I Guess 'The Ghost & Mrs Muir' Was NBC's Ripoff of 'Bewitched'??? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 08-15-2010, 11:37 PM

Maybe I am wrong?

catlover79 · 08-15-2010, 11:41 PM

Actually, The Ghost & Mrs. Muir was a remake of the 1947 movie with the same title:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039420/

Jude The Obscure · 08-16-2010, 02:44 PM

I Dream of Jeannie was NBC's answer to Bewitched.

TV Knowledge Fan · 08-31-2010, 03:36 AM

..."THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR" was adapted from 20th Century-Fox's 1947 theatrical feature (and produced by their TV division). "I DREAM OF JEANNIE", however, was directly influenced by "BEWITCHED".

I believe Screen Gems asked Sidney Sheldon, around November 1964, to create a similar series they could sell {as part of his contract to produce series for them}, after "BEWITCHED" became THE #1 comedy series on TV [and ABC]. His inspiration for creating "I DREAM OF JEANNIE" came directly from seeing "The Brass Bottle", a 1964 Universal theatrical film starring Tony Randall, Barbara Eden, and Burl Ives as the "djinn" (based on F. Anstey's 1900 English fantasy novel, previously filmed by Universal, as a silent, in 1923). As Sheldon always noted, "I wanted to produce a series about a genie that wasn't big and fat, like Burl Ives, but a young woman who comes out of a bottle and says, 'What can I do for you, Master?'".

broadmoor · 09-03-2010, 06:34 PM

I always thought "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" had a far different tone than the Screen Gems' fantasies. Much more low-key, and less slapsticky (although I seem I recall that being amped up a tad in the second-season a little). It's a nice little show. The cast was great. Its absence on dvd is really starting to be a sore spot, after all these years of tv-dvd releases.

biffbronson · 11-01-2010, 03:13 PM

I agree totally -- the feel is much different from Bewitched. It was an interesting series that's been neglected in recent decades.

jehobden · 05-09-2011, 06:52 PM

Since the show moved to ABC for its 2nd & final season, you could say ABC then had a ripoff of its own show, Bewitched.

comedyfreak · 10-06-2011, 03:58 AM

The Ghost and Mrs Muir was not a Bewitched ripoff.

stanwyckfan07 · 05-10-2012, 11:52 AM

If anything Bewitched is something of a ripoff of the 1942 film I MARRIED A WITCH starring Fredric March and Veronica Lake which is an excellent comedy and Veronica even looks a bit like Elizabeth Montgomery. Not knocking the sitcom though of course. The success of Bewitched (and Jeannie) probably did influence NBC to green-light a series on Mrs. Muir.

08-15-2010, 11:37 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,108	I Guess 'The Ghost & Mrs Muir' Was NBC's Ripoff of 'Bewitched'??? Maybe I am wrong?
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08-15-2010, 11:41 PM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Actually, The Ghost & Mrs. Muir was a remake of the 1947 movie with the same title: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039420/
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08-31-2010, 03:36 AM	#4
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	Yes... ..."THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR" was adapted from 20th Century-Fox's 1947 theatrical feature (and produced by their TV division). "I DREAM OF JEANNIE", however, was directly influenced by "BEWITCHED". I believe Screen Gems asked Sidney Sheldon, around November 1964, to create a similar series they could sell {as part of his contract to produce series for them}, after "BEWITCHED" became THE #1 comedy series on TV [and ABC]. His inspiration for creating "I DREAM OF JEANNIE" came directly from seeing "The Brass Bottle", a 1964 Universal theatrical film starring Tony Randall, Barbara Eden, and Burl Ives as the "djinn" (based on F. Anstey's 1900 English fantasy novel, previously filmed by Universal, as a silent, in 1923). As Sheldon always noted, "I wanted to produce a series about a genie that wasn't big and fat, like Burl Ives, but a young woman who comes out of a bottle and says, 'What can I do for you, Master?'".

11-01-2010, 03:13 PM	#6
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,273	I agree totally -- the feel is much different from Bewitched. It was an interesting series that's been neglected in recent decades.
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10-06-2011, 03:58 AM	#8
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,058	The Ghost and Mrs Muir was not a Bewitched ripoff.
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08-16-2010, 02:44 PM	#3
Jude The Obscure Retired Eternal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 7,519	I Dream of Jeannie was NBC's answer to Bewitched.

09-03-2010, 06:34 PM	#5
broadmoor Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 10, 2010 Location: texas Posts: 489	I always thought "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" had a far different tone than the Screen Gems' fantasies. Much more low-key, and less slapsticky (although I seem I recall that being amped up a tad in the second-season a little). It's a nice little show. The cast was great. Its absence on dvd is really starting to be a sore spot, after all these years of tv-dvd releases.

05-09-2011, 06:52 PM	#7
jehobden Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 06, 2002 Location: DFW Area, TX Posts: 2,004	Since the show moved to ABC for its 2nd & final season, you could say ABC then had a ripoff of its own show, Bewitched.

05-10-2012, 11:52 AM	#9
stanwyckfan07 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 26, 2011 Location: LA Posts: 106	If anything Bewitched is something of a ripoff of the 1942 film I MARRIED A WITCH starring Fredric March and Veronica Lake which is an excellent comedy and Veronica even looks a bit like Elizabeth Montgomery. Not knocking the sitcom though of course. The success of Bewitched (and Jeannie) probably did influence NBC to green-light a series on Mrs. Muir.