company.

    Who's The Boss - The Upper Hand.

    Til Death Us Do Part - Archie Bunker

    Steptoe & Son - Sanford & Son.

    There is one old show from the 70's called Two's Company. It was broadcast in both the US & UK. It starred Elaine Stritch & Donald Sinden.

  • @IkeDyson we don;t steal each others ideas. the shows are simply remade for U.S. or U.K. audience. why the names are changed and some details,is to avoid copy right and make it suitable for the audience. if it were actually copied, its called plagiarism. which you can get in trouble for,

    so that's not the case.

  • @IkeDyson The list u sent me were names of British TV shows that America copied from the British. But what about a list of TV shows that the English copied from the Americans? I didn't notice this in the TV list u sent me.

  • @man975dog i don't know about you but copying here in the states is called palgerizing. Three's company wouldn't have been able to be made if the didn;t get promision. and anyone who says they made this for money. hello, everything is made for money, that is how the industry works.

    honestly people need to know how the world works.

  • @MsDoctorWhoFan1 I don't think "Three's Company", the American version of this TV show was plagiarizing "Man About The House" because the credits to this show were always given in every episode of Three's Company.

  • It was released on DVD in the U.S. in 2007. Series 1 and Series 2 box set listed for $29.98.

    It was also released on DVD in Region 2 and Region 4.

    STAY AWESOME!

  • @DontCallMeChrissy

    you can buy it on amazon.

  • Wow. So this is where Three's Company came from. Wow.

  • Like to get in Sallys Knickers

  • Vi esta maravillosa serie a comienzos de los '80's en ATV de LIma Peru cuando estaba en señal de prueba, la traduccion al castellano fue muy buena, consegui la 1ra y 2da temporada en ingles y no encuentro ls otras. Esta serie es anterior a tres es multitud la version estadounidense, la cual no me parece tan buena como la original que es esta.

  • Hola Plebeya. Favor dime donde conseguir este series de DVD, a mi también me encantó la serie.

  • The US TV series this became was a poor copy of the original.

    Paula Wilcox did appear at least once in the Liver Birds season 2 (1971, Season 1 was 1968 -- only 1 existing episode rumored to exist).