Bewitched Star Elizabeth Montgomery: Facts You Never Knew

Elizabeth Montgomery was best known for her witchy ways as Samantha Stephens on the popular TV show Bewitched, which earned her five Primetime Emmy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations.

However, the late actress — who died in 1995 at age 62 after being diagnosed with cancer — faced many challenges off screen, including a complicated relationship with her father and multiple failed marriages.

Just as Nice in Real Life!

Elizabeth was particularly charming on the hit TV show Bewitched, which ran for eight seasons from 1964 to 1972 — and she was just as enchanting when the cameras stopped rolling. “Elizabeth was the least arrogant star I’ve ever met,” Herbie J Pilato, author of Twitch Upon a Star and executive producer of the documentary Elizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitched Life, told Closer in April 2023. “She channeled that down-to-earthiness into Samantha, and we all loved her.”

Complicated Upbringing

While Elizabeth was quite popular, there was one person in her life she always struggled to impress. “Her father, Robert Montgomery, was a movie star, and her mom, Broadway actress Elizabeth Allen, gave up her career to be his wife,” explained Herbie. “Robert never wanted his daughter to be an actress.” Still, Elizabeth attended Manhattan’s American Academy of Dramatic Arts and convinced her dad to book her on his TV show, Robert Montgomery Presents, in 1951. Elizabeth would go on to thrive on Broadway, winning a Theater World Award for her Broadway debut in Late Love. But Robert was always hard on her. “He’d send notes like, ‘You didn’t do this right on stage,'” Herbie revealed.

Failed First Marriage

In 1954, she married New York City socialite Frederick Gallatin Cammann, but it failed miserably, lasting just a year. “Fred was young, handsome and rich,” said Herbie. “He was of the upper crust of New York, and Robert Montgomery loved that.” However, according to Herbie, “She wanted to be a star, and Fred wanted a wife.”

Fourth Time’s a Charm

Throughout her life, Elizabeth was married a total of four times. After her first divorce, she was married to Academy Award-winning actor Gig Young from 1956 to 1963 and then to Bewitched director William Asher from 1963 until 1973 (they share children William, Robert and Rebecca). In January 1993, she married actor Robert Foxworth after living with him for nearly 20 years, and they remained together until her death in 1995.

Scandalous Affairs

Her longest marriage to Bewitched director William ended in heartbreak. “William had an affair that broke Elizabeth’s heart,” Herbie said, noting how Elizabeth and William both made mistakes that contributed to the end of Bewitched in 1972 and their marriage the following year. “Bill told me it was his fault. He had an affair,” Herbie explained. But as for Elizabeth, she became romantically involved with director Richard Michaels, one of her husband’s protégés. “Bill was very upset,” Herbie revealed. “After that, Elizabeth ended the show.”

An Advocate

As she became a household name due to her time on Bewitched, Elizabeth strongly supported causes she believed in. “She was one of the first actresses to advocate for those suffering from AIDS,” Herbie previously told Closer. “That tied in with the anti-prejudice message of Bewitched — Samantha and Darrin loved each other despite their differences.”

Early Family Heartbreak

Elizabeth had an older sister, Martha Bryan Montgomery, who was born in 1931 and died in infancy, and a younger brother named Robert B. Montgomery Jr. Born after the death of her sister, Elizabeth grew up sheltered by her parents. “They were very wealthy,” Herbie told Closer in 2020. “Robert was very strict with her. He would not let her do things like — strangely — go to the movies.”

Homebody at Heart

In her last 20 years, Elizabeth found the life she wanted. “She was a real homebody,” her fourth husband Robert, who met her on the set of 1974’s TV movie Mrs. Sundance, told Closer in 2020. “She was a wonderful cook. She liked to work in the garden, and the kids were a huge part of her life.” When she was diagnosed with cancer at age 62 in 1995, Elizabeth kept it quiet. “It was quick, about seven weeks from diagnosis to her death,” said Robert. “She didn’t want people crying over her.”