When she learned that Dick York had died

[Rezny@gmail.com]

What was Elizabeth Montgomery's reaction ?Just curious.I presume she was surprised,shocked,and somewhat devestated..And how did the rest of the cast(including Dick Sargent)react when they heard the news?

[catlover79]

I wouldn't know. She never spoke publicly about it.

[Larry Tate]

Why would she be shocked and devastated at the passing of a stranger?, that thought makes no sense whatsoever, of course she would not have that reaction to his passing, for her to do so would not be rational & would not make any sense.

She had no reaction but then why would she?????...........as this was a complete stranger who she simply had once worked with and had not seen or interacted with in almost 25 years, plus at the end Dick York made some very unkind comments towards the show & therefore indirectly towards Liz so her reaction of no comment is the only logical & rational one she could have made.

Dick Sargent had been a longtime close personal friend who she had been very close to in the half dozen or so years prior to his passing so her comment on his passing was a natural & logical one.

Larry Tate

Originally Posted by rrezny@usnetizen

What was Elizabeth Montgomery's reaction ?Just curious.I presume she was surprised,shocked,and somewhat devestated..And how did the rest of the cast(including Dick Sargent)react when they heard the news?

[Arfies]

She may not have spoken to him for years, but I'd hardly call him a "complete stranger." That would be someone one has NEVER met, not someone one had worked closely with for five years.

Publicly, no, she did not make any remarks on York's death that I am aware of.

[Rezny@gmail.com]

Thanks.Now,Larry Tate,how did the remaining cast members,whom,I presume were closer to Dick York(friendshipwise)than Elizabeth Montgomery, react when THEY heard the news?I mean Bernard Fox,Erin and Diane Murphy,Sandra Gould,and Alice Ghostley(who,as you will recall played maid Naomi in the Dick York as Darrin episode "Maid to Order"-black and white season 2)?

[Mr. Television]

Originally Posted by Arfies

She may not have spoken to him for years, but I'd hardly call him a "complete stranger." That would be someone one has NEVER met, not someone one had worked closely with for five years.

Publicly, no, she did not make any remarks on York's death that I am aware of.

Yea I agree. There have been many shows were actors die and former cast members are asked about them and they at least give their condolences. Sometimes they haven't seen them in years either. If Liz was asked about him and she said no comment, I think that says a lot. I'm not sure if that was the case though. She might have been closer to Dick Sargent but Dick York was more responsible than he was for the success of Bewitched. She should have at least been grateful for that.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by rrezny@usnetizen

Thanks.Now,Larry Tate,how did the remaining cast members,whom,I presume were closer to Dick York(friendshipwise)than Elizabeth Montgomery, react when THEY heard the news?I mean Bernard Fox,Erin and Diane Murphy,Sandra Gould,and Alice Ghostley(who,as you will recall played maid Naomi in the Dick York as Darrin episode "Maid to Order"-black and white season 2)?

Sadness, I assume. We weren't there, so how are we supposed to know intimate details about their off-screen relationships? Most of the cast is long dead so they can't tell us.

Here are some Bewitched-related books and websites you can read to get a bit more insight into things:

http://www.bewitched.net/

http://www.bewitched.net/books3.htm

http://www.bewitched.net/filmfax.htm (Dick York)

http://www.bewitched.net/aggstar.htm (Agnes Moorehead)

http://www.bewitched.net/siteinterv.htm

http://www.harpiesbizarre.com/

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

Yea I agree. There have been many shows were actors die and former cast members are asked about them and they at least give their condolences. Sometimes they haven't seen them in years either. If Liz was asked about him and she said no comment, I think that says a lot. I'm not sure if that was the case though. She might have been closer to Dick Sargent but Dick York was more responsible than he was for the success of Bewitched. She should have at least been grateful for that.

That's how I feel, too. After all, it was her chemistry with DY that played a HUGE part in the show's success.

[lucyandethel]

Montgomery wasn't particularly fond of York. I think they had an amicable relationship when they were working together, but I think York's problems on the set the last year or so he was on the show was a strain for Montgomery and the show's director, William Asher. His addiction to pain killers for his back resulted in many delays in filming. Asher was hesitant to let York go from his contract because he felt York was a good comedic actor. Liz wanted him out.

The one thing I never understood is how Liz Montgomery went on to rave about Dick Sargent and I have to say, he was perhaps one of the dullest actors to ever appear in a sitcom. Reportedly, Agnes Moorehead HATED Dick Sargent....

[Mr. Television]

Originally Posted by lucyandethel

Montgomery wasn't particularly fond of York. I think they had an amicable relationship when they were working together, but I think York's problems on the set the last year or so he was on the show was a strain for Montgomery and the show's director, William Asher. His addiction to pain killers for his back resulted in many delays in filming. Asher was hesitant to let York go from his contract because he felt York was a good comedic actor. Liz wanted him out.

The one thing I never understood is how Liz Montgomery went on to rave about Dick Sargent and I have to say, he was perhaps one of the dullest actors to ever appear in a sitcom. Reportedly, Agnes Moorehead HATED Dick Sargent....

I'll never understand that. Dick York was in considerable amount of pain. I know the show must go on but there should be some kind of sympathy there. He tried to stay on the show until it was virtually impossible for him to continue. I agree with you about Dick sargent. While I did like him in some guest appearances on some other shows I thought he was awful on Bewitched. He always came across as so angry.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

I'll never understand that. Dick York was in considerable amount of pain. I know the show must go on but there should be some kind of sympathy there. He tried to stay on the show until it was virtually impossible for him to continue. I agree with you about Dick sargent. While I did like him in some guest appearances on some other shows I thought he was awful on Bewitched. He always came across as so angry.

I agree. DS always looked like he was phoning it in, but then again, he never got many good scripts to work with.

[Larry Tate]

One Agnes Moorehead did not hate Dick Sargent but she did hate the idea of any change on the role as she felt it worked well, this had nothing to do with the actor recast for the role, but rather the role being recast period.

I agree with Liz when she stated that Dick Sargent did a great job & filled in wonderfully for the ably replaced Dick York.

Clearly Dick York played Darrin with at least 3 times as much anger towards Samantha & the use of Witchcraft in general as Dick York was yelling & Screaming at Samantha & the other Witches while Dick Sargent merely was upset and wanted things fixed but never went hysterically angry as Dick York constantly did.

The idea that Dick Sargent ever gave less then his best intentionally in a performance on Bewitched is laughable.

The vast majority of the scripts that Dick Sargent had to work with were excellent & top notch.

This is symantics, after 25 years of not having anything to do with someone who was never a friend but merely someone she worked with compared to a close longtime personal friend that Dick Sargent was to Liz clearly shows why Liz commented on Dick Sargent's passing as she did as well re Alice Pierce & Agnes Moorehead but did not re Dick Yorks passing as she did not about other members of the cast who passed away such as Paul Lynde (whose funeral she did not attend) and others.

There was no need to make a Public comment on Dick Yorks passing all these decades later & who contributed what success to the show has zero to do with who she should have commented on or not, it should be passed on personal feelings not rating points & $$$$ garnered by a cast member the later is irrelevant.

She did not rave about Dick Sargent she spoke very positively about him when he was on the show as she did about Dick York when he was on the show.

She was contacted by the press after DS passed but i don't believe the same interest was there with the media in that respect with DY when he passed in regards to contacting Liz then.

Larry Tate

[catlover79]

I said it LOOKED like he was phoning it in, not that he actually was. It may just be a question of preferring one Darrin over the other, but to be honest, DS just never was "Darrin" to me. Besides, I liked DS in other roles he did, like his guest spots on shows like Dukes of Hazzard, Charlie's Angels and Family Ties.

[Mr. Television]

Originally Posted by catlover79

I said it LOOKED like he was phoning it in, not that he actually was. It may just be a question of preferring one Darrin over the other, but to be honest, DS just never was "Darrin" to me. Besides, I liked DS in other roles he did, like his guest spots on shows like Dukes of Hazzard, Charlie's Angels and Family Ties.

and Three's Company. He played a sleeze quite well. lol

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

and Three's Company. He played a sleeze quite well. lol

Didn't he play Suzanne Somers' boyfriend, who turned out to be married?