OK, so maybe I have too much time on my hands. With everything going on in the world currently, here I am researching Sam’s parents’ marital status, which was a little “murky” there for a while. I’ve been enjoyably binge-watching some episodes that feature both of them, and it seems that, at first, they were separated, if not divorced.

The first time Maurice appears on the show is Season 1 EP 10’s Just One Happy Family. The following exchange makes it sound as though he and Endora don’t see each other regularly:
Maurice: Endora, my love, nice to see you.

Endora: It's nice to see you too, Maurice. How are you?

Maurice: In excellent health, thank you.

In Season 3’s “Witches and Warlocks Are My Favorite Things” in which Tabitha's powers are tested by her family, we sense a bit of hostility between them:
Sam: Mother, do you think Daddy'll be here?

Endora: I have no idea where Maurice is, and I have no intention of hunting him down!

Maurice, upon exiting says, “Keep smiling, Endora!” to which she replies, “Ill never know what I saw in that man!”

It is in season 5, episode 28 (Samantha’s Good News), that we find out they are still married but have an unusual . . . arrangement. (Unusual in the context of 1960s prime-time TV, anyway!) Maurice shows up at Sam’s with a beautiful young secretary (well, young by human standards – she looks to be 30-something, but in witches’ years she’s probably in her mid-300s):
Sam (referring to Endora): When was the last time you saw her?

Maurice: Two or three months ago - maybe eighteen. My wife and I have what might be described as an . . . informal marriage.

So, there we have it – in a bit of semantic sleight-of-hand, we discover that Endora and Maurice might very well have been TV’s first “non-monogamous” couple!

They did have an odd marriage. Maurice always had a lady friend. Endora almost got re-married in the episode where she gets the love spell put on her. It was actually her spell but it backfired and was put on her. Very funny episode. Sam had to stop the wedding.

Yes, I found Endora and Maurice's "informal marriage" hilarious. A very "bohemian" older couple, lol.

agreed. way ahead of its time

I think they had a somewhat 'royal' union in which, after they'd had their child, they informally separated but could each carry on with others- AS LONG as they didn't do it too publicly. It was when Maurice did so that got Endora threatening to have an 'interlockery' re their union. Of course, the one thing that got Maurice to NOT kill Darren at first sight was Endora threatening to move BACK into his home since even he conceded she was very capable of making his life miserable. Interesting in all the years of the show, the audience never saw EITHER of their homes- just once her popping into Sam's place in a very ornate bathtub which, presumably, was found in her grand bathroom.

It was when Maurice did so that got Endora threatening to have an 'interlockery' re their union.

I forgot about this. I remember something like an "ectoplasmic interlocutory."

Yes. Endora and Maurice are married but separated, but haven't gone through with an "ectoplasmic interlocutory" (I'm assuming the witch version of divorce).

Right. They never got one, they just fly in their own circles!

I think they had a somewhat 'royal' union in which, after they'd had their child, they informally separated but could each carry on with others- AS LONG as they didn't do it too publicly. It was when Maurice did so that got Endora threatening to have an 'interlockery' re their union. Of course, the one thing that got Maurice to NOT kill Darren at first sight was Endora threatening to move BACK into his home since even he conceded she was very capable of making his life miserable. Interesting in all the years of the show, the audience never saw EITHER of their homes- just once her popping into Sam's place in a very ornate bathtub which, presumably, was found in her grand bathroom.

Interesting! That episode escaped me, I guess. I'll have to check it out.

Now that you mention it - yes, we never got to see their actual abodes! I'm sure the Stevensons' household was very modest, compared to what her parents were used to! LOL

The closest we saw of a house for Endora was the one she zapped up across the street--but she never lived there.

I guess the rest of the time Endora and Maurice spent their time on different clouds.

Right. They never got one, they just fly in their own circles!
Excellent way to put it!

OK, so maybe I have too much time on my hands. With everything going on in the world currently, here I am researching Sam’s parents’ marital status, which was a little “murky” there for a while. I’ve been enjoyably binge-watching some episodes that feature both of them, and it seems that, at first, they were separated, if not divorced.

The first time Maurice appears on the show is Season 1 EP 10’s Just One Happy Family. The following exchange makes it sound as though he and Endora don’t see each other regularly:
Maurice: Endora, my love, nice to see you.

Endora: It's nice to see you too, Maurice. How are you?

Maurice: In excellent health, thank you.

In Season 3’s “Witches and Warlocks Are My Favorite Things” in which Tabitha's powers are tested by her family, we sense a bit of hostility between them:
Sam: Mother, do you think Daddy'll be here?

Endora: I have no idea where Maurice is, and I have no intention of hunting him down!

Maurice, upon exiting says, “Keep smiling, Endora!” to which she replies, “Ill never know what I saw in that man!”

It is in season 5, episode 28 (Samantha’s Good News), that we find out they are still married but have an unusual . . . arrangement. (Unusual in the context of 1960s prime-time TV, anyway!) Maurice shows up at Sam’s with a beautiful young secretary (well, young by human standards – she looks to be 30-something, but in witches’ years she’s probably in her mid-300s):
Sam (referring to Endora): When was the last time you saw her?

Maurice: Two or three months ago - maybe eighteen. My wife and I have what might be described as an . . . informal marriage.

So, there we have it – in a bit of semantic sleight-of-hand, we discover that Endora and Maurice might very well have been TV’s first “non-monogamous” couple!


Huh. I always thought they were divorced. I guess I thought that because of their constant contempt for one another. But I don't doubt you are right. Great post!

Huh. I always thought they were divorced. I guess I thought that because of their constant contempt for one another. But I don't doubt you are right. Great post!

Well, witches and warlocks (the then-acceptable term for male witches) were supposed to be immortal or very long-lived, they couldn't have had Endora be a widow and I guess (despite 'The Lucy Show's precedent of Vivian Bagley been a divorced mother a year earlier) they weren't sure the TV audience would have accepted her as an outright divorcee (and, of course, it would have been unthinkable for her to have been a never-married mother in a 1960' sitcom ). However, they wanted the three-way tension between herself-Darren and Samantha to be somewhat undiluted by how they'd have had to deal with any father of Samantha on a constant basis. Hence, it made sense that they had them be a still technically married but informally separated and neither side above carrying on with others they weren't married to. Ironically, in all the zillions of lectures Endora made about why Sam shouldn't have married/stayed married to Darren, she NEVER brought up about how unhappy HER marriage to Maurice turned out to have been for both of them! Of course, it said something about Samantha that despite all of Endora's disses against Maurice, Samantha appeared to genuinely like him as a person- but just wanted him to accept Darren and do him no harm (as she did with Endora).

Well, witches and warlocks (the then-acceptable term for male witches) were supposed to be immortal or very long-lived, they couldn't have had Endora be a widow and I guess (despite 'The Lucy Show's precedent of Vivian Bagley been a divorced mother a year earlier) they weren't sure the TV audience would have accepted her as an outright divorcee (and, of course, it would have been unthinkable for her to have been a never-married mother in a 1960' sitcom ).

Practitioner of the Dark Arts, sure. But a divorcee? Unthinkable! :lol:

(Sorry. It's just funny, seeing how 1960s minds worked.)


However, they wanted the three-way tension between herself-Darren and Samantha to be somewhat undiluted by how they'd have had to deal with any father of Samantha on a constant basis. Hence, it made sense that they had them be a still technically married but informally separated and neither side above carrying on with others they weren't married to. Ironically, in all the zillions of lectures Endora made about why Sam shouldn't have married/stayed married to Darren, she NEVER brought up about how unhappy HER marriage to Maurice turned out to have been for both of them! Of course, it said something about Samantha that despite all of Endora's disses against Maurice, Samantha appeared to genuinely like him as a person- but just wanted him to accept Darren and do him no harm (as she did with Endora).

Well, part of the comedy of Bewitched is Samantha being married to a mortal, and Sam getting miffed when Endora casts some horrible spell on Darrin: "Mother! You reverse that spell right now, or so help me, I won't speak to you for a week!" Such strong language, Sam! :lol: Endora could never accept "Durwood" -- it would have changed the dynamic of the show -- and it might have even been possible that Endora was even a bit jealous of the relationship Samantha had with Darrin. She certainly didn't have that type of relationship with her own husband. But why bring attention to her own wrecked marriage when she could try to drive a wedge between Darren and Samantha using witchcraft?

Oh, I don't think they'd have a problem portraying Endora and Maurice as divorced; it's just funnier that they're still ("informally") married. A very "bohemian" older couple, lol. Or as Samantha says in one episode about someone else, "I don't like his attitude. It's entirely too... French."

They both seemed happy and comfortable with their informal marriage. You go your way, I'll go mine and we'll get together at Sam's once in awhile. One of us will turn Darrin into a jackass, have some fun with that, and be back in a few months. They both disdained Darrin, but Endora was his designated tormentor.

And if you think about it who got along with Endora other than Sam? Maurice tolerated her with their arrangement, her brother Arthur couldn't stand her, and we know what Darrin thought of her.

Huh. I always thought they were divorced. I guess I thought that because of their constant contempt for one another. But I don't doubt you are right. Great post!

Thanks!
TBH, although I’ve watched the show practically my whole life, on and off, in reruns, I’ve never really paid much attention to their marital status. The question just crossed my mind in the last couple weeks. If someone had asked me about it before I delved into the issue, I probably would have answered that they were divorced. There certainly was no love lost between them, judging by their constant verbal jousting!

Ironically, in all the zillions of lectures Endora made about why Sam shouldn't have married/stayed married to Darren, she NEVER brought up about how unhappy HER marriage to Maurice turned out to have been for both of them!

Yes, very good point! "Witches who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones..." Or, in Endora's case: throw hexes! :lol:

Thanks!
TBH, although I’ve watched the show practically my whole life, on and off, in reruns, I’ve never really paid much attention to their marital status. The question just crossed my mind in the last couple weeks. If someone had asked me about it before I delved into the issue, I probably would have answered that they were divorced. There certainly was no love lost between them, judging by their constant verbal jousting!

Before this thread I'd have said they had a casual marriage, but original viewers never knew their status until season 5.

Obviously they'd had a few centuries to develop the relationship as we see it in the show.

Before this thread I'd have said they had a casual marriage, but original viewers never knew their status until season 5.

Obviously they'd had a few centuries to develop the relationship as we see it in the show.
Yes, as far as I can tell, it wasnt until the fifth year of the show that we find out, definitively, their marital status. Actually, I think it's nice that they kept the viewer kind of guessing. I'd rather that than inconsistencies, where, in some episodes they're divorced; in others they're separated... TV shows of that era were good for not paying much attention to continuity.

All in all, besides being one of the funniest, most creative sitcoms ever, at least in my book, it was also ahead of its time as far as social trends!

Thanks!
TBH, although I’ve watched the show practically my whole life, on and off, in reruns, I’ve never really paid much attention to their marital status. The question just crossed my mind in the last couple weeks. If someone had asked me about it before I delved into the issue, I probably would have answered that they were divorced. There certainly was no love lost between them, judging by their constant verbal jousting!

Glad you mentioned it here. Like you, I've watched the show off and on my whole life. It's one of the first shows I remember watching as a kid, in the 1970s. By then, it was in daytime syndication, so we were watching it basically every day for years.

They both seemed happy and comfortable with their informal marriage. You go your way, I'll go mine and we'll get together at Sam's once in awhile. One of us will turn Darrin into a jackass, have some fun with that, and be back in a few months. They both disdained Darrin, but Endora was his designated tormentor.

And if you think about it who got along with Endora other than Sam? Maurice tolerated her with their arrangement, her brother Arthur couldn't stand her, and we know what Darrin thought of her.

In Endora's defense, she did have her sisters, Enchantra, Hagatha, and Clara.

TBS ran it for years, early in the morning--8:35 I think. Of course only the color seasons. But it's never not been on somewhere AFAIK.

As far as continuity goes, you're right, they didn't have many problems with that. One interesting question I would pose, if original production people were still around, would be whether keeping their status unknown for several seasons was purposeful or coincidental.

In Endora's defense, she did have her sisters, Enchantra, Hagatha, and Clara.

Yes, and she did shed the "wicked witch" persona a few times. Such as embracing Darrin when Tabatha (she was Tabatha not Tabitha for a few seasons) was born.

TBS ran it for years, early in the morning--8:35 I think.

We didn't have cable TV, so we only watched on one of our local affiliates of ABC, NBC, or CBS.

TBS ran it for years, early in the morning--8:35 I think. Of course only the color seasons. But it's never not been on somewhere AFAIK.

As far as continuity goes, you're right, they didn't have many problems with that. One interesting question I would pose, if original production people were still around, would be whether keeping their status unknown for several seasons was purposeful or coincidental.
Yes, good question! I'm also wondering if they were intentionally "vague" about it...

I always assumed they were separated, I never thought they were actually married still

In Endora's defense, she did have her sisters, Enchantra, Hagatha, and Clara.

I figured they were Maurice's sisters, because Endora says until Arthur was born, she was an only child. Unless they were much older than her and had moved out by then.

There is some Endora/Maurice backstory in this fan fiction (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6502928/1/Missing-Pieces).

Doesn't Endora treat Clara with disdain? Knocking her failing powers, etc. If so it would make sense that Clara is Maurice's sister.

I figured they were Maurice's sisters, because Endora says until Arthur was born, she was an only child.

I suppose anything is possible, but in "Witches and Warlocks are My Favorite Things", Maurice kisses Clara's hand, as if to charm her, which is something he wouldn't do if she were his sister. Then later, he compliments her beauty again. Near the end of the episode, he calls Hagatha "Madam", as if he barely knows her. At the end, Endora, Enchantra, and Hagatha all get into the carriage together, leaving Clara behind to hitch a ride with Maurice.

The Wikipedia character list says Serena is Sam's cousin on Maurice's side. That's hard to believe since Endora and Serena occasionally plot together to break up Sam and Darrin. They just seem like relatives, although Serera doesn't call her Aunt.

Hey, maybe Clara is Endora's Aunt, and Endora just doesn't call her Aunt. It would explain Clara's waning powers--maybe she's 2 centuries old vs. Endora's 1 century.

There's an episode where Serena says she's her cousin on her father's side. I figure since witches live for centuries, she would've teamed up with Endora that way.

Clara would have to be Samantha's aunt rather than great aunt, as she says when Tabitha is going to be born that she'll be a great aunt.

I always thought Clara was a generation above Endora and Maurice, Perhaps Endora's aunt? I always liked Endora and sided with her over Darrin 99% of the time, but I didn't like how she was snarky to Clara a lot of times...dammit, you just don't mistreat Aunt Clara :(

Also I'd love to have seen Serena's mother, I like to think she would have maybe been very similar to Endora, but maybe sweeter, since Serena is more a wilder version of Samantha, would have been funny if Angus Moorhead played Serena's mom as well

OH MY GOD AGNES MOOREHEAD AS SERENA'S MOTHER WOULD'VE BEEN BRILLIANT!! I can't believe the producers never thought of that. I'd leave the characterization of her up to Agnes, because however she decided to play the character would've been amazing.

I always thought Clara was a generation above Endora and Maurice, Perhaps Endora's aunt? I always liked Endora and sided with her over Darrin 99% of the time, but I didn't like how she was snarky to Clara a lot of times...dammit, you just don't mistreat Aunt Clara :(

Also I'd love to have seen Serena's mother, I like to think she would have maybe been very similar to Endora, but maybe sweeter, since Serena is more a wilder version of Samantha, would have been funny if Angus Moorhead played Serena's mom as well

I'm rethinking Endora based on what you say. My thought is now if Darrin had treated her with dignity and respect (she is his elder, after all!) then maybe she wouldn't have cast so many spells on him, and might possibly have called him by his name, rather than Durwood.

Of course, with fewer spells we'd have fewer episodes!

I always thought Darrin and Endora could have gotten along decently had he not started insulting her as soon as she came into the room. Darrin does usually always throw the first insult, plus if he didn't try to stop Samantha from being herself and "forbidding witchcraft in his home"

Had Darrin tried a little with her, they might have tolerated each other rather than be at constant odds. No they wouldn't have had a chummy relationship, but he pushed her to the edge. Then she did what witches do.

I think it's natural, as viewers, to want Endora and Durwood to get along. We see them needling each other constantly, and can see how they're both being immature and/or pig-headed. But without their constant bickering, we wouldn't have had much of a show, either! :lol:

I think it's natural, as viewers, to want Endora and Durwood to get along. We see them needling each other constantly, and can see how they're both being immature and/or pig-headed. But without their constant bickering, we wouldn't have had much of a show, either! :lol:

So true! It was still great to see them reconcile briefly when when Tabitha was born.

So true! It was still great to see them reconcile briefly when when Tabitha was born.

Yeah, I love those moments, too. You think, "Finally! It's about time those two got along!" Of course, they never last long! By the following episode, they're back at it! :lol:

They both seemed happy and comfortable with their informal marriage. You go your way, I'll go mine and we'll get together at Sam's once in awhile. One of us will turn Darrin into a jackass, have some fun with that, and be back in a few months. They both disdained Darrin, but Endora was his designated tormentor.

And if you think about it who got along with Endora other than Sam? Maurice tolerated her with their arrangement, her brother Arthur couldn't stand her, and we know what Darrin thought of her.


Serena got along with Endora, they had fun together tormenting Darrin.