Agnes Moorehead’s Roles Before ‘Bewitched’ That You May Have Forgotten
Agnes Moorehead played the mortal-hating witch and mother to Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) on Bewitched and is best known for her role as Endora. However, during her career, she appeared in some other very important projects. Moorehead left behind a spirited legacy when she passed away 50 years ago on April 30, 1974. Born in the small town of Clinton, Massachusetts to a pastor, she found her love of performing at just age three while singing in the church. While she left the small town eventually to pursue her dreams, she often came back to the town and people she loved there. Before she got the role she is most known for, she appeared in some pretty iconic films and television shows. Do you remember her in all of these?
Citizen Kane
Everett Collection
Moorehead’s very first movie role was in the cinematic treasures Citizen Kane, often considered to be one of the greatest movies of all time. She played Mary Kane, the mother of the main character Charles Foster Kane, played by Orson Welles. The two met when she joined his ’30s radio troupe, Mercury Players. She appeared in his infamous War of the Worlds radio broadcast in 1938 and it was Welles who inspired her to move to Hollywood and pursue movies.
The Magnificent Ambersons
Everett Collection
Moorehead proved herself in Citizen Kane and her next role portrayed Aunt Fanny Minafer in Welles’ The Magnificent Ambersons. The film earned Moorehead her first Academy Award nomination. The ’40s continued to be fruitful for her, as she appeared in Jane Eyre then Dark Passage alongside Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.
Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection
Moorehead proved herself among top stars Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland and Mary Astor in this psychological horror thriller. The film was originally going to reunite Davis and Joan Crawford amid their drama but Crawford dropped out and de Havilland got the role instead.
The Twilight Zone
Everett Collection
Moorehead appeared in a Twilight Zone episode which many call the franchise’s best episode. She was the protagonist in the second season episode titled “The Invaders,” which features almost no dialogue. Instead, the episode’s director Douglas Hayes does some narration, and it is the only episode where Rod Serling gives his opening monologue at the start of the prologue instead of the end.
Charlotte’s Web
Everett Collection
In one of her final projects before her death, she voiced the Goose in the 1973 cartoon version of the classic children’s tale.
Moorehead was stunning as the magical Endora but we can’t forget many of her other contributions to film. What would you add to this list?
Witches
October 2023
Take a fond look back at our favorite small-screen spellbinders
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