Elizabeth Montgomery Played A Happy Wife On Bewitched — Behind The Scenes, Her Marriage Crumbled

What happens when a mortal man falls in love with a witch, and they try to live an ordinary, suburban life? You get the hit TV show "Bewitched." Elizabeth Montgomery played Samantha Stephens, who could wiggle her nose and make magic happen. She married Darrin Stephens, initially portrayed by Dick Sargent and then later by Dick York. Samantha's mother Endora (Agnes Moorehead) had one of the best wardrobes on '60s TV and found endless joy in tormenting Darrin. The show, which ran from 1964 to 1972 with more than 250 episodes in total, was incredibly popular. Through all the onscreen magical hijinks, Samantha steadfastly stood by her man, never wavering in her love for Darrin. But Montgomery's romantic life didn't match up, and her real-life marriage to producer and director William Asher was on the rocks during the later seasons of "Bewitched."

By the time the actor landed the lead role in the beloved show, she was actually on her third husband. Montgomery's first marriage to Frederick Gallatin Cammann lasted less than a year, with the couple parting ways in 1955. She married Gig Young in 1956, but they divorced in 1963. Then came Asher. The duo met on the set of his movie "Johnny Cool," which came out in 1963 — Asher was the director and Montgomery the leading lady. The couple wed in 1963. Asher directed a number of "Bewitched" episodes, and in fact, he was even the one who got Montgomery to use her nose twitch, which she'd do in real life when she was nervous or made a mistake, in the show. But the good times didn't last.

Elizabeth Montgomery and William Asher had three children together. However, over time, the actor started to become unhappy with both her marriage and the show that made her famous, as Montgomery felt that playing Samantha wasn't letting her flex her creativity. She and Asher apparently had some trouble staying loyal to one another too. While reports differ as to who did what with whom and when, which ultimately led to their split, both parties had affairs while they were still married. By the time "Bewitched" ended in 1972, Montgomery had reportedly gotten romantically involved with Richard Michaels, another "Bewitched" director and Asher's protégé. 

Likewise, the breakdown of her marriage seems to have played a big role in "Bewitched" coming to an end. Peter Ackerman's father, Harry Ackerman, was the executive producer of the show, and in 2024 Peter discussed what he knew about why it came to an end in an interview with Fox News Digital. "The network wanted to continue with the series," Peter confirmed. "However, [Elizabeth] would only do it if my dad would agree to basically fire her soon-to-be ex-husband." Harry wouldn't do that, and "Bewitched" came to an end. By 1974, Asher and Montgomery were divorced.

Elizabeth Montgomery's troubles with men may very well have been tied to the reportedly complicated relationship she had with her father, Robert Montgomery. He was also an actor, and wasn't happy when Elizabeth's star power surpassed his own. Beyond any jealousy, the two of them had an emotionally distant relationship, and Elizabeth didn't get the validation and love from her father that she wanted. That may explain why she rebelled against him at times. For example, Robert didn't approve of Elizabeth's relationship with Gig Young, as he was 20 years her senior. 

His disapproval actually heavily influenced her decision to marry Young. Even with the emotional and family issues she had to work through, Elizabeth did find some personal happiness after the end of "Bewitched." She and actor Robert Foxworth met on the set of "Mrs. Sundance" in 1973. They were together romantically for nearly two decades before finally tying the knot in 1993. They stayed that way until her death in 1995 at the age of 62; she's one of a number of "Bewitched" stars that we've sadly lost.