Multiple characters on the hit show “Bewitched” had to be replaced for one reason or another. Darrin had to be replaced at one point, along with Gladys. Luckily, the leading lady, Elizabeth Montgomery, never had to be replaced. Of course, we all know that she starred on the show as the witch, Samantha – but did you know she also played another role on the show?
Elizabeth Montgomery led the series “Bewitched” as the lovable witch Samantha, but you can also see her playing Samantha’s cousin, Serena. Yes, it is true, Elizabeth played both roles simultaneously on the show!
Elizabeth Montgomery’s Real-Life Pregnancies
Elizabeth Montgomery got pregnant three times during her 8 seasons on “Bewitched". Her first pregnancy resulted in her firstborn child, in July of 1964. Luckily for Elizabeth (and “Bewitched” fans everywhere), she did not need to take a hiatus from the show during her pregnancies.
The producers and writers were able to include two of her pregnancies into the storyline and script of the show. These pregnancies added the characters of Tabitha and Adam to Elizabeth and Darrin’s little TV family. The addition of these two characters enhanced the show's plot and kept everything looking natural and running smooth!
Her Own Star
After Elizabeth Montgomery passed away, She finally earned her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was given to her 13 years after she died, in January of 2008. It was awarded to her for her work on TV, but of course, she was so much more than just an actress.
Another fun tribute to Elizabeth can be seen in Salem, Massachusetts. As you know, Salem was the location of the Salem Witch Trials, which seems fitting that they put up an enormous statue of Elizabeth Montgomery playing the role of Samantha. This bronze statue went up in 2005, a witchy, ironic tribute to one of the most famous witches of all time.
The 2005 Remake
The show “Bewitched” was so wildly popular that in 2005, they released a movie based on the show. It had a star-studded cast, featuring Nicole Kidman Samantha. Will Ferrell played the role of Darrin.
They didn't end with the lead roles, the entire cast was laden with big names. Some of the cast included Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Kristin Chenoweth, and David Alan Grier to name a few. Despite the star-studded cast, the movie was a major flop. It did not live up to the expectations of the TV show and was a pretty big failure. The film ended up earning 63 million dollars; however, they had a budget of 85 million.
Practically Magic
Elizabeth Montgomery may have been able to make anything she wanted to happen while she was playing the role of Samantha on “Bewitched,” but off-screen, she was not as happy.
She dated many famous stars, such as Elvis and Dean Martin. It was said that she had a “father complex” which kept luring her to abusive relationships. She was also linked to JFK at one point, but there was no proof that anything happened between them romantically. She ended up marrying a director from “Bewitched” but divorcing soon after the series ended. She did remarry eventually And was married at the time of her passing.