Cast Changes

[icecream]

Bewitched sure had a lot of roles recast during the show. Two Darrins, two Gladys Kravitzes, and two Louise Tates. (the last two they couldn't even get someone else with the same hair color) I'm surprised they didn't try to recast Aunt Clara when Marion Lorne died.

[MickeyMac]

Well both the Darrin and Gladys recasts were a neccesity for the show.

I guess they figured there could only be one Aunt Clara.

[comedyfreak]

I'm glad they didn't recast Aunt Clara's role only one person could fill that role and that was Marion herself.

[Duster76]

I think the recasting of Gladys Kravitz worked out pretty well, and the Louise Tate recast worked out OK.

Of course none of that really matters because the Darrin recast was a disaster. Like Martian and Jeannie, Bewitched depended on physical comedy
and needed an actor who brought those skills to the table. What they got was stone faced, stiff as a board Dick Sargent, who had no on screen chemistry with Elizabeth Montgomery whatsoever. I can't imagine a worst choice, it was like they defined all the things you would need to play the role of Darrin and then went out and found an actor who had none of those talents.

Outside of The Andy Griffith Show, Bewitched has the clearest jump the shark point of any series in TV history.

[Retro4Life]

Originally Posted by Duster76

I think the recasting of Gladys Kravitz worked out pretty well, and the Louise Tate recast worked out OK.

Of course none of that really matters because the Darrin recast was a disaster. Like Martian and Jeannie, Bewitched depended on physical comedy
and needed an actor who brought those skills to the table. What they got was stone faced, stiff as a board Dick Sargent, who had no on screen chemistry with Elizabeth Montgomery whatsoever. I can't imagine a worst choice, it was like they defined all the things you would need to play the role of Darrin and then went out and found an actor who had none of those talents.

Outside of The Andy Griffith Show, Bewitched has the clearest jump the shark point of any series in TV history.

You're totally right, of course.

It's funny how when I was young I was never really bothered by the appearance of Dick Sargeant; I guess that either says something about the general accepting attitude of youth or my own personal poor taste, lol. But now whenever I watch "Bewitched", it's almost impossible to slog through a Sargeant episode. I'm sure he was a decent man and a good enough actor, but he just wasn't right for this role. The physical dimension necessary is indeed missing, and he really seemed to portray Darren with only one note; angry and confused. York was a great mixture of frustration, incredulousness, and undeniable love.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by Retro4Life

You're totally right, of course.

It's funny how when I was young I was never really bothered by the appearance of Dick Sargeant; I guess that either says something about the general accepting attitude of youth or my own personal poor taste, lol. But now whenever I watch "Bewitched", it's almost impossible to slog through a Sargeant episode. I'm sure he was a decent man and a good enough actor, but he just wasn't right for this role. The physical dimension necessary is indeed missing, and he really seemed to portray Darren with only one note; angry and confused. York was a great mixture of frustration, incredulousness, and undeniable love.

My feelings exactly. I've liked Dick Sargent in other things (I've seen him in various guest spots on Charlie's Angels, Dukes of Hazzard and Family Ties) but he wasn't Darrin to me. Dick York was and always will be Darrin, IMHO.

[MickeyMac]

Dick Sargent, I'm still loyal to you buddy.

[Larry Tate]

I don't think the show missed Dick York at all, after all Elizabeth Montgomery was Bewitched & she was still there & that is all that really mattered.

Dick York was excellent as Darrin but he was always screaming & 10 times more angry & upset then Dick Sargent ever was so i find that criticism odd.

It was nice to see a more normal & believable performance as Darrin with Dick Sargent then the Hysterical rantings of Dick York, which while plausible at the start when all the magical happenings were new to him, had worn thin & didn't make sense re Darrin's reactions by the time Dick Sargent came around.

Plus the purely physical comedy that Dick Sargent brought to the role was a clear improvement over what Dick York could provide.

The Episode where he was acting out clichés is a good illustration of this fact.

Dick Sargent was not at all angry all the time, in fact he was quite laid back & easy going about it all compared to Dick York who was screaming all the time & verbally abusive to Samantha as if he was going to deck her at any moment.

He was just much more real & believable as an everyday husband as Darrin then Dick York was.

Bottom Line we would have been fine with either of them as Darrin for all 8 years, i thought the last 3 years were excellent & some of the best shows of the series.

Larry Tate

[MickeyMac]

Originally Posted by Larry Tate

I don't think the show missed Dick York at all, after all Elizabeth Montgomery was Bewitched & she was still there & that is all that really mattered.

Dick York was excellent as Darrin but he was always screaming & 10 times more angry & upset then Dick Sargent ever was so i find that criticism odd.

It was nice to see a more normal & believable performance as Darrin with Dick Sargent then the Hysterical rantings of Dick York, which while plausible at the start when all the magical happenings were new to him, had worn thin & didn't make sense re Darrin's reactions by the time Dick Sargent came around.

Plus the purely physical comedy that Dick Sargent brought to the role was a clear improvement over what Dick York could provide.

The Episode where he was acting out clichés is a good illustration of this fact.

Dick Sargent was not at all angry all the time, in fact he was quite laid back & easy going about it all compared to Dick York who was screaming all the time & verbally abusive to Samantha as if he was going to deck her at any moment.

He was just much more real & believable as an everyday husband as Darrin then Dick York was.

Bottom Line we would have been fine with either of them as Darrin for all 8 years, i thought the last 3 years were excellent & some of the best shows of the series.

Larry Tate

Me too

[novarrofan]

The show DRASTICALLY missed Dick York as Darrin and to say that Elizabeth Montgomery was all that mattered is to miss the whole true essense of what made "Bewitched" such a special show. It was that magical relationship between witch and mortal/Samantha and Darrin that gave "Bewitched", its special charm and eternal enjoyment to viewers. Equally misguided is this "myth" that Dick York was only good at the "broad comedy" and not the sensitive moments. ALL the great romantic, sentimental and affectionate scenes between Samanatha and Darrin occured during the Dick York years and he was just as capable of the wild broad comedy and outrageous facial expressions as he was the tender moments, He was not always shouting and angry and had much more of a balanced style than Dick Sargent had. Sargent most times seemd to lack any sense of humour at all in the role and most often came across as a kill joy in many of the later scripts. I like Dick Sargent but to say Sargent was better at the physical side of the comedy than Dick York could only be said if you'd never watched any Dick York episodes. I could NEVER see Dick Sargent managing the Darrin part in episodes like "Mirror Mirror on the Wall", "Cheap Cheap". or "Business Italian Style". Dick York was unbeatable in parts like those ones and Dick Sargent for all his talent as an actor wouldn't have been able to pull those shows off at all. A very romantic script like "If They never Met", also shows the other end of York's talent in a wonderfully sensitive and romantic script that has him restrained, melancoly and reflective. It's a further proof of the falseness of saying York's Darrin was less normal or believable. York's Darrin was also a far more affectionate father (as much as '60's sitcom fathers were ever allowed to be shown with their young children) than Sargent's Darrin

[catlover79]

^ My sentiments exactly. Dick York also had 5 kids of his own in real life, and was crazy in love with his real-life wife (married for 40+ years until he passed) so he was able to easily parlay that into Darrin's life. No knock against Dick Sargent, I liked him in other roles on other shows, but he was never Darrin to me.

[MickeyMac]

Nothing wrong with being devoted to Bewitched

[comedyfreak]

But there is a thing called, going overboard though.

[Adamantium]

Originally Posted by Larry Tate

Bottom Line we would have been fine with either of them as Darrin for all 8 years, i thought the last 3 years were excellent & some of the best shows of the series.

For me personally, if Dick Sargent had been in all 8 years, I doubt I would have been a fan of the show. Dick York was the sole reason I started watching it. I just loved his performance. Now, true, if Sargent was there all along, I wouldn't have York to compare him to. But luckily for television and it's viewers, Dick York was there. Because I'm loyal to the show, I accept the Dick Sargent years. But I don't prefer them in any way to the Dick York years.

Elizabeth Montgomery was great, but to me (and I'm sure only me), Dick York made the show. And his absence was deeply felt.

As for Gladys Kravitz, I wish they didn't recast the role. They (in my opinion) had the Kravitzes move away (that includes getting rid of George Tobias) and some new nosy neighbors moved in. The woman of that house could even be played by Sandra Gould, I don't care. I just HATE recasts!!! They say their reason for keeping the Kravitzes on the show was because they didn't want to lose George Tobias. That's nice that they're loyal to him, but I would have prefered... well, I already said what I prefered. No need to say it again, lol.

[Darrin1Fan]

Originally Posted by Adamantium

but to me (and I'm sure only me), Dick York made the show. And his absence was deeply felt

Nope, not only you. I wholeheartedly agree with you.