A fantastic creature like a sorceress marrying an ordinary man and desiring to lead a simple life as a conventional homemaker sounds like an intriguing plot to witness unfolding on the television screens. However, pause for a moment, the television series Bewitched, which aired for eight seasons from 1964 to 1972, precisely captures this narrative. If you have not yet indulged in it, perhaps it’s worth seeking it out and giving it a go.
In this show, the captivating role of Samantha Stephens, who captivated millions with her nose twitch, was portrayed by the stunning Elizabeth Montgomery. This talented actress skyrocketed to fame in the 1960s, but her life met a tragic end prematurely.
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Montgomery was born in Los Angeles on April 15, 1933, to a Broadway actress and a film star. Her father was the acclaimed actor Robert Montgomery, and she followed in his footsteps.
“My father recalls how I often climbed onto his lap after dinner and declared, ‘I am destined to be an actress when I grow up.’ I am unsure whether he actively encouraged me, but he mentioned that he would indulge me and await what transpired when I matured,” the actress mentioned in a 1954 interview with the Los Angeles Times. “I’ll be candid and admit that Daddy did assist me in breaking into TV, and I am genuinely grateful for his support and guidance. He is my most stringent critic, yet also a genuine friend besides being a loving father.”
Montgomery made her television debut as a teenager on her father’s program, Robert Montgomery Presents, and had several subsequent appearances.
At the young age of 20, this remarkably beautiful actress stepped onto Broadway in Late Love, and two years later, she ventured onto the silver screen with her debut in The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell.
Montgomery went on to star in numerous other films and became a household name. Among her various roles, she graced the screen in Mrs. Sundance (1973), A Case of Rape (1974), The Legend of Lizzie Borden (1975), Black Widow Murders (1993), The Corpse Had a Familiar Face (1994), and Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan (1995), yet her portrayal in Bewitched remains one of her most iconic. “I hadn’t contemplated a long-running series because I favored the notion of selecting a script that resonated with me, embodying a character that I could sustain for an hour. In a series, you live with one character day in and day out – and one can only hope it’s a character that won’t drive you insane,” Montgomery expressed in an AP interview in 1965.
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The actress embarked on four marriages in her lifetime. Initially marrying Frederick Gallatin Cammann, the union did not endure. Subsequently, she wedded Gig Young, an acclaimed actor, but divorced him in 1963. While filming Johnny Cool, Montgomery encountered her third spouse, William Asher, with whom she shared three children. Her final husband, with whom she stayed until her passing, was Robert Foxworth.
<p”Prior to Jane Seymour, preceding Lindsay Wagner and antecedent to Valerie Bertinelli, Elizabeth emerged as the premier Queen of TV movies; transitioning from the queen of witches to the monarch of TV movies, breaking free from Bewitched was no longer a challenge,” stated Herbie J Pilato, the author of two books devoted to Elizabeth Montgomery, reflecting on the actress.
American actress Elizabeth Montgomery (1933 – 1995), circa 1965. (Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)
Montgomery succumbed to colon cancer in 1995, a disease she believed she had overcome. Upon medical examination, it was already advanced as the cancer had metastasized to her liver. She passed away in her slumber, surrounded by her husband and daughters. Her remains were cremated at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.
Elizabeth Montgomery was an exceptional actress. Her absence is deeply felt even today.
