Elizabeth Montgomery Movies

In this 1955 Otto Preminger film, Gary Cooper stars as World War I hero Brigadier General Billy Mitchell. The film recounts Mitchell's efforts to prove the viability of a strong air force. The hidebound military higher-ups refuse to finance aviation any further, figuring that the strength of the United States lies in its navy. When a friend is killed by flying a faulty plane, Mitchell charges the War and Navy department with incompetence and criminal negligence. When the brass tries to quietly court-martial Mitchell, they are forced into the open by the strength of public opinion, largely in Mitchell's favor. Subjected to the grilling of prosecutor Alan Guillon (Rod Steiger) during his trial, Mitchell sticks to his guns, even outlining a potential Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor unless the military wises up and strengthens its air power. Elizabeth Montgomery makes her film debut in the role of Margaret Landsdowne. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Elizabeth Montgomery, who'd previously costarred with One Step Beyond host John Newlandin the popular 1950s anthology Robert Montgomery Presents, guests in this episode as Lillie Clarke, the selfish and willful daughter of Army camp commander William Clarke (Ed Prentiss). Inveigling her dad into finding her the "perfect" escort for a fancy dress ball, the vixenish Lillie rejects another suitor, then persuades papa to send the unwanted swain on a dangerous mission so he'll be out of the way. But on the night of the ball, guess who shows up to have the first dance with Lillie? And need we add: the first dance is also the last. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Untouchables launches its second season with one of the series' most celebrated episodes. Elizabeth Montgomery earned an Emmy nomination for her bravura performance as Rusty Heller, a scheming chorus girl who has a personal vendetta against the mobsters who've done her dirt all her life. Using every feminine wile at her disposal, Rusty hopes to use an upcoming gang war between two bootlegging operations to her own advantage by cozying up to the leaders of both operations. Meanwhile, Elliot Ness (Robert Stack) hopes to appeal to Rusty's last vestige of decency to enlist her aid in bringing the criminals to justice. Paul Picerni joins the regular cast in the role of "Untouchable" Lee Hobson. Fans of Bewitched will particularly enjoy the now-famous scene in which Elizabeth Montgomery makes passionate love to David White, long before the two actors were cast respectively as Samantha Stevens and Larry Tate. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this offbeat crime drama, Mafia boss Johnny Colini (Marc Lawrence) has run afoul of the law and is being deported back to his native Sicily. Colini is not at all happy about this, and after he saves the life of a young thug, Johnny Giordano (Henry Silva), he knows the perfect way for Giordano to pay him back. Colini teaches Giordano the fine art of being a hit man, then sends him to America as Johnny Cool, with a long list of people who he believes informed on him to the police. Johnny Cool begins knocking off Colini's old enemies with a brutal violence that betrays the cool detachment of his personality; along the way, he meets Dare Guinness (Elizabeth Montgomery), a beautiful but promiscuous woman with whom Johnny falls in love. Several gangsters wanting to stop Johnny Cool's reign of terror rough up Dare as a warning to the hit man, but this only serves to make him all the more bloodthirsty. Produced in part by Peter Lawford, Johnny Cool features an interesting variety of notables as Johnny's associates and victims, including Telly Savalas, Mort Sahl, Joey Bishop, Jim Backus, and Sammy Davis, Jr., who also sings the theme song. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Filmed in black-and-white, the first season of Bewitched got under way just after the wedding of Darrin and Samantha Stephens (Dick York and Elizabeth Montgomery). The first major crisis in the marriage arises when "Sam" calmly informs her ad executive hubby, Darrin, that she is a witch -- "a genuine, broom-flying, cauldron-stirring witch" -- and proceeds to prove it by moving objects through the air and casting spells with the twitch of her nose. A mere mortal, Darrin is clearly taken aback by this revelation, but he loves Sam and is determined to make the marriage work. There is one condition, however: Sam must keep her powers a secret from others, and she must never use witchcraft in her everyday wifely activities. Though Sam does a good job with the first part of the condition (despite the suspicions of her snoopy next-door neighbor Gladys Kravitz [Sandra Gould]), she oftens finds that there is no alternative but to use her powers whenever Darrin gets into a mess, usually in connection with his job at the ad firm run by the bombastic Larry Tate (David White). Among the supporting characters making their first appearances in season one are Sam's witch mother, Endora (Agnes Moorehead), who detests Darrin and uses every power at her command to sabotage the marriage; Endora's husband, Maurice (Maurice Evans), an elegant warlock with a mercurial temperament; Sam's befuddled Aunt Clara (Marion Lorne), whose application of witchcraft is eccentric and misguided, to say the least; George Tobias as the obstreperous Gladys Kravitz's laid-back husband, Abner; and Irene Vernon as Larry Tate's good-natured wife, Louise. Guest stars this season include Adam West, Arte Johnson, Raquel Welch, Shelley Berman, June Lockhart, and, as a nervous driving instructor, Paul Lynde, two years before he became a Bewitched semi-regular in the role of Sam's prankish Uncle Arthur. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Endora just won't give up her efforts to cause a rift in the matrimonial bonds between her daughter, Samantha, and that goofy mortal Darrin. This time around, Endora insists that Janine (Lisa Seagram), a beauty contest winner hired for Darrin's latest ad campaign, will ultimately break up Sam's marriage. Sam pooh-poohs this notion, unaware that Endora has already used witchcraft to prove that Darrin is capable of infidelity. Written by Jack Sher, "It Takes One to No One" was first telecast on November 26, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Matchmaker Samantha tries to pair up her friend Gertrude (Kit Smythe) with handsome artist Kermit (a pre-Batman Adam West). In this pursuit, Sam tries to enlist Darrin's aid. Darrin, wrongly convinced that Gertrude is a witch, wants no part of the matter -- and even tries to break up the romance. Ubiquitous 1960s starlet Chris Noel appears as Susan. Written by Roland Wolper, "Love Is Blind" first aired on December 10, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Child actor Billy Mumy and veteran scene-stealer Cecil Kellaway appear in this "very special" episode of Bewitched. During the Yuletide season, Samantha and Darrin try to convince a surly orphan named Michael (Mumy) to believe in Santa Claus -- and in Christmas itself. Need it be added that twinkly eyed Kellaway is cast as that "jolly old elf"? Written by Herman Groves, "A Vision of Sugar Plums" first aired on December 24, 1964, then was rebroadcast on December 23, 1965, with new footage added to frame the basic story as a flashback. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While Darrin is busy at the office, Samantha joins her mother Endora on a quickie shopping excursion -- to Paris. There, the two ladies meet Darrin's vacationing boss, Larry Tate, who later places a call to Darrin. Upon learning what Sam has been up to, Darrin begins to question the wisdom of wedding a witch. A pre-superstardom Raquel Welch appears as a stewardess. Written by Bernard Slade, "Witch or Wife" originally aired on November 12, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Marion Lorne makes her first series appearance as Samantha's dotty Aunt Clara. On this occasion, Clara and Sam are offended by the picture of an ugly witch on the advertisements for the Halloween candy manufactured by Darrin's new client, Mr. Brinkman (Shelley Berman). Combining their powers, the two ladies endeavor to "persuade" Brinkman to adopt a more politically correct approach. Written by Bernard Slade, "The Witches Are Out" was originally telecast on October 29, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When Darrin expresses frustration over his inability to come up with a suitable slogan for the Caldwell Soup Company, Samantha offers to help. Worried that Sam intends to use witchcraft to bail him out, Darrin tells her in so many words to mind her own business. But has that ever stopped Sam before? Charlie Ruggles guest stars as soup tycoon Philip Caldwell. Written by Danny Arnold, "Help, Help, Don't Save Me" originally aired on October 15, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

At a dinner party, Samantha is pestered by Darrin's flirtatious new client, Rex Barker (Jack Warden). When she can stand no more of this unwarranted attention, Sam turns the client into a dog. Sam's problem now is to restore the man to his original human form without revealing to the world that she is a witch, but the outcome of the story is determined by the mortal behavior of Darrin. Written by Jerry Davis, "It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog" first aired on October 1, 1964, in place of the episode originally slated for that evening, "Mother, Meet What's His Name." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The big news in season two of Bewitched is the birth of Tabitha Stephens, the daughter of attractive witch Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery) and her mortal ad executive husband, Darrin Stevens (Dick York). The big event occurs in the episode titled "And Then There Were Three," originally telecast January 13, 1966. Otherwise, the status of the series' first season remains quo, with Samantha doing her best to avoid resorting to witchcraft at the request of her nervous husband, and Sam's imperious mother, Endora (Agnes Moorehead), casting all manner of spells to make poor Darrin's life miserable. Filmed in black-and-white, the second season of Bewitched marks the first appearance of Sam's funky, fun-loving cousin, Serena (who according to the cast credits is portrayed by one "Pandora Spocks," but who looks an awful lot like Elizabeth Montgomery). On a more somber note, this season marks the final appearance of Alice Pearce in her Emmy-winning role as Darrin and Sam's snoopy, suspicious next-door neighbor Gladys Kravitz; the actress died on March 3, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide