Before she became famous for twitching her nose on Bewitched, actress Elizabeth Montgomery turned heads on the small screen, as you can see from this colorized photograph of Montgomery from her 1960 appearance in an episode of The Untouchables.
Before "Bewitched", Montgomery turned heads in "The Untouchables." (colorized by sf)
Montgomery once quipped that she was a “TV baby” so she seemed destined to become a sitcom sweetheart of the sixties, even though she was the daughter of a Broadway actress and movie actor. Let’s take a look at Elizabeth Montgomery’s pre-witch days and her unforgettable performance in The Untouchables.
Acting Was in her Blood
In the 1950s, Montgomery made her TV debut in her father's drama series. (reddit.com)
Born in L.A. on April 15, 1933, Elizabeth Montgomery was the daughter of film star Robert Montgomery (known for his roles in Here Comes Mr. Jordan and Night Must Fall) and Broadway actress Elizabeth Daniel Bryan Allen. She was the couple’s second child, but the first one to survive through infancy. She had a younger brother, Robert Montgomery Jr. who was born three years after her. Elizabeth Montgomery attended the Westlake School for Girls in California and then attended Spence School in New York City and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan.
Montgomery’s Big Break … Thanks to her Dad
Daughter and father, Elizabeth and Robert Montgomery. (pinterest.com)
Even though she had studied acting for several years, Elizabeth Montgomery’s career needed a push from her dad. In her television debut, Montgomery appeared in her father’s TV show, Robert Montgomery Presents, a dramatic anthology show that was popular for most of the 1950s. She proved that she wasn’t in show business to ride on her famous father’s coattails, however. In 1953, Elizabeth Montgomery made her Broadway debut in Late Love. For her starring role in this play, Montgomery earned a Theater World Award.
Television Guest Appearances
Montgomery appeared in a slew of TV dramas. (cancertodaymag.org)
The bulk of Elizabeth Montgomery’s early career consisted of one-time guest appearances in television series and dramas. She appeared in The Twilight Zone, Wagon Train, Boris Karloff’s Thriller, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and many more. It was her performance in one of these TV dramas, The Untouchables, that garnered Montgomery much attention and praise.
“The Rusty Heller Story”
Montgomery earned praised for her role in an episode of "The Untouchables". (reddit.com)
In an episode of The Untouchables, a fictional TV series loosely based on the exploits of G-Man Eliot Ness as he fought crime and corruption in 1930s Chicago, call “The Rusty Heller Story”, Elizabeth Montgomery was cast as the Southern temptress, Rusty Heller, who moved to Chicago during Prohibition. Rusty Heller was not content to be just another beautiful dancer in the seedy underworld of organized crime and bootlegged alcohol. She wanted to be in charge. Montgomery’s character used her wiles to seduce crime bosses, mob accountants, lawyers, and federal agents alike – including one character played by David White who later portrayed Larry Tate, Darrin’s boss, in Bewitched. Montgomery’s character marked a notable first for The Untouchables. When Eliot Ness fell in love with Rusty Heller, it was the only time in the show’s history that the no-nonsense Ness, played by Robert Stack, became emotionally involved in one of his cases. Montgomery earned her first Primetime Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Rusty Heller.
A Witchy Housewife
Elizabeth Montgomery's first and only TV series was "Bewitched". (closerweekly.com)
In 1964, Elizabeth Montgomery landed the starring role in a new sit-com, Bewitched. In it, Montgomery played an average housewife with a twist. She was really a witch who yearned for a normal life and had married a mortal man. Each episode of the series included a wacky balance of stuffy mortals and off-beat witches and warlocks. In most cases, Montgomery’s character, Samantha, had to use her witchy magic to resolve conflicts and assist her ad exec husband. Bewitched ran for eight seasons. During that time, Montgomery received five nominations for Emmy Awards for her role of Samantha.
Life After "Bewitched"
After "Bewitched", Montgomery played Lizzie Borden in a made-for-TV movie. (imdb.com)
Bewitched was Elizabeth Montgomery’s first and only television series, but it made her a household name. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, she starred in several made-for-TV movies that won her further acclaim. A Case of Rape in 1974 and The Legend of Lizzie Borden in 1975 cemented her as a TV movie actress.
Montgomery’s Personal Life
The black and white version of the colorized photograph at the beginning of this article ... Elizabeth Montgomery as Rusty Heller in "The Untouchables." (thestilettogumshoe.com)
Elizabeth Montgomery was married four times. She had a short-lived marriage in the 1950s to businessman Frederick Cammann. In 1956, she wed actor Gig Young, whom she divorced in 1963. She then married the producer-director of Bewitched, William Asher in 1963. Together, Montgomery and Asher had three children, Willy, Robert, and Rebecca. She married her fourth husband, Robert Foxworth, in 1975 and remained with him until her death in 1995. That year, Elizabeth Montgomery was diagnosed with colon cancer. She died of the disease just two months after her diagnosis.
The image at the top of this post was colorized by Mads Madsen, a lover of historical images who is based in Denmark. You can see more of his work on his Flickr page.
