What Were ‘Bewitched’ Star Elizabeth Montgomery’s Most Famous Film Roles?
Thirty years ago, on May 18, 1995, cancer took the life of beloved, multi-Emmy-nominated Bewitched actress Elizabeth Montgomery. Best known as that supernatural sitcom’s twitch-witch Samantha Stephens, Montgomery also had a large number of credits on the big screen. Her film roles included appearances alongside Rat Pack member Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr., comedy legend Buster Keaton, Gary Cooper and Jack Lord; she also worked with legendary directors like Otto Preminger, turned up in one of the classic Beach Party films, and even narrated some political documentaries.
Take a moment to dive into Montgomery’s time on the silver screen.
Your Witness (a.k.a. Eye Witness) (1950)
Everett Collection
Produced in the U.K., and released in the U.S. on August 26, 1950, this film stars Robert Montgomery, Elizabeth’s father, who also directed. He plays a successful New York City defense attorney, who is helping out a British war buddy who once saved his life.
Elizabeth auditioned for a role in the movie, but the more experienced Ann Stephens got the job instead. Instead, she has a small cameo as “Girl Riding Bike,” who passes her father down a road, with her back toward the camera.
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell (1955)
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This film, which premiered December 21, 1955, features Elizabeth’s first significant cinematic performance. Starring Gary Cooper in the title role, and a pre-Hawaii-Five-O Jack Lord, this movie, directed by Otto Preminger, is based on the real-life story of Mitchell, who predicted the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Elizabeth plays Margaret Lansdowne, who’s wed to Commander Zach Lansdowne (Lord), one of several doomed Army Air Corps officers.
Bells Are Ringing(1960)
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Directed by Vincent Minelli, Bells was based on the Broadway play of the same name. Released November 14, 1960, this film features Judy Holliday, Dean Martin … and Elizabeth, in yet another cameo. This time, she plays a “Girl Reading Book” in a nightclub, with her head face down on a table for the entire scene.
Johnny Cool (1963)
Everett Collection
Out of all Elizabeth’s big-screen movies, this film, which was released October 21, 1963, serves as a significant benchmark in her life and career. For starters, it was directed and co-produced by William Asher, who she met on set, and would later partner with in marriage, love and life, and business on Bewitched.
Elizabeth plays Darien “Dare” Guiness, who falls in love with a young Sicilian mobster named Salvatore Giordano (Henry Silva). Giordano has been dubbed “Johnny Cool” by ostracized American gangster Johnny Colini (Marc Lawrence), who has sent him to the States to whack those responsible for his exile.
Elizabeth’s performance ranges from elegant and confident in the first scene to desperate, foreboding, and forfeiting in her final sequence; she also loops the voiceover for the airline announcer in the movie’s airport scenes. Her Darien character’s name is a slight ironic foreshadow to that of her future TV human husband on Bewitched (Darrin, first played by Dick York, then Dick Sargent).
Everett Collection
The movie’s main stars include Rat Packers Sammy Davis, Jr. and Joey Bishop, while actor Peter Lawford served as one of its co-producers. A host of future classic TV stars are on board in supporting roles: Jim Backus (Gilligan’s Island), John McGiver (The Patty Duke Show, which was directed by Asher), Telly Savalas (Kojak), and Richard Anderson (The Six Million Dollar Man).
Lawford (who later guest-starred on the small-screen Bewitched) was brother-in-law to President John F. Kennedy, who was friends with Asher and Elizabeth. It was Asher who had directed JFK’s historic 45th birthday party at Madison Square Garden, where Marilyn Monroe sang a breathy “Happy Birthday, Mr. President.”
Shortly after Cool’s release, Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963: the day Bewitched began rehearsals for its pilot. As Elizabeth once observed, the show for her was “always about prejudice.” As a witch in love with a mortal, Samantha and Darrin had a “mixed marriage,” but they focused not on their differences, but on what made them the same. In Elizabeth’s view, all of that tied in with Kennedy’s advocacy for civil rights.
Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed? (1963)
Everett Collection
Later that same year, Montgomery teamed up with another Rat Packer, Dean Martin, for this Daniel Mann-directed film. Premiering on December 26, 1963, the film stars Elizabeth as Melissa Morris, the insecure art teacher fiancé of actor Jason Steele (Martin), who plays a caring, godlike TV doctor. Jason doesn’t know what to expect of the wedded life, especially after seeing the little spark left in his friends’ marriages. Making matters worse, all of his friends’ wives have the hots for him.
Besides Martin, the cast includes Martin Balsam (Psycho), Jill St. John (Robert Wagner‘s future wife), Jack Soo (later on TV’s Barney Miller), and Carol Burnett, who would become Elizabeth’s lifelong friend (and fellow Password player).
Bikini Beach(1964)
This film, released July 22, 1964, was part of the Beach Party franchise guided by Bill Asher, who produced and directed this entry. Elizabeth is not actually seen in this film, however; she can only be heard dubbing the vocals of actress Danielle Aubrey.
How To Stuff a Wild Bikini(1965)
Released July 14, 1975, this is another Beach Party title, which features Elizabeth in an extended cameo as the (uncredited!) “Witch’s Witch” — a daughter to witch doctor Bwana (the legendary Buster Keaton). She even does her famous “twitch” in a nod to Samantha Stephens.
Cover Up: Behind the Iran-Contra Affair (1988)
Elizabeth lent her liberal-minded voiceover to this politically-driven documentary, directed by Barbara Trent, which premiered July 13, 1988. The controversial film, which chronicled the 1986 Iran-Contra political scandal of the Reagan Administration, ignited conversation and led to an Oscar-winning sequel.
The Panama Deception (1992)
The heralded follow-up to Cover Up premiered July 31, 1992. Writer David Kasper reteamed with director Barbara Trent, this time to examine the motivation for the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama. Elizabeth, once again, provided narration.
[Herbie J Pilato is the author of several acclaimed pop-culture/media tie-in books, including acclaimed biographies of Elizabeth Montgomery, who was a dear friend.]
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October 2023
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