Why Alice Ghostley declined the offer to play 'Mrs Kravitz' on 'Bewitched'
I was reading an old interview with Alice Ghostley on 'Bewitched' forum (sorry - it's private so I can't link) from when she was on 'Bewitched' in the later seasons. She said her first appearance was as the maid 'Naomi' whom Darrin hired to help out Samantha when she was expecting Tabitha, in January, 1966. Star Elizabeth Montgomery and her husband Bill Asher were very happy with her and her performance.
Ghostley said a few months after the episode aired, actress Alice Pearce, who played Mrs Kravitz, passed away. Asher called Ghostley that summer, when production of the new season was to begin, and asked her to take over the role of 'Mrs Kravitz', but she declined. She was friendly with Pearce, and felt the role belonged to her - and nobody could possibly replace her (despite the fact that they believed she had the same mannerisms as Pearce did for the role). Sandra Gould ended up with the role.
Ghostley would later join the cast as the maid 'Esmeralda' the season after the show lost Marion Lorne as 'Aunt Clara'. She said they didn't want to replace the actress in the character (as they did with 'Mrs Kravitz') but wanted to create a new character which was similar to 'Aunt Clara', so she accepted the offer.
Never really liked Gould in the role, but with Ghostley in the role - I think she would've been better.
| by Anonymous | reply 12 | June 16, 2024 2:18 AM
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I didn't find Esmeralda to be similar to Aunt Clara at all. Aunt Clara was endearing, Esmeralda was just annoying.
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | June 15, 2024 8:00 PM
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Alice Ghostley was a class act…Maggie Smith’s first friend in NY, to Mockingbird and Greg Peck, to The Graduate and Mike Nichols + Dustin Hoffman…all before she was known on TV. Not too bad….
| by Anonymous | reply 2 | June 15, 2024 8:05 PM
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Was Esmerelda a cousin and a maid/babysitter? I thought she was a cousin too. Aunt Clara. Uncle Arthur. Cousin Serena and Cousin Esmerelda. Although I feel like Clara was more like a Great Aunt.
| by Anonymous | reply 3 | June 15, 2024 8:29 PM
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Bernice Clifton was written especially for her because Linda Bloodworth Thomason was a huge fan of both the book and movie To Kill a Mockingbird.
| by Anonymous | reply 4 | June 15, 2024 8:38 PM
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Aunt Clara > Esmeralda
Darren #1 > Darren #2
Mrs. Kravitz #1 > Mrs. Kravitz #2
And don’t even get me started on all the Louise Tates! OK, those were all interchangeable to me.
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | June 15, 2024 8:39 PM
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R5 You forgot Frank Stephens. 2 actors played him, as well.
R3 She was not a relative - just the maid in the later seasons. She didn't add much to the show.
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | June 15, 2024 8:41 PM
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Alice Pearce made a huge impression in the role and Ghostley was smart not to follow her. Sandra Gould was fine and nothing like Pearce.
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | June 15, 2024 8:43 PM
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Horton Foote’s adaptation conflated characters from the novel, but Alice played the perfect foil to young Truman Capote. ;)
She could have taught those Swans a thing or two!
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | June 15, 2024 11:50 PM
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Bernice Clifton was my idol.
| by Anonymous | reply 9 | June 16, 2024 12:19 AM
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Paul Lynde stole his whole shtick from Ghostley.
| by Anonymous | reply 10 | June 16, 2024 1:40 AM
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Sandra Gould was shrill w/o being endearing like Pearce. Esmerelda was an irritating one-note character where as Aunt Clara was lovably eccentric.
| by Anonymous | reply 11 | June 16, 2024 1:58 AM
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Hated all the recasts. Even the Louise one. I don't think they were interchangeable. The original Louise was not a doormat and was very funny. She was very sarcastic and had a biting wit. The second one barely spoke and never said anything funny.
| by Anonymous | reply 12 | June 16, 2024 2:18 AM
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