Bernard Fox Movies

With the exception of Marion Lorne, who passed away in the spring of 1968, the familiar cast members of the fantasy sitcom Bewitched are all back on the job as the series enters its fifth season. Heading the cast as always are Elizabeth Montgomery as attractive witch Samantha "Sam" Stephens; Dick York as her long-suffering mortal husband, ad executive Darrin Stephens; Agnes Moorehead as Sam's overbearing witch mother, Endora; and Erin Murphy (occasionally spelled by her twin sister Diane Murphy) as Sam and Darrin's daughter, Tabitha, who has obviously inherited her mom's special conjuring skills. Making more and more appearances during this season is Sam's funloving, hippie-like identical cousin, Serena, who is given a marvelous showcase in the two-part "Cousin Serena Strikes Again." As in previous seasons, the actress playing Serena is billed as "Pandora Spocks," though one would have to be extremely naïve or obtuse not to recognize her as Elizabeth Montgomery. Conversely, series co-star Dick York is noticeably absent from several episodes. The industry rumor at the time was that York was tired of playing Darrin Stephens, and was staying home to protest the sillier aspects of his character. The truth, which was carefully hidden from the public for many years, was that the actor was suffering from back injuries sustained years earlier while filming the theatrical feature They Came to Cordura. As it turned out, Dick York left Bewitched at the end of season five, paving the way for the legendary "Darrin Number Two," (aka Dick Sargent). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Bernard Fox makes his first appearance in the role of eccentric warlock physician, Dr. Bombay. Unaware that Bombay is "bewitched," Darrin and Larry rush to market the good doctor's miracle cold pills. Not unexpectedly, the pills cause some truly bizarre side effects, which only Bombay can cure -- if he wants to, that is. Milton Frome appears as pharmaceutical manufacturer Mr. Hornbeck (hint to the episode's outcome: actor Frome was bald as an egg). Written by Paul Wayne and Ed Jurist, "There's Gold in Them Thar Pills" first aired on May 4, 1967, as the final episode of Bewitched's third season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When dotty old Aunt Clara tries to affix a soundtrack to Darrin's home movies of Tabitha, her spell characteristically goes awry. As a result, Samantha finds herself speaking out of sync, her lip movements failing to match her words (or, in the words of an anonymous TV Guide editor, Sam sounds like "a badly dubbed foreign film"). Dr. Bombay comes to the rescue, but the cure proves worse than the ailment. Roy Roberts takes over from Robert F. Simon in the role of Darrin's father, Frank Stephens. Written by Ed Jurist, "Out of Sync, Out of Mind" originally aired on November 2, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Sexy witch Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery) continues to be compelled to cast various and sundry magical spells despite the objections of her mortal ad executive husband, Darrin Stephens (Dick York), as the fantasy sitcom Bewitched enters its fourth season. Also returning for more fun, frivolity, and wacky witchcraft are Agnes Moorehead as Samantha's imperious witch mother, Endora; Erin Murphy as Darrin and Samantha's daughter, Tabitha (who is beginning to exhibit certain "special powers" herself); David White as Darrin's overzealous boss, Larry Tate; Sandra Gould and George Tobias as the Stephens' neighbors Gladys and Abner Kravitz; and, on occasion, Paul Lynde as Samantha's prankish warlock Uncle Arthur. Conspicuous by her absence throughout most of season four is Marion Lorne as "Sam's" befuddled Aunt Clara, whose magical spells somehow always go awry. Seriously ill and suffering from a rapidly failing memory, the 84-year-old Marion Lorne was forced to severely cut back her work load; the actress died just after filming wrapped for the season, on May 9, 1968. Season four's best episodes include "Long Live the Queen," in which "Sam" must assume the position of Queen of the Witches, with Darrin as her reluctant consort; "A Safe Sane Halloween," wherein little Tabitha exercises her newfound powers to brings a few storybook goblins to life; "Samantha's Thanksgiving to Remember," which finds the Stephens family accidentally zapped back to the 17th century, whereupon Darrin and not Sam is accused of witchcraft; and "A Majority of Two," featuring the delightful character comedian Richard Haydn (Uncle Max in The Sound of Music) as a Japanese businessman who falls in love with Aunt Clara. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

One of Our Spies is Missing was cobbled together from a two-part episode of the American TV series Man From UNCLE, then shipped overseas as a feature film. Robert Vaughn and David McCallum head the cast as Napoleon Solo and Ilya Kuryakin, U.N.C.L.E's top agents. The original two-parter, "The Bridge of Lions Affair" (telecast February 4 and 11, 1966), concerns a biochemist who develops a rejuvenation process. The chemist disappears, so it's up to Solo and Kuryakin to recover or destroy the process before it falls into the hands of the enemy spy organization THRUSH. Padding out the proceedings in One of Our Spies is Missing is a newly-filmed subplot concerning the niece (Yvonne Craig) of U.N.C.L.E. head honcho Alexander Waverly (Leo G. Carroll). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Bernard Fox makes his first Bewitched appearance, but not as his soon-to-be familiar role of Dr. Bombay. Instead, Fox portrays a self-styled "witch debunker" named Osgood Rightmire, who, at a lecture attended by Samantha and Darrin, describes all so-called witches as dull neurotics. Trouble begins a-brewing when Darrin is hired to publicize Rightmire's lecture tour. Adding to the dilemma is an ancient ring in Rightmire's possession -- a ring that has a very strange effect on Sam. Written by Paul David and John L. Greene, "Disappearing Samantha" originally aired on April 7, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Herman Munster and his ghoulish clan leave the confines of their 1960s television series The Munsters to try their luck on the big screen in this feature length comedy that chronicles their adventures in merry England where Herman has inherited a large estate. Unfortunately, the Munsters do not realize that their new home is already inhabited by a ring of counterfeiters determined to frighten the family back to the United States. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This romantic comedy stars Rock Hudson as Carter Harrison, an executive rising through the ranks of a major oil company. When he meets Toni Vincente (Gina Lollobrigida), a beautiful but hot-tempered artist, it's love at first sight and they quickly marry. The bloom is soon off the rose, however, and, five years later, Carter and Toni are about to finalize their divorce. However, just as the final paperwork is about to go through, Carter learns that he's up for a major promotion which would hinge on his being married. Carter is able to engineer a reconciliation with Toni with the help of his friend Richard Bramwell (Gig Young), a PR agent with the firm who hopes that a happy marriage will improve Carter's reputation. Since his separation from Toni, Carter has become known as something of a lothario, a reputation that the family-oriented company would like to avoid. But even though the couple patches things up, Richard has his work cut out for him when Toni announces that she'll be reenacting Lady Godiva's naked ride as part of a protest organized by an artists' group. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Bernard Fox makes his first appearance as British martinet Col. Crittendon, the new senior POW at Stalag 13. Crittendon's never-ending efforts to escape may mess up Hogan's plans to help a German baroness named Lili (Louise Troy) defect to England. The trick is to cool off Crittendon while simultaneously keeping the Gestapo in the dark about Hogan's underground activities. Written by Richard M. Powell, "The Flight of the Valkyrie" first aired on October 15, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The sixth and final season of The Flintstones begins with a miraculous event: Fred and Barney's respective infant children Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm, who can't even talk yet, suddenly develop the abilitiy to sing! The phenomenon brings the babies to the attention of celebrated musical entrepreneur Eppy Brianstone (whose most famous clients are "The Termites", just in case you missed the joke!) Fast-talking Eppy signs Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm to an exclusive contract--so exclusive that Fred relinquishes all rights as a parent, and is forced to kidnap his own child in order to be with her again! This is the episode in which Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm perform a syrupy rendition of that old Sunday School favorite "Open Up Your Heart and Let the Sun Shine In", which would be reprised during the closing credits of each subsequent episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Normally, Rob (Dick Van Dyke) and Laura (Mary Tyler Moore) would be proud of the fact that their son, Ritchie (Larry Mathews), knows better than to strike a girl. However, the problem is a girl is striking Ritchie -- in fact, little Priscilla Darwell (Tracy Stratford) considers the day wasted when she doesn't beat Ritchie to a pulp! This crisis leads to a zany encounter with Priscilla's parents (Bernard Fox, Doris Singleton), and the ultimate revelation of the motive behind the girl's unladylike pugnaciousness. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Signing up for a nighttime creative writing class, Laura (Mary Tyler Moore) is unexpectedly lauded as a literary genius by her nerdy teacher Mr. Caldwell (Bernard Fox). Rob (Dick Van Dyke) suspects that Caldwell is playing up to Laura just to get an opportunity to show off his own writing efforts to a professional -- namely, Rob. Little does anyone suspect Caldwell's true ulterior motive -- to be alone and in a romantic embrace with the delectable Laura! This was the final episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show's third (and, arguably, funniest) season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this comedy, an introverted journalist for a prominent magazine is assigned to do a story on "Little America" in Antarctica. Once there he gets in all sorts of trouble with the army, a rival, and the penguin Milton Fox. He also finds himself embroiled in a plot to ship some Kiwi women to the base, and in the attempted defections of a number of Russian scientists. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide