She became a household name & global phenomenon but her sudden death was a huge shock
A mystical being such as a witch, entangled in matrimony with a mere mortal, yearning for the mundane existence of a conventional housewife, is a narrative that would undoubtedly captivate audiences on the silver screen. Remarkably, the television series Bewitched, which graced the airwaves for eight seasons from 1964 to 1972, encapsulates this very premise. If you’ve yet to immerse yourself in its charm, perhaps it’s time to seek it out and indulge.
The beguiling Samantha Stephens, whose spellbinding nose twitch enthralled millions, was brought to life by the stunning Elizabeth Montgomery. This actress, who soared to prominence in the 1960s, met an untimely and tragic demise.
Wikipedia Commons / ABC
Montgomery’s origins trace back to Los Angeles, where she was born on April 15, 1933, to a mother who was a Broadway actress and a father who was the celebrated actor Robert Montgomery. Following in her father’s illustrious footsteps seemed almost predestined.
“After dinner, I often found myself perched on my father’s lap, proclaiming, ‘I shall become an actress when I grow up.’ Whether he encouraged me or merely humored me, I cannot say, but he would often suggest I wait and see what the future held,” Montgomery recalled in a 1954 interview with the Los Angeles Times. “I must be candid; Daddy indeed helped me secure a foothold in television, and for that, I am profoundly grateful. He’s my harshest critic yet my most unwavering ally and a devoted father.”
Montgomery’s television debut came as a teenager on her father’s show, Robert Montgomery Presents, paving the way for numerous subsequent appearances.
At the tender age of 20, this radiant actress made her Broadway debut in Late Love, and two years thereafter, she graced the silver screen with her role in the film The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell.
Montgomery’s career flourished with a plethora of film roles that solidified her status as a household name. Among her many notable performances were 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). However, her portrayal in Bewitched remains her most iconic role. “I never gave much thought to starring in a series, as I preferred choosing scripts with characters I believed I could sustain for an hour. In a series, you live with a character day in and day out, and you can only hope it won’t drive you insane,” Montgomery told AP in 1965.
The actress experienced the complexities of love and marriage four times throughout her life. Her first union with Frederick Gallatin Cammann was short-lived. She then wed award-winning actor Gig Young, only to part ways in 1963. It was during the filming of Johnny Cool that she met her third husband, William Asher, with whom she had three children. Her fourth and final husband, Robert Foxworth, remained by her side until her passing.
“Long before Jane Seymour, Lindsay Wagner, or Valerie Bertinelli, Elizabeth reigned as the first Queen of the TV movies; she transitioned seamlessly from queen of the witches to queen of the TV movie, no longer struggling to break free from Bewitched,” remarked Herbie J Pilato, author of two books on Elizabeth Montgomery.
Montgomery’s life was tragically cut short in 1995 when she succumbed to colon cancer, a disease she mistakenly believed she had overcome. By the time it was detected, it had already metastasized to her liver. She passed away peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by her husband and daughters. Her remains were cremated at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.
Elizabeth Montgomery was an extraordinary actress, and her absence is still deeply felt.
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