History Trivia / Bewitched

* TheDanza: Creator/MauriceEvans plays Samantha's father, Maurice. Also doubles as ItIsPronouncedTroPAY: in RealLife, Maurice Evans insisted that his name be pronounced in Proper (British) English - "Morris" - however, there was one occasion on the show, in which another warlock [[AccidentalMisnaming refers to him as "Morris"]], only for him to correct him with "Maurice."

* The series itself is the trope namer for TheOtherDarrin.

** ''Series/IDreamOfJeannie''. Though ''Bewitched'' lasted much longer, both shows -- and their viewers -- won. Elizabeth Montgomery reportedly hated ''Jeannie'' because she felt it was a shameless knock off of her show, but with all the social commentary replaced with {{fanservice}}, and was downright infuriated that ''Jeannie'' later had a reunion TV movie in TheEighties (directed by her ex-husband William Asher, even), especially after she repeatedly turned-down offers to do the same with ''Bewitched'' (though, to be fair, she felt that any form of a reunion special would jeopardize the original series' credibility). Decades later Creator/BarbaraEden sort of agreed with her. When NBC hired Sidney Sheldon to create the series for them to compete with the success of ABC's ''Bewitched,'' he went to ''Bewitched'' director William Asher for advice, admitting, "I have this, sort of, rip-off of you..." The 2005 film lampshades this, when Isabel is telling her neighbor Maria about being in the new series.

** Before Creator/NicoleKidman was cast as Samantha, ''many'' actresses were considered for the role, including (''*deep breath*'') Creator/JenniferAniston, Creator/ChristinaApplegate, Creator/PatriciaArquette, Creator/DrewBarrymore, Creator/KimBasinger, Creator/KateBeckinsale, Creator/SandraBullock, Creator/JenniferConnelly, Creator/CameronDiaz, Creator/HeatherGraham, Creator/MaggieGyllenhaal, Creator/AngelinaJolie, Creator/AshleyJudd, Creator/TeriHatcher, Creator/JenniferLoveHewitt, Creator/LisaKudrow, Creator/JennyMcCarthy,[[note]]Who at the time was married to Creator/JohnAsher, the adopted son of ''Bewitched'' series producer William Asher.[[/note]] Creator/HelenHunt, Creator/AlyssaMilano, Creator/JulianneMoore, Creator/BrittanyMurphy, Creator/GwynethPaltrow, Creator/SarahJessicaParker, Creator/MichellePfeiffer, Creator/MollyRingwald, Creator/JuliaRoberts, Creator/MegRyan, Creator/WinonaRyder, Creator/BrookeShields, Creator/AliciaSilverstone, Creator/HilarySwank, Creator/CharlizeTheron, Creator/UmaThurman, Creator/NaomiWatts, Creator/ReeseWitherspoon and Creator/ReneeZellweger.

* CowboyBebopAtHisComputer: That Creator/DickSargent was actually the original choice by producer/director William Asher (and to a certain extent, his wife and star of the show Creator/ElizabethMontgomery) for Darrin all along. While it is true that Sargent was considered initially for the show, but was under contract to another studio at the time and thus was unavailable to accept the role, he was considered for the role back when production of the show was under different people and was drastically different (for starters, it was considering Tammy Grimes for the main female role, named ''Cassandra''; Grimes and Sargent starred in ''The Tammy Grimes Show'' a couple of years later instead). When that project fell apart and then landed on Asher and Montgomery, Creator/DickYork was always their first pick. Reportedly, Sargent and Elizabeth Montgomery had been good friends prior to the show's start, which may have led to the mistaken rumors.

** At some point, Marshall dropped out from the director role (although she remained as producer) and the role was given to Ted Bessell instead. His 1996 script reading cast Creator/MelanieGriffith as Samantha, and was supposed to be a vehicle to revive Griffith's career. However, this production was halted after Bessell's sudden and unexpected death from an aortic aneurysm on October 6, 1996.

** Before Creator/NicoleKidman was cast as Samantha, ''many'' actresses were considered for the role, including (''*deep breath*'') Creator/JenniferAniston, Creator/ChristinaApplegate, Creator/PatriciaArquette, Creator/DrewBarrymore, Creator/KimBasinger, Creator/KateBeckinsale, Creator/SandraBullock, Creator/JenniferConnelly, Creator/CameronDiaz, Creator/HeatherGraham, Creator/MaggieGyllenhaal, Creator/AngelinaJolie, Creator/AshleyJudd, Creator/TeriHatcher, Creator/JenniferLoveHewitt, Creator/LisaKudrow, Creator/JennyMcCarthy,[[note]]Who at the time was married to John Mallory Asher, the adopted son of ''Bewitched'' series producer William Asher.[[/note]] Creator/HelenHunt, Creator/AlyssaMilano, Creator/JulianneMoore, Creator/BrittanyMurphy, Creator/GwynethPaltrow, Creator/SarahJessicaParker, Creator/MichellePfeiffer, Creator/MollyRingwald, Creator/JuliaRoberts, Creator/MegRyan, Creator/WinonaRyder, Creator/BrookeShields, Creator/AliciaSilverstone, Creator/HilarySwank, Creator/CharlizeTheron, Creator/UmaThurman, Creator/NaomiWatts, Creator/ReeseWitherspoon and Creator/ReneeZellweger.

** The Italian title of the series is''Vita Da Strega'' ("Life As A Witch").

* BabyNameTrendStarter: This show increased the popularity of the name Tabitha after one of the characters bore that name, and its popularity continued long after the show ended, well into the 80's.

* CompletelyDifferentTitle: The series is known in Japan as ''The Wife is a Witch'' (奥さまは魔女, ''Oku-Sama wa Majo'').
** Its Italian title is ''Life As A Witch'' (''Vita Da Strega'')
** In France the show is known as ''My Beloved Witch'' (''Ma Sorcière Bien-Aimèe'').

** The recycling continued for years after. The exterior of the Taylors' home in ''Series/HomeImprovement'' was a redecoration of the façade of the Stephens' home, and the fountain in the local park is most famous as the place the ''Series/{{Friends}}'' play around during their theme song.

* DuelingWorks
** ''Series/IDreamOfJeannie''. Though ''Bewitched'' lasted much longer, both shows -- and their viewers -- won. Elizabeth Montgomery reportedly hated ''Jeannie'' because she felt it was a shameless knock off of her show, but with all the social commentary replaced with {{fanservice}}, and was downright infuriated that ''Jeannie'' later had a reunion TV movie in TheEighties (directed by her ex-husband William Asher, even), especially after she repeatedly turned-down offers to do the same with ''Bewitched'' (though, to be fair, she felt that any form of a reunion special would jeopardize the original series' credibility). Decades later Creator/BarbaraEden sort of agreed with her. When NBC hired Sidney Sheldon to create the series for them to compete with the success of ABC's ''Bewitched,'' he went to ''Bewitched'' directed William Asher for advice, admitting, "I have this, sort of, rip-off of you..." The 2005 film lampshades this, when Isabel is telling her neighbor Maria about being in the new series.

* CowboyBebopAtHisComputer: That Creator/DickSargent was actually the original choice by producer/director William Asher (and to a certain extent, his wife and star of the show Creator/ElizabethMontgomery) for Darrin all along. While it is true that Sargent was considered initially for the show, but was under contract to another studio at the time and thus was unavailable to accept the role, he was considered for the role back when production of the show was under different people and was drastically different (for starters, it was considering Tammy Grimes for the main female role, named ''Cassandra''). When that project fell apart and then landed on Asher and Montgomery, Creator/DickYork was always their first pick. Reportedly, Sargent and Elizabeth Montgomery had been good friends prior to the show's start, which may have led to the mistaken rumors.

* ThrowItIn: In the episode "Art for Sam's sake", Samantha is seen chasing after Tabitha who runs to the kitchen and puts her in the play pin. Erin Murphy, the actress who played Tabitha, said this was actually not part of the script. But the director loved it so much, he decided to leave it in.

** Some sources claim that Samantha and Serena were originally intended to be sisters. The idea of making them look-alike cousins was likely a reference to William Asher's previous project, ''Series/ThePattyDukeShow''. Elizabeth Montgomerey herself also claimed that the idea of Sam having a long-lost sister that never got mentioned before was too ridiculous, and cousins were more pragmatic. Ironically, ''Series/IDreamOfJeannie'' had no problem with sisters.

** Both Paul Lynde and Bernard Fox played other roles before becoming Uncle Arthur and Dr. Bombay, respectively; Paul Lynde appeared in Season One as an incredibly insecure and high-strung instructor hired to teach Samantha how to drive, likewise, Bernard Fox appeared in Season Two as a witch ''hunter'' rather than a witch doctor.

** Creator/JoanPlowright was originally announced as Aunt Clara, but had to pull out before being shooting began. As mentioned elsewhere, the role was given to Carole Shelley at Creator/KristinChenoweth's recommendation.

* BabyNameTrendStarter: This show increased the popularity of the name Tabitha after one of the characters bore that name, and it's popularity continued long after the show ended, well into the 80's.

** The recycling continued for years after. The exterior of the Taylors' home in ''Series/HomeImprovement'' was a redecoration of the facade of the Stephens' home, and the fountain in the local park is most famous as the place the ''Series/{{Friends}}'' play around during their theme song.

** [[Series/TheMonkees]] borrowed the living room once so Davy could introduce their concert tour episode.

** The 1958 film ''Film/BellBookAndCandle'', starring Creator/JimmyStewart and Creator/KimNovak. It's a RomanticComedy with a supernatural element, as a publishing executive starts dating his HotWitch neighbor. While ''Bewitched'' took the premise of ''I Married a Witch'', it got most of its structure from ''Bell, Book and Candle'', with the world of corporate America meeting a vast underground community of modern witches. Gillian (the blonde female lead witch) has a klutzy aunt and a jokester brother who clearly got [[{{Expy}} expied]] into Aunt Clara and Uncle Arthur.

** The 1960 film ''Film/BellBookAndCandle'', starring Creator/JimmyStewart and Creator/KimNovak. Samantha, Darrin, Aunt Clara, and Uncle Arthur are clear [[{{Expy}} expies]] of the play's main cast, although its two main characters are not married.

** Before Creator/NicoleKidman was cast as Samantha, several actresses, including Creator/JenniferAniston, Creator/ChristinaApplegate, Creator/PatriciaArquette, Creator/DrewBarrymore, Creator/KimBasinger, Creator/KateBeckinsale, Creator/SandraBullock, Creator/JenniferConnelly, Creator/CameronDiaz, Creator/HeatherGraham, Creator/MaggieGyllenhaal, Creator/AngelinaJolie, Creator/AshleyJudd, Creator/TeriHatcher, Creator/JenniferLoveHewitt, Creator/LisaKudrow, Creator/JennyMcCarthy[[note]]Who at the time was married to John Mallory Asher, the adopted son of ''Bewitched'' series producer William Asher.[[/note]], Creator/HelenHunt, Creator/AlyssaMilano, Creator/JulianneMoore, Creator/BrittanyMurphy, Creator/GwynethPaltrow, Creator/SarahJessicaParker, Creator/MichellePfeiffer, Creator/MollyRingwald, Creator/JuliaRoberts, Creator/MegRyan, Creator/WinonaRyder, Creator/BrookeShields, Creator/AliciaSilverstone, Creator/HilarySwank, Creator/CharlizeTheron, Creator/UmaThurman, Creator/NaomiWatts, Creator/ReeseWitherspoon and Creator/ReneeZellweger were considered for the role.

* TheCharacterDiedWithHer: A notable example with Aunt Clara. After the death of her actress, Marion Lorne, the decision was made not to recast her (with Esmerelda, played by Alice Ghostley, serving as a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute instead). This was despite (or perhaps because of) her status as one of the show's most popular characters. It's notable in that Bewitched was not shy about replacing actors (notoriously, up to and including its male lead).

** Before Creator/NicoleKidman was cast as Samantha, several actresses, including Creator/JenniferAniston, Creator/ChristinaApplegate, Creator/PatriciaArquette, Creator/DrewBarrymore, Creator/KimBasinger, Creator/KateBeckinsale, Creator/SandraBullock, Creator/JenniferConnelly, Creator/CameronDiaz, Creator/HeatherGraham, Creator/MelanieGriffith, Creator/MaggieGyllenhaal, Creator/AngelinaJolie, Creator/AshleyJudd, Creator/TeriHatcher, Creator/JenniferLoveHewitt, Creator/LisaKudrow, Creator/JennyMcCarthy[[note]]Who at the time was married to John Mallory Asher, the adopted son of ''Bewitched'' series producer William Asher.[[/note]], Creator/HelenHunt, Creator/AlyssaMilano, Creator/JulianneMoore, Creator/BrittanyMurphy, Creator/GwynethPaltrow, Creator/SarahJessicaParker, Creator/MichellePfeiffer, Creator/MollyRingwald, Creator/JuliaRoberts, Creator/MegRyan, Creator/WinonaRyder, Creator/BrookeShields, Creator/AliciaSilverstone, Creator/HilarySwank, Creator/CharlizeTheron, Creator/UmaThurman, Creator/NaomiWatts, Creator/ReeseWitherspoon and Creator/ReneeZellweger were considered for the role.

** Before Creator/NicoleKidman was cast as Samantha, several actresses, including Creator/JenniferAniston, Creator/ChristinaApplegate, Creator/PatriciaArquette, Creator/DrewBarrymore, Creator/KimBasinger, Creator/KateBeckinsale, Creator/SandraBullock, Creator/JenniferConnelly, Creator/CameronDiaz, Creator/Creator/HeatherGraham, Creator/MelanieGriffith, Creator/MaggieGyllenhaal, Creator/AngelinaJolie, Creator/AshleyJudd, Creator/TeriHatcher, Creator/JenniferLoveHewitt, Creator/LisaKudrow, Creator/JennyMcCarthy[[note]]Who at the time was married to John Mallory Asher, the adopted son of ''Bewitched'' series producer William Asher.[[/note]], Creator/HelenHunt, Creator/AlyssaMilano, Creator/JulianneMoore, Creator/BrittanyMurphy, Creator/GwynethPaltrow, Creator/SarahJessicaParker, Creator/MichellePfeiffer, Creator/MollyRingwald, Creator/JuliaRoberts, Creator/MegRyan, Creator/WinonaRyder, Creator/BrookeShields, Creator/AliciaSilverstone, Creator/HilarySwank, Creator/CharlizeTheron, Creator/UmaThurman, Creator/NaomiWatts, Creator/ReeseWitherspoon and Creator/ReneeZellweger were considered for the role.

** Before Creator/NicoleKidman was cast as Samantha, several actresses, including Creator/JenniferAniston, Creator/ChristinaApplegate, Creator/PatriciaArquette, Creator/DrewBarrymore, Creator/KimBasinger, Creator/KateBeckinsale, Creator/SandraBullock, Creator/JenniferConnelly, Creator/CameronDiaz, Creator/Creator/HeatherGraham, Creator/MelanieGriffith, Creator/MaggieGyllenhaal, Creator/AngelinaJolie, Creator/AshleyJudd, Creator/TeriHatcher, Creator/JenniferLoveHewitt, Creator/LisaKudrow, Creator/JennyMcCarthy[[note]]Who at the time was married to John Mallory Asher, the adopted son of ''Bewitched'' series producer William Asher.[[/note]], Creator/HelenHunt, Creator/AlyssaMilano, Creator/JulianneMoore, Creator/BrittanyMurphy, Creator/GwynethPaltrow, Creator/SarahJessicaParker, Creator/MichellePfeiffer, Creator/MollyRingwald, Creator/JuliaRoberts, Creator/MegRyan, Creator/WinonaRyder, Creator/BrookeShields, Creator/AliciaSilverstone, Creator/HilarySwank, Creator/CharlizeTheron, Creator/UmaThurman, Creator/NaomiWatts, Creator/ReeceWitherspoon and Creator/ReneZellweger were considered for the role.

** Before Creator/NicoleKidman was cast as Samantha, several actresses, including Creator/JenniferLoveHewitt and Creator/JennyMcCarthy[[note]]Who at the time was married to John Mallory Asher, the adopted son of ''Bewitched'' series producer William Asher.[[/note]] were considered for the role.