Bewitched and Beyond: The Fan Who Came to Dinner (15 page)

An early 70’s photo of Kasey and Dick Sargent at an unknown function. I still have that leather purse she has on the table.

Chapter 20

Recipe for a Cookbook

Dawn Wells, forever immortalized as “Mary Ann,” the sweetest Kansas farm girl you’d ever want to be marooned on an island with, began the trend. She penned
Mary Ann’s Gilligan’s Island Cookbook
with what seemed to include a
hundred
recipes for coconut cream pie alone! So Kasey and I began thinking, “Why not create a
Bewitched
cookbook in honor of Samantha Stephens?”

After all, Samantha had to learn to cook by mortal methods and many of the episodes revolved around her saving the day for McMann & Tate by preparing a magnificent meal, looking gorgeous, wooing the client, AND doing it all sans magic… well almost! Only Elizabeth Montgomery could’ve pulled that off with such
realism.

Speaking of realism, Montgomery did a great job in
Bewitched
that went mostly unrecognized by the Academies. Have you ever tried to recite a rhyming incantation while at the same time trying not to sound like a complete doofus? Imagine walking up to some animal and demurely asking: “Sweetheart, is that you?” while trying to sound
normal
?

After a bit of discussion, we decided to go for it. We worked for weeks and weeks on the
Bewitched Cookbook: Magic in the Kitchen,
and could not have made it through without the incredible help of our dear friend and all around
Bewitched
-know-it-all, Steven Colbert. The three of us sat in front of the TV and watched episode after episode of
Bewitched
to get as many food references as possible.

Luckily, we were able to land a publisher, but sadly, some of our favorite chapters were omitted; particularly those with the “Guest Stars” and “the Clients.” These included actual recipes and memories from cast members still living at the time. To this day, it irritates me that the back cover still mentions these things but they are nowhere to be found inside the book!

On April 29th of that same year, the remaining cast members of
Bewitched
were invited to the
TV Land
“Kick-Off” Party at Paramount Studios, Kasey’s old stomping grounds.

We met up with Bernard and Jacque Fox in a parking lot in Studio City so we could all ride together.

Every classic TV star that was still with us at the time seemed to be there that night; the girls from
Petticoat Junction,
the guys from
My Three Sons,
as well as surviving cast members of
Hazel, The Donna Reed Show,
and
The Dick Van Dyke Show.
I was surrounded by those familiar TV faces: Rob Petrie, Sally Rogers, Buddy Sorrell, Weezy Jefferson, Doc, Captain Stubing, Mr. Whipple, and even Mrs. Butterworth! The list was endless. It was truly an incredible evening!

Shortly after that night we lost Morey Amsterdam. Kasey and I attended his funeral. Now, one might think this would have been a solemn affair, but on the contrary, it was one of the funniest things I’ve ever witnessed! Listening to speakers like Milton Berle, Dick Van Dyke, Rose Marie, Jack Carter, Steve Allen, and Carl Reiner, with each one topping the other, I don’t think the walls of that synagogue had ever contained that much laughter!

Unfortunately, one very sour memory does stay in my mind from that day — meeting Mary Tyler Moore. She certainly didn’t turn
my
world on with her smile because she didn’t seem to have one! Let’s just say she is NOT at all the “Laura Petrie” or “Mary Richards” you might think. Rather, her role in
Ordinary People
comes to mind. Enough said.

1996 also brought some entertaining Christmas memories! Kasey’s son-in-law at the time had crafted some foam angel wings for a project he was working on, so I borrowed a pair to wear to Atlanta… much to the feigned embarrassment of Kasey and my friend Darlene Wheatly. Those were the days when you could do funny things like that in an airport. Whenever people passed me they’d ask, “Are you the co-pilot?” And I’d reply, “Oh no, God is my co-pilot!” or “I’m just on my way home to sit on top of the Christmas tree… it may hurt but someone’s got to do it!”

I stashed the wings in the overhead compartment for the flight and put them on when I landed in Atlanta. As expected, Mom and Dad were there waiting to pick me up and were talking with a lady they had just met when I came thru in my wings. They pretended they didn’t know me. So, of course, I ran to them yelling, “HI MOM! HI DAD!” Truth be told, they actually loved it! Besides, they’re used to me by now, if that’s possible…

Shot on June 8, 1967 by the famed Hollywood photographer George Hurrell, this picture shows
(left to right)
Montgomery, York, Asher, White, unknown crew member, and episode co-star Renzo Cesana on the 1164 living room set. Of note is the hinged wall allowing us a glimpse into the soundstage.

Kasey poses with the cookbook.

Off to the
TV Land
Network Kick-Off Party! Adding to the fun we found Bernard standing in the parking lot wearing his full-dress kilts!

In line to board my flight. Sure couldn’t do this today!

The many faces of Elizabeth Montgomery from the episode “Weep No More My Willow,” photographed on August 6, 1968 by Art Saye. Kasey would often recall that “after a scene was finished Bill would keep the camera running and NOT say ‘Cut!’just to make Elizabeth keep reacting to what just happened… it bordered on cruelty at times” laughed Kasey, “but Elizabeth never stopped until Bill said to. Then she would shoot him a dirty look. But Bill always got what he wanted from her performance and it shows in every episode.”

Chapter 21

Agnes of God

Kasey always described her in one word…“GRAND”… She was
exactly
what you expected.

Agnes always threw the very first Christmas party of the season in Hollywood. Usually it was around her birthday, December 6th, and Kasey was invited several times. Agnes Moorehead’s Christmas parties were
legendary
in Hollywood circles and it was
the
place to be.

Kasey remembered being impressed by how the wine at dinner was served. “Sitting next to everyone’s place setting was one of those glass grape clusters that expensive wines used to come in. You would just refill your own glass from your own private reserve! It was quite elegant.” She also remembered Debbie Reynolds attending one of the parties and how much Agnes just raved about her.

Bernard Fox’s recollections of Agnes included the time he worked for her. “Agnes would teach acting at her home to a small group of gay men, many of whom lived with her from time to time and did odd jobs around the house. Mostly her teaching skills consisted of pontificating about her own illustrious career! Those same students were EXPECTED at her home every Sunday, where she would hold church services.”

Speaking of which, when I first got to Los Angeles Kasey and I would go to Hollywood quite often. It always was a bit “seedy,” but is looking better today, with the advent of the new Kodak Theatre (now the Dolby).

It’s hard to believe that Agnes initially didn’t want to do
Bewitched
and was pretty appalled when the pilot sold. But all
Bewitched
fans can breathe a sigh of relief and thank the
real
God that she did!

Kasey also told me that Agnes never truly accepted the change in Darrin’s. She was overheard to have once said in regard to the new look of the show, “I
dislike
change.”

In 1995, when Kasey and I were doing research for the
Bewitched Cookbook: Magic in the Kitchen,
we were lucky enough to visit Columbia Studios, which had recently taken over the old M-G-M lot.

While there, we were allowed to wander around by ourselves. During our exploration we happened upon the largest soundstage built during M-G-M’s heyday — Stage 26. This was the very soundstage where Judy Garland first put sequined slipper to painted yellow spiral to begin her journey down the yellow-brick road to find the Wizard of Oz. (Talk about hallowed ground!) I will say, the mind-numbing effect that one is actually standing there is inconceivable!