Bewitched captivated viewers from 1964 to 1972. The ABC sitcom was a leader in the then-new supernatural scene and has maintained a devoted fandom ever since. The show opens on a climactic note as Samantha Stephens still needs to tell her new husband about her powers. Throughout the series, she is constantly juggling her husband's wishes for normalcy with her own need (and her mother Endora's need) to use magic.
When it comes to supernatural sitcoms, creator Sol Saks called Bewitched "the first one of its kind." Soon leading to I Dream of Jeannie and other magical concoctions, Bewitched generally kept its stories light enough for the sitcom realm. What can fans learn about the spellbinding sitcom?
10 Creator Sol Saks Was Inspired By Stories Of Witches
Even though Bewitched was revolutionary as a supernatural sitcom, it still had seeds of inspiration. The creator of the sitcom and writer of the pilot episode was Sol Saks, an experienced radio and television writer who worked on Ozzie and Harriet, My Favorite Husband, I Married Joan, and many other series.
Sol Saks was inspired by two films with witch protagonists: I Married a Witch (1942) and Bell, Book, and Candle (1958). It is interesting that the man who brought a whimsical television witch to life took the idea from more serious cinematic witches.
9 Star Elizabeth Montgomery Was Married To Director Bill Asher
It's significant that the star of Bewitched was married to her director and producer. Bill Asher had already worked as a television director for many years on sitcoms like I Love Lucy and The Danny Thomas Show.
Bewitched was an opportunity for him to work with Elizabeth Montgomery. However, tensions on the set were mounting as Asher and Montgomery went through marital troubles. The couple divorced shortly after Bewitched ended its run.
8 Samantha's Nose Twitch Was Inspired By Elizabeth Montgomery
Legend has it that Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery) had a natural inclination for the famous nose twitch. The magical twitch was inspired by Elizabeth Montgomery, who actually moved her lips back and forth to make it look like she was wiggling her nose. Montgomery's then-husband Bill Asher noted that the actress would do the nose twitch when frustrated in real life.
Asher said in 1964, "The audience is waiting for that twitch, but we never throw it in merely because it looks cute. We save it until Samantha is so sorely tempted to use her witchery that she can't resist —and that's the point where the audience is usually saying, 'Do something!'"
7 The Special Effects Team Had To Get Very Creative
With any magical series, special effects are paramount. Bewitched had it even harder in the 1960s with limited technology. Led by Dick Albain, the special effects team got to work and came up with innovative tricks to make all of Samantha's magic look real. A common example is Samantha's vacuum cleaner, which runs by itself (ingeniously predating robot vacuums). The vacuum on the show had a reversible motor on the bottom instead of brushes, and technicians controlled it using switches offstage.
Similarly, when Samantha temporarily plans to leave her husband, her suitcases magically fly out of her closets with the help of a special effects artist, "walking on planks above the set, manipulating wires attached to the luggage like puppet strings."
6 The Effects Were Hard Work For Montgomery, Too
In addition to having wires running up her sleeve to make it look like she turned on a lightbulb by herself, Elizabeth Montgomery had more strenuous work with the special effects. In the classic messy-to-clean kitchen scenes, she would have to make it look like Samantha was cleaning without lifting a finger.
Montgomery had to hold her arms up so long that they ached in order for the crew to swoop in and manually clean the kitchen for the scenes. Thankfully, the star was given a set-up that included crutches so she could rest her arms a bit.
5 Dick York Left The Show Due To Health Issues
The first Darrin Stephens was played by Dick York, who was replaced by Dick Sargent in 1969. York had no choice but to step away from the role after a previous injury was exacerbated.
The actor took large amounts of painkillers and could not continue his work due to the health issues. While any fan of the show knows that Darrin is played by two different actors, not all fans know about Dick York's struggles.
4 The Bewitched Theme Song Has Secret Lyrics
Many Bewitched fans have no clue that the iconic theme song has a vocal version. Steve Lawrence sings the theme in a swinging style, slowing down the zippy tune that fans are used to hearing on the series.
The words, of course, keep the magic of the television intro: "Bewitched, bewitched, you've got me in your spell. Bewitched, bewitched, you know your craft so well!"
3 Bewitched Is A Time Capsule Of Over A Decade Of Fashion
Fashion lovers will definitely notice all the progressions in Samantha Stephens' wardrobe throughout the eight seasons of Bewitched. The character begins in the early 1960s, but still wears fashions popular in the '50s, like skirt and sweater sets and shirtwaist dresses.
Sam also isn't afraid to don jeans, button-down shirts, and Keds for housework. More bold patterns started to appear, and Samantha is seen in a number of miniskirts by the later episodes, firmly so in the 1970s.
2 Some Actors Wore Their Own Clothes
Another interesting fashion note is that some actors wore their own clothes in the sitcom, including Elizabeth Montgomery. Shondaland's fashion history of Bewitched attributes this to the series lacking "a hefty wardrobe budget" for its stars.
Kasey Rodgers, who played Louise Tate, brought her clothes to set on a weekly basis. What makes this budgetary decision special is the fact that the characters got to show off a little piece of the actors.
1 A Lesser-Known Spin-off Ran For One Season
Bewitched fans may have never spotted the series' short-lived sitcom, Tabitha, which ran for one season from 1977 to 1978. The sitcom was named for the Stephens' daughter, who is also a witch.
The series ages Tabitha up to her early 20 and she is played by Lisa Hartman, even though Erin Murphy played her on Bewitched. Tabitha's TV parents never guest-starred on the show.
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