Mini Bewitched Documentary - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

tcr1701 · 03-01-2020, 07:47 PM

Interesting - if most of it already known to Bewitched fans - documentary looking back at the show. Barry Pintar hosts - very interesting is that he has the original 1963 pilot script. Liz actually wrote a food recipe on it she got from a fellow cast member.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHaXWsX06Es

Another interesting bit is that Bill Asher told Pintar that the set was actually really dirty and dusty all the time calling it "filthy." You can see how bad the living room carpet looks often in photo stills.

Willbo · 03-02-2020, 10:15 AM

This was so interesting. Lots of information that I have not heard before. The dirty set was hilarious.

Larry Tate · 03-03-2020, 02:11 PM

Asher had an affair for almost 5 years with Nancy Fox , Liz caught him about a third of the way into filming season 8, she kicked him out, he was eventually banned from the set and she took up with Richard Michaels.

They never left for Europe, it was Hawaii and not before all the filming for season 8 was over. In fact there was no special final episode because a season 9 had been agreed too and Liz had signed and only later during the hiatus she changed her mind and pulled the plug on Bewitched. She just wanted to do other things like A Case of Rape or The Legend of Lizzie Borden for example.

Asher ran the show but after he was banned Richard Michaels ran the show the rest of that 8th season. She never went to Europe and didn't go anywhere till season 8 finished filming.

Asher came back to direct the last episode but from the Samantha on thin ice ep to that one he was banned from the set with those 12 episodes directed by Richard Michaels except for two by others when he was not available.

tcr1701 · 03-03-2020, 05:36 PM

The A&E Biography episode on EM states that she went to Europe in 1972 (end of season 8). The Pintar biography states she and Michaels went to Europe together in 1972 (end of season 8).

Larry Tate · 03-03-2020, 05:55 PM

That was just the narrative Asher was spinning at the time to paint himself in a good light and Liz in a bad one while hiding his in effect second wife in Nancy Fox.

There are photos of Liz and RM in Hawaii and SF together in early 1972, none of them in Europe which has been debunked as a false narrative, but hey believe what you want.

The important point is that Liz did not just disappear with episodes yet to be filmed, that narrative that Pinter spoke of is ridiculous.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcr1701

The A&E Biography episode on EM states that she went to Europe in 1972 (end of season 8). The Pintar biography states she and Michaels went to Europe together in 1972 (end of season 8).

tcr1701 · 03-03-2020, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Tate

none of them in Europe which has been debunked as a false narrative, but hey believe what you want.

Who "debunked" that as a false narrative...and why would anyone want to? Why would people need to think she was in Europe when it was "really" Hawaii.

Larry Tate · 03-03-2020, 07:39 PM

You really don't have a clue do you,when talking about the Ashers marriage and how it ended it is extremely important oh well never mind, i am not teaching a course here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcr1701

Who "debunked" that as a false narrative...and why would anyone want to? Why would people need to think she was in Europe when it was "really" Hawaii.

tcr1701 · 03-03-2020, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Tate

You really don't have a clue do you,when talking about the Ashers marriage and how it ended it is extremely important oh well never mind, i am not teaching a course here.

"extremely important" to whom...

Larry Tate · 03-03-2020, 09:17 PM

To any fan of Bewitched and Elizabeth Montgomery of which clearly you are neither.!

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcr1701

"extremely important" to whom...

tcr1701 · 03-03-2020, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Tate

To any fan of Bewitched and Elizabeth Montgomery of which clearly you are neither.!

If you don't know the answer just say so. Obfuscation doesn't really help solve the mystery.

Larry Tate · 03-03-2020, 10:44 PM

Obfuscate and deflect much?, me thinks you do.
I know you are invariably a classic Star Trek moment where i say to myself:

"Beam me up Scottie, there is no intelligent life down here."

You know i was going to comment to these replies but none of them said anything, that is NOT fair and puts me at a disadvantage when i am a sentient and cognitive human being and you are not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcr1701

If you don't know the answer just say so. Obfuscation doesn't really help solve the mystery.

RetroGuy2000 · 03-04-2020, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcr1701

Interesting - if most of it already known to Bewitched fans - documentary looking back at the show. Barry Pintar hosts - very interesting is that he has the original 1963 pilot script. Liz actually wrote a food recipe on it she got from a fellow cast member.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHaXWsX06Es

Another interesting bit is that Bill Asher told Pintar that the set was actually really dirty and dusty all the time calling it "filthy." You can see how bad the living room carpet looks often in photo stills.

I watched the first half yesterday, and will watch the second part today.

It's funny, because I never would have taken Samantha for a slovenly housekeeper!

I mean, we totally got the opposite impression on the show; you'd think that the crew would have noticed, and would have had someone come in and clean the carpets.

merlinjones · 03-04-2020, 03:58 PM

For those who are interested in the pilot script for "Bewitched" - it was reprinted in its entirety in this book by '"series creator" Sol Saks: "The Craft of Comedy Writing."

https://www.biblio.com/book/craft-co...IaAkI7EALw_wcB

Larry Tate · 03-04-2020, 05:29 PM

Why would they want to clean it if one could not see it on film that it was so, plus Samantha is not a real person therefore the comment about her being a sloppy housekeeper in regards to carpets that actually existed in real life where she did not shows a disconnect from fantasy and reality.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I watched the first half yesterday, and will watch the second part today.

It's funny, because I never would have taken Samantha for a slovenly housekeeper!

I mean, we totally got the opposite impression on the show; you'd think that the crew would have noticed, and would have had someone come in and clean the carpets.

tcr1701 · 03-04-2020, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Tate

Why would they want to clean it if one could not see it on film that it was so, plus Samantha is not a real person therefore the comment about her being a sloppy housekeeper in regards to carpets that actually existed in real life where she did not shows a disconnect from fantasy and reality.

If you actually read RetroGuy2000's post he was suggesting that the crew should have kept the set very clean to help portray Samantha as a fastidious housekeeper (as the show portrays) - not that Samantha was a real person who cleaned...

03-01-2020, 07:47 PM	#1
tcr1701 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 22, 2012 Posts: 461	Mini Bewitched Documentary Interesting - if most of it already known to Bewitched fans - documentary looking back at the show. Barry Pintar hosts - very interesting is that he has the original 1963 pilot script. Liz actually wrote a food recipe on it she got from a fellow cast member. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHaXWsX06Es Another interesting bit is that Bill Asher told Pintar that the set was actually really dirty and dusty all the time calling it "filthy." You can see how bad the living room carpet looks often in photo stills.

03-02-2020, 10:15 AM	#2
Willbo Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 10, 2012 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 863	This was so interesting. Lots of information that I have not heard before. The dirty set was hilarious.

03-03-2020, 02:11 PM	#3
Larry Tate Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 26, 2001 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,569	Asher had an affair for almost 5 years with Nancy Fox , Liz caught him about a third of the way into filming season 8, she kicked him out, he was eventually banned from the set and she took up with Richard Michaels. They never left for Europe, it was Hawaii and not before all the filming for season 8 was over. In fact there was no special final episode because a season 9 had been agreed too and Liz had signed and only later during the hiatus she changed her mind and pulled the plug on Bewitched. She just wanted to do other things like A Case of Rape or The Legend of Lizzie Borden for example. Asher ran the show but after he was banned Richard Michaels ran the show the rest of that 8th season. She never went to Europe and didn't go anywhere till season 8 finished filming. Asher came back to direct the last episode but from the Samantha on thin ice ep to that one he was banned from the set with those 12 episodes directed by Richard Michaels except for two by others when he was not available.

03-03-2020, 05:36 PM	#4
tcr1701 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 22, 2012 Posts: 461	The A&E Biography episode on EM states that she went to Europe in 1972 (end of season 8). The Pintar biography states she and Michaels went to Europe together in 1972 (end of season 8).

03-04-2020, 03:58 PM	#13
merlinjones Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 30, 2019 Location: los ángeles Posts: 933	For those who are interested in the pilot script for "Bewitched" - it was reprinted in its entirety in this book by '"series creator" Sol Saks: "The Craft of Comedy Writing." https://www.biblio.com/book/craft-co...IaAkI7EALw_wcB