The Inspiring Courage of Elizabeth Montgomery from TV’s ‘Bewitched’
What To Know
- Elizabeth Montgomery was celebrated for her talent and the show’s lasting impact on television.
- Beyond acting, Montgomery dedicated herself to political activism.
- Despite her courageous battle with colon cancer, she passed away at 62 in 1995.
If you are thinking that this article is going to be something of a downer, then think again. Instead, this is my attempt to share my thoughts and feelings about Elizabeth Montgomery, who played Samantha Stephens on Bewitched.
I grew up watching reruns of Bewitched in the early to mid-seventies. And more specifically, I’d watch it mostly whenever I would play hooky from school. You know, I’d pretend to be sick so that I could stay home and watch TV. You did that too, right?
During its original eight-season run on ABC, it was both a critical and ratings hit, although ratings did die down a bit towards the end. The reason for the show’s success was the stellar cast. Elizabeth was great. But so was Dick York as Sam’s beleaguered husband, Darrin. I guess I should clarify and say, Darrin #1. Also, Agnes Moorehead was phenomenal as Samantha’s disapproving mother; a witch marrying a mere mortal? Unheard of!
Everett Collection
After Bewitched came to an end, Elizabeth moved on to television movies. Extremely memorable for me was a movie where she played Lizzie Borden in The Legend of Lizzie Borden. From what I’ve read, it turns out that this Liz may have been a distant cousin to the real Lizzie. What a weird world, huh?
Although she made many types of movies, as I think back, it seems like she favored working in Westerns. In Mrs. Sundance, Montgomery starred with her future husband, Robert Foxworth. And Belle Starr was a truly underrated movie that was released all the way back in 1980. It is a hidden gem. Montgomery is awesome as the title character, but really, this movie just clicks on all cylinders.
According to a recent article in Woman’s World by Ed Gross, “Elizabeth devoted a great deal of energy to political causes, among them women’s rights, AIDS activism, and gay rights, while also volunteering at the Los Angeles Unit of Learning Ally, which records educational audiobooks for disabled people.”
For years, Elizabeth had battled colon cancer, and by the early ’90s, she truly believed that she had beaten it once and for all. Because of that, she ignored flu-like symptoms that she was experiencing while filming the television movie Deadline for Murder.
Cliff Lipson/CBS/Courtesy Everett Collection
In an exclusive interview with Radar Online in 2021, renowned medical examiner and forensic pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter explained why the symptoms weren’t an immediate cause for alarm. He said, “Elizabeth Montgomery had been feeling weak and tired, and she had persistent abdominal pain, all of which are typical symptoms of colon cancer but are easily mistaken for something else.”
Unfortunately, when she did finally get to a doctor, Elizabeth was told that the cancer had returned and that it had progressed to a point where treatment was not a viable option. So instead, Elizabeth opted to return home and bravely live out her remaining days with family, friends, and dignity. She left us way too young. She really did. She was just 62 years old when she passed away on May 18, 1995.
What Elizabeth Montgomery did during those 62 years was truly phenomenal. She entertained us. She built lasting friendships and strong relationships that supported her until the very end. And throughout it all, she was true to herself. She always spoke up for what she believed in. Simply put, she did her darndest to make the world a better place, and I truly believe that she succeeded.
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