Twitch Upon a Star: A New Elizabeth Montgomery Biography

There are two kinds of movie star biographies: those featuring startling revelations and those that affectionately portray the lives of their subjects. Herbie J. Pilato's entertaining Elizabeth Montgomery biography Twitch Upon a Star falls into the latter category. Pilato, who has written two previous books about the classic TV sitcom Bewitched, knows he has a highly likable subject in the spunky Montgomery. In addition to creating a beloved, nose-twitching, contemporary witch, she also earned acclaim in some of the highest-rated television movies of the 1970s. It also doesn't hurt that her father was a popular star of Hollywood's Golden Age and her mother a respected Broadway actress.

Pilato describes Elizabeth's relationship with her father, Robert Montgomery, in great detail (he was a staunch Republican, she became a Democrat). Her father supported her acting career, which included attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York and appearing frequently in the anthology TV series Robert Montgomery Presents. In contrast, Pilato provides little insight into Elizabeth's relationship with her mother, Elizabeth Bryan Allen, despite the fact that she and Robert Montgomery were married for 22 years.

When Elizabeth Montgomery turned 20, she married Fred Cammann, a Harvard graduate with aspirations of working in the entertainment industry. The union lasted a little over a year, with Pilato asserting that Cammann wanted "an old world wife and Lizzie wanted to be a newfangled actress." A six-year marriage to Gig Young followed, but it was doomed by Young's alcoholism and jealousy--he once accused Elizabeth of sleeping with Elvis while Young and Presley were making Kid Galahad! Prior to and between marriages, Elizabeth Montgomery had other alleged lovers, too, to include Gary Cooper (her film debut was in Cooper's The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell) and Dean Martin (her co-star in Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?).

Montgomery in The Untouchables.

By the early 1960s, Montgomery had developed a reputation as a promising actress, earning kudos for her performance in The Twilight Zone episode "Two" (with Charles Bronson) and receiving an Emmy nomination for playing a prostitute in The Untouchables ("The Rusty Heller Story" episode). She also starred in the 1963 gangster drama Johnny Cool, where she met director William Asher--who became her third husband.

Shortly after their wedding, Asher and Montgomery approached 20th Century-Fox producer William Dozier (Batman) with an idea for a series called Couple. However, Dozier steered them toward a new series already in development about a witch who marries a mortal. Thus, Bewitched was born.

With co-star and friend Dick Sargent.

Pilato's work on his previous Bewitched books shows in his entertaining behind-the-scenes look at the classic sitcom. Among the highlights for Bewitched fans:  Dick Sargent and Richard Crenna were considered for the role of Darrin before Dick York was cast; York was "smitten" with Montgomery; Agnes Moorehead and Montgomery overcame personal friction between each other to forge a professional relationship; Paul Lynde adored Montgomery, but displayed a "different attitude" when she portrayed Samantha's mischievous lookalike cousin Serena; and, though Montgomery had praise for both of her leading men, she became good friends with Dick Sargent. After Sargent revealed he was gay in 1991, Montgomery served as co-Grand Marshal with him for the Los Angeles Gay Pride Parade.

After eight seasons of Bewitched, Elizabeth Montgomery decided to end the series although ABC tried to convince her otherwise. Pilato quotes television executive Peter Ackerman, who noted that "with it (the cancellation of Bewitched), more to the point, because of it, Bill and Liz ended their marriage." The couple had three children by then.

Playing accused murderer Lizzie Borden.

Elizabeth Montgomery's post-Bewitched acting career included Emmy nominations for two made-for TV movies: the potent drama A Case of Rape (1974) and the fact-based The Legend of Lizzie Borden (1975). On another television movie, Mrs. Sundance, Montgomery met actor Robert Foxworth, who became her partner and eventual husband until her death in 1995 from colon cancer. (Pilato also relates the story of Montgomery and Emma, the Labrador Retriever, who starred together in my favorite of her made-for-TV movies, Second Sight: A Love Story.)

Author Herbie J. Pilato's sources include new interviews with Montgomery's friends (e.g., Cliff Robertson, Sally Kemp), magazine articles, TV interview transcripts,  interviews conducted with his subject, and unused materials from his Bewitched books. He lists Montgomery's complete professional credits and includes an index and a nice selection of photographs.

Pilato's claims may occasionally be exaggerated (it's a stretch to call I Married a Witch "one of the best English-language motion pictures of its time"). On one page, he labels Montogomery's Twilight Zone performance as her best pre-Bewitched work. Elsewhere, he bestows that honor on her guest stint in The Untouchables. He also italicizes the proper names of all fictional characters, a small editing quirk perhaps, but one that becomes annoying.

Still, Twitch Upon a Star is an engrossing look at a strong-willed actress whose career spanned five decades. It will satisfy Elizabeth Montgomery's fans, as well as Bewitched buffs interested in learning more about that series' leading lady--and even how the famous twitch was "invented."

The Classic Film & TV Cafe received a review copy of this book.