I Love the Illusion: The Life and Career of Agnes Moorehead (67 page)

“Be It Ever So Mortgaged.” September 24, 1964.
Darrin buys a new house in the suburbs (1164 Morning Glory Circle), and Samantha and Endora go
to look it over and exchange decorating ideas. The wonderful character comedienne, Alice Pearce,
makes her first appearance as the snoopy but likeable Gladys Kravitz. One of the highlights of this
episode is Endora reciting, for the first time, the following poem: “We are quicksilver, a fleeting
shadow, a distant sound. Our home has no boundaries beyond which we cannot pass. We live in
music, in a flash of color. We live on the wind and in a sparkle of a star.”

“It Shouldn’t Happen to a Dog.” October 1, 1964.
The Stephens hold their first dinner party in their new home to impress a client who becomes a bit too
amorous regarding Samantha, who changes him into the “dog” he is.

“Mother Meets What’s His Name.” October 8, 1964.
It had to happen sooner or later, but Endora finally meets her Darrin. The moment they meet is
charming. Endora actually arrives ringing the front door bell and when Darrin opens the door, they
both share hesitant smiles with Samantha in the background grinning broadly. From there, things go
down hill — with Endora getting to the heart of why she objects to this marriage by asking, “Why do
you object to my daughter being herself, young man?” While that is certainly a highlight, so is the
comic brilliance of Alice Pearce especially when she discovers that the phone she is using over at the
Stephens’ is not hooked up — the look on her face is priceless.

“Help, Help, Don’t Save Me.” October 15, 1964.
Samantha and Darrin have their first real fight, and nobody did it better than Montgomery and
York. No matter how ferocious their fights could be, their chemistry reveals just how much they truly
loved each other. Samantha goes home to mother and Endora couldn't be happier, but love conquers
all — even Endora.

“Witch or Wife.” November 12, 1964.
One of my all-time favorite episodes, with Endora taking Samantha out to lunch — to Paris, to be
exact — and a fashion show where they run into Darrin's boss, Larry Tate (the superb David White)
and his wife, who proceed to call Darrin, to let him know they are looking after “Sam” while she is in
Paris. This is a good episode which focuses on the Samantha-Endora relationship, with Endora at one
point wistfully asking her daughter, “what was once between us is no longer?”

“Just One Happy Family.” November 19, 1964.
This episode introduces us to Samantha’s father, Maurice, played by Maurice Evans who comes
to finally meet his son-in-law, “Duncan” — he is as good at remembering Darrin’s real name as
Endora — though with her you get the idea it is intentional. It sounds like Maurice’s family didn’t
approve of Endora, who at one point says, “his mother was a real witch.”

“It Takes One to Know One.” November 26, 1964.
Darrin creates a “Miss Jasmine” for a perfume account. In the first of many dirty tricks by Endora, she
employs a beautiful witch to tempt Darrin, to test his fidelity and the strength of the Stephens’ marriage.

“A Is for Aardvark.” January 14, 1965.
Many fans consider this the definitive
Bewitched
episode — certainly producer/director William Asher
does. Darrin sprains his ankle and Samantha finally gets tired of running up and down the stairs
running errands for him. She gives him the ability to perform magic himself and becomes so
accustomed that he forgets everything about the two of them living as normal mortal man and wife.
But Samantha hasn’t and in an emotional scene (played beautifully by Montgomery) she reminds him
that his love is more important to her than anything conjured up by witchcraft. Ida Lupino directs.

“The Cat’s Meow.” January 21, 1965.
Darrin thinks Samantha has changed herself into a cat to spy on him when he meets an amorous client
(Martha Hyer) on her yacht.

“A Nice Little Dinner Party.” January 28, 1965.
Darrin’s parents and Endora finally meet at a dinner party where Endora openly flirts with the father,
Frank, much to the mother’s, Phyllis, annoyance. The mother-in-laws would have a stormy relationship
from this time forward.

“Your Witch is Showing.” February 4, 1965.
Trouble brews when Darrin forbids Samantha to accompany Endora to a relative’s wedding in Egypt.
When things start to go wrong at work, Darrin assumes Endora is behind it only to discover she isn't.
Endora gets the last laugh on the mortal who blames all his trouble on something other than himself.

“Eye of the Beholder.” February 25, 1965.
Endora is up to it again when she conjures up a painting showing Samantha as she was centuries
earlier — causing Darrin to wonder how he will age while Samantha will remain youthful
looking.

“Red Light, Green Light.” March 4, 1965.
Samantha wants a new traffic light on their street and convinces Darrin to come up with an advertising
campaign to sell the idea.

“Which Witch is Which.” March 11, 1965.
Endora does a favor for Samantha, who needs to be in two places at once, by turning herself into
Samantha’s double — but as could be expected she flirts with an attractive author who turns out to be
a friend of Darrin’s and just happens to be coming over to the Stephens’ for dinner.

“Driving is the Only Way to Fly.” March 25, 1965.
This episode is the first appearance by Paul Lynde; not as his wacky Uncle Arthur persona, but as
neurotic driving instructor Harold Harold. While out on a driving instruction with Samantha, Endora
causes mischief nearly causing Harold a nervous breakdown.

“Open the Door, Witchcraft.” April 8, 1965.
Samantha uses witchcraft to create an electric garage door opener. Darrin revolts and buys the mortal
kind and eventually they get locked in the garage where Samantha refuses to use magic to release
them — a most unusual episode.

“George the Warlock.” April 22, 1965.
Endora takes the opportunity of Darrin’s seeming infatuation with sexy neighbor “Danger” O’Reilly, to
convince a handsome playboy warlock to woo Samantha. Actually it doesn't take much convincing.

“A Change of Face.” May 13, 1965.
When Darrin is asleep, Endora and a reluctant Samantha use witchcraft to rearrange his face — adding
a different nose, a mustache and new hairdo. Darrin awakens and discovers what they have done and
loses his self-confidence, which Samantha must restore.

“Remember the Main.” May 20, 1965.
Sam and Darrin get involved in politics again by trying to help a crusading challenger for city council;
Endora gets involved by causing a water main to burst. There is a good “in-joke” when Endora
mentions that she was at the Lincoln/Douglas debate. Aggie played Mrs. Stephen A. Douglas in the
play,
The Rivalry
, which dealt with the Lincoln/Douglas debates.

“Eat at Mario’s.” May 27, 1965.
Mario’s is a small Italian pizzeria and Samantha and Endora use witchcraft to plug his business while
Darrin is working for a client who is a competitor.

“Cousin Edgar.” June 3, 1965.
Endora summons Cousin Edgar, who is highly protective of Samantha, to make trouble for Darrin.
Will she ever give up? Nah. The last episode of the first season.

“Alias Darrin Stephens.” September 16, 1965.
The first episode of the second season. Aunt Clara turns Darrin into a chimpanzee — by mistake!
Remember, Clara is the one relative of Samantha's who is accepting of Darrin.

“A Very Special Delivery.” September 23, 1965.
Samantha (as well as Elizabeth Montgomery) is pregnant, and Endora thinks that Darrin needs to be
taught the lesson that pregnancy is no piece of cake and puts a morning sickness spell on him.

“My Grandson, the Warlock.” October 7, 1965.
Granddaddy Maurice, not exactly in the loop as much as Endora, mistakenly thinks that his grandchild has already been born and thinks baby Jonathan Tate (son of Larry and Louise) is his grandchild.
He takes the baby out when he is in the care of Samantha and Darrin — and where would he take
that baby? Why, to the London Warlock’s Club, of course.

“The Joker is a Card.” October 14, 1965.
This is a classic. The first episode to feature Paul Lynde as Uncle Arthur, Endora’s practical joking
younger brother. As it turns out, Arthur has his own problems with Endora and is willing to help Darrin
out by teaching him a spell to counteract Endora’s witchcraft. Can you say “yaga . . . yagazoo . . . yaga?”
Well, watch it, and you’ll know what I mean.

“Trick or Treat.” October 28, 1965.
Endora turns Darrin into a werewolf at Halloween. Have you ever wondered what Endora looked like
as a child? She looks suspiciously like a young Marcia Brady dressed up like a gypsy.

“And Then I Wrote.” November 11, 1965.
Samantha writes a play about the Civil War and, to help her better visualize the characters, she brings
them to life and whenever she thinks of them they come popping out of her subconscious at the most
inopportune times. What would Darrin say? Well, can’t you guess? By the way, even with her magical
powers, Endora is still a lousy typist.

“Junior Executive.” November 18, 1965.
Endora is at it again, this time turning Darrin into an eight-year-old boy. Darrin, the advertising
genius, takes advantage of the situation to explain, from a child’s perspective, what is wrong with a
product. Once again, Endora inadvertently helps Darrin’s career. I don’t think she ever got enough
credit for that.

“Aunt Clara’s Old Flame.” November 25, 1965.
Aunt Clara fears what her youthful ex-flame, Hedley Partridge, will think of her (to be charitable)
declining magical power. Sam decides to help her out, magic-wise. It appears, too, that Clara and
Endora are not blood relatives, so is she related to Maurice? Hmm.

“My Boss, The Teddy Bear.” December 9, 1965.
Sam and Darrin (well, mostly Darrin) overreact and think Endora turned Larry Tate into a teddy bear.
In actuality, Endora charmingly had asked Larry, while running into him at a toy store, if he could
arrange to give Darrin some time off to attend a wedding. She never gets any respect for the nice
things she tried to do for Dobbins.

“Speak the Truth.” December 16, 1965.
Endora gives Darrin a statue which has a “truth spell” attached to it, and anybody who comes near it
can’t lie his way out of a bag.

“And Then There Were Three.” January 13, 1966.
Get out your hankies! This is the episode where, briefly, oh so briefly, Darrin and Endora bond over
the birth of baby Tabatha (not yet spelled Tabitha). They hug and share tears together over this miracle
of life. By the way, Endora is the one who came up with the baby’s name. Eve Arden guest stars as
Samantha’s protective nurse.

“Samantha Meets the Folks.” January 27, 1966.
Director William Asher uses a device he used after Lucille Ball delivered “Little Ricky” — he recut the episode
from the first season where Samantha nervously first meets Darrin's folks, and added a new introduction.

“The Dancing Bear.” February 10, 1966.
Those dueling grandmas, Endora and Phyllis, try and outdo each other with gifts of teddy bears for
little Tabatha. Of course, Phyllis is at a disadvantage because of her lack of magic powers. Ugh, could
you imagine Phyllis with magic powers?

“Samantha the Dressmaker.” February 24, 1966.
Again, recycling from
I Love Lucy
, Samantha decides to design and sew her own dress. Of course,
Lucy didn’t have Sam’s magical know-how. Once again, Sam and Endora take off for Paris. It must
have been Endora’s favorite city.

“Baby’s First Paragraph.” March 10, 1966.
Endora uses her hocus pocus to enable Tabitha to talk. The final episode featuring the great Alice
Pearce as Gladys Kravitz, and it is depressing to see her physical appearance, but her performance itself
is perfection; a great trouper.

“Disappearing Samantha.” April 7, 1966.
Bernard Fox makes his first appearance not as “Dr. Bombay” but as Osgood Righmire, who exposes
fraudulent witches. He recites an incantation which causes Samantha to disappear and then reappear.
Endora and Sam decide they must get to the bottom of how he is able to do this.

“Follow that Witch” (Part 2) April 21, 1966.
Charlie Leach is a detective hired by a firm to investigate Darrin and Sam; he discovers that Sam is a
witch and intends to blackmail her. Sorry, Charlie — you should never attempt to blackmail a real witch.

“A Bum Raps.” April 28, 1966.
Samantha mistakenly takes a kindly confidence trickster for Darrin’s Uncle Albert and invites him to
stay. Mary Grace Canfield guests as Abner’s sister Harriet Kravitz, who is “keeping house” for Abner
while Gladys is away.

“Divided He Falls.” May 5, 1966.
For many Bewitched fans, according to a Nick at Night poll, this is their favorite episode. It is
excellent. When Darrin cancels plans for a much-needed vacation with Samantha, Endora creates
two Darrins — the hard worker and the fun-loving party guy. Dick York is at his comedic best.
Why wasn’t he nominated more than once for an Emmy?

“The Catnapper.” May 19, 1966.
Detective Charlie Leach returns and in the course of this episode he gets turned into a mouse by Sam
while an attractive and flirtatious client of Darrin’s is turned into a cat by Endora — hmm . . . is this
the last (gulp) of Charlie Leach??

“What Every Young Man Should Know.” May 26, 1966.
This is a wonderful episode and one of my all-time favorites. Sam and Darrin have a fight, and she
wonders if Darrin would have still proposed to her had he known she was a witch. Endora bets not, and
sends the two back in time. Once again, the overwhelming theme of this series is “love conquers all.”

“The Girl with the Golden Nose.” June 2, 1966.
When Larry gives Darrin an account that he initially refused to, he believes that Samantha’s witchery
is behind it. In the course of this episode, Endora mentions an “Aunt Agnes” who was burned at the
stake in Salem. Agnes’ final episode of the second season.

“Nobody’s Perfect.” September 15, 1966.
The series is back for season three and in color. Samantha discovers that Tabiatha is a witch and, of
course, Endora is ecstatic, but how will Darrin take the news? Erin Murphy makes her debut (along
with her sis, Diane) as the cutest little witch ever to grace television.

“Witches and Warlocks Are My Favorite Things.” September 29, 1966.
Aunt Hagatha, Aunt Enchantra, Aunt Clara and Endora arrive to see a demonstration of Tabatha’s
powers. So impressed, that the coven, minus Aunt Clara, insists that Tabatha be enrolled at Hagatha’s

“A Most Unusual Wood Nymph.” October 13, 1966.
Darrin’s cousin from Ireland may not be as nice as he seems, but a witch-hating wood nymph. Endora
sees through him. To reverse a Stephens’ family curse, Endora sends Samantha back to 15th-century
Ireland where she meets the amorous “Darrin the Bold.”

“Endora Moves in for a Spell.” October 20, 1966.
This and the following episode are a kind of companion piece. Both feature Endora with Uncle
Arthur, continuing their rivalry. Both want to live across the street from the Stephens, which is a
vacant lot which they keep zapping and then unzapping a house in. Sandra Gould is the recast Mrs.
Kravitz, a very different character from the original as played by Alice Pearce, but one thing remains
the same: she still can’t convince Abner that she sees strange things across the street.