The one time witch used to have the world at her feet. Everyone loved tuning in to watch Elizabeth Montgomery showcase her magical powers on TV. On the show, she had the powers to get anything she wanted. That would be a great power to have in real life. But as we’ll see, Montgomery was human just like the rest of us.
In today’s world of advanced technology, we are able to just CGI (computer-generated imagery) things such as a 50-foot tall robot that can transform whenever it chooses to. Back in the days of Bewitched, how did they make the magic happen without the advanced technology? There must have been a trick.
Everything was done by a team of those committed to stagehands. An example being, when Samantha wanted to clean up in a hurry she would raise her hand and “zap” it clean. When this happened she would raise her hand while the director yelled cut and others would come in and clean up the set.
If you are going to be a mother in a show, wouldn’t it be great if you got to choose the name of the children you will be acting with that are supposed to be yours? Montgomery did just that when she chose Tabitha.
“I loved it, because it was so old-fashioned,” she said in 1967. “I got it from one of the daughters of Edward Andrews, the actor. The two Andrews girls are named Tabitha and Abigail. But, somehow or other, her name came out ‘Tabatha’ on the credit roll, and that’s the way it’s been ever since.”
While other actors in the show would be replaced at a whim and producers would hope the audience would not notice, Montgomery was the exception to the rule. When a show replaces someone nonchalantly, it is called “The Darrin Syndrome” because Dick Sargent replaced Dick York without a notice.
Montgomery got the chance to play two characters. We know the main one but she also got to play Samantha’s cousin Serena. In that role, she would wear short skirts and black hair. The credits would put the name Pandora Spocks even though it was not a big secret that Montgomery played two characters.
It has been well noted that Elizabeth Montgomery was no fan of Hollywood. Not just because it didn’t fit her personality but because she just did not like the vibe of it all and trying to fill the shoes of her father who was famous. After Bewitched she found a way to live comfortably for a while.
Montgomery did a plethora of Japanese commercials from 1980 to 1983. It was enough to pay her a nice amount that would allow her to stay out of Hollywood for a nice chunk of time. She went across the globe to leave the limelight.
Before you passed away, wouldn’t it be nice to voice an animated version of yourself? Whether you agree that it would nice is your decision but Montgomery had the chance to do so for one of the most iconic comic book heroes of all time, The Caped Crusader or as you may know him, Batman.
Before she passed away from cancer in 1985, Montgomery did a voice for a character in Batman: The Animated Series. It was only for one episode which was titled “Showdown” in case ever wanted to check it out. It aired after she passed away so she didn’t get a chance to see it.
When you hear the title “The Master of Suspense” you instantly think of Alfred Hitchcock. He was the originator of plenty elements that are a part of the psychological thriller and suspense genres. One of his famous quotes is, “there is no terror in the bang, only the anticipation of it.”
He was so impressed by Montgomery’s appearance in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, that he wanted her to be Sean Connery’s sister-in-law in the film Marnie. She couldn’t play the role so it ended up going to Diane Baker. Maybe that could have been the role to win her an Emmy!
When NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal was at the peak of his fame, delivery rooms across America had many babies being named after the dominant basketball player. He had that big an influence on society. Well, Elizabeth Montgomery had the same type of influence once the ’60s came around.
Because she was so loved on Bewitched as Samantha Stephens for eight seasons, parents must have got ideas. The name of Samantha spiked up because of that show and how cherished Montgomery was in that role. That name had not been as popular prior to the ’60s if you happen to recall.
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