Twitch Upon a Star : The Bewitched Life and Career of Elizabeth Montgomery

Based on author Herbie J Pilato's exclusive interviews with Elizabeth Montgomery prior to her death in 1995, Twitch Upon a Star includes insider material and commentary from several individuals associated with her remarkable life and career before, during, and after Bewitched, including her classic feature films The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell (1955), Who's Been Sleeping In My Bed? (1963), and Johnny Cool (1963). Two of Montgomery's many popular TV movies, A Case of Rape (which remains one of the highest-rated TV-movies of all time) and The Legend of Lizzie Borden (which will soon be remade as a feature film), were groundbreaking and remain classics. But Twitch Upon a Star also goes behind the scenes to explore Montgomery's political activism, including her early advocacy for AIDS sufferers and the peace movement; her support for all minorities, including the gay community and the disabled; and her controversial participation as narrator of the1988 feature film documentary Cover-Up and its 1991 Oscar-winning sequel, The Panama Deception (both of which chronicled the Iran/Contra scandal of the 1980s). The book also explores Montgomery's tumultuous relationships with her father, screen legend Robert Montgomery (she was a liberal; he was a staunch conservative), and her four husbands (including actor Gig Young, who later died in a murder/suicide). Through it all#8212;and to family and friends such as fellow performers Ronny Cox, Sally Kemp, and Florence Henderson#8212;she was just Lizzie: down-to-earth and unaffected, just like Samantha, the "witch-with-a-twitch" Stephens, her most famous role Based on author Herbie J Pilato’s exclusive interviews with Elizabeth Montgomery prior to her death in 1995, Twitch Upon A Star includes never-before-published material and commentary from several individuals associated with her remarkable life and career before, during, and after Bewitched, including her classic feature films The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell (1955), Who's Been Sleeping In My Bed? (1963), and Johnny Cool (1963).

Two of Montgomery’s many popular TV movies, A Case of Rape (which remains one of the highest-rated TV-movies of all time) and The Legend of Lizzie Borden (which will soon be remade as a feature film), were groundbreaking and remain classics. But Twitch Upon a Star also goes behind the scenes to explore Montgomery’s political activism, including her early advocacy for AIDS sufferers and the peace movement; her support for all minorities, including the gay community and the disabled; and her controversial participation as narrator of the1988 feature film documentary Cover-Up, and its 1991 Oscar-winning sequel, The Panama Deception (both of which chronicled the Iran/Contra scandal of the l980s). The book also explores Montgomery's tumultuous relationships with her father, screen legend Robert Montgomery (she was a liberal; he was a staunch conservative), and her four husbands (including actor Gig Young, who later died in a double murder/suicide). Through it all—and to family and friends such as fellow performers Sally Kemp, Florence Henderson, Ronny Cox, and the Oscar-winning actor Cliff Robertson—she was just Lizzie: down-to-earth and unaffected, just like Samantha, the "witch-with-a-twitch" Stephens, her most famous role.

Twitch Upon A Star......Page 1 CONTENTS......Page 10 Preface......Page 12 Introduction......Page 18 PART I Prewitched......Page 30 1 Once Upon a Time......Page 32 2 Grim......Page 47 3 Elizabeth Montgomery Presents......Page 57 4 Brush with Fame......Page 74 5 The Equestrians......Page 93 6 Training Days......Page 103 7 The Europeans......Page 110 8 Spirits and Demons......Page 132 9 Two Plus Hundreds......Page 148 PART II Bewitched......Page 172 10 Lizmet......Page 174 11 Remember the Mane......Page 192 12 Double Double . . .......Page 199 13 . . . Toil and Trouble......Page 219 14 Public Broadcasting......Page 230 PART III Disenchanted......Page 242 15 To Twitch Or Not To Twitch......Page 244 16 Temperatures Rising......Page 257 17 Post Serial......Page 273 18 Awakenings......Page 294 PART IV Reconciled......Page 318 19 Spirits and Angels......Page 320 20 Humanities......Page 339 21 Political Science......Page 353 22 Final Exams......Page 373 23 Graduation......Page 391 Afterword......Page 416 Appendix......Page 422 Sources......Page 434 Bibliography......Page 436 Acknowledgments......Page 444 Suggested Reading......Page 448 Index......Page 450 About the Author......Page 462 Based on author Herbie J Pilato's exclusive interviews with Elizabeth Montgomery prior to her death in 1995, 'Twitch upon a star' includes never-before-published material and commentary from several individuals associated with her remarkable life and career before, during, and after Bewitched, including her classic feature films The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell (1955), 'Who's Been Sleeping In My Bed?' (1963), and 'Johnny Cool' (1963). Two of Montgomery's many popular TV movies, 'A Case of Rape' (which remains one of the highest-rated TV-movies of all time) and 'The Legend of Lizzie Borden' (which will soon be remade as a feature film), were groundbreaking and remain classics. But this book also goes behind the scenes to explore Montgomery's political activism, including her early advocacy for AIDS sufferers and the peace movement; her support for all minorities, including the gay community and the disabled; and her controversial participation as narrator of the 1988 feature film documentary 'Cover-Up' "This biography debuts as Sony and CBS prepare a new Bewitched series for the Fall. Based on exclusive interviews, this book includes never-before published material from those associated with her remarkable life before, during, and after Bewitched. It also explores her political activism: her advocacy for AIDS research, the peace movement, and her participation as narrator in Cover Up (Iran/Contra scandal)"-- Provided by publisher. This biography debuts as Sony and CBS prepare a new Bewitched series for the Fall. Based on exclusive interviews, this book includes never before published material from those associated with her remarkable life before, during, and after Bewitched. It also explores her political activism: her advocacy for AIDS research, the peace movement, and her participation as narrator in Cover Up (Iran/Contra scandal)