Elizabeth Montgomery, born April 15, 1933, in Los Angeles, became a household name in the 1960s as Samantha Stephens on Bewitched. With her trademark nose twitch and natural beauty, she charmed audiences worldwide and earned five Emmy and four Golden Globe nominations. Acting was in her blood—her father, Robert Montgomery, was an acclaimed actor who introduced her to television on Robert Montgomery Presents. She trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, appeared on Broadway, and by 1955, made her film debut in The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell.
Her personal life saw several marriages, including to director William Asher, with whom she had three children. Bewitched (1964–1972) made her a global star, but afterward she pursued darker, more complex roles in television films like A Case of Rape (1974) and The Legend of Lizzie Borden (1975).
In the 1970s she met actor Robert Foxworth, who remained her partner until her death. They married in 1993, just two years before she succumbed to colon cancer on May 18, 1995, at age 62.
Montgomery died at home in Beverly Hills surrounded by family. Friends remembered her humor, warmth, and versatility. Though gone too soon, her legacy lives on—forever remembered as the enchanting witch who brought magic into millions of homes.