Mabel Albertson and Elizabeth Montgomery

I hope that show made EM buckets of money because it has to be the biggest waste of genuine talent in television history. She was an amazing actress and a person of conscience, to boot! But that show, while mildly watchable for a season or two, is glaringly bad. When you can barely raise the camp level to sustainable with Moorehead, Lynde, Evans, Pearce, and Lorne among the cast then something went desperately wrong. Albertson was fine and quite droll, but the character was a PITA. She was funny in "What's Up, Doc?" especially when she runs screaming into the hotel lobby.

Totally wrong, R1. The show was great for the first 5 years.

As for Mrs. Stevens, as a kid I couldn't stand her. But watching the shows now, I appreciate her character and the actress. OP is correct.

BEWITCHED is one of those shows that benefits from such a well cast lead character. Elizabeth Montgomery is perfect as Samantha as is Agnes Moorhead as Endora.

Although Montgomery and York were fine as the leads, I think it was the supporting cast that put Bewitched head and shoulders above I Dream Of Jeannie. Moorehead, White, Pearce, Tobias, Lorne, Lynde, Albertson each were great character actors.

I loved Mother Stephens "Frank, I'm getting another of my sick headaches".

Paul Lynde was the best!

The wretched laugh track was a PITA.

Mabel Albertson was Jack Albertson’s sister.

Interesting R7, I thought you were joking at first, but you're right.

R1 How ridiculous! Everything is relative, and Bewitched relative to other TV shows was witty and enormously fun. I imagine you're extremely sour regarding parades and amusement parks as well!

Mabel is hilarious in What’s Up Doc wearing HOT PANTS!

The original supporting cast was great and helped make the show a big hit, but Montgomery and York were the center and gave the show its heart. That and the relationship between Sam and Endora.

I would say the first two years were great (many of them still hold up), and the third and fourth were good (for the time). The fifth season was a bit uneven due to York's health problems and the show and concept itself running out of steam. The first two season they did about 70 shows, so by the fifth season the show count was a lot higher than a show in its fifth season would be today.

By the time of the Darin recast, it had basically morphed into a family show that was aimed more at the kids. The first couple of years it really was more of an adult comedy, especially for the time.

The few episodes in which she interacted with Endora were very funny

[quote]The few episodes in which she interacted with Endora were very funny

LOVED hearing Endora say — coolly and cattily — "Mrs. Stephens."

And to think originally they were going to cast Connie Stevens as Sam.

[quote]The few episodes in which she interacted with Endora were very funny

Especially when Endora would dish out the charm when with her husband.

Mabel was always Mrs. Stephens, but I think they recast her husband a few times.

Mabel was also good as Howard Sprague's overprotective mother on "Andy Griffith".

[quote] LOVED hearing Endora say — coolly and cattily — "Mrs. Stephens."

One of the funniest running gags on the show was that the two people Endora would greet incredibly coldly were always Mother Stephens and Larry Tate. Mother Stephens never dared say anything back (although she always had hilariously bitchy things to say about Endora to others). Larry was so self-centered he never even noticed.

Apparently Mabel and Agnes were on very friendly terms in real life. It makes watching their scenes now that much more enjoyable.

I don't recall Endora being cold to Larry Tate.

ENDORA: (icily) "Good evening, MIST-er Tate!

LARRY: (obliviously) "Hiya, Endora! How's the gal?"

Where I grew up they didn't show the B&W years of Bewitched, so I didn't discover Alice Pearce until Nick at Night. What a revelation. Alice Pearce was the absolute best. Sandra Gould was just okay, but Pearce... she was Gladys. Gould played Alice as too cunty.

Thanks for reminding me how much I love this show.

R21 Same. You felt sorry for Pearce, but you wanted Gould to get everything she got. They were almost different characters.

In the film version of Bewitched there were a few scenes put in showing Elizabeth Montgomery doing the television series (I forget why). But showing side-by-side Elizabeth Montgomery and Nicole Kidman playing the same character one thing was unmistakably clear: Elizabeth Montgomery was the better actress.

[quote]Where I grew up they didn't show the B&W years of Bewitched, so I didn't discover Alice Pearce until Nick at Night. What a revelation. Alice Pearce was the absolute best. Sandra Gould was just okay, but Pearce... she was Gladys. Gould played Alice as too cunty.

Same here, but the station that played the reruns when I was growing up barely even played the Dick York episodes, so not only did I not discover Pearce until later, but the same with Aunt Clara. No offense to Alice Ghostly, but Aunt Clara was much better as the witch who was past her prime. Peare could have her moments of shrewishness, but she also could be very child-like and could be friendly with the Stephens at times. She had some great comic timing. Probably don't need to say also discovered that York was a better Darin.

Speaking of replacements, there was a one-off episode with "Cousin Henry" where he accompanied Samantha and Tabitha to a department store and proceeded to create practical joke havoc a la Uncle Arthur. We never saw Cousin Henry again.

I assume it was written for Paul Lynde and he was unavailable, but does anyone know anything about this episode?

[quote]And to think originally they were going to cast Connie Stevens as Sam.

And to think originally they were going to cast Tammy Grimes as Sam.

Mabel Albertson was also Cloris Leachman's mother-in-law.

Hollywood is a very small town.

Steve Franken (Cousin Henry) was one of the stable of actors who appeared on Bewitched as various different characters over course of show.

SF appeared as a dog/alien in the episode where Aunt Clara conjured up a space ship in the Stephen's back yard (the aliens were dog like creatures). In another episode Endora’s archnemesis Carlotta (Mercedes McCambridge} was trying to enforce a marriage contract between Sam and her son Juke who was played by Steve Franken.

Members of Sam's extended family were always popping up for one episode, then never seen again. There was the elf named Edgar (played by Henry Gibson) who also was a cousin of Sam, and didn't like Darrin.

Dick York due to ill health was sidelined from episodes in seasons three and four. By fifth season things had deteriorated to point Mr. York could no longer continue with show (or Elizabeth Montgomery forced him out, take your pick). For all these absences Dick York's character was written out of show or some how Darrin was worked around some how. Sam, Endora, and Tabitha going out shopping was one way to achieve this, throwing in Cousin Henry spiced up storyline. Maybe Paul Lynde wasn't available, or it was cheaper to use Steve Franken, who knows...

Aunt Clara told Darrin's parents she was a witch. They just thought she was off her meds....

Endora OTOH never gave Mrs. Stephens a chance to get out of the gate at their first meeting.

When I was a kid, I loved one of the Henry Gibson episodes, but I don't remember whether it was the elf or Napoleon. I became increasingly irritated as weeks went on and he never showed up, until he did as another character, which really confused me. It didn't help that my parents thought it was hilarious to tell me that the actors themselves were "changed" by Samantha, who was a real witch, which is why they played different characters. I think I was 10 before I realized Elizabeth Montgomery was not a witch.

I watched the first couple of seasons last year on Roku (they rotate what seasons they are showing, I am guessing they cannot have all 8 available at the same time). That clip above captures what I noticed when watching season 1. Endora is a lot more subtle in her interference and troublemaking. Using her wit and comments meant to undermine or cause doubt rather than using magic or at least using magic in the extreme. It made more sense that she was allowed in their home than later on when she was turning Darin into various animals etc. The first season really had a number of episodes where not many changes would have needed to be made to have witchcraft not being part of the show at all.

Darin was also a more charming and less angry in season 1 and did not freak out every time Samantha used witchcraft and was even amused by it from time to time.

If Sam's parents were mortals, they would have been way above Darrin and his people. So would have Sam for that matter.

Despite their formidable powers, neither Maurice nor Endora were evil or wicked. Rather both were intelligent, witty, urbane, sophisticated, and often quite charming. You don't live for several centuries and not learn a few things...

Endora made Mrs. Stephens look like a frump by comparison. The latter's attempts to zing Endora to her face also often fell flat. Mrs. Stephen's had to resort to old frau handbook play of talking about Endora behind her back to score any points at all.

Bewitched had so many things going on at various levels. it wasn't always about witchcraft.

It wasn't just Darrin being a mortal that bother's Sam's parents/family, but fact they clearly believed she married far beneath her class.

Jack Snow!

Yummy!

Jonathan Daly (Mr.Hinkley) also appeared in more than one episode of Bewitched.

Growing up, I just assumed the show - with all its sunny exteriors - was set in California. Later learning it was set in NY, I wished that Mad Men would’ve made a nod to the McMann & Tate in-city, competitive agency.

Even Paul Lynde played more than one character. His first appearance was as Sam's nervous driving instructor.

The early seasons I think they did a better job of making it seem it was in the NYC area. Later on, they did not even try to hide the palm trees.

Mabel Albertson specialized in disdain.

Bit of Trivia,

Sam tells John Snow he's in Hinkley's Department Store in Patterson, New York. Elizabeth Montgomery knew Patterson, NY well as she spent summers there as a child, and continued to visit right up until she died.

Broadway actress Martha-Bryan Allen had a sister named Elizabeth who was first wife of Robert Montgomery, thus making her Elizabeth Montgomery's aunt. It was likely at her aunt's estate that Elizabeth Montgomery visited as a child in Patterson, and perhaps also later as an adult before her death.

After Martha-Bryan Allen died her property was acquired by State of New York and incorporated into Wonder Lake State Park.

While Patterson, NY is not far from Conneticut state border, Westport, Conn is quite a distance away. So why Sam, Endora and Tabitha went all that way just for a day of shopping does not make sense..

Mabel Albertson would make a great DL avatar.

R38

Or the mountains...

Whenever Bewitched showed episodes filmed outside of office building were Darrin worked in background you could see huge mountains in distance. Needless to say Madison Avenue in NYC has no such terrain.

L.A. has hills, r42, not huge mountains.

One of my sweetest memories was a scene between Darrin and Endora at the hospital after Tabitha's birth. There was a few seconds, literally, where their love of Samantha and the newborn Tabitha put them exactly in the same emotional spot and it came through as such a kind, loving few moments that they shared.

I recently watched an early film she was in. She was probably in her late 20s, but had one of those faces that always looked old.

^ Mabel Albertson, that is. Not Elizabeth Montgomery.

I always loved this show and love it to this day in reruns.

[quote]Later learning it was set in NY, I wished that Mad Men would’ve made a nod to the McMann & Tate in-city, competitive agency.

They weren't going to pretend it was a real agency--that's just not Matt Weiner's style.

However, there is an episode set in the mid-60s where Don and Harry go to a Rolling Stones concert, and backstage a teenage groupie keeps sarcastically referring to Don as "Darrin Stephens" when she finds out his job.

All-time favorite Mabel Albertson bit is when she's alone with Serena after Endora has left the house:

PHYLLIS: "Tell me, dear: don't you think Endora wears too much make-up for a woman of her age?"

SERENA: "She will only admit to three hundred!"

PHYLLIS: (takes slight pause) "I suppose I deserved that..."

this is the Darrin/Endora scene that I found to be so memorable and so sweet

I know most people preferred Dick York as Darrin, but I liked Dick Sargent better. York’s Darren was too angry. That’s what comes to mind when I think of his version.

Be-Bitched!

Darrin's apology to Endora by the action of naming the baby Tabitha like she wanted was a nice moment as well.

The first couple of seasons had some dramatic moments. There was one scene where Sam thought she was losing Darrin (I think he was becoming power hungry due to being granted powers while sick in bed) and gives this heartfelt plea to return to who he was. He agrees, but admits weakness and tells her she better remove his memory of what it was like to have powers.

[quote] However, there is an episode set in the mid-60s where Don and Harry go to a Rolling Stones concert, and backstage a teenage groupie keeps sarcastically referring to Don as "Darrin Stephens" when she finds out his job.

I don't recall that. At least, then, Weiner acknowledged that in real time - the '60s - his characters would be aware of Bewitched.

Dick Wilson, famous for playing Mr. Whipple in those Charmin ads, recurred, usually as a drunk at a bar. "Bewitched" became rather notorious, in retrospect for how much the characters drank. And folks like Larry Tate would usually drive home afterwards. The plots sometimes used the fact that people were drinking as an excuse for the witchcraft they saw. I'm not judging, as I loved the show, but there was a whole lot of boozing going on with the Stephenses and the Tates.

@2:15

"Like 'Bewitched'?"

"You're Durwood, and you're... Mr. Kravitz!"

[quote] "Bewitched" became rather notorious, in retrospect for how much the characters drank.

"Louise, would you like a martini? Larry, I'll make yours a double!"

I loved that leopard print outfit that Mabel Albertson wore in "What's Up Doc." She looked hot.

R29 and R35,Jack Snow was cute with a nice butt in that Rams' uniform!

R54 - The is a whole lot of boozing on Endeavor and Murdoch Mysteries too!

I think it’s safe to say even in the 60’s Elizabeth Montgomery was a LGBTQ ally. The show and it’s message were so pro-gay.

She was almost my mother in law, too!

Didn't Ann Marie marry Don by the end of the series?

Drinking (and smoking) were much more common prior to the 1980s.

[quote]Didn't Ann Marie marry Don by the end of the series?

They were engaged the last season, but it went off the air before they actually got married.

[quote] I think it’s safe to say even in the 60’s Elizabeth Montgomery was a LGBTQ ally. The show and it’s message were so pro-gay.

Almost all the witches and warlocks not only seemed gay, but they were often played by gay actors. But one of the things I loved about the show was that Sam always treated everyone who came to her house with total respect until they proved to be naughty. Witch, warlock, human, leprechaun, Queen victoria, Napoleon Bonaparte... she always treated them with dignity.

Of course in real life Elizabeth Montgomery adored gay men, and she just doted on the gay Dick Sargent (the 2nd Darrin), who was one of her best friends. I always like their rhythm together because even if he was not wildly in love with Montgomery the way Dick York was, you could tell they genuinely enjoyed each other's company and liked being together.

You know that Sam did her best to give Darrin a good sex life. He was a little depressive, so without that he'd probably have sunk into a gray Organization Man despondency.

@R54

Post war USA society wasn't that much different than years between the wars, everyone drank! This was true across ocean in UK and elsewhere in Europe. It was just that television shows (along with films) brought such behaviour to the masses for all to see.

In nearly every middle class and above USA home there was a bar (ours was in family room) post WWII. Tons of suburban homes just like the Stephens or Tates if didn't have a large full bar, and something set up for drinks somewhere in living or dining area.

1950's through 1970's was era of "four martini lunches", bars in executive offices, bar cars on commuter and other rail trains, and of course airlines plied passengers (especially businessmen and first class) with nearly unlimited amounts of booze.

By 1970's or so all this free flowing booze was having all sorts of effects that manifested themselves throughout various levels of society. Drunk driving was one of course, but then you had not small numbers of women both married and single who were alcoholics. Two most famous film examples was Mrs. Robinson (The Graduate), and Kirsten Arnesen (Days of Wine and Roses)

@R54

Post war USA society wasn't that much different than years between the wars, everyone drank! This was true across ocean in UK and elsewhere in Europe. It was just that television shows (along with films) brought such behaviour to the masses for all to see.

In nearly every middle class and above USA home there was a bar (ours was in family room) post WWII. Tons of suburban homes just like the Stephens or Tates if didn't have a large full bar, and something set up for drinks somewhere in living or dining area.

1950's through 1970's was era of "four martini lunches", bars in executive offices, bar cars on commuter and other rail trains, and of course airlines plied passengers (especially businessmen and first class) with nearly unlimited amounts of booze.

By 1970's or so all this free flowing booze was having all sorts of effects that manifested themselves throughout various levels of society. Drunk driving was one of course, but then you had not small numbers of women both married and single who were alcoholics. Two most famous film examples was Mrs. Robinson (The Graduate), and Kirsten Arnesen (Days of Wine and Roses)

I liked those early episodes as well. One that stands out was the show where Darrin realizes that Samantha will stay young as he ages. It had a sweetness that didn't depend on the gimmicks the later episodes had.

It's funny how sometimes actors that don't really care for each other in real life (like Ted Danson and Shelley Long, Bruce Willis and Cybill Shephered) have great chemistry on-screen. Montgomery and York did not socialize at all outside of Bewitched, but they had great rapport on the show. Montgomery and Sargent were great friends, but had zero chemistry onscreen.

Speaking of recurring characters, I always liked the woman who played Darrin's fiancee . She appeared in three episodes, and was like a younger Alexis Carrington in her bitchinees.

Love is the most powerful force in universe. Where it exists and is strong evil cannot work against it, period.

Both Endora and Maurice realized this after trying everything within their (formidable) powers to break up Darrin and Sam, or at least get the latter to leave her husband. Maurice literally evaporated Darrin into ashes, only to have Sam turn against him in a furious rage.

That was entire essence of Bewitched, Darrin and Sam had their differences, but they loved each other no matter what, same as any other sitcom about married couples.

Best in house gag is when someone in charge of coming up with plot lines for Bewitched thought it be a good idea to give Uncle Arthur a lady friend. Didn't help matters that witch too form of the stacked and gorgeous Barbara Rhoades.

Sam's facial expressions when first clapping eyes on "Aretha" were priceless. Sam also managed to get in a few good burns that just went right over Aretha's head.

[quote]I always liked the woman who played Darrin's fiancee . She appeared in three episodes, and was like a younger Alexis Carrington in her bitchinees.

The fabulous Nancy Kovack played Sheila. She married conductor Zubin Mehta in the late 1960s, retired from show business, and has spent her life swanning around the world ever since. Good for her!

One of the better episodes was when Endora and Uncle Arthur declared war upon each other.

Am almost certain house show at 1:36 is same used for Major Nelson's Florida home in "I Dream of Jeannie".

This episode was from season three, and already you can see Darrin is either sitting, standing only for short periods, then finally going off camera (into another part of house).

In fairness from production and creative point of view can see why Dick York had to go if he couldn't pull up his socks. Nothing is anyone's fault, but the show was supposed to be about a man married to a witch. If said husband was going to be absent for most of episodes, and or otherwise not on screen what is the point?

Barbara Rhoades was always a welcome presence, r71.

Something about Mabel Albertson reminds me of the MOTHER of the Cowsills - Barbara Cowsill

R69

Sheila the ex-girlfriend was played by Nancy Kovack, a Michigan native (and U of M alumni) known mainly for her beauty and being rather stacked. Much of her acting work was on television including shows such as Mannix and Hawaii Five-O, but also did several films.

Like many "B" list actresses Ms. Kovack packed things in, married Zubin Mehta, and retired.

In the orgy of reuse of Bewitched scripts Casey and Sam had at least on rematch, but outcome was always same. Sam - 2, Casey - 0

R74

And how!

Nancy Kovack and Zubin Mehta are still married. Both in their late eighties now.

She's still stunning, r78...

Va-voom...

R80- She was not that beautiful. She just had a nice RACK

They left Darrin and Shelia's history somewhat vague. When I watched the pilot, I was wondering, were they dating when she went to Europe and did Darrin have a whirlwind relationship and marriage to Sam while Sheila was out of the country without breaking up with her? I am assuming they were casual and not exclusive or perhaps not dating when she left, but it is never spelled out.

It is possible that Sheila had a legitimate reason to feel a little hostile about their marriage. In an episode the following season where Endora casts a spell so Sam can see how Darrin would be if they never met, Darrin is ready to buy Samantha a drink and put the moves on her the night before he is supposed to marry Sheila.

Sheila Summers (Nancy Kovack) was Darrin's wealthy former fiancée and Samantha's nemesis. She appeared three times in the series: in the pilot episode ("I, Darrin, Take This Witch, Samantha"), and in "Snob in the Grass", where she tries to seduce Darrin, only to be publicly humiliated by Samantha's witchcraft. She also appeared in the 1968 episode "If They Never Met".

Nancy Kovack also appears as the character Clio Vanita, Darrins beautiful and flirtatious female client from Italy in the two-part episode "Cousin Serena Strikes Again".

Again as we've seen often in Bewitched actors were used for different characters without regards to past. Darrin and Sam didn't know "Clio Vanita" from Eve....

Nancy Kovack was often cast as exotic European (Italian, Greek, etc...) beauties, complete with either blonde wigs or bleached hair.

On another note as with Sam on some levels, Sheila Summers was out of Darrin Stephens league. But back in 1960's and 1970's that is how a young go getter who was going places, well got going. Young doctors, attorneys, executives, etc.. from decidedly middle class backgrounds married up, that is daughters from wealthy and or connected families. Such young women and their backgrounds were deemed what a such young men needed to help launch and propel their careers. They knew how to give right sort of parties, how to run their households, etc... all in aid of promoting their husband's professional and societal interests.

The "Ad Game" was big in 1960's and like Wall Street today attracted young men who would make their fortunes. Shelia Summers may have married a bit down, but she likely saw that Darrin was going places, and with her help could easily be great. She wasn't sure about the deal since she tells Sam had she not gone away to Europe it "might have been her" who married Darrin.

Sheila only made plays for Darrin for same reasons females always do; to get at a man's current wife or gf by proving she still can take or have the man anytime she wishes. Again not that female in question wants her ex back per se, but just wants to be strong on his current gf or wife.

Nancy Kovack was an actress with limited skills in that direction. Had it not been for her good looks and rocking body she likely wouldn't have even reached "B" grade status. If it wasn't for television what career Ms. Kovack had probably wouldn't have existed at all.

Ms. Kovack (now Meta) in an episode of Cannon..

Nancy Kovack married in 1969 and for next six years before retiring was credited as just that, or Nancy Kovak Mehta, or just Nancy Mehta.

Near as one can tell Cannon episode linked below from 1979 was her last television or any other screen acting appearance.

That was a handsome young Robert Hays diving to his death in the intro to Cannon!

"That was a handsome young Robert Hays...."

Was he ever!

Have seen that Cannon episode dozens of times since MeTV has kept that show as part of late night LE line up for years now.

Plot line was that Robert Hay's character was gay (pretty edgy for 1970's evening crime drama), but married the beautiful Ms. Kovack (who played an actress that family in particular uncle despised), as sort of a beard. He commits suicide, uncle tycoon tries to pin it on the wife (who knew), but Cannon got to the bottom of things.

Cannon had at least two gay plot lines, which again was interesting given the times.

Bewitched reused plots and actual scripts all the time...and also used plots/scripts from I Dream of Jeanie.

Screen Gems produced both shows which is why the I Dream of Jeanie kitchen pops up in Betwitched.

The Bewitched set was used in several other films and TV shows. It's in a Jerry Lewis movie and it was the set they used for the first version of Happy Days when it was a segment on Love American Style to name two.

I also grew up watching reruns after school but didn't really enjoy the show until I was much older. For one, when I was younger, I was a much bigger Dick Sargent fan and remember hearing that the change was seamless--something I also didn't get. Cut to 20 years later, Sargent is TERRIBLE as Darrin.

R64 et al

Marlo Thomas stated in numerous interviews she put her foot down about Ann Marie getting married while "That Girl" ran. What happened later (after show ended) was another matter.

Ms. Thomas felt that "That Girl" was a pioneering television show for the age depicting a single woman making it on her own in NYC. Having Ann Marie marry the handsome but long suffering and ever waiting Donald Hollinger would be sort of selling out.

[quote]Sargent is TERRIBLE as Darrin

He is, he really is. York didn't appeal to me as a kid, because he was always so uptight, frequently freaking out about things. As a person, Sargent seems much more personable, but he's not nearly as good of an actor. York also had a great look about him, very straight laced professional type, but with those massive puppy dog eyes.

I always have to be reminded that York was not gay and was in fact very much in love with Elizabeth Montgomery, because when he pitches a fit over something, he is as queeny as can be. It's no wonder people didn't always know if someone like Lynde was gay, when so many straight comedians in sitcoms had mannerisms that these days we'd call "pinging."

[quote]SF appeared as a dog/alien in the episode where Aunt Clara conjured up a space ship in the Stephen's back yard (the aliens were dog like creatures).

That episode "Samantha's Secret Saucer" was Marion Lorne's last episode before she died.

That episode aired April18, 1968.

Marion Lorne died May 9, 1968.

Young Dick York!

Today:

S6 E8

A Bunny For Tabitha

Uncle Arthur brings home the wrong kind of bunny. Samantha: Elizabeth Montgomery. Darrin: Dick Sargent. Larry: David White. Sylvester: Bernie Kopell. Bunny: Carol Wayne. Tabitha: Erin Murphy...

[quote] The Bewitched set was used in several other films and TV shows. It's in a Jerry Lewis movie and it was the set they used for the first version of Happy Days when it was a segment on Love American Style to name two.

And I think that Dr. Bellows’ house was Stephens‘s house.

Dick Sargent came into his own as those last 3 years went on. Dick and Agnes held that show together; Elizabeth was checked out by then. She only stayed because of the money they kept throwing at her.

[quote]Dick Sargent came into his own as those last 3 years went on. Dick and Agnes held that show together; Elizabeth was checked out by then. She only stayed because of the money they kept throwing at her.

I loved how toward the end Samantha transformed from housewife fashion to miniskirts, go-go boots and a fabulous blonde fall!

And often didn't wear a bra either...

Talk about passive aggressive..

I loved it when Montgomery played her cousin Serena. She showed what a good actress she was.

In this scene, Bob Cummings (The Bob Cummings Show) and Nan Martin (The Drew Carey Show, among her numerous credits) play the other couple.

I always thought it a shame that Montgomery turned her back on comedy after Bewitched and only really focused on "serious" dramas. She was that rare thing...a gorgeous, sexy, and very very funny comedienne.

And, Serena was a brilliant character. It showcased that Montgomery could do broad comedy in addition to being so good at playing the "straight" man as Samantha.

And, to be honest, I think she's far better at comedy than drama. She's a lot like Carol Burnett. When they do drama, it seems forced and phony. Usually.

She was nominated 9 times for an Emmy award (5 of those nominations were for Bewitched), but never won. She was also nominated 4 times for a Golden Globe, also for the show, and never won those either. Disgraceful.

Cast changes on long-running comedies never seem to work. Alice Pearce and Dick York had awful replacements on Bewitched. Only Kasey Rogers was an improvement. Are You Being Served lost Mr. Lucas and Mr. Grainger , and gained horrible substitutes. MASH is always mentioned as successful replacements, but they are a mixed bag. I didn't mind Harry Morgan taking over for McLean Stevenson, but David Ogden Stiers for Larry Linville was just okay (Stiers was more of a match for Alda, but far less funny than Linville), and the less said about the Mike Farrell takeover for Wayne Rogers the better. Suffice it to say, I never honestly laughed once at any scene BJ Hunnicutt was in.

R102

Yes but sometimes things cannot be helped. When member of an ensemble cast dies or otherwise cannot continue television series changes must be made.

Alice Pearce - Was mortally ill and eventually died.

Dick York - We've done this many times, no need to go there again.

Arthur Brough - Retired from acting after death of his wife. He himself would pass on just several weeks later.

Trevor Bannister - Are You Being Served was created originally as a vehicle for "Mr. Lucas". It didn't last as show morphed more into an ensemble cast, and worse (for Mr. Bannister) John Inman's character (Mr. Humphries) became a breakaway hit with audiences.

As wont to happen with British actors Mr. Bannister had his fingers in different pies. He was doing a play which conflicted with taping of AYBS, so he quit the latter.

Wayne Rodgers - Left M*A*S*H after a bitter contract and creative dispute. This and he had grown bored with acting and wanted to focus instead on his financial investments career which was doing rather well.

Mr. Rodgers felt increasingly that his character was being written as nothing more than playing straight man to Alan Alda's endearingly wry Hawkeye character.

McLean Stevenson - Wanted out of M*A*SH to pursue other interests. Bended knee, or neither love nor money would convince him to remain.

More on Wayne Rodgers..

Dick York is awful. He plays exactly one note, which is shouting. It’s a flaw in Samantha’s character that she loves this asshole. Fortunately by Season 5, his health problems took him away from several episodes.

Question: Would Larry Tate have been at all reasonable to deal with or been an ok boss if he didn't have all that witchcraft making Darren's life all hectic (and which Tate never understood was going on)?

Has it been mentioned that Mabel was once mother-in-law to Cloris?

"Louise Tate" is a good name for a cat.

EM and Paul Lynde at Hollywood Palace

EM sings with Vic Damone!

Another skit with Paul Lynde

Elizabeth Montgomery & Martin Landau on Password

Agnes Moorehead & Barry Nelson on Password

Yes, R107.

So many great character actors in the past.

Did anyone see the Autopsy-Elizabeth Montgomery with the hot, gray-haired M.E? It was one of the sadder ones actually. Get those colons checked, kids.

Sadly as with many cases of colon cancer than and still today symptoms were ignored by EM and or misread by her physicians until it was too late.

Just to be clear EM's remains never were autopsied. Causes of death were malnutrition, respiratory arrest, and metastatic colon cancer. Last had duration of years, second several months, and first just a few seconds (it's the way we all go mostly, we stop breathing and or heart stops beating).

Since EM suffered a mortal illness there was no need for a postmortem examination to discover the cause of death.

Oh and contributing cause of death was anasarca. This condition likely was due to her liver being diseased from cancer.

Has it been mentioned that Mabel was once mother-in-law to Cloris?

Yes, Mabel was likely the reason that all of Cloris children turned out to be gay.

Wow, Elizabeth had a surprisingly good singing voice.

I love that she seemed to take charge of her career and refused to do the usual press, interviews, or promotion bullshit...she was a rare bird.

Agreed, R121, I was impressed by her singing voice on that “Hollywood Palace” clip — who knew?

Dominick Dunne wrote a charming story about Liz Montgomery, not sure if it was in “The Way We Lived Then” or in one of his articles: During the years Dunne worked in television, he and his wife became good friends with Gig Young and his wife, Liz Montgomery. Dunne’s sons adored Liz, who was always very kind to them. Years later, Griffin Dunne was the envy of his classmates when he told them that he knew Samantha Stephens from “Bewitched”.

I also think it’s interesting that she worked with the legendary Otto Preminger early in her career, in “The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell”.

Not to mention the legendary Miss Carol Burnett...

Who knew EM could sing?

FFS, every gayling mesmerized by Serena in the 1970s.

^ But that was Pandora Spocks

Mabel and Jack Albertson were first cousins, once removed, of my uncle. My aunt told me that Mabel once called them out of the blue when she found their phone number on a piece of paper in a drawer. I guess Mabel wanted to catch up with that part of the family. My uncle’s mother had died by then (she was the first cousin of the Albertson siblings).

Robert Montgomery Jr., Robert Montgomery Snr, and Elizabeth Montgomery all died of cancer.

Robert H. Montgomery Jr., NYT obituary.

[quote]He was married to Melanie and Deborah Chase.

?

As with so many actors of the time television was a double edged sword. Those who landed in hit series which lasted several or many seasons did rather well on average financially, but at expense of taking on other work and growing professionally. There is also always risk that said actor will be typecast by their famous television role and which can make producers and others reluctant to cast them in anything else.

EM actually had a pretty decent C.V. of work (mostly television) prior to "Bewitched". Being the daughter of famous actor Robert Montgomery likely helped or didn't hurt her career, This even though IIRC her father was originally against idea of EM going into acting.

Reason why EM looked so great as Serena on Bewitched is she was a natural brunette.

It really is a badge of honor to have a classic Twilight Zone episode on your resume.

EM co-starring with a remarkably handsome young Tom Poston in an episode of Boris Karloff's "Thriller". This is from 1961 several years before "Bewitched".

EM and TP played vampires, and again you can see how attractive Ms. Montgomery was as a natural brunette.

Maybe tempting fate, but when my time comes do hope Death looks like young Robert Redford....

Twilight Zone, Boris Karloff's Thriller, Alfred Hitchcock Presents and later Hour, and other similar shows from 1960's often gave young actors their first work. This and also provided work for older actors from "Golden Age of Hollywood", so there was quite a mix.

To be young Robert Redford teamed with the great Gladys Cooper.....

R123, Liz was in the audience of an early episode of the Carol Burnett Show. Carol acknowledged her presence.

Indeed she does, r134...

Too bad Elizabeth never guested on Carol’s show. Barbara Eden did.

Yeah, I always thought it strange Montgomery never guested on the Burnett show...they apparently were friends.

Maybe it was a network thing...Montgomery was on ABC and Burnett on CBS. Back then, there were contracts that prohibited performers from appearing on rival networks.

r137, I believe Carol refers to that in r135.

R106

Larry Tate while fictional was not unlike many "bosses" in real world of 1950's through really 1980's business world. There might still be some roaming about still for all I know, but modern times have changed acceptable behavior.

Back then to be a company man meant just that; your superiors owned you which was accepted because they held all the cards. If a junior or young executive wanted to get on and go places, he had to keep on good side of his boss or bosses. This extended down to a man's wife and children. Senior executives often often dispatched their wives or some other committee to examine a junior executive or candidate for "executive training program/school" to see if she passed muster.

If there was scandal brewing at home (a wife or child out of control) said executive was given his marching orders, go home and sort things out or else.

Ad game was *it* in 1960's and 1970's; and Larry Tate personified sort of boss that would do anything to keep his numbers up. Getting and keeping clients was all that mattered to guys like Larry Tate. They'd throw their own mothers under a bus if that is what it took to land a deal.

Yes, guys like Larry Tate often took credit (or tried) for their underlings work. But that was same in real life and sort of understood way how things were done in business, and certain professions such as law or whatever. In due course of time junior executive or partner would be given appropriate credit and rewarded (hopefully), but dues had to be paid.

I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I totally believed that Pandora Spox was a real actress.

R140 I think many did. EM was very good in the role. She should have won the Emmy just for playing Serena.

In another thread long ago, somebody explained that his parents fed into the Pandora Spocks credit prank by inventing a whole biography for her. I think she’d been chased out of Hollywood for being too wild, which is why we never saw her in anything else.

R139 Thanks for taking the time to write that.

Bewitched was referenced 3 times in Mad Men as I recall: 1) as mentioned above, backstage at the Rolling Sones concert, 2) Harry mentioning a client's commercial will run during a show that is playing opposite Bewitched so no one will see it, and 3) when Don goes to California, Harry pleads with him to meet Bill Asher at the Brown Derby, "He'll probably try to cast you!"

Vaguely related, when I was a kid watching all of this in reruns, as the TV was my nanny. I couldn't understand Alice Pearces Gladys was NOT Iola Boylens mother, and I couldn't stand either.

Then I learned how to read.

Unpopular opinion, but as much as I like Montgomery and find her talented, I found Serena a bit shrill and her voice and mannerisms distractingly fake.

I do think Montgomery did a great job when she was Serena pretending to be Samantha with infusing Serena more subtly into her Samantha imitations. She was also excellent in a season 1 episode when Endora was imitating Samantha (make-up, hair and wardrobe also did a great job putting some Endora style in Montgomery's performance in those scenes).

I can see Liz losing for Bewitched Emmys to Mary Tyler Moore and Lucille Ball who were huge at the time, but losing to Hope Lange twice for the all but forgotten Ghost And Mrs. Muir was ridiculous. Reportedly Liz did not campaign for the actual winning, but they saw fit to nominate her a lot between Bewitched and her other tv work. Granted, the Lange losses were at the tail end of Bewitched when the show was deteriorating, but the fact she didn’t win at least once for the show is unforgivable.

How she could lose to tired, old Lucy was a joke. The Lucy Show and Here's Lucy were horrible.

[quote]I found Serena a bit shrill and her voice and mannerisms distractingly fake.

I agree, Serena always seemed to be putting on a personality that wasn't really hers, and she seemed mean, to boot. I don't know how I'd relate to her as an adult. I suppose I should watch an episode to find out.

Sam had her bitchy moments (see clip above where she meet's Uncle Arthur's fiancée), but her character overall had to remain a Connecticut society matron, wife and mother.

As Serena Elizabeth Montgomery could play alter ego to Samantha. By this time Elizabeth Montgomery had pushed "Sam" far as she could go; the bouffant flip was replaced by hippie long hair, in came mod boots, mini skirts, etc.... And yes as noted above often Sam didn't even wear a bra.

You can see while Sam was the "goody two shoes" of the family, that Serena fit in more towards the witty, urbane, sexy cosmopolitan side of things.

On another note Sam's family was and still is a puzzle to me. They never seem to have seen each other for ages! Sam hadn't seen Maurice is who knows how long, and while yes Endora and her husband weren't living together, that wasn't an excuse.

Serena hadn't seen Sam since they where children, what was up with that?

Poor Mrs. Stephens senior had no idea who she was messing about with!

Sam had quite an edge in the early B&W episodes when jealous of female admirers of Darrin - the ex fiance and then next door neighbor, for example.

My drag name is going to be Pleasure O'Riley...

Serena is more fun when you're an adult, because she's chaotic-neutral, which is confusing when you'rre a kid.

Most of the witches are either good-lawful people (like Sam) good-chaotic people (Aunt Clara, Uncle Arthur), or bad people (almost everyone else... or at least they are to Darrin). But Serena is neutral. She likes Sam and Endora, and she has a flirty teasing attitude towards Darrin (though he dislikes her), but she can get pissed off very easily at just about anyone and zap them with a spell. This was confusing to me as a child--I found her not funny (like i did Jeannie's campily evil sister on "I Dream of Jeannie") but just unsettling.

Jeannie was so passive and Major Master treated her like shit. I preferred the Sam and Darin dynamic.

I loved Serena as a kid. She was everything I hoped my adulthood would be.

That Twilight Zone episode linked above scared wits out of me as a child, but now that am older have come to appreciate and understand.

"It isn't me you're frightened of, you know me. What you're afraid of is the unknown.."

"Don't be afraid; the running is over, it's time to rest."

Is there a more comforting way to ease out of this world and enter into the next?

Ever notice how they started off with Larry Tate as just a typical boss, then made him a client-hungry cartoon? They did the same thing with Mr. Drysdale on "Beverly Hillbillies".

R147 - Was not Hope Lange a regular on some Dick Van Dyke show in the 1970s?

yes, Hope Lange was on the 2nd Dick Van Dyke show, which also featured Chita Rivera.

It always confused me as a kid that Larry and Darrin were such good friends but nearly every episode Larry almost fires him. Those crazy Mad Men!

Darin apparently should have gotten a bigger salary, since besides being a copywriter and coming up with creative slogans and campaigns, he did a lot of his own artwork (that's usually another department). Larry, of course, was the account executive (and partner in the firm).

I saw that clip recently and it was the first time I had ever seen EM, not as Samantha. It was weird. Same thing with Carroll O' Connor on an episode of the Dick Cavett show. Don't get me started on hearing Lucy's real voice for the first time. We just don't have those kinds of roles where the actor is dramatically different from the character anymore (sitcoms or TV shows). I can only think of Gandolfini. Maybe Megan Mullally? Who else?

Oh, Michael Richards

[quote] Darin apparently should have gotten a bigger salary, since besides being a copywriter and coming up with creative slogans and campaigns, he did a lot of his own artwork.

But Larry Tate knew how to schmooze the clients and bring in the money.

He also was great at damage control when Darin inevitably insulted the clients (albeit usually because of his in-laws' interference).

I guess as a kid I wasn't sure if Larry Tate was a bad guy or just a pain in the ass. He wasn't really either, just a demanding boss who was, as you say, very good at schmoozing with his clients and put in some really, unbeknown to him why, very tricky and unusual situations, reacting to them in a very human way. But he certainly usually never let you forget he was the boss and in charge of things ultimately.

Was Larry schmoozy or obsequious? Quite the ass licker if you ask me.

Uncle Arthur went down on Larry in the steam room. No magic spell, just mad skills.

Darrin watched. The Dick Sargent one.

R162

Larry Tate was a partner in firm "McMann and Tate".

Darrin Stephens was an account executive, but take into account ad world was a bit different in back in day with some roles not having set boundaries. An executive may not have done entire layout, but enough to get things going for mock up purposes.

In film "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House", Jim Blandings, a bright account executive in the advertising business also is seen doing a bit of copyright and sketch work IIRC.

Larry Tate was always dangling prospects of a raise and or offering Darrin a partnership, but he always weaseled out later on.

So Larry Tate was Roger Sterling and Darin was Don Draper. I recall a few episodes where Darin drown his sorrows in martinis I think but could have been old fashioneds.

R167

"Was Larry schmoozy or obsequious? Quite the ass licker if you ask me."

Art imitated real life, and back in day clients, sponsors or whatever held all the cards. If they said "jump" those handling their various accounts from advertising, legal, on down responded "how high?"

Sponsors were one of major reasons you saw few blacks in ad campaigns and or television shows. They also vetoed hiring of spokespersons, models, or whoever that had questionable backgrounds or maybe recent scandal. This was written into contracts which almost always contained morals clauses.

Like clients paying for billable hours, those paying for services of an advertising agency wanted their money's worth. If they called up their AE (or most likely senior partner/head of firm) to voice satisfaction or dissatisfaction as case my be, those concerns were acted upon promptly.

None of today's social justice or "equality" BS would have stood for a moment back then. Larry Tate was not just Darrin's boss, but a partner of McMann and Tate, as such he had a strong vested interest in keeping clients happy.

That was one of my favorite episodes, r168!

[quote]Where I grew up they didn't show the B&W years of Bewitched, so I didn't discover Alice Pearce until Nick at Night. What a revelation. Alice Pearce was the absolute best. Sandra Gould was just okay, but Pearce... she was Gladys. Gould played Alice as too cunty.

I grew up watching the original broadcasts once a week in prime time (ABC? I think)...so I saw the B&W episodes first. Looking back, it wasn't a great show but I thought it was when I was a kid. When something is only on once a week and has a lot of great characters, like the Kravitzes, Uncle Arthur, Dr. Bombay, Aunt Clara, Esmeralda - everybody was talking about it and looking forward to the next episode. Sitcoms back then had more episodes, too. Season 1 had 36 episodes, season 2 had 38! Not every one was going to be a masterpiece. Growing up there were a lot of gimmicky sitcoms with charcters having superpowers that kids usally loved. Another one was My Favorite Martian.

By the way, EM was very good friends with Bette Davis, even though her dad and Bette were not fond of each other (not even politically, Bette being a Democrat and Robert M. being a Republican).

[quote]Serena is more fun when you're an adult, because she's chaotic-neutral, which is confusing when you'rre a kid.

My best friend and I used to love Serena when we were kids. Maybe we were sophisticated kids, or maybe you're overthinking it. She wasn't confusing.

Serena was a mod, swinging gal who just wanted to have fun. I thought she was very refreshing whenever she popped in.

Larry was a Ginger gone gray...

Uncle Arthur said he smelled funny down there...

[quote] Although Montgomery and York were fine as the leads, I think it was the supporting cast that put Bewitched head and shoulders above I Dream Of Jeannie.

It was the writing. The first half of the first season of Bewitched is very smart with a lot of social commentary that holds up today. After that, the writers seem to have run out of great ideas or else (likely) the network told them to play up the magic and give us more rivalry between Darren and Endora, but the series still had more purpose than Jeannie ever did.

Bewitched is a metaphor for a socially forbidden marriage between people of different races and religions, a showcase of conflicting cultures coming together, a domestic comedy about in-law troubles, a gender-bender about a woman who has more power than a man but downplays herself to make him feel superior, which pisses off her powerful mother and a lot more.

In the very first episodes, Darren has a client who sexually harasses and then almost assaults Samantha and she turns him into a dog. Darren yells at Sam because he is worried about his job and Sam chews him out, tells him she was terrified and he is wrong to care more about his client than his wife, and she kicks Darren out of the bedroom. In another, Darren has to design a Halloween-based campaign and he draws an ugly old witch and Samantha is alarmed and asks him, "Is this what you think of us?" and explains what is very transparently a metaphor for racial and interreligious dynamics. There's a gigantic menorah on the Stephens's console table by their front door. Darren wants to forget that Sam is different. He's ashamed and afraid of her being different. Sam is proud of it and wants to celebrate it. She suppresses it but has no qualms about being herself in both negative and positive situations, to help and out of spite.

What is Jeannie? The show is all about a woman who serves a man and calls him "master" and is kept captive by him. She also ostensibly is more powerful than he is except that according to the 'rules' of her existence, she is conscripted to him. The show plays on some power dynamics but it's not much of a commentary on anything. It's about Jeannie-bikini annoying 'master' while pleasing him and teasing him, and about master hiding her from ordinary people. Jeannie seemed borderline intellectually disabled, too. She didn't seem unintelligent per se, but she sure seemed dumb in the sense of being naive to everything (whereas Sam pretty much knew everything) and she was as eager as and had the personality of a Labrador retriever. I don't remember specific storylines, but I don't think any of them was particularly smart.

Bewitched was created because someone had a strong idea for the premise.

Jeannie was created because a rival network wanted to cash in on the success of Bewitched.

I liked Jeannie reruns growing up but the show is a completely superficial knockoff of Bewitched, which at the beginning was very smart and multilayered beyond the performances.

[quote]Uncle Arthur went down on Larry in the steam room. No magic spell, just mad skills.

Oh honey, that was nothing...I never went to a steam room without giving someone a blow job...or 6

That was part of my workout routine...

The 33 year old son of David White, who played Larry Tate, died in the 1988 Lockerbie plane crash.

[quote] There's a gigantic menorah on the Stephens's console table by their front door.

Lol, almost. But a menorah has nine candles. There's only had eight.

R179 OF COURSE, it was a goddamn Boeing.

By the end of the second season, there was very little to Bewitched but its initial premise and that fantastic cast, all held afloat by Liz Montgomery’s abundant charm, looks, and acting abilities.

By the second season it had fallen into the patterns that would continue and repeat for the rest of the show, but it was not stale yet and the cast was still giving it their all. The first season might have been better over-all in quality and being a little more sophisticated, but some of the funniest episodes might be from the second season.

I remember noticing as a kid that they had a painting by Grandma Moses in the living room above the fireplace mantle. And that makes me realize that the stuff in the house, the furniture, and the clothes were hip and really colorful. (Endora's makeup is almost neon-strength on modern HDTV) There was CLEARLY the kind of quasi-aristocratic and carefree, hip "underground" quality to the Witches and Warlocks's set, that Sixties sense about underground culture back then, that they were "tuned in" and the Stevens side of things was utter Squaresville.

The other thing about this show that sticks with me still is that Samantha's glamour (as an ordinary "housewife") (and Endora and probably Serena as well) had a subtle and lasting impact on my mother's outlook on things. It's hard to pin down, but there was a big influence there, that I think was more "liberating" than the "independent working girl" stories in That Girl, or the (humorously dreary) storyline worked out in The Mary Tyler Moore Show just a few years later. Sam was a mother and housewife, but there was something really *free* about her. It shown through.

The other partner, McMann, of McMann and Tate, was seen in one or two episodes. He was played by the "Meet Me in St Louis" father.

R180 It looks like 7.

I think the original writers and/or producers left after the first couple if seasons. I think it was Danny Arnold who created Barney Miller. He was the one who kept a lot of the magic out and more of the social issues in, per se, but the network wanted the fantasy.

Although some of the “social issues” stayed as in the episode where the Stephens were asked to join a country club and it was made clear how the characters felt about how black or others were kept out. The thanksgiving episode also talked about the witch trials and judging people. I’m sure there are lots of other examples.

[quote]I remember noticing as a kid that they had a painting by Grandma Moses in the living room above the fireplace mantle. And that makes me realize that the stuff in the house, the furniture, and the clothes were hip and really colorful. (Endora's makeup is almost neon-strength on modern HDTV) There was CLEARLY the kind of quasi-aristocratic and carefree, hip "underground" quality to the Witches and Warlocks's set, that Sixties sense about underground culture back then, that they were "tuned in" and the Stevens side of things was utter Squaresville.

R184 I'm confused from what you wrote whether Grandma Moses is supposed to be hip, or square. My mom had a couple of Grandma Moses prints on the wall and she definityely was not hip. (Though she was cool.) Her paintings were pretty common in the 50s - 70s.

Some menorahs have seven candleplaces instead of nine.

It's not a menorah. Stop the madness.

[quote]He was the one who kept a lot of the magic out and more of the social issues in, per se, but the network wanted the fantasy.

The show was number 2 the first season, you think they would have left the writers alone, since while the ratings remained good, they were never as high as season 1.

One of the more well-meaning episodes, but cringeworthy now, is a later Christmas episode where an African American family is staying with them and a bigoted client thinks their daughter is Darrin's because she and Tabitha are saying they are sisters. Tabitha wishes they were alike, so both girls end up with big dots on their faces. Sam eventually teaches the client a lesson by making him see everyone as black, which meant all of the actors were wearing blackface. It might have been slightly heavy-handed.

Alice Pearce and Marion Lorne were the only two Emmy winners from Bewitched. Elizabeth Montgomery accepted the posthumous awards for both.

Yes - Moorehead won a guest Emmy for her turn as a villain on Wild Wild West, but not for Endora. You would think she and Montgomery would have won at least one award. I think York was only nominated once.

R191 Yes, so true on that. It was written by a high school creative writing class. You can definitely tell it wasn’t the best, but very earnest.

I'm enjoying this thread a lot, but how many Bewitched threads have there been, on DL? Maybe not Golden Girls level, but it seems like hundreds.

Samantha as Endora

Other way round; Endora became Samantha!

For those too young or otherwise not around to get the reference about Sam being late for a fitting; that's how things were back then. Ready to wear for men and women only came in set standard sizes; if you didn't exactly fit what was "off the rack", things had to be altered (fitted). So women and men after spending time choosing or buying something, then had to spend more time (and perhaps money) having said dress, skirt, jacket, trousers or whatever altered, which meant spending time at "fittings".

Some stores did alterations for free, others charged a nominal sum. Women and some men who frequented certain shops often would have their measurements on file. Things could be sent in for alterations in whole or at least started based upon those notes.

1960's though 1970's also was still the era of "dressmaker suits", Scores of seamstresses working either out of their homes or shops did made to order work. The had excellent pattern making skills so they could copy things right out of Vouge or other fashion magazines.

Sondheim's brilliant take down of women from that era "Ladies Who Lunch" speaks about what such women did with themselves all day, including going to fittings.

That's the wrong Robert Montgomery, Jr., R128. There's no mention of an acting career. Elizabeth's brother died in Tallahassee, Florida in April of 2000. The other Robert Montgomery, Jr. was an attorney who died in September of 2000 in Sag Harbor, New York.

Also, a Times obituary for Elizabeth's brother would have mentioned both Robert Jr.'s father and sister.

[quote]In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Samuel, of Los Angeles; a daughter, Margaret, of New York; and two grandchildren. There will be no funeral, Mrs. Montgomery said. A memorial service will be held in Manhattan at a date to be determined.

Here's a bit about her brother, who was known as Skip, from [italic]Twitch Upon a Star: The Bewitched Life and Career of Elizabeth Montgomery[/italic] by Herbie J. Pilato.

Oh and things were rarely lined back then either, how could they be when expectation was things would be altered once or more times over course of lifespan.

Females wore full or half slips to get around that problem, garments along with girdles that long have been consigned to relic box far as most modern women are concerned.

Still, I liked Larry Tate, he seemed to genuinely like Samantha and obviously thought Darrin was a big asset to McMann & Tate!

One of the best things about the show was that although it was sort of a childish world, the characters were all written to be fairly round.

Yeah, I'm totally in the "Bewitched is better than Jeanie" Camp.

Even as a kid watching these I would really stop and get into watching nearly episode of Bewitched while I Dream of Jeannie was just background noise. Eden was likeable but as the poster said up above, Jeannie really was dumb. And, Hagman's character WASN'T very likeable.

I can't really remember any specific episode of Jeannie or any funny bit that has stuck in my mind while Bewitched has dozens and dozens of characters, plots, bits and funny lines that I can still remember very vividly.

[quote] Ready to wear for men and women only came in set standard sizes

How is that different today?

@R204

Should have been clearer; range of sizes was far less and largely were based on a body type or measurement that did not reflect good portion of general population.

Sargent was far more one note than York, who was generally a much better actor . Sargent tended to play the same character over and over.

Danny Arnold was the producer in the first season and despite being the #2 rated show in the country, he had to deal with a lot of interference. Jerry Davis, who later produced early seasons of "That Girl" replaced him but kept the show's sprit into the second season. The show was terrible in the later seasons and they used Serena more often---a little of her went a long way. The supporting cast was great but EM and York were the center of the show, so the combo of ever weaker replacement when people died or left (as in York's case), combined with recycled scripts meant that the show just sucked in its later seasons.

Jeanie was an obvious knock off. They were all second rate actors, at best. The show was filmed in B&W the first season because they didn't expect it to last. It was one of only 2 shows on NBC that wasn't in color. NBC was owned by RCA which pioneered the US system used for colro sets and that network always had more colors show than the others.

Albertson was one of the great battel-axes, although I would imagine that she regularly competed for roles with Doris Packer.

I love it when someone on here mentions a name like Doris Packer and you go, "who's that?" Then you Google and her and go, oh it's that's lady. I'm a nerd. I love all of those character actors from 50s and 50s TV shows. I'm looking at you Reta Shaw.

[quote]Jeanie was an obvious knock off. They were all second rate actors, at best.

I mostly agree with this, but Jeannie was really willful brat. It says a lot about Eden's charm that Jeannie was likable and why the show lasted five years. That and how she filled the costume (which I suppose was part of her charm). I did want to live in that bottle.

I don't know if this has been posted already, but this is my contribution to the thread.

The best thing about that moment at r210 is the very end--you get just a hint that Mrs. van Hoskins finally realizes she's made herself look ridiculous and that everyone is staring at her, but Bogdanovich cuts away just before it comes too obvious.

Liz, in circa '67, is on Password this week on BuzzR TV. She's a delight. And so charmingly competitive. Especially considering how big a TV star she was then, in an era of just three networks, it's interesting that a daytime game show could attract such luminaries.

R212 - If you were on an ABC show then you made the rounds of game shows on ABC.

^ Wasn’t Password on CBS, though?

R214 - I have no idea. I do know that Elizabeth Montgomery made many TV "Movies of the Week". Some of these "Movies of the Week" may have been on ABC.

There was no social media nor red carpets back then for TV stars to self-promote so game show appearances were just another way of promoting yourself. I think, though I could be wrong, that Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett were big password players. Password seemed to get all the rather intelligent TV stars if I remember correctly.

[quote]They were all second rate actors, at best

Larry Hagman, Barabara Eden, Bill Daily, Hayden Rorke, Emmaline Henry were all good actors. Who did you want, Anne Bancroft and Peter O'Toole?

Paul Lynde did double duty on I Dream of Jeanne as well.

R216: Bill Daily, the specialist in annoying neighbors/sidekicks; Barbara Eden, queen of dinner theater; Larry Hagman--what made him a great actor---playing a heel on Dallas? Hayden Rorke--ambiguously gay on every Screen Gems show. Emmaline Henry---pleasant enough but what her thespian bonafides?

Bewitched: Agnes Moorehead (Orson Welles said she could play anything); Dick York--who did Broadway and could play comedy or drama; Shakespearean Maurice Evans; great character players like Alice Pearce and Marion Lorne (both won Emmys that they actually deserved)

R208, Reta Shaw’s unseen presence in the, yes, CBS Password audience was acknowledged by her Bewitched co-star & obvious friend, Elizabeth Montgomery.

R218, you forgot star of Kismet.

Jump to 20:10 if the video doesn't start there.

Lynde appeared on Bewitched as Uncle Arthur only TEN times. Kind of difficult to believe, eh?

[quote]...while Bewitched has dozens and dozens of characters, plots, bits and funny lines that I can still remember very vividly.

Same with me, it is bizarre what sticks even after fifty years!

I guess the following medical condition is known to you?

[italic]Voracious ravenousitis[/italic]?

R221

Paul Lynde was working quite a bit of other gigs besides Bewitched at the time. He was a jobbing actor so to speak who was doing voice overs (mostly cartoon characters), and fingers in other pies so to speak.

Character of Uncle Arthur on Bewitched really didn't expand until like others they were called in to deal with Darrin's (Dick York's) frequent absences. Then with Dick Sargent show widened focus out from mainly just Sam and Darrin to more of Endora and rest of Sam's family. When Agnes Moorehead cut back on Bewitched rest of Sam's family (or other supernatural beings) came in to pick up the slack.

Lynde also did a one season show of his own 1972-1973. William Asher had a contract with ABC, and when Liz decided to quit Bewitched (reportedly they were both fucking around and they ended up divorcing), the Paul Lynde Show was born out of the that. The PL show fulfilled the contract with ABC.

My point above was NOT what an otherwise busy guy Paul Lynde was, but simply as I said, he was only in *10* episodes of the show. Of which there was a total of 254 shows. He was barely even in the show, and yet he's remembered, rightly, as one of its major characters. That's all I meant. -R221

R225 He really had an impact with just a few episodes. Too bad he wasn’t in more of them. You can see how much EM likes working with him, especially in the Serena episode with him. Although I think I read somewhere he didn’t like playing against Serena.

I did like Bill Daily on IDOJ, but that was really the only good supporting player on the show.

Did Elizabeth ever have any comment when her ex-husband became a murderer?

R218 You left off Tony Award winner Alice Ghostley!!!

R228, love Alice Ghostley, but on Bewitched, she just felt like a B-level replacement for Marion Lorne. None of the replacements on Bewitched were very good.

I think the only replacement that was better was Kasey Rogers as Louise. The first one was fine, but I preferred Kasey.

Bernie Koppel was another jobbing actor appearing in many 60s sitcoms incl Bewitched as the witch's apothecary.

Who played Dr. Bombay???? Was he not a stage actor?

R232 Bernard Fox. No stage, but he had extensive film and tv experience. One of the main strengths of Bewitched was the cast, who had been around the acting blocks for a long time, and brought their collective experiences to the show. Fox was the one cast member to live the longest from the show before he died at 89.

And Bernie Kopell just turned 89 so if he makes it another year, he will be the longest surviving cast member.

Bernard Fox was a great British actor often cast by American film and television productions depecting a certain sort of Englishman.

As with Alice Ghostley, and Paul Lynde, Bernard Fox first appeared on Bewitched as something else before being cast as Dr. Bombay.

The "Bom" in Bombay may have been an inside joke speaking to the often bombastic behaviour of good doctor.

Paging Doctor Bombay, paging Doctor Bombay, emergency come right away!

The full season of the Paul Lynde show is on You Tube. The premise is ridiculous(straight, married and a father). And he doesn't even pretend to not be a screaming queen. LOL. Having said that, it's not half bad.

Actor John Calvin played Paul’s son-in-law on his sitcom. He was (still living at 74) a big, blond hunk who appeared shirtless in the 4th episode of the series.

Eden was no Dolores Gray, R220.

R218 Elizabeth Montgomery certainly wasn't a big star before Bewitched. Her career mostly consisted of appearing a lot on her father's TV anthology show, Robert Montgomery Presents, in roles like Tracy Lord in The Philadephia Story, roles that probably would have gone to other people if she wasn't his daughter. She probably wouldn't have gotten very far if her dad wasn't a big star. Granted, she was excellent when she finally got her big chance. Dick York was great, but I wouldn't say Larry Hagman was "less than" Dick York. If you ever saw Harry And Tonto, you know how good he could be, and he was eventually a big TV star. The regulars on Bewitched were very good (George Tobias, Alice Pearce, whoever played Larry Tate, Sandra Gould, and of course, Moorehead). But the rest of the people you mention were guest stars. Which the show depended on, to make it seem better than it was - unlike Jeannie.

John Calvin, a big ole blonde hunk of man from Staten Island, New York.

In the early 60s, tv was still a step down from films. Asher approached Liz about doing Bewitched. She had a few film flops under her belt, so she agreed and it became a big hit. Starting with Bewitched, she knew her place and it was tv.

Up late one night watching Barnaby Jones on TV when John Calvin came on screen. Ok, I'm up and wide awake now!

Had to wait until screen credits to find out his name, one quick Google search later....

Mr. Calvin first appears at 11:02

Sorry, wrong link.

The supporting actor on Bewitched who kind of haunts my memory was that guy with the dark bags under his eyes who tries to blackmail Samantha. I never knew his name. I have remembered him and the sound of his creepy insinuating voice ever since I was a kid when the show was airing. I don't know if he was in more than one episode, but he usually reappeared in various tv episodes, playing a con man or grifter of some kind. (Found him, a piece of cake, looking up Bewitched blackmailer: Robert Strauss)

Even as he aged John Calvin was still a fine looking man. Wonder what he looks like today.

Cannot believe the guy was born and raised on Staten Island. Move out to CA suits him because John Calvin so looks like typical blonde/surfer type.

See? And many of you on DL think Staten Island is only Irish or Italians...

Robert Strass was in The Seven Year Itch and Stalag 17. Billy Wilder.

Paul Lynde's good friend Kaye Ballard tells in interviews how desperately PL wanted to play other roles (perhaps a dramatic lead), but suits in Hollywood just wouldn't budge. Everyone knew PL was gay of course, but idea of him playing anything else but campy, bitchy queen just wasn't offered.

Even the Paul Lynde show still largely had the man playing basically same sort of character he always had, which likely is why show didn't last very long. A little of PL goes (or went) a long way.

So many only know Reta Shaw from playing bossy battleaxes on television shows such as Bewitched. This is sad because the woman was so much more as an actress.

Some of these days....

Reta Shaw with Marion Lorne!

What, no love for Imogene Coca on this thread?

Reta and Don get terpsichorean...

Reta and Don...again.

Is she playing the piano for real with Aunt Clara? the sync was off so hard to tell

R255

Yes....

R248 The Paul Lynde show was very funny in spots but no one believed Paul Lynde as a straight married man.

Elizabeth Montgomery's entire acting career was on television. She joins a not too short list of actors going back to 1960's and right up to today that largely only have careers thanks to television.

Then again maybe EM was happy not wanting what she hadn't got. I mean do we know if she ever wanted to do films or live theatre? Television was quite good to Ms. Montgomery; she had fame and made buckets of money.

In UK where classically trained actors long have moved between stage, film and television they hone skills that allow them to suit their performance to medium in question. What works on live stage for instance may not in tight confines of film, and even tighter television productions.

In contrast you look at a contemporary of Elizabeth Montgomery, Robert Redford.

Both started out their acting careers about same time doing television in late 1950's early 1960's. But RF was doing films starting in 1960 and his last television work was 1963, he then concentrated on films both in front and behind camera.

[quote] And Bernie Kopell just turned 89 so if he makes it another year, he will be the longest surviving cast member.

Interesting yardstick you use for the longest surviving. Usually it means who is still alive today, but you are basing it on oldest age.

Montgomery made a number of films. "The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell" is the only one that ever turns up anywhere and its not bad.

You can't really call her a tv actress in the same way as Barbara Eden who always had small parts regardless of medium until Jeannie and was dining out on that role for decades afterward. Montgomery became the queen of tv movies. Eden made some but was really the queen of dinner theater.

[quote] Eden made some but was really the queen of dinner theater

Ouch!

R259 what is unclear to you? Longest surviving IS the oldest. Kopell just turned 89. Fox died a few years ago. Most of the main cast died relatively young.

That's not what it means, R262.

Has anyone tried Aunt Clara's prizewinning recipe for pickles? Is it all they said it was?

r264 ANOTHER Clara with a prize-winning recipe for pickles?

- Clara Edwards, next door to you-know-who

Oh, that's right, not AUNT Clara, but Bea's neighbor, best friend (and worst enemy)...

Wouldn't exactly dismiss Barbara Eden's work post IDOJ as "dinner theatre" sort of jobs. The woman did well enough for herself considering talents and most importantly work that was available.

"Most important work available"? This is someone who accepted an honorary degree from a non ABA-approved law school, where only 9% of its grads can pass the bar. Absent signing conventions and other nostalgia, shouldn't have the money to pay for all her plastic surgery.

Barbara Eden was already in her early thirties when she landed IDOJ, and again like Elizabeth Montgomery had racked up a CV full of several years of work on small screen.

Sidney Sheldon cast Barbara Eden in IDOJ in part based upon her playing a similar role in motion picture "The Brass Bottle" where she co-stared with Tony Randall.

Correction, Barbara Eden did work with Tony Randall in "The Brass Bottle", but she wasn't a genie.

Not too many women who started on tv had major careers later in film. Of men, John Travolta, Steve McQueen, Clint Eastwood and more recently Chris Pratt have made the jump.

also Johnny Depp.

" The Paul Lynde show was very funny in spots .."

That's just it isn't it? Hard to carry on a weekly sitcom show when the star is only good in "spots".

The Paul Lynde Show only lasted 26 episodes before being cancelled. However same year PLS was cancelled PL was given another shot by William Asher and Harry Ackerman in a new show "Temperatures Rising". That didn't last long either, just thirteen episodes, hiatus, several more, then cancelled due to low ratings.

Opening credits for " New Temperatures Rising".

Paul Lynde only had three acting credits after above sitcom failures. His role in Rabbit Test probably is most remembered, but again you had PL being PL.

Larry Hagman was one of the greatest TV actors ever. To go from Major Nelson to JR Ewing was incredible. Lucille Ball played Lucy Ricardo the rest of her TV career. Ho Hum.

If you watch enough 1960's, 1970's or 1980's evening television dramas or sitcoms (especially crime/LE) you'll spot young actors like Nick Nolte who were just starting out.

Young and surprisingly attractive Richard Dreyfuss appeared on Bewitched.

Could be wrong but think there is or was some sort of assumption an actor who reaches a certain level of fame in film is slumming or whatever if he/she does television as well. Again in UK this goes on all the time, but Americans seem to have a problem apparently with other than perhaps famous actor guest starring on television.

Raquel Welch had brief spot on Bewitched.

R263 this is not up to debate. Fox and Kopell lived the longest out of the entire cast, ongoing and recurring, who did multiple episodes. Fox, even though dead, SURVIVED, them all the longest at the time he was alive. Kopell is still alive and kicking, but was 6 years younger than Fox. So he takes the mantle if he lives to 90. A preschooler could understand this.

No, R279, the last one to die is the longest surviving cast member. Likely that will be the actress who played Tabitha.

Longest-living cast member & longest-surviving cast member are different concepts..

Girls, girls, you’re both cunts!!!

Erin Murphy is still around and active on Instagram. Her sister Diane, with whom she split the part early on, is also still alive. She is gay. In fact, Diane often played other children in later seasons.

The boys who played Adam are also both alive.

If the Murphy sisters or the guys who played Adam die in their nineties and beat Bernie, fine. If not, that would make Darrin and Sams kids SURVIVING cast members, not the longest.

[quote] "The Paul Lynde show was very funny in spots .."

[quote]That's just it isn't it? Hard to carry on a weekly sitcom show when the star is only good in "spots".

No dear, I know it's hard to read well, but I said that the show was very funny in spots, not the star was only good in spots.

That looks like they intentionally chose not to show her face, r278. Is she in any other scenes? Did they not want competition for Liz?

Liz talks about her relationship with "Daddy" and his dislike of Bette Davis.

Part 2 continues with interview focusing on Bewitched.

^Which is, after all, what we were talking about here. Kind of...

Davis thought Montgomery's father was "a male Miriam Hopkins" meaning he was a skilled actor but a ham.

A little Lynde went a long way--fine as a guest star, a supporting film player, or game show contestant. Not a bad career. He was able to be a leading man in summer/dinner theater---once a year in the lead was probably enough.

Lynde was supposed to be a very mean drunk. On the other hand, my friend who was a girl among the teenagers in "Bye Bye Birdie" original Broadway production said he was a lot of fun and very funny, eyeing and flirting with the guys, way back when.

That interview with Montgomery is interesting....she very obviously skates around the "revolving Dick" situation with tons of praise for Sargeant while ignoring York and not expressing any sympathy for him at all.

I saw Lynde in an IHOP on North Avenue in Atlanta in July 1975, after I had gone to see the Rolling Stones there, at the OMNI. My group and Lynde were the only ones in the place, around 11 pm. He had just appeared, that night, on Peachtree St. at the Fox Theater in (I'm guessing) "Bye, Bye Birdie", although we didn't know that at the time. The restaurant was close to both venues, and not much else was open for dinner in the mighty ATL around 11 back in those days. Lynde was wearing a scarf, and lots of bracelets on one wrist, which was noticeably peculiar in a man, in those days, in that place. He was dining with a guy who looked a LOT like Robbie Benson, although it wasn't Benson. Lynde was frequently inclined over the table, holding his dining partner by the wrist (with his own heavily bejeweled hand). We were seated pretty far from them, and thought Lynde's behavior was kind of amusing. Don't know if it was someone he was hauling around on tour, or had picked up in town, etc. Anyway, that's the entirety of my connection to "Bewitched." The Stones show was fantastic, by far the loudest rock concert I ever attended (out of many).

Bewitched ran from 1964-1972. When it ended Elizabeth Montgomery would have been in her late thirties (39 by my reckoning), far too late to break into major motion pictures, at least in starring roles. Actresses who where that age and had spent better part of their career doing motion pictures were aged out by early or certainly middle thirties. What roles were offered usually fell into dreaded "mother", "grandmother" or some such older woman. Yes, there were actresses in in that age group who managed to nab starring roles in films, but those parts were far and few.

Television was different, and there both in sitcoms, drama and films older women could find role, and EM was no exception.

Some of her best TV film work came after EM left Bewitched; A Case of Rape, Lizzie Borden, Black Widow Murders,

One would expect the two sets of twins that played Tabitha and Adam on Bewitched to still be living. They were not even ten when series ended IIRC. Then you would have younger actors/actresses still in their twenties or early thirties

Putting things in perspective Raquel Welch is 81. Richard Dreyfuss is 74, Nancy Kovack is 87, Bill Mumy is 68. Julie Newmar is 88... And so it goes.

Again, I love Liz Montgomery but she really wasn't a great dramatic actress. Even as much as I enjoyed her in "Lizzie Borden".

She always felt/sounded stilted.

But, she seemed very fresh and natural and real when she did comedy.

R291

"Lynde was supposed to be a very mean drunk."

There wasn't any "supposedly" about it, Paul Lynde was a mean drunk in way only a bitchy queen can be.

"According to Center Square, two things stood in Lynde’s way: alcoholism and homosexuality. Of course, neither of those are necessarily a barrier to success in Hollywood. But Lynde was a vicious drunk, using his sharp tongue to lash out with his boundless anger that was released by alcohol. The comic even admitted to an uncanny ability to zero in on a person’s greatest weakness. When he was in his cups, it was a talent he used without regard to his target’s standing in Hollywood. This gave him a reputation around town and took him off most high profile party guest lists."

More...

PL would have been right at home on DL. In fact he might have been a charter member...

We all know the type; nasty, evil, horribly bitchy queens that when drunk launch nuclear attacks with their venomous fish wife tongues.

When not in their cups these gays can be quite charming and wonderful friends. But sooner later they cross the line and people simply drop them because of some hurtful thing said.

There is some story told by elder gays about PL being at some gay bar totally drunk and dancing by himself. He also was lashing out with some nasty and mean things that came out of his mouth.

Roger, the alien from American Dad was based on Paul Lynde.

Didn't Elizabeth Montgomery have the best eyebrow peaks?

Gorgeous John Calvin again....

Ummm, ummm!

Cannot find any mention of a wife, girlfriends, or children online. Wonder if John Calvin is family?

R289 ^Which is, after all, what we were talking about here. Kind of...

Yes, and it's an interview with the star of Bewitched! Did my post linking to a YouTube interview with EM that covered some of her life other than Bewitched take up too much space for you? You don't seem to object to all the Paul Lynde posts that have nothing to do with Bewitched.

I was simply pointing out, indirectly, that the plethora of posts previous about the incidental "stars" of Andy of Mayberry did not have anything to do with Bewitched. I didn't even look at your interview and still haven't. Calm your tits on down, it was a completely pointless remark on my part.

Lynde was arrested numerous times in the 70s for soliciting. There's also the famous DUI where we said to the cop "I'll have a cheeseburger with fries".

R303 Well sorry but if that was what you meant it wasn't obvious.

Paul Lynde was his own worse enemy, this largely due to his excessive boozing and substance abuse which in turn fueled his often nasty behaviour towards others.

"In January 1978, Lynde was in Salt Lake City for an appearance on the Donny and Marie Show. At about 1:30 in the morning on January 4, he was arrested outside of a gay bar for interfering with a police officer. The officer, who was investigating a car burglary, claimed Lynde kept insisting that the officer "...attend to Lynde's complaint that his briefcase with $1,000 in cash and valuables inside had been stolen." The complaint was later dropped, but as a result of the arrest, he lost his guest starring role on The Donny and Marie Show.

After the airing of his final programs for ABC, Paul Lynde at the Movies (March 1979) with guests Betty White, Vicki Lawrence, Robert Urich and Gary Coleman and Paul Lynde Goes M-A-A-A-AD (May 20, 1979) with Marie Osmond, Charo and Vicki Lawrence, Lynde's disenchantment with being "boxed into" the The Hollywood Squares led him to leave the series despite not having any other offers of work.

After this, acting jobs became harder for him to find, although it is unclear if this was because of anti-gay prejudice or his substance abuse problems and noted erratic behavior, which often made him difficult to work with. He had been arrested for drunk driving and, while under the influence of alcohol, he was known to make rude and racist public comments towards people."

I don't know what it paid (probably a lot, since he was star most people watched it for) but Hollywood Squares seemed like an easy gig for Paul. Just a few sarcastic answers per show.

More:

I saw him interviewed on The Tonight Show once, Johnny and he had a fairly serious talk, at times, and he talked about how when his dad died, it gave him more of a motivation (I forget why) to get into show business. I mean, it was a very long time ago, but I remember liking him a lot in that interview.

R260 - Back in the 1970s I remember Barbra Eden in some made-for-tv horror movie about aliens impregnating women. I caught again once years ago while I was channel surfing and it was pretty bizarre. It was not near as good as 'The Reincarnation of Peter Proud".

I went to see Rich Little in concert in the mid-'70s (yes, he was big back then). I don't remember all the details, but I was embarrassed by my older, teenage, sister asking Rich if Paul Lynde was gay. As I recall, he avoided the question.

R310 - I found it!!!

I reviewed Wikipedia. Barbara Eden did more made-for-tv movies then I remember.

I believe Eden was in Harper Valley PTA. Is this the first time a movie was made after a stupid country song?

I remember watching Montgomery in a mini series where she was a Puritan or some other early settler. I believe her hunky 2nd husband was in it as well.

"Harper Valley PTA" was a tv show, and it was kind of cute.

[quote]I believe Eden was in Harper Valley PTA. Is this the first time a movie was made after a stupid country song?

I think Ode To Billie Joe became a film first (not sure if that was the name of the film, or just the song). Robbie Benson. Though it wasn't a stupid song. And I guess there was Your Cheatin' Heart, the film bio, if that counts.

Don't forget...

Mabel Albertson (since she's one of the subjects of the thread) was pretty good in the MGM movie of the Tennesse Williams comedy, Period Of Adjustment - the only movie in which she appeared with her brother Jack. Jim Hutton, Jane Fonda (overacting), Tony Franciosa, and DL fave Lois Nettleton starred in it, with John McGiver.

Harper Valley PTA was a TV movie first with Eden. The series came later.

It was a movie in theatres. I remember I had to wait for it to show up on tv.

^More than 2 days?

Barbara Eden was also in a 'Hot off the presses' Made-for-tv movie about a television reporter who was 'All About Eve'd' by a young co-worker played by DL icon, Heather Locklear, the movie came out at the same time as the Jane Pauley/Deborah Norville debacle at the Today show.

Mabel was sure busy. She also played Donald Hollinger's mother on That Girl, Howard Sprague's mother on The Andy Griffith Show, and Dick Van Dyke's mother on his show

And always disdainful of her daughter-in-law, r322!

R292 That's a massive mark against her for how she treated Dick York. If Sargent has been the original Darrin, the show would have been cancelled in the first season.

R234 She was always disdainful of someone! That underbite just seemed made for it. She also played the coddling mother of Joanne Woodward's gay boyfriend (heavily implied, anyway) in The Long, Hot Summer (1958)

She was actually a very good actress, it would have been nice if I ever saw her in something offbeat or different.

Mabel's characters were sometimes agreeable, unlike Lucile Watson who usually played stone cold bitches with resting flexed bitchface

Does anyone know what Mabel was like in real life? I'm assuming the polar opposite of her characters.

Dick York admitted he had a massive crush on Elizabeth Montgomery when they did the show together, and that actually made things difficult for her because at the time she was married to the show's producer, William Asher. I think that was why York had such great chemistry with Montgomery, but it was also a headache for her in terms of her working conditions.

I think she was relieved when York was replaced with Sargent because (1) York's back problem was not going to go away, and working around it was just getting harder and harder; (2) It was probably irritating that he had such a crush on her when she was already very much taken, and (3) she and Sargent were old friends and she adored him. She loved gay men her entire life.

Sargent was so generic as Darren, and when I was in school, and all the kids loved Bewitched (the originbal broadcasts), they all liked Darren #2 better. Except me. I just thought Dick York was a much more original and fun actor, and his reactions as a mortal were so much better and funnier. I found Dick Sargent very likable but that was it. He was no comedy genius.

R326 I haven't seen the complete works of Lucile Watson but she was nice enough in Waterloo Bridge.

[quote] when I was in school, and all the kids loved Bewitched (the originbal broadcasts), they all liked Darren #2 better

Curious where you went to school, because I have never heard of anyone anywhere liking #2 better.

Bewitched lasted for eight seasons (1964-1972) and toward the end they were really running out of steam. In my imaginary Bewitched experiment, I would like to see what happens when the network renews the show for an additional eight seasons so it continues to run through 1980.

After Agnes Moorehead dies in 1974, who would they cast as Endora? When Dick Sargant gets tired of the role and demands a larger salary, who would they cast as Darren number three? What kind of spells would Tabitha cast as she became a teenager? And why not take a page from the Doris Day show or the Lucy show and have Samantha leave her family to live as a single girl witch on her own in the big city? Maybe Bewitched could switch to being videotaped before a live studio audience and tackle issues of the day, like All in the Family did. How would Bewitched adapt to the disco era and the "jiggle TV" expectations of the late 1970s?

The show was already surreal, and I think it just should have ended in 1969.

R331 They probably liked Darren #2 because he was the current one, when they said it. They probably had already forgotten Darren #1. I don't know if there were re-runs, yet.

[quote]How would Bewitched adapt to the disco era and the "jiggle TV" expectations of the late 1970s?

They tried it with Lisa Hartman's tits on the spinoff "Tabitha."

R327 Cloris Leachman was Mabel's daughter-in-law in real life. I recall that Cloris in her autobiography said lovely things about Mabel.

So Mabel Albertson was Morgan Englund's grandmother? Was Patricia Englund her daughter? Looking for soap connections.

Well you could try Wikipedia.

"Frank, take me home. I have a sick headache."

Today is Mabel’s birthday! Here is a link about how Agnes and Mabel were friends.

I mentioned Patricia Englund earlier. She was on a pretty bad soap, Friends and Lovers as the mother of the poorer family. She was the best thing about the show, funny and touching as the mother of 5. Both of the men who played her alcoholic husband, were weak, one being a fussy little thing, then re-cast with a much hunkier older guy. She had a snobby daughter, played by Eve Plumb's older sister, Flora, another standout who didn't get enough airtime. I think there was a queeny, scheming son and a younger one who wanted to be a magician (obviously queer).

Didn't realize she and Frank were from Haverhill, MA. Btw that's where Louis B. Mayer lived at one time, and owned his first theater.

R144: I recall in the later seasons of "Mad Men", a passing reference to strange things happening at McMann & Tate.

I love EM but watching her play Serena her yellow teeth were so alarming, she was still so lovely with dark hair though.

OT: I was in advertising in NYC for 20 years from the late 1970's (Grey, Young & Rubicam). When looking for a new job, I always wanted to include McMann and Tate on my resume (but never had the balls).

Who was Mcmann anyway?

Howard McMann (Roland Winters, Leon Ames) is Larry Tate's business partner, and appears only twice during the series in "Man of the Year" and "What Makes Darrin Run".

[quote]Endora would greet incredibly coldly were always Mother Stephens

That's because Mrs Stephens said that Endora wears too much makeup

Elizabeth Montgomery was a bitch in real life. She blamed her father for everything wrong, not only in her life, but the world. She cheated on her husband Asher Brauner and then blamed him when her marriage fell apart. She personally slammed the boys in boys in Vietnam, who didn't have a choice but to fight.

She broke up Robert Foxworth's marriage but couldn't be bothered to marry him until she got cancer.

Her father was repig trash. Good that she was a bitch to him.

Samantha was a class act. She was intelligent and could handle the worst situations without crassly cutting down people....and not use witchcraft....usually. She would find a solution that would make everyone happy.

[quote] Her father was repig trash. Good that she was a bitch to him.

Many Republicans back in mid-century America were preferable to some of their Democratic counterparts.

Republicans back then were not like the repubs today.

[quote]I love EM but watching her play Serena her yellow teeth were so alarming, she was still so lovely with dark hair though.

Did she use different teeth when she played Serena?

The lipstick in the '60s was frosted and pale. I remember white lipstick worn back then. It was never flattering against teeth. It always made them look duller or more yellow.

Wow. An anti-Liz Montgomery troll on DL.

It take all kinds.

R354 Blonde hid them better.

Elizabeth Montgomery was never married to Asher Brauner.

Her husbands were:

(1) Frederick Gallatin Cammann (1954-5)

(2) Gig Young (1956-63)

(3) William Asher (1963-1973)

(4) Robert Foxworth (1993-1995, when she died)

[quote] She broke up Robert Foxworth's marriage but couldn't be bothered to marry him until she got cancer.

She had been through marriage three times before when she got together with Foxworth, so she was leery about getting into another marriage, and understandably held off. They were in middle age when they got together and had no children together, so there was no reason for them to get married.

And no, she did not break up his marriage: Robert Foxworth and his wife were responsible for their own marriage, as is true of every married couple.

[quote] I have never heard of anyone anywhere liking #2 better.

I hope you mean "Darrin #2."

I'm not the person you're talking to, but I liked Darrin #2 better as a child. Darrin #1 was too angry for me, and he was always flying off the handle which would make Endora or Maurice attack him with their magic, so he made me nervous because I felt he was always asking for trouble. Darrin #2 was just sarcastic, and he rarely provoked them in the same way, so I preferred him.

R358, I felt the same. York’s Darrin seemed to get more angry every season. I didn’t like that.

York was the superior Darrin...and had better chemistry with Montgomery and the other actors on the show. Sargent was boring and lacked the romantic chemistry.

Sargent was always angry and conveyed no warmth.

As a child in the 70s, I also preferred Sargent. At the time I think I thought he was better looking and perhaps I saw he was gay at the time and latched onto that.

As an adult, I preferred the York version. I rarely watch the Sargent versions as an adult. The writing was also not as good by then, so I might appreciate the earliest years writing as well.

It’s an interesting series with so many OG actors being replaced in various ways. I doubt any series has had as many replacements as Bewitched has. It overall worked, but the earlier seasons were better for so many more reasons.

AAAABNUHHHH!

Count me in on preferring Sargent. York played Darrin like a complete rage-aholic. I think more people would prefer Sargent if he was in earlier seasons with better writing.

Sargent was too wooden. York had better physical and facial reactions for the situations he was put into and the characters he had to deal with. More animated and real. Sargent always came across as disgusted and pissed off.

Sargent was awful. He had zero chemistry with EM (odd, since they were friends off-camera). They seemed more like bickering siblings than loving husband and wife.

Mabel was perfect in the role as Samantha's mother in law. Cluelessly narcissistic. Always imposing on Sam. My unofficial MIL is all that in spades. Never included me in Xmas card greetings and even makes birthday gift demands from her unresponsive son.

[quote]It overall worked, but the earlier seasons were better for so many more reasons.

Speaking of which, Antenna TV will be showing the last two episodes today and then back to season 1 on Friday.

You can watch seasons 4-8 on Roku channel and the first three on freevee.

Roku rotates what seasons are available so at some point they will change it up and the earlier seasons will be there. There must be something where they cannot show all 8 seasons at once.

There are many good things about Bewitched, but I can't bear to watch it because it is so repetitive. The formula is:

1. Darrin needs to win over a McMann and Tate client with a brilliant campaign. But what? 2. Meanwhile, something magical happens involving Samantha or one of her relatives that creates hilarious chaos and puts the client account in jeopardy. 3. Sam finds a magical way to fix the relationship with client and save the account. Then Samantha makes a funny face and says, "Well?!" and Larry Tate says, "You son of a gun!" 4. Then Darrin and Samantha kiss. The end.

R371 - I agree. Many of the scripts were recycle numerous times through the run of the series.

Only on Datalounge could one find a 372+ long post about Mabel Albertson and Liz Montgomery. :)

I think some of Elizabeth's best work was in The Legend of Lizzie Borden. I have watched it several times, and it used to be available on Youtube. Not only does she give a great performance, but the set created for the interior of the Borden house actually mimics the real Borden house in Massachusetts, which I find fascinating.

[quote]Sargent was far more one note than York, who was generally a much better actor .

For me, it’s the exact opposite. All York does is bellow and scream. He is so obnoxious that it’s bewildering why someone as together as Samantha would have fallen for a blunderbuss like York-as-Darrin.

R375 That plus all the story lines of beautiful women wanting to sleep with butterfaced bluderpuss Darrin were not believable.

Why did Samantha have an American accent and both her parents had English accents? And all of Endora's sisters and her brother had American accents?

I started watching this as a kid and even then I couldn’t understand what Samantha saw in Darren. He was controlling — why would she want any man who made her deny her own powers — and almost as bad, he was STUPID. He was forever picking fights with Endora who didn’t hesitate to put nasty spells on him.

Plus both Darrens were whiny and the first one especially not in her league. I never thought she was a raving beauty either, though she was attractive, but she was sometimes just dowdy in the b/w seasons.

Another thing, the series starts out so weird. It’s like he just married her off the street.

As a gayling watching nick at nite I always felt bad for Sam for being stuck with monkey ears Darrin while Jeanie had a gorgeous astronaut Tony. I liked Sam better than Jeanie and she deserved better.

Also who doesn’t introduce his parents to their fiancee before their wedding? Sam first met Darrin’s parents after they were married. Was that a thing in the sixties?

Jeannie was the very definition of a stupid cunt.

R380, in order for the premise to work, both Sam and Darrin had to have distant family relationships. Notice that neither Sam nor Darrin have any siblings and his parents are seldom seen. The only exceptional family relationship that Sam has is with her mother Endora. This sets up the triangle of conflict between Endora and Darrin that makes the entire show.

In many TV sitcoms that revolve around a central couple, the couple will either have no siblings or distant siblings. If they do have siblings, those siblings will be of the same gender. You will see a sister-sister relationship (e.g. Roseanne and her sister Jackie) or a brother-brother relationship (e.g. Raymond and his brother Robert), but it's rare to see a brother-sister relationship.

Mother was a great nervous Nellie. Maybe a little bit too on the nose as an opposite foil for Endora, but given that it was a sitcom, job well done.

I binged on about a season and a half of Bewitched (the quality went from A+ to dreck pretty quickly) during the pandemic and the writing was brilliant at first, and Samantha and Darren, Endora and Mother were performed very distinctively and they come to life thanks to the performances. I found Mrs. Kravitz to be unbearable as the episodes went on, and the aunt who collected doorknobs to be almost as unbearable. Kravitz's entire character was nothing but a snoop who saw occult things and then yelled "AABNA! AABNA!" Throughout the WHOLE series! How did no one ever think to change that?

[quote]it’s bewildering why someone as together as Samantha would have fallen for a blunderbuss like York-as-Darrin.

Perhaps it was the length and girth of his blunderbuss.

Uncle Arthur was the only flaming gay on mainstream tv in the mid-60s.

Uncle Arthur was fat and unfunny.

Danny Arnold was responsible for the first season and had an agenda beyond witchcraft-related gimmicks. His other shows like "Barney Miller" always showed more dimensions of characters and situations than the typical sitcom and he was great at casting. I assume he is one reason why the show had such a strong start with its characters---for example, Alice Pearce was great as Mrs. Kravitz, whereas Sandra Gould was just grating. The Jerry Davis season was almost as good as the Danny Arnold season. The funny thing is that the show caught on and had its largest audiences in the beginning. When the schlockmeisters took over and did what the network wanted, the popularity declined. The replacements for characters who died or other wise left were all weak. Marion Lorne, like Alice Pearce, made a potentially one dimensional character into someone worth watching. Alice Ghostley just wasn't as good as the new wacky aunt. That she had the same mannerisms as Paul Lynde also probably made her a poor choice. Dick York, esp, with the better writing of the b&w season was light-years better than Dick Sargent, in part because of the writing but also because he was a much better actor.

Ultimately, Asher and Montgomery were greedy and let the show decline into recycled plots and lackluster direction. They should have pulled the plug around the time that Dick York left.

I have commented on this before, probably this thread, but watching the first two seasons on the Roku channel this past year, it was interesting to see how the show started out. York was much more charming and did not freak out at every use of magic and at times seemed amused by it. Endora was more subtle in her trying to cause trouble, often saying passive aggressive things and planting doubts without using any magic. It made more sense why Samantha loved Darrin and why they did not completely cut-off Endora. Larry was also not quite as much of a weasel and did not fire Darrin every episode. The first season also explored more of the suburban community and what it was like living there.

By the second season, even during the second part of the first season, you already saw the show falling into patterns that would exist throughout the rest of the show. Still the writing was still a bit fresh and the actors not going through the motions and giving it their all and while the first season had more depth and higher quality overall, some of the season 2 episodes are among the funniest.

The third and fourth season were not bad, but it was not as good, and the fifth season it had slipped another notch, although that was partially due to working around York's health problems.

Just caught the episode where Mrs. Stephens enrolls Tabitha in nursery school. It’s not bad, especially with the great Maudie Prickett as the teacher. The thing I never noticed until today was the other children in the nursery school. I guess they were directed to just act like kids, but the all seem borderline cognitively impaired. At one point a girl is just sucking on her arm. Definitely an episode to watch again more closely.

This lady was typecast as the sniffy mother in law type. She was also Donald Hollinger's mom and she did not care for Ann Marie!

And it kept her working for decades...along with a steady income stream.

At least I didn't have to support her wrinkled old ass...

I always thought it was interesting to cast Eve Arden as the nurse in the episode where Tabitha is born. Even at that time, she would have been highly recognizable from her time on Our Miss Brooks, and it seemed like it was kind of a throwaway role.

I think Eve would have made a good Endora. Didn’t she get cast for that awful mother in laws show soon after?

[quote]Why did Samantha have an American accent and both her parents had English accents?

Agnes Moorehead was American and did not speak with an "English" accent.

She had a mid-Atlantic accent, which paired well with Maurice Evans' accent. Marion Lorne had a cross between a mid-Atlantic accent with traces of something else--probably original her NE PA accent. Given that everyone was supposed to be hundreds of years old, you could imagine different accents for the various members of the family, but Maurice and Endora needed to project authority which in that era tended to be something mid-Atlantic or actually British.

Agnes Moorehead didn't sound British to me. She just spoke in a haughty way. Maurice Evans was English, that's why he sounded English. He wasn't the only actor considered, they even thought abolut casting Robert Montgomery. So casting Evans was not about his being English. Marion Lorne never sounded English to me. Bernard Fox did, because he was (or Welsh).

I loved the first season. I t had heart, as well as laughs. Remember the episode where Darrin realized he would grow old, while Samantha wouldn't?

Five years seems to be about right for a sitcom. Except for rare exceptions (Frasier, etc), the quality tends to go down after that. Bewitched and The Andy Griffith Show are two prime examples.

R383, it's interesting that the the two actresses you found to be unbearable were the only two to win Emmys for Bewitched.

R383 If you didn't like Alice Pearce and Marion Lorne I have no use for you.

I get the whole gripe about Dick York not being a candidate for "post your photos of hot dudes".... but there were those moments in episodes where his softness and humanity would rise up and be so memorable. With him playing D., for instance, there was his sweet attitude with Aunt Clara. He was a big fan of Aunt Clara, and from time to time, he so empathized with her goofiness and lack of her former witchcraft skills of her youth. I have no recollection of those kinds of moments with D. Sargent, and my memories of Darrin #1 are much fonder.

Maybe by middle age Dick York wasn't everyone's cup of tea, but as a young man he was one tall cool drink of water.

Another

Eve Arden was perfectly cast as "Nurse Kelton" in Bewitched (And Then There Were Three), episode.

On one level Ms. Arden was a hoot as the stereotypical bitch/battleax head nurse (who sadly for some patients was not just only a myth). Ms. Arden's wonderful comedic acting skills were excellent as poor "Nurse Kelton" slowly believes she's losing her grip between the antics of Endora and Serena.

Maternity wards of 1960's and 1970's by and large were not the mother and baby centric, rooming in, everyone and their mother is hanging out in patient's room. Rather things were run largely by and for schedule of nursing staff. There was a schedule and order which everyone including mother and baby adhered to, or else. Nurse Kelton desperate attempts to reimpose that order and enforce her authority keep collapsing as Sam's family show that mortal who's boss.

Agnes Moorehead was born in Clinton, Massachusetts, but moved to St. Louis, Missouri as a child and it was there she grew up. Her accent is perhaps a bit posh mid-western, but certainly isn't RP.

Ms. Moorehead earned a master's degree in English and public speaking at the University of Wisconsin. Thus she was likely as both an actress and in her personal life of the power of speaking English correctly, certainly without a twang or heavy regional accent.

Would say Ms. Moorehead had a genteel mid-west accent. It played off well against her hammy husband Maurice (played by Maurice Evans) who was a classically trained British actor complete with received pronunciation.

Montgomery, herself, had a bit of a Mid-Atlantic accent (listen how she pronounces "Larry"), so she's clearly Endora and Maurice's kid.

Amazing! a thread on Mabel Albertson reaches over 400 replies. She really IS a DL favorite.

Geez! How old was that woman?!

She's certainly putting on the dog a bit here, accent-wise.

Sorry, I meant here:

R409, I had no idea Aggie -- my dear, dear friend -- was into Oral!

"Remember the episode where Darrin realized he would grow old, while Samantha wouldn't?"

For most part Bewitched tried quite hard to keep things light and funny. They avoided any remote reference to Satan or any other malevolent force; well if you don't count Endora or other witches when they were pissed off.

Aside from "Maid of Salem" episode Bewitched never really goes near what must have been very profound differences between Sam and her family and mortals. Aside from the various illnesses Sam comes down with (largely after creation of Dr. Bombay character), Sam is outwardly a perfectly normal mortal woman.

We never are told exactly how old Sam or any member of her family truly are... But then again age of various witches was one of the many inconsistencies in Bewitched scripts.

When Mrs. Stephens asked Serena how old Endora was, she said Endora admitted to 1,000. Mrs. Stephens comeback was perfect, “I deserved that.”

Witch way did he go?

There was one episode where Darrin saw an old picture of Samantha...it was 400 years old.

^^^and she looked the same as in modern times^^^

[quote]There was one episode where Darrin saw an old picture of Samantha...it was 400 years old.

That was one of the plots they repeated, the first one where Endora makes sure he see an old picture in a thrift store, the Salem maid mentioned above. The other I believe it might have been an old picture painted by Da Vinci that may or may not have been her. I also remember the Sargent Darrin wondering what people would think about the old geezer with the young chick, and Sam said she would just make herself look like she was aging with him and zapped herself to look old. That might have either been in an episode where Endora aged Darrin. The ending was probably one of the more touching ones for the later years. The Salem Maid episode might have left on a more ambiguous note of how or if they would be able to deal with it.

All this deep analysis of an old sitcom is kind of funny. (Because I watched it as a kid - in real time - and I never would have thought it was anything other than a goofy sitcom done for laughs, with a smattering of sentiment.)

IIRC "Salem Maid" was a portrait of Sam's aunt, not herself.

Sam's age is confusing because they never stuck with one plot line.

Several times Sam is sent back into past (old Salem, old South) and she has no memory of who she is, Endora tells Darrin it's because she wasn't born yet.

Serena apparently was alive during Salem witch hunt period because she turned a too hands on suitor warlock (played by handsome Noam Pitlik) into a bed warmer.

Endora was always talking about "handsome young men in togas" including Mark Antony. Knowing him personally would have made Endora well over 2000 years old. Endora also took cracks at Helen of Troy "a face that could sink a thousand ships" or some such quip. Again if she knew the woman personally that would make Endora ancient.

Esmeralda originally made the leaning tower of Pisa "lean". It was completed in 1372, Bewitched ran 1960's into 1970's, do the sums. Esmeralda also was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria..

In final season of Bewitched there is a two part episode ( How Not To Lose Your Head to Henry VIII), where Sam is sent back in time by a vengeful witch for meddling (Sam zapped her husband out of a painting the witch put him in as punishment for infidelity).

Sam goes back to court of Henry VIII and Endora along with Darrin go to fetch her back. Endora tells Darrin she only has powers to send herself back in time and return to present. Darrin asks why and Endora responds " because it's the 16th century, and I wasn't even born yet".

We know the year is 1542 because events in episode tell us Henry VIII has just executed his fifth wife and plans to make Sam his sixth. That fifth wife was queen Katherine Howard who was basically killed for doing nearly everything Anne Boleyn was accused of...

Salem witch trials were between 1692 and 1693. If Endora was living then she would have been over one hundred which is "young" for a witch.

In one episode about Halloween, Sam tells Darrin how as a child Endora would take her and flee to south of France in order to avoid. Halloween wasn't a thing in America until about 1840, this is a more believable estimate of Sam's age.

Using 1840's as period of Sam's childhood would make her about 130 or so by late 1960's when Bewitched began airing. When Sam "comes out" to Darrin on their wedding night she tells him she's still a young witch and only learning.

This thread has engendered a need to seek out favorite Bewitched episodes. Most recently I watched the first ever episode of the appearances of Aunt Clara and of Darrin's parents. So much sweetness and so much laugh out loudness.... Marion Lorne as Aunt Clara is so endearing and so hilarious. Asked how she knew certain info, Clara responds "I asked my umbrella." And Mother Stevens being so relieved that Samantha was not a great cook or housekeeper.... such a strong moment of humanity on Samantha's part and such a delightful moment as Phyllis embraced Samantha for not being steamrolled out of Darrin's life. Thank you, original poster, for this thread. I, we, well, imho, we ALL need stuff that so easily makes us happy, wherever we might find it.

I grew up watching the last couple seasons in prime time, and the reruns on UHF channels forever. I still think it is a very funny show with an excellent cast. It works because Elizabeth Montgomery was so gorgeous and likable and talented. Who could refuse to come back and watch more of her?

One of the original choices for Samantha was Tammy Grimes. Imagine!