10 Spookily Fun Unknown Facts About the Original ‘Bewitched’

In the First Book of Samuel, there’s a story about the Saul consulting the Witch of Endor to use her powers to connect him with the deceased Samuel. Obviously, Samuel became Samantha and Endor became Endora. 

The series didn’t have a huge budget for wardrobe, so many of the women simply brought in their own outfits to wear on screen. According to an archived article on a Bewitched fan page adorably named Harpie’s Bizarre, Elizabeth Montgomery frequently chose clothes from her own closet for Samantha’s outfits. 

You might not have noticed while watching, but the color green is all over this show. Whether it’s the Stephens’ house carpet or emerald accents placed around a scene, the shade appears in every episode of the show that aired in color. Montgomery also wore the color quite frequently. Sure, it might have been because she wanted to bring out her beautiful green eyes, but the color also happens to be significant in witchy folklore. Think: Wicked Witch of the West from Wizard of Oz, countless Halloween decorations, and even the face paint kids often use while dressing up as the magical beings.

Five years before being cast in the series, Dick York suffered a massive back injury while filming They Came to Cordura in 1959. He never fully recovered, but put on a brave face throughout the series for five seasons. According to Neatorama, that came to an end when York attempted to do a stunt that involved him hanging 15 feet in the air. He had a dizzy spell and was sent to the hospital. After that, he and the show runners decided it was best that he focus on his health and they recast the role. 

Thinking back on the magical show, you might have assumed they used their whimsical plot lines to come up with a creative reason for why Darrin suddenly looked so different. Instead, director and producer (and real-life husband of Montgomery) figured audiences would be able to separate the actor from the role and accept the new Mr. Stephens. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case and ratings took a dip with the new Darrin.

Fans of the show remember Aunt Clara as one of the clumsy, bumbling, but kind-hearted witches close to Samantha throughout the series. Her spells never really worked quite right, but you couldn’t help but love her. According to Harpie’s Bizarre, that’s apparently due to actress Marion Lorne bringing her own charm to the role — including her personal penchant for collecting decorative door knobs.

Although Montgomery played both Samantha and Serena, her “twin cousin,” the role was credited to pseudonym: Pandora Spocks (a play on “Pandora’s Box’). Fans of the quirky character were totally fooled and sent in letters to the studio addressed to the fake name.

Before becoming the eldest daughter “with hair of gold” on The Brady Bunch, a young Maureen McCormick appeared in two separate episodes as different characters. First in a fantasy sequence as Darrin and Samantha’s future child (before the birth of Tabitha), then again as Endora under a spell that made her look like a child.

There was a boost in popularity throughout the 1960s for otherworldly shows like Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, The Addams Family, and The Munsters. All of the shows premiered between 1964 and 1965, but the Addams and Munsters only lasted two seasons, while Jeannie gave her final blink in 1970. Even with the Darrin switcheroo, the Stephens stayed on air until 1972.

You won’t find the house at 1164 Morning Glory Circle, but on the Warner Brother’s Ranch Studios. They don’t give a lot of tours of the area where you can spot the Bewitched abode, but according to an account from a fan in 2017, you might be able to talk some security guards and the property manager into giving you a peek.