'Bewitched' Star Elizabeth Montgomery Received Death Threats for Protesting the Vietnam War

Photo byReelz.com

[Note: Unless otherwise indicated, the commentary and quotes in this article are from the author's interview with those mentioned.]

In the Beginning

Elizabeth Montgomery was one of the most popular actors from the 1950s to her unfortunate passing from cancer in 1995. Before, during, and after her benchmark Emmy-nominated role as twitch-witch Samantha Stephens on TV's Bewitched (ABC, 1964-1972), Montgomery made over 200 additional appearances in other weekly shows, TV-movies, and feature films.

Those include her also-Emmy-nominated performances in the TV-movies, A Case of Rape (NBC, 1974), and The Legend of Lizzie Borden (ABC, 1975).

Before those groundbreaking films and Bewitched, she portrayed a prostitute in "The Rusty Heller Story" episode of The Untouchables (another Emmy-nominated performance, this time on CBS, 10-13-60); she appeared with a pre-superstar Charles Bronson in the "Two"-titled episode of The Twilight Zone (CBS, 9-15-61) and played a half-White/half-Black woman in the "White Lie" episode of 77 Sunset Strip (ABC, 10-25-63).

The liberal-minded Montgomery, however, made her TV debut in the "Top Secret" episode of Robert Montgomery Presents (NBC, 12-3-51), the weekly anthology series hosted, produced, and periodically featuring her conservative-geared father.

Double, Double, Toil and Trouble

Along the way, Elizabeth Montgomery, the Democratic daughter, and Robert Montgomery, the Republican dad, did not always see eye to eye, especially on political matters. The younger Montgomery, in particular, was not one to shy away from controversy, to mince words, or to stand up for what she believed.

During the tumultuous 1960s, however, when Bewitched initially aired, her political stance caused quite a stir. A fervent advocate for peace, Montgomery rallied against the controversial Vietnam War; a position that ultimately led to more than a few unsettling results.

As the actress recalled during an interview in 1989, "I used to receive death threats all the time for protesting the Vietnam War. The phone would ring, I'd pick up the receiver and would hear things like, 'If you don't stop protesting the War, we're going to kill you."

The Big Picture

No matter the death threats, Elizabeth Montgomery stood her ground, remained unshaken, and continued to advocate for peace. She couldn't do anything less.

As the star of Bewitched, the courageous actress knew how much the show meant to a broad band of viewers of all ages. For Montgomery, the "witch-com" was a morality tale that showcased true love and acceptance for all people of every culture and creed.

"It was about prejudice," she said, "...how two very different people" could love each other despite those differences.

On Bewitched, those "different people" are represented by Montgomery's supernatural Samantha and her mortal husband Darrin, who was first played by Dick York (1964-1969) and then Dick Sargent (1969-1972).

The Big Picture

In the end, Elizabeth Montgomery utilized her public persona and Bewitched popularity to bring a little more magic and peace into the world.