Elizabeth Montgomery’s legacy as an actress transcends generations and leaves an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. Known for her iconic role as Samantha Stephens on the hit sitcom “Bewitched,” Montgomery charmed audiences with her charm, wit, and undeniable talent. Her ability to bring characters to life, along with her natural beauty, cemented her status as a television icon during the 1960s.
Born into a family with a rich theatrical lineage, Montgomery inherited her passion for acting from her Broadway actress mother and famous actor father, Robert Montgomery. From a young age, she expressed her desire to pursue an acting career, supported by her father’s encouragement and guidance.
Montgomery’s journey into the world of entertainment began with an appearance on her father’s television show “Robert Montgomery Presents”, where she showcased her early talent and potential. She honed her skills through formal training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, laying the foundation for a successful career on stage and screen.
When you think of Elizabeth Montgomery, you probably think of the sound that went along with her character’s nose twitch on Bewitched. She was a beautiful actress who really became famous all over the world in the 60s. Unfortunately, she died suddenly in 1995.
We’ve talked about many beautiful and talented women on Newsner, but Mrs.
Montgomery captured my heart from the start!
Most actors and actresses need makeup and hairstylists to look good, but Elizabeth doesn’t. She was naturally beautiful and I loved watching her in Bewitched.
So, what happened to Elizabeth Montgomery after she played Samantha Stephens in the 1960s sitcom?
She would have been 90 in 2023, but let’s take a look back at her career in film and television before she died in 1995.
Elizabeth Montgomery was born in Los Angeles on April 15, 1933, to a Broadway actress and movie star. Acting was in her blood from the beginning.
“When I was little, I would sit on my dad’s lap after dinner and say, ‘I want to be an actress when I grow up. I don’t know if he encouraged me, but he said he would wait and see “what happened when I grew up,” Elizabeth recalled in a 1954 interview with the Los Angeles Times.
Her father, Robert Montgomery, was a very famous actor.
“To be honest, my dad helped me get a chance on TV and I’m really grateful for his support and advice. He’s my toughest critic, but he’s also a true friend and a loving father.”
Elizabeth went to school in California and later moved to New York where she attended the Spence School. After leaving school, she spent three years at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
While still a teenager, she made her first television appearance on her father’s show Robert Montgomery Presents.
She went on to make many appearances on his show.
In 1953, Elizabeth had her first Broadway show, Late Love. Two years later, in 1955, she starred in her first film, The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell. After another two years, she returned to Broadway.
As her career improved, Elizabeth found love, but it didn’t stay long. She married Frederick Gallatin Cammann in 1954, but they divorced a year later. She then married Gig Young, an award-winning actor, in 1956, but they divorced in 1963.
While working on Johnny Cool, Elizabeth met William Asher, a director and television producer. He not only helped her in her career but also became her romantic partner. They married in 1963 and had three children.
You could see Elizabeth in shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Loretta Young Show, The Untouchables, and The Twilight Zone, but her most famous role was Samantha Stephens, the witch who twitched her nose on Bewitched.
Bewitched was a supernatural comedy that aired from 1964 to 1972. Elizabeth became very famous and everyone wanted to copy Samantha’s famous nose twitch.
“I never really thought about doing a series because I enjoyed picking up scripts for characters that I felt I could play for an hour.
In the show, you stay with one character all the time and you just hope it’s someone who doesn’t drive you crazy,” Elizabeth told the Associated Press in 1965.
After Bewitched ended and her marriage to William Asher ended, Elizabeth began acting in many TV movies. These roles were often quite different from the character she played in Bewitched.
She starred in several TV movies, including Mrs. Sundance (1973), The Rape Case
(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).
While filming Mrs. Sundance met Robert Foxworth. They remained together until Elizabeth’s death in 1995 but did not marry until 1993.
“Before Jane Seymour, before Lindsay Wagner, and before Valerie Bertinelli, Elizabeth was the first queen of TV movies; she went from queen of witches to queen of TV movies, and breaking away from Bewitched was no longer a struggle,” said Herbie J Pilato, who has written two books about Elizabeth Montgomery.
Sadly, Elizabeth’s career ended on May 18, 1995, due to a long battle with colon cancer.
Her family told the Los Angeles Times that she was 57 when she died, but some places thought she was born in 1933, which would have made her 62 at the time of her death.
Elizabeth had been battling cancer for some time and thought she was out of it.
However, while working on Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan, she fell ill. When she finally went for a check-up in March 1995, it was too late. The cancer had already spread to her liver.
She died peacefully in her sleep in her Beverly Hills home with her husband and three children by her side. A month after she left us, a memorial was held at the Canon Theater in Beverly Hills. Herbie Hancock, the famous jazz musician, played music, and Dominick Dunne, Elizabeth’s lifelong friend, spoke about their early years of friendship in New York.
After her death, Elizabeth Montgomery’s body was cremated at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.
In a 1992 interview, she talked about playing different characters in her career, saying:
“Everyone has a different ‘feel’ to them, and that’s probably one of the reasons I did them. I get letters from people who say one of the things they like best about what I’ve done since ‘Bewitched’ is, that they never know what I’m going to do next.”
She was a naturally beautiful woman and it’s a shame she was taken from us too soon. If Elizabeth Montgomery was one of your favorite actresses, share this post on Facebook.
Elizabeth Montgomery’s journey from a young talented actress to a beloved television icon is a story of passion, perseverance, and profound impact. With her timeless beauty and undeniable talent, she has captivated audiences around the world and left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry.
From her beginnings on Broadway to her iconic role as Samantha Stephens in “Bewitched,” Montgomery’s career has been characterized by versatility and depth. While she may be best remembered for her twitchy nose witch, her repertoire extended far beyond that, showcasing her ability to embody a wide range of characters with grace and authenticity.
Off-screen, Montgomery faced both triumphs and tribulations, navigating love, loss, and personal battles. Despite the challenges she faced, she remained resilient and dedicated to her craft, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire generations of aspiring actors and actresses.
Her untimely passing in 1995 was a heartbreaking loss to the entertainment world and her countless fans. However, her memory lives on because of her timeless performances and the lasting impact she had on those who had the privilege of watching her work.
Elizabeth Montgomery may have left this world too soon, but her spirit and talent still shine brightly, reminding us of the power of storytelling and the lasting influence of a true Hollywood legend.