When you think of Elizabeth Montgomery, it’s hard not to recall the charming little twinkle that accompanied her character’s nose twitch on Bewitched.
This remarkable actress became a household name and a global sensation in the 1960s – but tragically, she passed away unexpectedly in 1995.
At Newsner, we have featured many beautiful and talented women – yet Elizabeth Montgomery captured my youthful heart from the very beginning.
While most movie and TV stars rely on makeup and hair stylists to enhance their looks – Elizabeth was different. She was a natural beauty, and I adored watching her in Bewitched.
So, what became of Elizabeth Montgomery after her time as Samantha Stephens in the beloved 1960s sitcom?
In 2024, the talented actress would have marked her 91st birthday, but let’s take a moment to reflect on her career in film and television before her untimely passing in 1995.
Elizabeth Montgomery was born in Los Angeles on April 15, 1933, to a Broadway actress and film star, so the acting profession was in her blood from the start.
“Dad tells me I often climbed on his lap after dinner and said, ‘I’m going to be an actress when I grow up.’ I’m not sure if he encouraged me or not, but he mentioned that he would humor me and tell me to wait and see what happened when I grew up,” Elizabeth shared in a 1954 interview with the Los Angeles Times.
Her father, Robert Montgomery, was a highly popular and respected actor.
”I’ll be completely honest and say that Daddy did help me get a break in TV, and I’m truly thankful for his support and guidance. He’s my toughest critic, but also a genuine friend and a loving father.”
Elizabeth went to school in California before relocating to New York City, where she enrolled in the Spence School. After completing her studies, she spent three years at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
During her teenage years, she made her television debut on her father’s program, Robert Montgomery Presents. She went on to make several guest appearances on his show.
By 1953, Elizabeth had made her Broadway debut in Late Love. Two years later, in 1955, she starred in her first film, The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell, and then returned to Broadway two years after that.
As her career progressed, Elizabeth experienced love, but it was often short-lived.
In 1954, she tied the knot with Frederick Gallatin Cammann, but the marriage ended in divorce just a year later. In 1956, she wed Gig Young, a celebrated actor, and they remained married until their divorce in 1963.
During the filming of Johnny Cool, Elizabeth encountered William Asher, a director and television producer. He not only contributed positively to her career but also sparked a romantic connection between them.
They got married in 1963 and welcomed three children into their family.
Starring in Bewitched
Although Elizabeth Montgomery appeared in various shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Loretta Young Show, The Untouchables, and The Twilight Zone, her most iconic role was undoubtedly as the nose-twitching witch Samantha Stephens in Bewitched.
The supernatural comedy, which ran for eight seasons from 1964 to 1972, brought Elizabeth into the limelight.
All of a sudden, she was a household name, and everyone wanted to imitate Samantha’s iconic nose twitch.
“I never really considered doing a series because I preferred the idea of choosing a script I liked with a character I believed I could portray for an hour. In a series, you spend every day with one character – and you just hope it’s one that won’t drive you insane,” Elizabeth shared with AP in 1965.
During her time on the show, she received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations.
After Bewitched concluded and her marriage to Asher ended, Elizabeth embarked on a journey starring in numerous made-for-television films, many of which were quite different from her iconic role in Bewitched.
She appeared in Mrs. Sundance (1973), A Case of Rape (1974), The Legend of Lizzie Borden (1975), Black Widow Murders (1993), The Corpse Had a Familiar Face (1994), and Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan (1995).
It was on the set of Mrs. Sundance that she met Robert Foxworth. The couple stayed together until Elizabeth passed away in 1995, although they only tied the knot in 1993.
“Before Jane Seymour, before Lindsay Wagner, and before Valerie Bertinelli, Elizabeth was the original Queen of the TV movies; she transitioned from the queen of witches to the queen of TV films, and it was no longer a challenge to move on from Bewitched,” said Herbie J Pilato, who has authored two books about Elizabeth Montgomery.
Sadly, her career came to an abrupt end on May 18, 1995, following a prolonged struggle with colon cancer.
As reported by the Los Angeles Times, her family stated that she was 57 at the time of her passing, although many sources indicated her birth year as 1933, which would make her 62 when she died.
The actress had fought the illness for several years and had thought she was free of cancer, but during the filming of Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan, she fell ill.
By the time she sought medical attention in March 1995, it was already too late. The cancer had metastasized to her liver.
Elizabeth passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home in Beverly Hills, surrounded by her husband and three children. A month following her death, a memorial service took place at the Canon Theatre in Beverly Hills. Renowned jazz musician Herbie Hancock provided the music, while Dominick Dunne, a lifelong friend of Elizabeth, shared memories of their early friendship during their time in New York City.
The star of Bewitched had her remains cremated at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.
Reflecting on her diverse roles throughout her career, Elizabeth mentioned in a 1992 interview:
“Each character brings a unique ‘feel’ to the table, which is likely why I’ve chosen to portray them. I often receive letters from fans expressing that one of the aspects they enjoy most about my work since ‘Bewitched’ is the unpredictability of my next move.”
Reflecting on images from her days on Bewitched, we are immediately taken back to a more straightforward, innocent time.
Elizabeth’s whimsical charm and her famous nose twitch evoke memories of an era when magic felt just a flick away. With every smile, Elizabeth spread warmth and happiness to many families, and her legacy still shines brightly today, reminding us of the golden age of television.
“Elizabeth was the least arrogant star I’ve ever encountered,” Herbie J Pilato, the author of Twitch Upon a Star and executive producer of the documentary Elizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitched Life, shared with Closer in April 2023. “She infused that down-to-earth quality into Samantha, and we all adored her.”
What a naturally stunning woman! It’s truly unfortunate that she was taken from us far too early.
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