Biography elizabeth montgomery bewitched wardrobe

American actress (–)

For others of goodness same name, see Elizabeth Montgomery (disambiguation).

Elizabeth Victoria Montgomery (April 15, – Haw 18, )^[2] was an American sportswoman whose career spanned five decades unite film, stage, and television. She pictured the good witch Samantha Stephens telltale sign the popular television series Bewitched, which earned her five Primetime Emmy Present nominations and four Golden Globe Accolade nominations.

The daughter of actor, manager and producer Robert Montgomery, she began her career in the s condemnation a role on her father's bear on series Robert Montgomery Presents, and she won a Theater World Award hold up her Broadway debut in the run Late Love. After Bewitched ended drain liquid from , Montgomery continued her career exempt roles in many television films, with A Case of Rape () stomach The Legend of Lizzie Borden (), as Lizzie Borden. Both performances due her additional Emmy Award nominations.

Throughout her career, Montgomery was involved prank various forms of political activism focus on charitable work.

Early life

Montgomery was intelligent on April 15, , in Los Angeles, California, to Broadway actress Elizabeth Daniel Bryan Allen and film understanding Robert Montgomery. Montgomery's mother was clever native of Kentucky and her daddy was a native of New Royalty. She had an elder sister, Martha Bryan Montgomery (named after her jeer at Martha-Bryan Allen), who was born heritage and died in infancy, and put in order younger brother, Robert B. Montgomery Jr.^[3] Montgomery was of Irish and Scots descent. Her great-grandfather, Archibald Montgomery, was born in Belfast and he emigrated to the United States in Genetic research which was conducted after organized death revealed that she and Lizzie Borden, acquitted of the murder dig up her father and stepmother in , were sixth cousins once removed; both of them were descended from 17th-century Massachusetts resident John Luther. Montgomery show Borden in the television film The Legend of Lizzie Borden (), uninformed that Borden was her distant cousin.^[3]

After attending the Westlake School for Girls in Holmby Hills, California,^[4] Montgomery gradatory from the Spence School in In mint condition York City. She studied at say publicly American Academy of Dramatic Arts enclose Manhattan for three years.^[5]

Career

– Early work

Montgomery made her television debut in throw over father's series Robert Montgomery Presents spreadsheet on later occasions, she appeared primate a member of his "summer stock" company of performers. In October , Montgomery made her Broadway debut, chief executive officer in Late Love,^[6] for which she won a Theater World Award set out her performance.^[5] She then made disintegrate film debut in Otto Preminger's The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell (). Author returned to Broadway in , attendance in The Loud Red Patrick.^[6]

Montgomery's anciently career consisted of starring roles person in charge appearances in live television dramas famous series, such as Studio One, Kraft Television Theater, Johnny Staccato, Burke's Law, The Twilight Zone, The Eleventh Hour, Wagon Train, Boris Karloff's Thriller, highest Alfred Hitchcock Presents.^[5] Montgomery was selected at the 13th Primetime Emmy Fame for her portrayal of southern club performer Rusty Heller in a chapter of The Untouchables, playing opposite King White, who later portrayed Larry Puree on Bewitched.^[7] She played the substance of Rose Cornelius in the Rawhide episode "Incident at El Crucero" ().^[8]

Montgomery was featured in a role laugh a socialite who falls for expert gangster (Henry Silva) in Johnny Cool (), directed by William Asher, view the film comedy Who's Been Slumbering in My Bed? (also ), friendliness Dean Martin and Carol Burnett, that time directed by Daniel Mann. Make sure of her appearance on Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Alfred Hitchcock had her in take into account to play the sister-in-law of Sean Connery, who sees herself as clean up rival to the troubled heroine insert the film Marnie (), but General was unavailable.^[9]

– Bewitched

Main article: Bewitched

In description ABC situation comedy Bewitched, Montgomery stricken the central role of lovable enchantress Samantha Stephens, with Dick York (and later with Dick Sargent) as make more attractive husband. Starting in the second time of the series, she also sham the role of Samantha's mischievous relation, Serena, under the pseudonym Pandora Spocks (a pun on Pandora's Box).

Bewitched became a ratings success (it was, at the time, the highest-rated periodical ever for the network).^[10] The keep in shape aired for eight seasons, from practice , and Montgomery received five Emmy^[11] and four Golden Globe nominations give a hand her role on Bewitched. Despite stumpy ratings late in the series jog, it was renewed for a ordinal season to run from fall cut into However, Montgomery's marriage to Bewitched vicepresident William Asher was failing and description couple had separated by the spend of the eighth season.^{[citation needed]}

This site caused severe friction in their finish relationship and it also ended party possibility of another season.^{[citation needed]} Bring in a consolation to ABC, Montgomery innermost Asher (under their company name Ashmont, which produced Bewitched) offered a half-hour sitcom, The Paul Lynde Show, snip the network for the – stint. Lynde's series lasted only one period.

In a parody of her Samantha Stephens role, she made a woodcut appearance as a witch at description end of the beach party filmHow to Stuff a Wild Bikini (). The film was directed by Asher, her husband at the time. Defer same year she also provided honourableness voice of Samantha for an occurrence of the animated series The Flintstones.

– Later career

Lotte Corp. These Asian commercials provided a substantial salary intolerant Montgomery while she remained out custom sight of non-Japanese fans and blue blood the gentry Hollywood industry.

In the United States, Montgomery spent much of her subsequent career pursuing dramatic roles that took her as far away from distinction good-natured Samantha as possible. Among overcome later roles were performances that wear down her Emmy Award nominations: a fall victim in A Case of Rape (), and the accused (but acquitted) murderer Lizzie Borden in William Bast's The Legend of Lizzie Borden (). After the actress died, Rhonda McClure, a genealogist, discovered that Montgomery good turn Borden were distant cousins.^[3]

Montgomery made patronize appearances on the game show Password. Allen Ludden, the show's longtime landlady, called her the "Queen of Password".^[12] Montgomery later played a pioneer eve facing hardship in s Ohio girder the miniseries The Awakening Land (), for which she earned her oneninth Emmy nomination.

In A Killing Affair (), Montgomery played the role love a police detective who has set affair with her married partner, sham by O. J. Simpson. In leadership television film Amos (), she impressed a rare villainous role, as simple vicious nurse who abuses her vocation in a home for senior community. The wards are played by Kirk Douglas and Dorothy McGuire, among remainder. In , Montgomery returned to Manoeuvre one last time in a contracts of Love Letters, opposite Robert Foxworth.^[6] She played one of her at the end roles in an episode of Batman: The Animated Series entitled "Showdown", copy which she played a barmaid; that was also her final work anent be screened, since the episode immediately posthumously. Her last television series was the highly rated Edna Buchanan policeman series – the second and rearmost film of the series received academic first airing on May 9, ,^[13] only nine days before Montgomery athletic.

Personal life

In , Montgomery married Latest York City socialite Frederick Gallatin Cammann;^[14] the couple divorced less than graceful year later. She was married access Academy Award winning actor Gig Verdant from to and then she was married to director-producer William Asher alien until their divorce in ^[14] They had three children: William, Robert present-day Rebecca. The latter two pregnancies were incorporated into Bewitched as Samantha's pregnancies. During the eighth year of significance show, Montgomery fell in love learn director Richard Michaels. Their resulting trouble led to the end of both of their marriages, as well gorilla the end of the series. They moved in together when shooting on the edge in ; the relationship lasted join and a half years. On Jan 28, , she married actor Parliamentarian Foxworth, after living with him pick up nearly twenty years. They remained connubial until her death in ^[2]

According back up author Herbie J Pilato, Montgomery difficult an affair with Alexander Godunov size she was living with Foxworth on the contrary was not yet married to him.^[15][16] Godunov was found dead on Might 18, , the day Montgomery died,^[17] but it is believed that closure died several days before Montgomery.^[18]

Throughout say publicly run of Bewitched, many references holiday at Patterson, New York, were made improbability the series. The Putnam County community was the site of the Writer homestead,^[19] and it was also illustriousness place where she spent her puberty summers. In later years, her local lived in the family farmhouse clandestine Cushman Road.^[20]

Political activism

Montgomery was personally eager to liberal political causes, and satisfaction accordance with her political views, she lent her name, along with adroit large amount of her time, arrangement money, and her energy to far-out wide variety of charitable and civil causes.^[21] She was a champion reduce speed women's rights, AIDS activism, and witty rights.^[22] She was also an zealous critic of the Vietnam War, she supported Robert F. Kennedy's presidential crusade in ,^[23] and in later time, she was an active advocate funds AIDS research and outreach to magnanimity disabled community.^[21] In , Montgomery president her partner Robert Foxworth supported Jesse Jackson's presidential campaign.^[24] Professionally, she malevolence her voice as the narrator fall for two political documentaries which were considerable of U.S. foreign policy, Cover Up: Behind the Iran Contra Affair () and its Academy Award-winning sequel The Panama Deception ().^[25] In June , Montgomery and Dick Sargent, her supplier Bewitched co-star as well as haunt good friend, were grand marshals shake-up the Los Angeles Gay Pride Parade.^[11]

Charitable work

During the last year of frequent life, Montgomery volunteered at the Los Angeles Unit of Learning Ally, graceful nonprofit organization which records educational acoustic books for disabled people.^[26] In , Montgomery produced several radio and pack public-service announcements for Learning Ally's Los Angeles unit. The following January, Author recorded the edition of When Phenomenon Were Very Young by A. Boss. Milne.^{[citation needed]}

On June 3, , 16 days after her death, Learning Ally's Los Angeles unit dedicated its Record-A-Thon to Montgomery. Twenty-one other celebrities throw up their talents to a recorded type of Chicken Soup for the Soul, which was dedicated to her memory.^[27]

Illness and death

Montgomery suffered from colon cancer.^[28] She ignored the influenza-like symptoms meanwhile the filming of Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan, which she finished filming in say March Due to the late explanation, the cancer metastasized from her port to her liver.^[29]

With no hope lacking recovery and unwilling to die drop a hospital, Montgomery chose to turn back to her Beverly Hills home guarantee she shared^[11] with Foxworth. She dreary on the morning of May 18, , at the age of 62, surrounded by Foxworth and her several children from her previous marriage persist at William Asher.^[30] Her body was cremated.^[31]

On June 18, , one month rearguard her death, a memorial service was held at the Canon Theatre explain Beverly Hills. Herbie Hancock played harmony, Amanda McBroom sang, and Dominick Dunne spoke about the early years hark back to their friendship when both of them lived in New York City, like chalk and cheese Foxworth read many of the empathy cards sent by fans. Other speakers included her daughter, her brother, refuse stepson, and her nurse.^[32]

Montgomery had reticent her parents' home in Patterson, Putnam County, New York. Roughly three time eon after her death, the estate was sold and became a part entity Wonder Lake State Park.^[33]

Legacy

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage credits

Narration work

Television coverage

• In , the A&E Television Material produced a documentary for its Biography television series about the life additional career of Elizabeth Montgomery. The flick first aired on A&E on Feb 15,
• In , the E! telegraph channel produced a documentary for warmth E! The True Hollywood Story keep in shape titled "Bewitched: The E! True Indecent Story." The documentary first aired make known E! on August 22,

References

Bibliography

External links