Bewitched
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| Bewitched | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Created by | Sol Saks |
| Directed by | William Asher[nb 1] |
| Starring | |
| Theme music composer | |
| Composers | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 8 |
| No. of episodes | 254 (74 episodes in black and white but later colorized; 180 episodes in color) (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Harry Ackerman |
| Producers | |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | approx. 25 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | September 17, 1964 – March 25, 1972 |
| Related | |
| Tabitha | |
Bewitched is an American fantasy sitcom television series that originally aired for eight seasons on ABC from September 17, 1964, to March 25, 1972.[1]: 95 It is about a witch who marries an ordinary mortal man and vows to lead the life of a typical suburban housewife. The show was popular, finishing as the second-highest-rated show in America during its debut season, staying in the top 10 for its first three seasons, and ranking in 11th place for both seasons four and five. The show continues to be seen throughout the world in syndication and on recorded media.
Bewitched was created by Sol Saks under executive producer Harry Ackerman and starred Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha Stephens, Dick York (1964–1969) as Darrin Stephens, and Agnes Moorehead as Endora, Samantha's mother. Dick Sargent replaced an ailing York for the final three seasons (1969–1972).
Hanna-Barbera produced the opening and closing animation credits.[2] In 2002, Bewitched was ranked No. 50 on "TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time".[3] In 1997, the same magazine ranked the second-season episode "Divided He Falls" number 48 on its list of the 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.[4]
Plot
[edit]A beautiful witch named Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) meets and marries a mortal named Darrin Stephens (Dick York, later Dick Sargent). While Samantha complies with Darrin's wishes to become a normal suburban housewife, her magical family disapproves of the mixed marriage and frequently interferes in the couple's lives. Episodes often begin with Darrin becoming the victim of a spell, the effects of which wreak havoc with other mortals such as his boss, clients, parents, and neighbors. By the epilogue, however, Darrin and Samantha most often embrace, having overcome the devious elements that failed to separate them. The witches and their male counterparts, warlocks, are very long-lived; while Samantha appears to be a young woman, many episodes suggest she is actually hundreds of years old. To keep their society secret, witches avoid showing their powers in front of mortals other than Darrin. Nevertheless, the effects of their spells—and Samantha's attempts to hide their supernatural origin from mortals—drive the plot of most episodes. Witches and warlocks usually use physical gestures along with their incantations. To perform magic, Samantha often twitches her nose to create a spell. Special visual effects are accompanied by music to highlight such an action.
Setting
[edit]The main setting for most episodes is the Stephenses' home at 1164 Morning Glory Circle, in an upper-middle-class suburban neighborhood, either Westport, Connecticut, or Patterson, New York, as indicated by conflicting information presented throughout the series. Many scenes also take place at the fictional Madison Avenue advertising agency McMann and Tate, where Darrin works.
Cast and characters
[edit]- Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha Stephens
- Dick York (1964–1969), then Dick Sargent (1969–1972) as Darrin Stephens, her husband (Sargent replaced an ailing York for the final three seasons)
- Agnes Moorehead as Endora, Samantha's mother
- David White as Larry Tate, Darrin's boss at the advertising agency
- Irene Vernon (1964–1966), then Kasey Rogers (1966–1972) as Louise Tate, Larry's wife
- Alice Pearce (1964–1966), then Sandra Gould (1966–1971) as Gladys Kravitz (Gould took over the part after Pearce's death)
- George Tobias (1964–1971) as her husband, Abner Kravitz
- Erin Murphy (1966–1972) as Tabitha Stephens (she shared this role for 18 episodes with her fraternal twin sister, Diane Murphy)
Annual semiregulars:
- Marion Lorne as Samantha's Aunt Clara (1964–1968);
- Maurice Evans as Maurice, Samantha's father (1964−1972);
- Mabel Albertson as Darrin's mother, Phyllis Stephens (1964–1971);
- Robert F. Simon and Roy Roberts alternating the role of Frank Stephens, Darrin's father (1964–1971);
- Paul Lynde as Samantha's Uncle Arthur (1965–1971);
- Bernard Fox as Dr. Bombay (1967–1972);
- Alice Ghostley as Esmeralda, Tabitha's babysitter (1969–1972).
During its run, the series had a number of major cast changes, often because of illness or death of the actors.
Precursors
[edit]Creator Sol Saks' inspirations for this series[5] were the film I Married a Witch (1942), developed from Thorne Smith's unfinished novel The Passionate Witch, and the John Van Druten Broadway play Bell, Book and Candle, which was adapted into the 1958 film.[6]
In I Married a Witch, Wallace Wooley (Fredric March) is a descendant of people who executed witches at the Salem witch trials. As revenge, a witch (Veronica Lake) prepares a love potion for him. She ends up consuming her own potion and falling for her enemy. Her father is against this union.[6] In the film Bell, Book and Candle, modern witch Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak) uses a love spell on Shep Henderson (James Stewart) to have a simple fling with him, but she genuinely falls for the man.[6]
Both films were properties of Columbia Pictures, which also owned Screen Gems, the company that produced Bewitched.[7]
Production and broadcasting
[edit]Sol Saks received credit as the creator of the show; he wrote the pilot of Bewitched, but was not involved with the show after the pilot. Creator Saks, executive producer Harry Ackerman, and director William Asher started rehearsals for the pilot on November 22, 1963; this coincided with the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the swearing in of Lyndon Johnson.[8] Asher felt personally affected by the event, as he knew Kennedy; he had produced the 1962 televised birthday party where Marilyn Monroe sang "Happy Birthday, Mr. President".[9] The pilot concerned "the occult destabilization of the conformist life of an upwardly mobile advertising man".[9] For that first episode, "I Darrin, Take This Witch, Samantha", Academy Award-winning actor José Ferrer served as the narrator. First-season producer and head writer Danny Arnold set the initial style and tone of the series, and he also helped to develop supporting characters such as Larry Tate and the Kravitzes. Arnold, who wrote for McHale's Navy and other shows, thought of Bewitched essentially as a romantic comedy about a mixed marriage; his episodes kept the magic element to a minimum. One or two magical acts drove the plot, but Samantha often solved problems without magic. Many of the first season's episodes were allegorical, using supernatural situations as metaphors for the problems any young couple would face. Though the show was a hit right from the beginning, finishing its first year as the number-two show in the United States, ABC wanted more magic and more farcical plots, which caused battles between Arnold and the network.[citation needed]
In its first season, Bewitched was the ABC's number-one show and the best-rated sitcom among all three networks, coming second in ratings only to Bonanza.[9] Bewitched aired at 9 p.m. Thursday evenings. It was preceded on the air by another sitcom, My Three Sons, and followed by the soap opera Peyton Place. My Three Sons finished 13th in the ratings and Peyton Place ninth. The block formed by the three shows was the strongest ratings grabber in ABC's schedule.[9] Arnold left the show after the first season, leaving producing duties to his friend Jerry Davis, who had already produced some of the first season's episodes (though Arnold was still supervising the writing). The second season was produced by Davis, and with Bernard Slade as head writer, misunderstandings and farce became more prevalent elements, though this season still included a number of more low-key episodes in which the magical element was not strongly emphasized. With the third season and the switch to color, Davis left the show and was replaced as producer by William Froug. Slade also left after the second season. According to William Froug's autobiography, William Asher (who had directed many episodes) wanted to take over as producer when Jerry Davis left, but the production company was not yet ready to approve the idea. Froug, a former producer of Gilligan's Island and the last season of The Twilight Zone, was brought in as a compromise. By his own admission, Froug was not very familiar with Bewitched and found himself in the uncomfortable position of being the official producer, though Asher was making most of the creative decisions. After a year, Froug left the show, and Asher took over as full-time producer of the series for the rest of its run. The first two seasons had aired Thursdays at 9:00, and the time was moved to 8:30 shortly after the third year (1966–1967) had begun. Nevertheless, the ratings for Bewitched remained high and it placed among the top 15 shows through the 1968–69 season. It was the seventh-highest-rated show in the U.S. for 1965–66 and 1966–67. Similarly, it was number 11 the following two years.[9]
At the time, the show had won three Emmy Awards. William Asher won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series in 1966. Alice Pearce posthumously won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal of Gladys Kravitz, and Marion Lorne won the same award posthumously in 1968 for her portrayal of Aunt Clara. Producers were faced with how to deal with the deaths of both these actresses. When Pearce died in early 1966, Mary Grace Canfield was hired to play Gladys's sister-in-law Harriet Kravitz in four episodes. Comedienne Alice Ghostley was approached to take over the role of Gladys the next season, but turned it down. Pearce and she were good friends, so Ghostley decided to decline the role out of respect for Pearce.[10] In the fall of 1966, Sandra Gould was hired as Gladys Kravitz. Gould remained with the show until the spring of 1971. After Marion Lorne's death in the spring of 1968, she was not replaced, and the character of Aunt Clara was not seen after the fourth season. Beginning in the show's sixth year, Alice Ghostley was finally used to play the character of Esmeralda, a kind but shy and inept witch who served as a nanny and nursemaid to Darrin and Samantha's children, Tabitha and Adam. (Ghostley had appeared in a similar role as Naomi, an incompetent domestic, hired by Darrin to do housecleaning for a pregnant Samantha in the second-season episode "Maid to Order".) In another notable casting change, Louise Tate, played by Irene Vernon during the first two seasons, was played by Kasey Rogers thereafter.
The fifth season of Bewitched (1968–1969) proved to be a turning point for the series, most notably with the midseason departure of Dick York and the record eight episodes that were filmed without him afterwards (although aired out of order with previously filmed episodes). York was suffering from recurring back problems, the result of an accident during the filming of They Came to Cordura (1959). As a result, many episodes in seasons three and four had York's character of Darrin out of town on business. Towards the end of the season five, York's increased disability, which had caused numerous shooting delays and script rewrites, resulted in his collapsing on the set in January 1969 while filming the episode "Daddy Does His Thing." He was immediately rushed to the hospital, and after a long talk with producer-director William Asher, York decided to leave the series. At about the same time, Montgomery and Asher announced that they were expecting another baby, and Samantha and Darrin were to also have another child in the fall of that year. On screen, Samantha tells Darrin over the phone the news of her second pregnancy in the fifth-season episode "Samantha's Good News". That same month, Dick Sargent was cast to play Darrin beginning in the sixth season.[11] Also during this season, Serena (Samantha's identical cousin, also played by Montgomery, but credited to Pandora Spocks in some episodes) was used more frequently. Filming of scenes involving both Samantha and Serena was accomplished by using Melody McCord, Montgomery's stand-in.

Beginning with the sixth season's (1969–1970) opening credits, in addition to York being replaced with Sargent, Elizabeth Montgomery was billed above the title, and David White now received billing, as well, after Agnes Moorehead's. During this year, the show incurred a significant decline in ratings, falling from 11th to 24th place. In mid-1970, the set of the Stephenses' home was being rebuilt due to a fire. In June, the cast and crew traveled to Salem, Magnolia, and Gloucester, Massachusetts to film an eight-part story arc in which Samantha, Darrin, and Endora travel to Salem for the centennial Witches Convocation. These location shoots marked the only times the show was filmed away from its Hollywood studio sets and backlot. Season seven premiered with eight so-called Salem Saga episodes. These on-location episodes helped the show's sagging ratings.[12] During that year, though, scripts from old episodes were recycled frequently. By the end of the 1970–1971 season, the ratings for Bewitched had noticeably dropped and the show did not even rank in the list of the top 30 programs. ABC moved Bewitched's airtime from Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. to Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. at the beginning of the eighth season. The schedule change did not help ratings, as the show was now pitted against CBS's popular The Carol Burnett Show. Fewer recurring characters were used this season; the Kravitzes, Darrin's parents, and Uncle Arthur did not appear at all, and Louise Tate only featured in three episodes. Filming ended in December 1971, and in January 1972 the show was finally moved to Saturday night at 8:00 p.m., opposite television's number-one show, All in the Family, where it fared even worse, with Bewitched finishing in 72nd place for the year.
During its first five seasons, Bewitched was sponsored by both General Motors’ Chevrolet division and the Quaker Oats Company.[13] As a result, Chevrolet vehicles were often prominently featured on the series, even as a part of the storyline (an example of product placement), and many scenes showed the Stephenses having breakfast in the kitchen. Sponsors in later seasons included Bristol-Myers, Eastman Kodak, and Oscar Mayer.
Sets and locations
[edit]The 1959 Columbia Pictures film Gidget was filmed on location at a real house in Santa Monica (at 267 18th Street). The blueprint design of this house was later reversed and replicated as a house facade attached to an existing garage on the backlot of Columbia's Ranch. This was the house seen on Bewitched. The patio and living room sets seen in Columbia's Gidget Goes to Rome (1963) were soon adapted for the permanent Bewitched set for 1964. The interior of the Stephenses' house can be seen, substantially unaltered, in the Jerry Lewis film Hook, Line & Sinker (1969). The set was also used several times in the television series Gidget and I Dream of Jeannie, as well as the television film Brian's Song (1971). It was also used, as a setting for an opening tag sequence, for the final episode of the first season of another Screen Gems property, The Monkees, and in an episode of The Fantastic Journey. The house served as Doctor Bellows' house on I Dream of Jeannie, and was seen in an episode of Home Improvement when Tim Taylor took Tool Time on location to the house of Vinnie's mother to repair a gas leak in the basement furnace (with a second gas leak at the kitchen stove, unbeknownst to Tim). The Stephens house was also featured in a Fruit of the Loom Christmas commercial and it was used as Clark Griswold's boyhood home in his old home movies in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.[14] On Marvel Studios' 2021 limited series WandaVision, which pays homage to Bewitched in a number of episodes, the house's exterior serves throughout the series as the home of neighbor Agatha Harkness, while the interior set briefly appears in one episode as the ever-evolving home of the titular characters, Wanda and Vision.
On the Columbia studio backlot, the Kravitzes' house was actually down the street from the Stephenses' house exterior. Both houses' exterior doors opened to an unfinished 18-by-15-foot (5.5 by 4.6 m) entry, as the interiors were shot on studio sound stages elsewhere. A "front porch" set, replicating the porch of the backlot house was created, as well. From 1964 through 1966, the Kravitzes' house was the same as used for The Donna Reed Show. Beginning with third-season color episodes in 1966, the Kravitz house sets were the same as what would (years later) be featured as The Partridge Family house.
Production and filming for Bewitched was based in Los Angeles, and although the setting is assumed to be suburban New York, several episodes feature wide-angle exterior views of the Stephenses' neighborhood showing a California landscape with mountains in the distance. Another example of questionable continuity regarding the location can be seen in season six, episode six: Darrin's parents drive home after visiting the new baby, passing several large palm trees lining the street.[15]
Cancellation and aftermath
[edit]Despite the low ratings, Bewitched still had a contract for two more seasons on ABC. The network was willing to honor that contract by renewing the sitcom for a ninth season. Montgomery had grown tired of the series and wanted other roles. Her husband William Asher and she had separated and would divorce in 1974. Asher pitched an idea to ABC for a sitcom starring Paul Lynde. The concept was based on the play Howie, about a lawyer, Paul Simms (played by Paul Lynde), whose daughter marries a slacker named Howard, or "Howie". Paul's character despises him, as he is not interested in earning money or traditional pursuits. In creating a series for Paul Lynde, Asher decided to resurrect the Howie concept for ABC and Screen Gems as a replacement for Bewitched the following year. Asher designed The Paul Lynde Show to be ABC's counterpart to CBS's All in the Family, but the show lacked the controversial and topical issues brought up by that series, due to ABC's restriction on social realism.[citation needed] This was despite Lynde's rewrite of the show's dialog to make the series more lively and comedic. When The Paul Lynde Show debuted on ABC in the fall of 1972, it inherited Bewitched’s time slot during its last season on Wednesday nights opposite the first half of the top-30 hit The Carol Burnett Show on CBS and the top-20 hit Adam-12 on NBC. While the premiere episode of The Paul Lynde Show did well in the ratings, strong negative reactions not only to Lynde's character, but also the premise of the series, led to bad word of mouth and eventual cancellation of the series.
The Paul Lynde Show bore some similarities to Bewitched; some of the sets used for the Simmses' house and backyard were used from the Stephenses' home. The name of Paul's law firm McNish and Simms was similar to the name of Darrin Stephens's advertising agency McMann and Tate. Many actors regularly seen on Bewitched also appeared on Lynde's series, including Mabel Albertson, Herb Voland, Jack Collins, Richard X. Slattery, and Dick Wilson.
At the same time, to help fulfill the network's contract with Bewitched, Asher and Harry Ackerman created another ABC sitcom for the 1972–1973 season called Temperatures Rising. The series starred James Whitmore and Cleavon Little. In its first year, the sitcom struggled with its format and ratings and in midseason, Asher was replaced as producer by Bruce Johnson and Duke Vincent. Despite its challenges, the series ended its first year with a respectable 29 share and was renewed for the 1973–1974 season. To improve ratings and help Paul Lynde fulfill his contract with the network after the demise of his show, ABC wanted to make some changes. When The New Temperatures Rising Show debuted in September 1973, Lynde had replaced Whitmore and the emphasis on black comedy in the show became more prominent. In spite of the changes, ratings for the series fell well below those of the previous season.
When Screen Gems head John Mitchell and ABC chief programmer Barry Diller noticed that The New Temperatures Rising Show was failing, they contacted William Asher and asked him to return and salvage the series. The show was resurrected on July 18, 1974, after a six-month hiatus with its original title Temperatures Rising. Joining Lynde and Little in the cast was Bewitched alumna Alice Ghostley. Once again, the changes in cast and format failed to resuscitate the series and Temperatures Rising was canceled, with the final episode broadcast on August 29, 1974, ending William Asher's original contract with ABC and Bewitched.
Cultural context
[edit]In February 1964, feminist Betty Friedan's two-part essay "Television and the Feminine Mystique" for TV Guide[16][17] criticized the portrayal of women in television shows as simplistic, manipulative, and insecure household drudges whose time was spent dreaming of love and plotting revenge on their husbands.[18] Samantha's character differed from this stereotype and Endora used Friedan-like language to criticize the boring drudgery of household life.[6] Others have looked how the series "play[ed] into and subvert[ed] a rich load of cultural stereotypes and allusions" regarding witches, gender roles, advertising, and consumerism.[19] In the episode "Eat at Mario's" (May 27, 1965), Samantha and Endora use their powers to defend and promote a quality Italian restaurant. They take delight in an active, aggressive role in the public space, breaking new ground in the depiction of women in television.[6]
Airing during the civil rights era, Bewitched broached taboos about interracial marriage.[20]
In a 1992 interview, Elizabeth Montgomery was asked if the show was an allegory about closeted homosexuality. She answered, "Don't think that didn't enter our minds at the time. We talked about it on the set—certainly not in production meetings—that this was about people not being allowed to be what they really are. If you think about it, Bewitched is about repression in general and all the frustration and trouble it can cause."[21]
At its heart, the series was about the basic issues of achievement vs. instant gratification, a recurring theme in such episodes as "A Is for Aardvark" (directed by Ida Lupino) and "Charlie Harper, Winner". Darrin continually asserts the value of earned accomplishment, though even Samantha has to remind him when he weakens and asks for the easy way out (as do the scriptwriters). Samantha is drawn to Darrin partially because her former life allowed so much opulence that it became frivolous and self-indulgent, attributes that her flamboyant family continued to exemplify.[22]
The Stephens couple would also notably sleep in the same bed in a time when television couples were often depicted as sleeping in separate beds.[23][24]
Reception
[edit]Walter Metz attributes the success of the series to its snappy writing, the charm of Elizabeth Montgomery, and the talents of its large supporting cast. The show also made use of respected film techniques for its special effects. The soundtrack was unique, notably where it concerned the synthesized sound of nose twitching.[9]
The first episodes featured a voice-over narrator "performing comic sociological analyses" of the role of a witch in middle-class suburbia. The style was reminiscent of Hollywood films such as Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957).[6] In a 1991 audio interview with film historian Ronald Haver, Elizabeth Montgomery revealed that her father Robert Montgomery was originally approached and asked to narrate these episodes, but he turned it down. Instead, the narration was done by Academy Award-winning actor José Ferrer, who did not receive credit.
The series inspired the rival show I Dream of Jeannie (1965–1970)[9] on NBC, which was produced by the same studio as Bewitched (Screen Gems).
On June 15, 2005, TV Land unveiled a Samantha statue in Salem to mark the show's 40th anniversary.[25] On hand were three surviving actors from the show, Bernard Fox (Dr. Bombay), Erin Murphy (Tabitha), and Kasey Rogers (Louise Tate), as well as producer/director William Asher.[26]
| Year | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Outstanding Comedy Series | Jerry Davis | Nominated |
| Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series | Elizabeth Montgomery | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Comedy | Agnes Moorehead | Nominated | |
| Alice Pearce | Won | ||
| Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy | William Asher | Won | |
| 1967 | Outstanding Comedy Series | William Froug | Nominated |
| Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series | Elizabeth Montgomery | Nominated | |
| Agnes Moorehead | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Comedy | Marion Lorne | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy | William Asher | Nominated | |
| 1968 | Outstanding Comedy Series | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series | Dick York | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series | Elizabeth Montgomery | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Comedy | Marion Lorne | Won | |
| Agnes Moorehead | Nominated | ||
| 1969 | Outstanding Comedy Series | William Asher | Nominated |
| Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series | Elizabeth Montgomery | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series | Agnes Moorehead | Nominated | |
| 1970 | Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series | Elizabeth Montgomery | Nominated |
| Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Agnes Moorehead | Nominated | |
| 1971 | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Achievement in Makeup | Rolf J. Miller | Nominated |
Spin-offs, crossovers, and remakes
[edit]The Flintstones
[edit]The 1965 episode of The Flintstones titled "Samantha" (1965) featured Dick York and Elizabeth Montgomery as Darrin and Samantha Stephens, who have just moved into the neighborhood. This crossover was facilitated by both series being broadcast on ABC.[27]
Tabitha and Adam and the Clown Family
[edit]An animated TV special made in 1972 by Hanna-Barbera Productions for The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie, this featured teenaged versions of Tabitha and Adam visiting their aunt and her family who travel with a circus.[28] The show aired on December 2, 1972.[29]
Tabitha
[edit]In 1977, a short-lived spin-off titled Tabitha aired on ABC. Lisa Hartman played Tabitha, now an adult working with her brother Adam at television station KXLA. Several continuity differences from the original series existed. Adam and Tabitha had both aged far more than the intervening five years between the two series would have allowed. Adam also had become Tabitha's older mortal brother, rather than her younger warlock brother, as he was in Bewitched. Supporting character Aunt Minerva (Karen Morrow) says she has been close to Tabitha since childhood, though she had never been mentioned once in the original series. Tabitha's parents are mentioned, but never appear. Bernard Fox, Sandra Gould, George Tobias, and Dick Wilson reprised their roles, though, as Dr. Bombay, Gladys Kravitz, Abner Kravitz, and "various drunks", respectively.
Passions
[edit]The 1999–2008 NBC soap opera Passions featured several appearances by Bernard Fox, playing Dr. Bombay.[30] In another echo of Bewitched, the resident witch on Passions, Tabitha Lenox (Juliet Mills), named her daughter Endora.[31]
Theatrical film
[edit]Bewitched inspired a 2005 film starring Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell, distributed by Columbia Pictures. The film, departing from the show's family-oriented tone, is not a remake, but takes a metafictional approach, with the action focused on arrogant, failing Hollywood actor Jack Wyatt (Ferrell), who is offered a career comeback playing Darrin in a remake of Bewitched. The role is contingent upon him finding the perfect woman to play Samantha. He chooses an unknown named Isabel Bigelow (Kidman), who coincidentally, is an actual witch. The film was written, directed, and produced by Nora Ephron, who stated that the original series was about the conflict between a powerful woman and a husband who could not deal with that power, and the anger of a bride's mother at seeing her daughter marry beneath her. Ephron's version was poorly received by most critics and was a financial failure.
The film earned $22 million less than the production cost domestically, but it earned an additional $68 million internationally. The New York Times called Bewitched "an unmitigated disaster."[32]
Comic adaptations
[edit]Dell Comics adapted the series into a comic-book series in 1964. The artwork was done by Henry Scarpelli.[33]
In 1966, the series was adapted as a strip in Lady Penelope, beginning from issue 12 and lasting until the comic's demise in 1969.[34] It ran for 14 issues.[35]
Novel
[edit]A novel by Al Hine was published in 1965 by Dell.[36] It was translated into Japanese[37] and Dutch.[38]
Games
[edit]A board game was published by Game Gems in 1964.[39] Stymie, a card game based on Bewitched, was published in 1964 by Milton Bradley.[40] A print and play card game was published in 2007 by MM Board Games.[41] A match 3 puzzle video game was published in 2005.[42]
Television remakes
[edit]- Argentina: A remake called Hechizada, produced by Telefé, aired in early 2007. It starred Florencia Peña as Samantha, Gustavo Garzón as her husband, Eduardo, and Georgina Barbarrosa as Endora. This show adapted original scripts to an Argentinian context, with local humor and a contemporary setting. The show was cancelled due to low ratings after a few weeks.
- Japan: TBS, a flagship station of Japan News Network, produced a remake called Okusama wa majo (奥さまは魔女, meaning '(My) Wife is a Witch'), also known as Bewitched in Tokyo.[43] Eleven episodes were broadcast on JNN stations Fridays at 10 p.m., from January 16 to March 26, 2004, and a special on December 21, 2004. The main character, Arisa Matsui, was portrayed by Ryoko Yonekura. Okusama wa majo is also the Japanese title for the original American series.
- India: In 2002, Sony Entertainment Television began airing Meri Biwi Wonderful, a local adaptation of Bewitched.
- Russia: In 2009, TV3 broadcast a remake titled Моя любимая ведьма (My Favorite Witch), starring Anna Zdor as Nadia (Samantha), Ivan Grishanov as Ivan (Darrin), and Marina Esepenko as Nadia's mother. The series is very similar to the original, with most episodes based on those from the original series. American comedy writer/producer Norm Gunzenhauser oversaw the writing and directing of the series.
- United Kingdom: In 2008, the BBC made a pilot episode of a British version, with Sheridan Smith as Samantha, Tom Price as Darrin, and veteran actress Frances de la Tour as Endora.
Proposed reboots
[edit]In August 2011, CBS reportedly ordered a script to be written by Marc Lawrence for a rebooted series of Bewitched.[44]
On October 22, 2014, Sony Pictures Television announced that it sold a pilot of Bewitched to NBC as a possible entry for the 2015—2016 US television season. This show would have concerned Tabitha's daughter Daphne, a single woman who despite having the same magical powers as her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, is determined not to use her special abilities to find a soul mate. The new version of the proposed series, written by Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein, had been on the radar of several major networks, including ABC, after Sony began shopping the project to interested parties.[45]
On August 23, 2018, ABC announced that it had bought a pilot for a single-camera Bewitched remake from Black-ish creator Kenya Barris. This was Barris's last new project for the network before his exclusive contract with Netflix went into effect.[46] Around the same time, an animated reboot series was optioned by 9 Story Entertainment and GO-N Productions, but never got off the ground.[47]
On June 8, 2023, it was announced Sony Pictures Television Kids would be producing an animated Bewitched series that was to center on Samantha and Darrin's daughter Tabitha as a teenager.[48] The series was previewed at MIPJunior on October 3, 2023.[49] On February 14, 2024, Judalina Neira was announced to be writing and executive producing the reboot series.[50]
WandaVision
[edit]The second episode of drama-mystery television miniseries WandaVision, titled "Don't Touch That Dial", alludes to the series through an animated title sequence and the premise of Wanda Maximoff and Vision living an idyllic suburban life trying to conceal their true natures. Exteriors of the neighborhood were filmed at the now-Warner Ranch backlot with Wanda's nosy neighbor Agatha Harkness living in the Stephens house.
Episodes
[edit]| Season | Episodes | Originally released | Rank | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | |||||
| 1 | 36 | September 17, 1964 | June 3, 1965 | 2 | 31.0 | |
| 2 | 38 | September 16, 1965 | June 9, 1966 | 7 | 25.9[a] | |
| 3 | 33 | September 15, 1966 | May 4, 1967 | 7 | 23.4[b] | |
| 4 | 33 | September 7, 1967 | May 16, 1968 | 11 | 23.5 | |
| 5 | 30 | September 26, 1968 | April 24, 1969 | 11 | 23.3[c] | |
| 6 | 30 | September 18, 1969 | April 16, 1970 | 24 | 20.6[d] | |
| 7 | 28 | September 24, 1970 | April 22, 1971 | — | — | |
| 8 | 26 | September 15, 1971 | March 25, 1972 | 72[51] | 11.3[51] | |
Notes
- ^ Tied with The Beverly Hillbillies
- ^ Tied with Daktari and The Beverly Hillbillies
- ^ Tied with Mission: Impossible and The Red Skelton Show
- ^ Tied with NBC Saturday Night at the Movies and The F.B.I.
Episode availability
[edit]Syndication history
[edit]After completing its original run, ABC Daytime and ABC Saturday Morning continued to air the series until 1973. Since then, Bewitched has been syndicated on many local US broadcast stations, first from 1973 to 1982 and then since 1993, including Columbia TriStar Television as part of the Screen Gems Network syndication package from 1999 to 2001, which featured bonus wraparound content during episode airings in 1999.
From 1973 to 1982, the entire series was syndicated by Screen Gems/Columbia Pictures. By the late 1970s, numerous local stations either omitted black-and-white episodes or exclusively aired them during the summer, as there was a prevailing belief that such episodes were generally less appealing than those filmed in color. From 1981 to about 1991, only the color episodes were syndicated in barter syndication by DFS Program Exchange. The first two seasons, which were in black and white, were not included because Columbia retained the rights to them. Beginning in 1989, Nick at Nite only aired the black-and-white episodes, which were originally unedited. The edited versions of the episodes continued in barter syndication until 1992. Columbia syndicated the entire series beginning in 1991. The remaining six color seasons were added to Nick at Nite's lineup in March 1998 in a week-long Dueling Darrins Marathon. Later, seasons 1 and 2 were colorized and made available for syndication. Eventually, they were made available for DVD sales. The cable television channel WTBS carried seasons 3–8 throughout the 1980s and 1990s from DFS on a barter basis like most local stations that carried the show.
The show aired on the Hallmark Channel from August 6, 2001, to May 24, 2003. Bewitched then aired on TV Land from May 31, 2003 to November 10, 2006, and it returned to TV Land on March 3, 2008,[52] but left the schedule on September 30, 2011.
In September 2008, the show began to air on WGN America, and in October 2012, it began to air on Logo up until January 1, 2024.
Antenna TV has aired the show in conjunction with I Dream of Jeannie since the network's launch in 2011.[53] The cable and satellite network FETV also airs the show together with I Dream of Jeannie.[54] The show also aired on GAC Family for a brief time in 2021.
Overseas markets
[edit]In Australia, this series aired on the Nine Network's digital channel GO! later it moved to the Seven Network's digital channels 7TWO later 7flix. Prior to this, the show aired in reruns on Network Ten in 1995 before moving to the Seven Network a year later.
In Italy, the series aired on Raiuno, Telemontecarlo, Italia 1, Rai 3, Canale 5, Retequattro, Boing & Paramount Network under the name Vita da strega (Life as a Witch) from 1967 until 1979.
The Russia-based channel Domashny aired the show from 2008 to 2010.
Internet
[edit]Selected episodes may be viewed on iTunes, YouTube, Tubi, IMDb, Hulu, The Minisode Network, Crackle, and Amazon.com. The show also airs on free streaming TV app Pluto TV.[55]
Home media
[edit]Beginning in 2005, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released all eight seasons of Bewitched. In regions 1 and 4, seasons 1 and 2 were each released in two versions—one as originally broadcast in black and white, and one colorized. The complete series set only contains the colorized versions of seasons 1 and 2. Only the colorized editions were released in Regions 2 and 4. A disc of the first three episodes was also released in Region 1 to coincide with the 2005 movie.
On August 27, 2013, it was announced that Mill Creek Entertainment had acquired the rights to various television series from the Sony Pictures library including Bewitched.[56] They have subsequently re-released the first six seasons, with seasons 1 and 2 available only in their black-and-white versions.[57][58][59]
On October 6, 2015, Mill Creek Entertainment re-released Bewitched – The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1.[60] Special features were stripped from the release. The first two seasons are in black and white only.
On February 5, 2025, Australian distributor ViaVision Entertainment released a Blu-ray box set of the first two seasons of Bewitched, containing all first- and second-season episodes in high-definition black and white, with standard-definition versions of all colorized episodes.[61] On May 28, 2025, Australian distributor ViaVision Entertainment released a Blu-ray box set of the next two seasons of Bewitched, containing all third- and fourth-season episodes in high-definition color.
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
- ^ "Hanna-Barbera: The Architects of Saturday Morning – Illustration History". Archived from the original on March 24, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
- ^ "TV Guide Names Top 50 Shows". CBS News. April 26, 2002. Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
- ^ "Special Collector's Issue: 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time". TV Guide. No. June 28 – July 4. 1997.
- ^ "Sol Saks: Creator of Bewitched". harpiesbizarre.com. Archived from the original on April 1, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f Metz (2007), p. 18-25
- ^ "14 Things You Probably Didn't Know About 'Bewitched'". Mental Floss. Archived from the original on January 9, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
- ^ Pilato, Herbie J. (2012). Twitch Upon a Star: The Bewitched Life and Career of Elizabeth Montgomery. Lanham, Maryland: Taylor Trade Publishing. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-58979-749-9.
- ^ a b c d e f g Metz (2007), p. 14-17
- ^ Gross, Ed (February 10, 2023). "Sadly, 'Mrs. Kravitz' on 'Bewitched' Lived A Short, Tragic Life". Do You Remember?. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
- ^ "Sargent Replaces Bewitched Costar". Los Angeles Times. January 31, 1969. p. G14.
- ^ Alachi, Peter. "The Salem Saga, 1970". Bewitched @ Harpies Bizarre. Archived from the original on June 7, 2009. Retrieved May 25, 2009.
- ^ Shayon, Robert Lewis (October 17, 1964). "Radio and TV". Saturday Review. p. 27.
- ^ "27 Festive Facts About Christmas Vacation". mentalfloss.com. December 17, 2017. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
- ^ Whit, Dan (February 19, 2021). William Froug: "Dick York was in love with Elizabeth Montgomery, she couldn't stand him". Retrieved October 26, 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ Friedan, Betty (February 1, 1964). "Television and the Feminine Mystique". TV Guide. Vol. 12.
- ^ Friedan, Betty (February 8, 1964). "Television and the Feminine Mystique". TV Guide. Vol. 12.
- ^ Friedan, Betty (1970). "Television and the Feminine Mystique". In Cole, Barry (ed.). Television: A Selection of Readings from TV Guide Magazine. Free Press. pp. 267–275.
- ^ "Samantha every witch way but lose". The Age. June 25, 2005. Archived from the original on September 15, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
- ^ McKairnes, Jim. "'Bewitched' broke ground 45 years ago". USA Today. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
- ^ "The Legend of Liz Montgomery". The Advocate. 1992. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
- ^ Pilato, Herbie J (1996). Bewitched Forever (2nd ed.). Summit Publishing. ISBN 978-1565302259.
- ^ Spangler 2003, p. 81.
- ^ VanArendonk, Kathryn (December 3, 2023). "'The Brady Bunch' Isn't the First Time a Couple Shared a Bed on TV". Collider. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
- ^ Com, TV (June 18, 2005). "Conflict in Salem over Bewitched statue - TV.com". Archived from the original on August 26, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
- ^ "Bewitched Elizabeth Montgomery TV Land Statue in Lappin Park Salem Massachusetts". July 5, 2005. Archived from the original on July 3, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
- ^ Barbera, Joseph (October 22, 1965). "Samantha". The Flintstones. Season 6. Episode 6. ABC.
- ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. p. 55. ISBN 978-1476665993.
- ^ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. p. 332. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ^ Sandomir, Richard (December 15, 2016). "Bernard Fox, Actor on Classic '60s Sitcoms, Dies at 89". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
- ^ Nahmod, David-Elijah (September 2, 2014). "Bay of the Living Dead: Remembering "Passions:" A Dark "Bewitched" and New Cult Classic". SF Weekly. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
- ^ Barnes, Brooks (July 31, 2009). "Full Stomachs, and Full Marriages Too". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 2, 2011. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
- ^ "Henry Scarpelli". lambiek.net. Archived from the original on November 17, 2017. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
- ^ "Comic Anderson": Part 2" – FAB Issue 63, Stephen Baxter, p.40
- ^ Bewitched
- ^ Bewitched
- ^ 奥さまは魔女 / Okusama wa majo
- ^ Een heks met sex
- ^ Bewitched (1964)
- ^ Stymie Card Game (1964)
- ^ Bewitched Card Game (2007)
- ^ Bewitched
- ^ "奥さまは魔女 – Bewitched in Tokyo". Tokyo Broadcasting System. Archived from the original on September 25, 2009. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
- ^ Fletcher, Alex (August 10, 2011). "'Bewitched' to be remade by CBS". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
- ^ "Bewitched Update: NBC Pilot Will Follow Samantha's Granddaughter". tvline.com. TV Line. October 22, 2014. Archived from the original on October 23, 2014.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (August 23, 2018). "'Bewitched' Reboot With Interracial Family From Kenya Barris & Yamara Taylor Set At ABC With Big Commitment Via ABC Studios, Sony TV & Davis Entertainment". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 2, 2019. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
- ^ "9 Story, GO-N Conjuring Up New 'Bewitched' Toon". animationmagazine.net. February 7, 2018.
- ^ "Animated 'Bewitched,' 'Partridge Family' Reboots in the Works at Sony TV Kids". animationmagazine.net. June 8, 2023.
- ^ "MIPJunior & MIPCOM: New Toons from Sony Kids, Blue Ant, MIAM! & Monster, Plus More 'Fireman Sam' & 'Polly Pocket'". animationmagazine.net. October 3, 2023.
- ^ "'Bewitched' Series Reboot In Works From Judalina Neira Under Overall Deal With Sony Pictures TV". Deadline. February 14, 2024. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
- ^ a b Petersen, Clarence (May 30, 1972). "Final Scores in the Ratings Race". Chicago Tribune. p. A13 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "TV Land March 2010 Has Return of Bewitched; Hope For Haiti Now Telethon Airs Friday Night". sitcomsonline.com. January 20, 2010. Archived from the original on June 9, 2010.
- ^ "Bewitched". Antenna TV. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
- ^ "Bewitched | FETV".
- ^ Evans, Greg (July 19, 2018). "Pluto TV & Sony Strike Content Deal To Stream 200+ Movie & Classic TV Titles". Deadline. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
- ^ "Site News DVD news: Mill Creek Licenses 52 TV Shows from Sony for Low-Cost DVD Release - TVShowsOnDVD.com". tvshowsondvd.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
- ^ "Bewitched DVD news: Announcement for Bewitched - Seasons 1 & 2 - TVShowsOnDVD.com". tvshowsondvd.com. Archived from the original on January 18, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
- ^ "Bewitched DVD news: Release date for Bewitched - Seasons 3 & 4 - TVShowsOnDVD.com". tvshowsondvd.com. Archived from the original on January 18, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
- ^ "Both Sargent and York in Mill Creek's 'Seasons 5 and 6' DVDs". tvshowsondvd.com. Archived from the original on January 21, 2015.
- ^ "Bewitched DVD news: Box Art and Details for Mill Creek's Complete Series - TVShowsOnDVD.com". tvshowsondvd.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2015. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
- ^ "Bewitched Seasons 1 & 2 at ViaVision".
Sources
[edit]- Metz, Walter (2007), Bewitched, Wayne State University Press, ISBN 978-0814335802
- Spangler, Lynn C. (2003). Television Women from Lucy to Friends: Fifty Years of Sitcoms and Feminism. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-3132878-1-7.
Further reading
[edit]- Alachi, Peter (2006). Salem's Summer of Sam: On the Trail of "Bewitched" in Salem, 1970. palachi.com. ISBN 978-0-9776751-2-8.
- Metz, Walter (January 30, 2007). Bewitched. TV Milestones. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 978-0-8143-3231-3.
- Meyers, Gina (June 20, 2004). The Magic of Bewitched Trivia and More. iUniverse, Inc. ISBN 978-0-595-31557-4.
- O'Reilly, Julie D. (2013). Bewitched Again: Supernaturally Powerful Women on Television, 1996-2011. McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-1-476601-61-8.
- Pilato, Herbie (October 2004). Bewitched Forever: 40th Anniversary Edition (2nd ed.). Tapestry Press. ISBN 978-1-930819-40-5.
- Piro, Rita (March 24, 2006). Elizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitching Life (5th ed.). Great Feats Press. ISBN 978-0-9706261-2-7.
- Tranberg, Charles (August 31, 2007). I Love the Illusion: The Life and Career of Agnes Moorehead (2nd ed.). BearManor Media. ISBN 978-1-59393-095-0.
- Rogers, Kasey (November 1, 1995). The Official Bewitched Cookbook: Magic in the Kitchen. Kensington Books. ISBN 978-1-57566-095-0.
- Spencer, Beth. "Samantha every witch way but lose." The Age, 25 June 2005.
- York, Dick (June 2004). The Seesaw Girl and Me: A Memoir. New Path Press. ISBN 978-0-9745446-4-9.
External links
[edit]Bewitched
View on GrokipediaThe series centers on Samantha Stephens, a benevolent witch portrayed by Elizabeth Montgomery, who marries mortal advertising executive Darrin Stephens (Dick York in seasons 1–5, Dick Sargent thereafter) and pledges to abstain from using her powers to maintain a conventional suburban existence, frequently resulting in humorous predicaments involving her meddlesome witch mother Endora (Agnes Moorehead).[1][2]
Inspired by the films I Married a Witch and Bell, Book and Candle, the pilot was pitched directly to Montgomery and her husband, director William Asher, who helped refine its format.[1]
Bewitched produced 254 episodes, utilizing practical effects such as fast-motion cinematography and wires for magical sequences, and incorporated Montgomery's real-life pregnancies into the storyline as the births of witch children Tabitha and Adam.[1]
It garnered strong viewership, ranking in Nielsen's top 10 for three seasons and top 25 for six, received 22 Emmy nominations, and won three, while pioneering high-concept sitcoms blending domestic humor with supernatural elements during the 1960s cultural shifts.[2]
The show's legacy endures through continuous syndication since 1964, though it faced production challenges including York's exit due to a chronic back injury from a prior film stunt and occasional episodes addressing social issues like prejudice via fantastical allegory.[1][2]
Premise and Setting
Core Plot and Supernatural Framework
The core plot of Bewitched centers on Samantha Stephens, a witch who marries mortal advertising executive Darrin Stephens and vows to forgo using her magical abilities to maintain a conventional suburban lifestyle.[3] This promise, made in the pilot episode "I, Darrin, Take This Witch, Samantha," aired on September 17, 1964, establishes the recurring comedic conflict, wherein Samantha's efforts to suppress her innate powers are thwarted by magical interventions from her family or accidental spells, necessitating quick fixes to preserve the facade of normalcy.[3] Supernaturally, witches and warlocks in the series wield powers including teleportation, transformation, and matter manipulation, often executed instantaneously through verbal incantations, gestures, or, in Samantha's case, a signature nose twitch producing a sparkling effect and harplike sound.[4] These beings are immortal or near-immortal, with Samantha depicted as centuries old despite her youthful appearance.[5] Their society operates under a Witches' Council, a governing body of eight elder witches and warlocks that upholds traditions such as discouraging unions with mortals and can revoke powers for violations, as seen when it orders Samantha to abandon Darrin, resulting in her temporary loss of magic upon refusal.[6] Most mortals remain oblivious to witchcraft unless directly impacted, enabling Samantha to rationalize bizarre events to Darrin's clients and neighbors without broader exposure. Conflicts frequently arise from Endora's deliberate magical sabotage to highlight Darrin's inadequacy and urge Samantha toward her witch heritage, compounded by inept spells from relatives like Aunt Clara.[7] Resolutions emphasize compromise, with Samantha deploying restrained magic only as a last resort to avert catastrophe, prioritizing relational stability over unchecked supernatural assertion.[3]Domestic and Historical Context
The series depicts life in an upper-middle-class suburban neighborhood at the fictional 1164 Morning Glory Circle in Westport, Connecticut, a real commuter town in Fairfield County characterized by affluent residential areas and proximity to New York City, where many white-collar professionals resided during the 1960s.[8] [9] Westport's socio-economic landscape in this period reflected broader post-World War II suburban growth, fueled by the GI Bill's home loan guarantees and the Interstate Highway System's expansion, which enabled over 11 million new suburban homes by 1960 and concentrated families in low-density, single-family developments emphasizing privacy and stability.[10] Darrin's occupation as an advertising executive captures the era's booming consumer economy and service-sector jobs, with U.S. advertising expenditures rising from $11 billion in 1960 to $15 billion by 1965, often centered in metropolitan hubs like New York that drew suburban commuters.[11] Samantha's dedication to homemaking and child-rearing embodies the prevailing 1960s domestic ideals, where census data showed 70% of married women aged 25-54 as full-time housewives, prioritizing nuclear family roles amid cultural pressures for gender-differentiated spheres following the war's emphasis on traditionalism.[12] Episodes incorporate period-specific elements like mid-century fashion, rotary phones, and early color televisions—absent later anachronisms—to evoke the normalcy of suburban routine, aligning with the decade's focus on material comfort and technological optimism in households.[13] This portrayal unfolds against the Cold War's backdrop of nuclear fears and anti-communist vigilance, where suburban conformity served as a bulwark against perceived external threats, with the concealed supernatural aspects symbolizing latent instabilities in an otherwise ordered domestic facade.[14][15]Characters and Casting
Protagonists and Family Dynamics
Samantha Stephens possesses extensive supernatural abilities as a witch but voluntarily suppresses them after marrying Darrin Stephens, a mortal advertising executive, to uphold a traditional domestic existence devoid of magic.[16] This self-imposed restraint frequently falters when Samantha employs witchcraft to avert crises in Darrin's professional life or household mishaps, prompting his vehement objections due to the resultant disruptions and threats to his career stability.[16] Darrin's intolerance stems from a desire for predictability and autonomy in his ambitions, positioning him as the authoritative figure whose preferences Samantha accommodates to sustain marital unity, even at the expense of her inherent capabilities.[17] The couple's two children, Tabitha and Adam, inherit Samantha's warlock lineage, manifesting powers that extend the supernatural challenges into generational persistence and compel parental interventions focused on restraint and normalcy.[18] Tabitha, the elder daughter born during the series' third season premiere on September 16, 1966, displays early magical tendencies that Samantha and Darrin seek to curb through discipline, mirroring the adults' compromises but amplifying tensions over upbringing in a divided heritage.[19] Adam, the younger son introduced later, undergoes a formal evaluation by a witches' council in the 1971 episode "Adam, Warlock or Washout," confirming his powers and underscoring the futility of fully eradicating magic from family life while highlighting efforts to integrate it discreetly.[18] Central to the Stephens' interactions is a recurring pattern of conflict resolution through mutual deference and recommitment, wherein Samantha's concessions to Darrin's no-magic edict reinforce the primacy of spousal loyalty over personal or supernatural independence.[17] Darrin's assertions of authority, often expressed through frustration at magical intrusions, contrast with Samantha's supportive role, portraying enduring partnership as reliant on her yielding to his vision of conventional family structure amid inevitable lapses.[16] This dynamic, evident across the series' 254 episodes from 1964 to 1972, illustrates causal tensions arising from mismatched worldviews—mortal pragmatism versus witch heritage—resolved not by equality of power but by prioritized relational harmony.[20]Supporting and Antagonistic Roles
Endora, portrayed by Agnes Moorehead, served as the primary familial antagonist, embodying a flamboyant and disdainful witch who persistently undermined her daughter Samantha's efforts to adhere to mortal domestic norms through her elitist disdain for humans.[21] Her interventions often stemmed from generational clashes within the witch lineage, prioritizing supernatural superiority over suburban conformity.[22] Moorehead's portrayal earned six Primetime Emmy nominations for the role across the series' run from 1964 to 1972. In contrast, Larry Tate, played by David White, represented professional antagonism as Darrin's sycophantic and profit-driven boss at the McMann and Tate advertising agency, frequently pressuring Darrin into ethically flexible campaigns that risked exposing the family's supernatural secrets.[23] Tate's opportunistic demeanor amplified workplace tensions, exploiting Darrin's vulnerabilities to secure clients while ignoring potential moral compromises in advertising practices.[24] Among Samantha's witch relatives, Serena—Samantha's rebellious cousin, also played by Elizabeth Montgomery in a dual role under the pseudonym Pandora Spocks—embodied a modern, egotistical defiance of restraint, using her magic in flashy, self-serving ways that clashed with Samantha's subdued approach and invited external scrutiny.[25] This contrast highlighted cultural rifts within the supernatural family, with Serena's bolder persona often catalyzing unintended conflicts in the mortal world. Similarly, Aunt Clara, enacted by Marion Lorne, depicted an outdated witch archetype whose senescent magic frequently misfired due to her advanced age, representing a generational disconnect from contemporary witchcraft efficacy and inadvertently fueling domestic disruptions through her well-intentioned but erratic spells. Lorne's interpretation drew on absurd, whimsical characterizations, positioning Clara as a sympathetic figure whose failures underscored the challenges of maintaining magical traditions amid evolving family dynamics.[26] The mortal neighbor Gladys Kravitz, initially portrayed by Alice Pearce until her death in 1966 and subsequently by Sandra Gould, functioned as a recurring catalyst for paranoia by obsessively witnessing anomalous events at the Stephens home, her nosy vigilance embodying suburban suspicion of the uncanny and forcing repeated magical cover-ups.[27] Pearce's tenure earned a posthumous Emmy Award in 1966 for her nagging, irrepressible portrayal, which heightened the series' tension between hidden otherworldliness and everyday normalcy. Gould's continuation maintained this role's essence, amplifying cultural clashes over privacy and conformity in mid-20th-century American suburbia.Casting Decisions and Transitions
Elizabeth Montgomery was cast in the dual roles of Samantha Stephens and her rebellious cousin Serena, the latter credited under the pseudonym Pandora Spooks to differentiate the characters in billing. This casting choice capitalized on Montgomery's ability to portray contrasting personalities within the same family dynamic, with her stand-in Melody McCord doubling for one role in scenes requiring both characters' presence.[28][29] The most notable transition occurred with the character Darrin Stephens, originally played by Dick York from the series premiere on September 17, 1964, until his departure after the fifth season episode aired on January 2, 1969. York's exit stemmed from a long-standing back injury sustained during a 1959 film production, which led to chronic pain managed through painkillers, resulting in addiction and an on-set collapse that necessitated hospitalization. Dick Sargent replaced him beginning with the sixth-season premiere on September 25, 1969, allowing production to continue without script overhauls, though Sargent's more subdued interpretation differed from York's physically comedic style. Most of the cast preferred working with York, but Elizabeth Montgomery and Bernard Fox preferred Sargent; Fox described Sargent as more relaxed and fun on set, while Montgomery had a closer friendship and better working dynamic with him.[30][31][32] Supporting roles emphasized performers with stage-honed versatility; Agnes Moorehead was selected as Endora for her commanding presence, derived from decades in radio dramas like Suspense and theatrical work, which enabled her to embody the character's theatrical antagonism effectively. For the child role of Tabitha Stephens, producers initially used twins such as Diane Murphy alongside Erin Murphy in early appearances to accommodate infant portraying needs, shifting primarily to Erin Murphy from 1966 to manage visible aging and maintain narrative consistency across episodes.[33][34] These changes reflected production pragmatism, prioritizing series longevity over unaltered continuity; the Darrin recast drew viewer comments and fan preferences for York, correlating with a ratings decline from 12th to 25th place in the 1969-1970 season, yet the show endured for 74 more episodes without significant cancellation risk.[35][36][37]Production Process
Origins and Precursors
The concept for Bewitched originated with screenwriter Sol Saks, who drew primary inspiration from two supernatural romantic comedies: the 1942 film I Married a Witch, featuring a vengeful witch who falls in love with a mortal, and the 1958 film Bell, Book and Candle, depicting a modern witch navigating romance and secrecy in New York City.[1][38] These precursors provided a template for blending witchcraft with everyday domestic life, transforming folklore motifs of witches—rooted in European traditions of magical beings interfering in human affairs—into light-hearted situational comedy rather than dark or ritualistic portrayals. Saks adapted these elements into an original television premise centered on a witch's marriage to a mortal, emphasizing comedic conflicts from concealed supernatural abilities over occult profundity, which aligned with mid-1960s broadcast standards favoring whimsical fantasy for family audiences wary of heavier supernatural themes amid post-war rationalism.[39] Saks developed the pilot script and pitched the series to ABC in 1963, capitalizing on the network's demand for accessible, advertiser-friendly programming following the success of family-oriented sitcoms like those produced by Danny Thomas' company, which had influenced ABC's earlier lineup.[40] The show premiered on September 17, 1964, as a Screen Gems production under executive producer Harry Ackerman, marking a deliberate evolution from filmic one-offs to serialized television by foregrounding relational dynamics and moral lessons on tolerance, while minimizing explicit ties to historical witch hunts or paganism to ensure broad appeal and avoid alienating conservative viewers.[41] This approach distinguished Bewitched as a pioneering fantasy sitcom, prioritizing causal humor from magic's unintended consequences in suburban settings over speculative mysticism.Filming Techniques and Innovations
The signature nose-twitch performed by Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha Stephens to initiate spells was achieved through a combination of the actress's natural facial mannerism, slight film speed-up during editing to enhance the whimsical motion, and an accompanying xylophone sound effect for auditory emphasis.[42] This low-cost technique relied on precise timing in post-production rather than elaborate mechanical aids, allowing seamless integration into the narrative flow without disrupting the single-camera filming process.[43] Special effects for magical transformations, such as objects vanishing or appearing, were primarily executed using stop-motion photography and clever editing cuts, techniques managed by effects supervisor Dick Albain to simulate supernatural events on a television budget.[44][45] Albain's team avoided extravagant props, instead employing practical illusions like hidden wires for levitation (concealed via camera angles and rapid cuts) and matte composites for environmental alterations, predating digital CGI by decades and emphasizing resource-efficient ingenuity over visual excess.[46] These methods enabled the production of up to 36 episodes per season from 1964 to 1969, as the single-camera setup on 35mm film permitted flexible retakes for effect integration without the constraints of a live audience.[47] Cloning scenes, where characters like Samantha duplicated themselves, utilized double-exposure compositing to place Montgomery in the same frame multiple times, a photochemical process involving multiple passes over the same negative to overlay images with controlled opacity.[48] This innovation, combined with split-screen editing for interactive moments, influenced subsequent fantasy television by demonstrating how analog optical printing could achieve multiplicity effects convincingly within episodic constraints, prioritizing causal plausibility through layered exposures rather than narrative spectacle.[49] Post-production addition of a laugh track further streamlined filming, as the absence of real-time audience reactions allowed uninterrupted focus on effect precision and actor positioning.[50]Sets, Locations, and Technical Challenges
The interiors for principal locations, such as the Stephens family home, office, and magical realms, were built and filmed on soundstages at Screen Gems facilities in Hollywood, California. Exteriors depicting the suburban setting—intended to represent Westport, Connecticut—were primarily shot on the Columbia Ranch backlot at 411 North Hollywood Way in Burbank, utilizing facades like the Stephens residence on Blondie Street to simulate East Coast neighborhoods amid Southern California's terrain.[51] [52] A significant technical hurdle stemmed from lead actor Dick York's chronic back injury, incurred in 1959 while performing a strenuous scene in the film They Came to Cordura, where he tore back muscles and permanently damaged his spine after refusing to release a prop horse during a take. By Bewitched's third season in 1966, the pain had worsened to the point of requiring painkillers and causing on-set collapses, which disrupted filming schedules and compelled directors to adapt by favoring seated or minimal-movement blocking for Darrin Stephens to mitigate York's physical strain.[30] [53] The shift from black-and-white production in seasons 1 and 2 (1964–1966) to full color starting with season 3 on January 27, 1966, resolved limitations in rendering supernatural elements, as color stock facilitated clearer differentiation in optical effects like Samantha's nose-twitch animations and transformation dissolves through improved hue separation and lighting contrast.[54] [55] Budgetary constraints typical of mid-1960s network sitcoms prompted efficient practices, including the reuse of wardrobe—such as cast members occasionally supplying personal clothing—and props across episodes, which preserved the show's formulaic domestic focus while minimizing per-episode expenditures on the contained, repetitive sets.[56]Broadcast and Commercial Performance
Original Run and Episode Production
Bewitched premiered on ABC on September 17, 1964, and concluded its original run on March 25, 1972, spanning eight seasons and totaling 254 half-hour episodes.[57][39] The series initially aired Thursdays at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time, a prime slot that contributed to its early visibility.[39][58] It later shifted to 8:30 p.m. starting January 12, 1967, before moving to Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. for its final season.[58] The show's viewership peaked in its early years, ranking second overall in the Nielsen ratings for the 1964–65 season and remaining in the top 15 through the 1968–69 season.[39] This success enabled consistent production, with episodes structured as self-contained sitcom narratives featuring primary (A-plot) and secondary (B-plot) storylines that typically resolved within the 25-minute runtime, minimizing continuity demands and supporting the high episode output.[59] International syndication expanded the series' reach beginning in 1966, including dubbed broadcasts in France, which aligned with growing demand for light fantasy escapism amid the escalating Vietnam War.[60] The formulaic weekly format proved adaptable for global markets, sustaining popularity beyond its U.S. primetime tenure.[61]Ratings Success and Cancellation Factors
Bewitched achieved strong initial ratings success, ranking second in the Nielsen ratings for the 1964–1965 television season behind only Bonanza.[62] This performance reflected broad appeal amid the era's family-oriented sitcom dominance, with the show's premiere drawing significant viewership on ABC.[63] Ratings began declining in later seasons, falling outside the top 30 by the 1970–1971 season. Factors included repetitive formulaic episodes, the 1969 replacement of Dick York with Dick Sargent as Darrin Stephens—which audiences perceived as disruptive—and scheduling shifts placing it against stronger competitors like The Carol Burnett Show.[64][65] Broader market trends toward edgier, youth-targeted programming amid cultural shifts further eroded its share, as networks prioritized content resonating with younger demographics over established fantasy sitcoms.[66] ABC announced cancellation in May 1972 following the eighth season's conclusion on March 25, 1972. Lead actress Elizabeth Montgomery, citing fatigue from the demanding role and personal factors including her deteriorating marriage to producer William Asher, refused contract renewal unless granted greater creative control, which the network denied.[67][68] Executive decisions emphasized reallocating slots to fresher, more relevant shows, compounded by York's earlier health-related exit in 1969 that had already strained production continuity.[69] Claims of cancellation due to witchcraft-themed backlash, such as protests from religious groups, lack substantiation in primary sources from the era; no documented challenges targeted the show's supernatural elements during its run, debunking these as retrospective myths rather than causal factors.[70] Post-cancellation reruns proved highly profitable in syndication, underscoring sustained commercial viability independent of original broadcast pressures.[71]Reception and Analysis
Contemporary Critical Views
Upon its 1964 premiere, Bewitched received favorable notices from major outlets for its engaging premise and lead performances. The New York Times commended Elizabeth Montgomery's portrayal of Samantha Stephens as injecting a "winning spirit" into the suburban fantasy, with the series offering a "durable element of fun" through her supernatural interventions in everyday domesticity. Reviewers highlighted the charm and personability of Montgomery and Dick York as the mortal husband Darrin, positioning the show as a promising "bright niche" in television comedy. Agnes Moorehead's recurring role as the meddlesome witch Endora was anticipated to add rewarding depth in subsequent episodes.[72] Critics also noted potential pitfalls in the formulaic structure, cautioning that excessive reliance on special effects and supernatural tropes risked devolving into unsubtle frenzy rather than sustained wit. By the late 1960s, as second-wave feminism gained traction following Betty Friedan's 1963 The Feminine Mystique, the narrative of Samantha forgoing her innate powers to uphold wifely duties faced emerging reservations for perpetuating housewife conformity, though such commentary remained sporadic in mainstream periodicals. Predictability in plot resolutions, often hinging on magical mishaps resolved by restraint, drew occasional rebukes for lacking innovation beyond initial novelty.[72] The program's commercial dominance—peaking at No. 2 in Nielsen ratings for the 1964–65 season with a 31.0 household share—eclipsed these reservations, affirming broad family appeal over niche analytical qualms. Episodes tackling social matters, such as the 1966 "Sisters at Heart" addressing interracial prejudice through Samantha's magic aiding a friendship, were appreciated for weaving commentary into humor without overt didacticism, distinguishing the series from more strident contemporaries.[73][74]Audience Impact and Social Resonance
Bewitched drew a core audience of housewives and families during its 1964–1972 run, targeting young to middle-aged married couples and parents with its depiction of suburban domesticity infused with light fantasy.[75] The series provided escapist relief from 1960s turbulence, including the Vietnam War escalation after the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and domestic unrest from civil rights clashes, by centering on Samantha Stephens' efforts to maintain a conventional homemaker role despite her supernatural heritage.[76] This formula echoed the appeal of contemporaneous fantasy sitcoms, offering magical resolutions to everyday irritations without challenging prevailing family norms.[77] Viewers connected with the portrayal of intergenerational family frictions, such as Samantha's clashes with her disapproving mother Endora over Darrin's mortal career ambitions in advertising, which paralleled real tensions between traditional expectations and professional demands.[78] These elements highlighted spousal compromises and parental duties, presenting a counterpoint to countercultural disruptions by affirming the stability of nuclear family units amid broader societal flux.[76] Engagement manifested in robust metrics, with the show ranking second overall in the 1964–1965 season and remaining in the top ten for its first three years, signaling mass appeal to non-coastal demographics.[58] Post-cancellation syndication sustained viewership into the 1970s, establishing it as a staple rerun drawing broad, working-class audiences rather than niche elites, as evidenced by its global persistence on local stations.[79] Fan mail to actors and even fictional characters like Samantha's rebellious cousin Serena further indicated immersive identification with the family's whimsical yet grounded struggles.[80]Awards Recognition
Elizabeth Montgomery was nominated four times for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (1966, 1967, 1968, and 1970) for her portrayal of Samantha Stephens, underscoring the critical appreciation for her versatile performance in the dual roles of Samantha and Serena.[81][82] Supporting cast members received similar recognition: Alice Pearce won the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Comedy in 1966 for her work as Gladys Kravitz, while Marion Lorne won posthumously in 1968 for her role as Aunt Clara, with the award accepted by Montgomery.[83][84] Agnes Moorehead earned six nominations in the same supporting category between 1965 and 1971 for Endora but did not secure a win.[85] The production team also garnered honors, including a win for William Asher in Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series in 1966 and an Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Makeup in 1971, reflecting strengths in creative direction and technical execution.[86][87] The series itself was nominated four times for Outstanding Comedy Series (1966, 1967, 1968, and 1969), yet failed to win, indicative of the era's tendency to undervalue sitcoms relative to dramatic programming despite strong viewership.[88]| Year | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series | William Asher | Won[86] |
| 1966 | Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Comedy | Alice Pearce | Won[83] |
| 1966 | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Elizabeth Montgomery | Nominated[81] |
| 1967 | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Elizabeth Montgomery | Nominated[81] |
| 1968 | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Elizabeth Montgomery | Nominated[81] |
| 1968 | Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Comedy | Marion Lorne | Won (posthumous)[84] |
| 1970 | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Elizabeth Montgomery | Nominated[81] |
| 1971 | Outstanding Achievement in Makeup | Bewitched (production) | Won[87] |
