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Elizabeth Victoria Montgomery (15 April 1933 - 18 May 1995) was an American movie and television actress. She was the daughter of actors Robert Montgomery and Elizabeth Allen.
Montgomery made her TV debut in her father's series "Robert Montgomery Presents" and her film debut in 1955 in "The Court Martial Of Billy Mitchell and languished in supporting roles and appearances in TV series for the early part of her career.
She is best remembered for her leading role as the witch Samantha in the ABC sitcom Bewitched. This show was a huge success during its 8 year run from 1964 to 1972 and remains popular through syndication. Montgomery received 5 Emmy Award and 4 Golden Globe nominations for her role as Samantha.
Montgomery refused to do Samantha's famous nose twitch for fans after "Bewitched" went off the air and was reluctant to discuss this role. She spent the remainder of her career pursuing dramatic roles that took her as far away from the good natured Samantha typecast as possible. She received Emmy Award nominations for playing a rape victim in "A Case Of Rape", for her portrayal of notorious Lizzie Borden in "The Legend Of Lizzie Borden" and for the 1978 mini-series "The Awakening Land". She also made a chilling villain in the 1985 "Amos" playing a nurse in a state home who terrorised residents Kirk Douglas and Dorothy McGuire.
She was married to actor Gig Young from 1956 to 1963, "Bewitched" producer William Asher from 1963 to 1973 and lived with actor Robert Foxworth for 20 years until her death.
With William Asher, she had three children. She also had an older sister, Martha Bryan Montgomery who died before Elizabeth was born, and a brother Robert Montgomery Jnr who was born in 1936.
Elizabeth died in 1995 eight weeks after being diagnosed with colorectal cancer and was cremated. At the time of her death, the media widely reported that she had ignored the symptoms of her illness until it was too late, as she was caring for Foxworth who had a back injury. Unwilling to die in hospital and with no hope of recovery, she elected to return to the Beverly Hills home she shared with Foxworth, and died there with him and her children by her side.
