Was Elizabeth Montgomery partially ashamed/embarrassed by Bewitched - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 10-11-2018, 04:06 AM

I mean, after Bewitched she to the best of my knowledge, never tried comedy or another sitcom again. Instead, she became the queen of the TV movie (A CASE OF RAPE, THE LEGEND OF LIZZIE BORDEN, A KILLING AFFAIR, DARK VICTORY, JENNIFER: A WOMAN'S STORY, BELLE STARR, WHEN THE CIRCUS CAME TO TOWN). She apparently said that she preferred drama, partially because it was easier for her.

Elizabeth also hated it when fans asked her to twitch her nose.

tcr1701 · 10-12-2018, 01:42 PM

I think she was proud of Bewitched, but after it ended she moved on to other things and the show was forgotten in Hollywood. She missed the resurgence of Bewitched in the late 1990s with TV Land and Nick at Nite. Had she lived during the resurgence in popularity she probably would have spoken about it much more.

She did mention specifically in an interview with John Tesh that she usually didn't mind at all to do the nose twitch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OugBxbMyPY

Larry Tate · 10-13-2018, 10:58 AM

Elizabeth Montgomery was preventing herself from being typecast or stereotyped and only seen as Samantha preventing herself from being able to obtain various other types of roles.

That is why she put Bewitched behind her and and focused on as many unSamantha like roles as possible such as A Case of Rape, The Legend of Lizzie Borden, Belle Star, A Killing Affair etc. to be seen as Elizabeth Montgomery the actress not Samantha the character and very effectively i might add.

She was still with us when the N@N resurgence of Bewitched hit for the first year of it and as well when Herbie J Pilato wrote the Bewitched Book about the show for which she was interviewed for.

She was surprised about the show still being so popular and about the online Treky like obsession for it by so many fans.

As for her comedic talents they were wide and broad, she was a superb comedic actress as she demonstrated on Bewitched over the years doing slapstick,physical,straight man, punch lines and every other type of comedy on it.
Especially in the role of Serena she did it all.
There was nothing in comedy that she could not nor didn't do.

Who's Been sleeping in my bed is another movie in 1964 where she did comedy.
Later as well she was in a movie that could be called a comedy in 1981 When the circus came to town.

She did not mind twitching her nose for children, it was the pushy adults demanding her to do so that put her off in doing it.

She didn't say that she preferred drama or because it was easier for her, she said that in regards to Bewitched Comedy was more difficult in general then drama when referencing her accomplishments as an actress on Bewitched.

TV Guy · 10-19-2018, 11:14 PM

I agree that Elizabeth’s comedic skills were limited, but she was appealing and was a good straight man to her more comedic supporting cast.

She never wanted to do another series after Bewitched, even though ABC asked her to do one for years. She was wealthy and was happy doing a few TV movies a year. It gave her the chance to play different roles, and gave her a break from the grind of a series. She was smart in this way, and I think it added to her mystique. Always leave them wanting more.

Willbo · 10-22-2018, 01:48 PM

It seems like I read that she was about to commit to another series when she got sick. It was a whodunit type show not comedy.

Larry Tate · 10-23-2018, 01:15 PM

Liz was planning on doing up to as many as 4 TV Movies a year playing the character Edna Buchanan that she played in her last two movies, this could have gone on for up to a decade & would have been fantastic but sadly was not to be.

10-11-2018, 04:06 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,699	Was Elizabeth Montgomery partially ashamed/embarrassed by Bewitched I mean, after Bewitched she to the best of my knowledge, never tried comedy or another sitcom again. Instead, she became the queen of the TV movie (A CASE OF RAPE, THE LEGEND OF LIZZIE BORDEN, A KILLING AFFAIR, DARK VICTORY, JENNIFER: A WOMAN'S STORY, BELLE STARR, WHEN THE CIRCUS CAME TO TOWN). She apparently said that she preferred drama, partially because it was easier for her. Elizabeth also hated it when fans asked her to twitch her nose.

10-13-2018, 10:58 AM	#3
Larry Tate Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 26, 2001 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,569	Elizabeth Montgomery was preventing herself from being typecast or stereotyped and only seen as Samantha preventing herself from being able to obtain various other types of roles. That is why she put Bewitched behind her and and focused on as many unSamantha like roles as possible such as A Case of Rape, The Legend of Lizzie Borden, Belle Star, A Killing Affair etc. to be seen as Elizabeth Montgomery the actress not Samantha the character and very effectively i might add. She was still with us when the N@N resurgence of Bewitched hit for the first year of it and as well when Herbie J Pilato wrote the Bewitched Book about the show for which she was interviewed for. She was surprised about the show still being so popular and about the online Treky like obsession for it by so many fans. As for her comedic talents they were wide and broad, she was a superb comedic actress as she demonstrated on Bewitched over the years doing slapstick,physical,straight man, punch lines and every other type of comedy on it. Especially in the role of Serena she did it all. There was nothing in comedy that she could not nor didn't do. Who's Been sleeping in my bed is another movie in 1964 where she did comedy. Later as well she was in a movie that could be called a comedy in 1981 When the circus came to town. She did not mind twitching her nose for children, it was the pushy adults demanding her to do so that put her off in doing it. She didn't say that she preferred drama or because it was easier for her, she said that in regards to Bewitched Comedy was more difficult in general then drama when referencing her accomplishments as an actress on Bewitched.
	Last edited by Larry Tate; 10-23-2018 at 10:57 AM.

10-12-2018, 01:42 PM	#2
tcr1701 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 22, 2012 Posts: 461	I think she was proud of Bewitched, but after it ended she moved on to other things and the show was forgotten in Hollywood. She missed the resurgence of Bewitched in the late 1990s with TV Land and Nick at Nite. Had she lived during the resurgence in popularity she probably would have spoken about it much more. She did mention specifically in an interview with John Tesh that she usually didn't mind at all to do the nose twitch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OugBxbMyPY

10-19-2018, 11:14 PM	#4
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	I agree that Elizabeth’s comedic skills were limited, but she was appealing and was a good straight man to her more comedic supporting cast. She never wanted to do another series after Bewitched, even though ABC asked her to do one for years. She was wealthy and was happy doing a few TV movies a year. It gave her the chance to play different roles, and gave her a break from the grind of a series. She was smart in this way, and I think it added to her mystique. Always leave them wanting more.

10-22-2018, 01:48 PM	#5
Willbo Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 10, 2012 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 863	It seems like I read that she was about to commit to another series when she got sick. It was a whodunit type show not comedy.

10-23-2018, 01:15 PM	#6
Larry Tate Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 26, 2001 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,569	Liz was planning on doing up to as many as 4 TV Movies a year playing the character Edna Buchanan that she played in her last two movies, this could have gone on for up to a decade & would have been fantastic but sadly was not to be.