Elizabeth Montgomery — Biography
Elizabeth Victoria Montgomery was a renowned American actress whose expansive career unfolded over the course of fifty years across film, theater, and television. She is best remembered for her iconic role as the enchanting witch Samantha Stephens in the beloved TV show Bewitched. Born to actor, director, and producer Robert Montgomery, she embarked on her acting journey in the 1950s, starting with a part in her father's TV program, Robert Montgomery Presents. Her Broadway debut in 1956 in the production Late Love earned her a Theater World Award.
In the 1960s, Montgomery became a household name thanks to her performance in Bewitched, which aired on ABC. Her work on the show garnered her five nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award as well as four nominations for the Golden Globe Award. Following the conclusion of Bewitched in 1972, she maintained her visibility in the industry through various television movies, including her compelling portrayals in A Case of Rape (1974), where she played Ellen Harrod, and The Legend of Lizzie Borden (1975), as the infamous Lizzie Borden—unbeknownst to her, a distant relative. Both performances earned her further Emmy nominations.
In addition to her acting work, Montgomery actively participated in political activism and charitable endeavors. Her personal life included a marriage to New York City socialite Frederick Gallatin Cammann in 1954, which lasted less than a year. She was then wed to Academy Award-winning actor Gig Young from 1956 to 1963, followed by a marriage to director and producer William Asher from 1963 until their divorce in 1973. Together, Montgomery and Asher had three children: William, Robert, and Rebecca, with the latter two pregnancies woven into the storyline of Bewitched as Samantha's character's experiences.
During the eighth season of the series, Montgomery started a romantic relationship with director Richard Michaels, which contributed to the dissolution of both their marriages as well as the conclusion of the show. They cohabited after filming wrapped in 1972, and their relationship persisted for two and a half years. On January 28, 1993, she married actor Robert Foxworth, with whom she had shared nearly two decades of life before her passing in 1995.
In the 1960s, Montgomery became a household name thanks to her performance in Bewitched, which aired on ABC. Her work on the show garnered her five nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award as well as four nominations for the Golden Globe Award. Following the conclusion of Bewitched in 1972, she maintained her visibility in the industry through various television movies, including her compelling portrayals in A Case of Rape (1974), where she played Ellen Harrod, and The Legend of Lizzie Borden (1975), as the infamous Lizzie Borden—unbeknownst to her, a distant relative. Both performances earned her further Emmy nominations.
In addition to her acting work, Montgomery actively participated in political activism and charitable endeavors. Her personal life included a marriage to New York City socialite Frederick Gallatin Cammann in 1954, which lasted less than a year. She was then wed to Academy Award-winning actor Gig Young from 1956 to 1963, followed by a marriage to director and producer William Asher from 1963 until their divorce in 1973. Together, Montgomery and Asher had three children: William, Robert, and Rebecca, with the latter two pregnancies woven into the storyline of Bewitched as Samantha's character's experiences.
During the eighth season of the series, Montgomery started a romantic relationship with director Richard Michaels, which contributed to the dissolution of both their marriages as well as the conclusion of the show. They cohabited after filming wrapped in 1972, and their relationship persisted for two and a half years. On January 28, 1993, she married actor Robert Foxworth, with whom she had shared nearly two decades of life before her passing in 1995.
