If the set of “Bewitched” looks a little familiar to you, you are not alone. The “bewitched” set was actually a reversed copy of the house that was in the movie “Gidget” in 1959! If you watch the two side by side, you will see that the living room and patios were duplicated from the movie.
It was not just the interiors that were duplicates, the exterior of the “Bewitched” home was also pretty well-known. The exterior was also used in TV shows such as “Dennis the Menace” and even “I Dream of Jeannie.”
Alice Pearce: Cursed With Terminal Cancer
The role of Gladys on “Bewitched” was played by actress Alice Pearce. In 1966, Alice completely disappeared from the show. Sadly, this was because she had passed away from ovarian cancer. She got diagnosed with this deadly disease just four months before she got cast as Gladys on “Bewitched.”
She had surgery, but the doctors let her know that the cancer was indeed terminal. She chose not to share this information with the cast and crew of “Bewitched.” It was a complete shock to fans and the cast alike when she passed away.
The Famous Christmas Episode, “Sisters at Heart”, was Written by Black High School Students
The script and the storyline for the “Bewitched” episode entitled “Sisters at Heart” was actually written by a group of African American high school students. These students were in Marcella Saunders’ class in Central LA at a school called Jefferson High School.
This episode was aired on Christmas Eve and was meant to be an eye-opening moment while telling the tale of a wonderful story; however, this episode would never air today. It is absolutely politically incorrect due to the fact that several cast members appear in blackface at some point during the episode.
Critics Hated It
Nobody responded well to the movie. Critics and viewers alike both felt like it was a major flop. Rotten Tomatoes gave it 75% negative rating. It was said to have a lack of direction, and it was said not to be very funny at all.
This film had a budget of 85 million dollars, but it did not gross nearly that. It earned 63 million dollars in the United States and a little bit more worldwide. It totaled 131 million dollars which, despite sounding like a lot, was quite a disappointment. The creators anticipated that the film was going to be a huge success because it already had such a large following; unfortunately, they were not able to deliver.
An Early Departure
Dick York was the original Darrin on “Bewitched.” He had a previous back injury that left him with severe back pain and unfortunately he ended up leaving the show because of this.
Dick York passed away due to emphysema at the young age of 63. He is buried in Michigan. Sadly he is one of the many “Bewitched” actors who died before the age of 65. They are said to have the Bewitched curse! Of course, there is probably not really a curse at hand, and more so the unhealthy habits of chain-smoking and binge drinking.