With so many great TV shows and movies to choose from nowadays, it’s easy to overlook the classics. Some may recall the 1960s television show “Bewitched,” starring Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York as Samantha, the witch, and Darrin, the mortal.

Dick Sargent took on the role of Darrin in later seasons. The show’s premise is that the two characters meet, fall in love, and eventually have a family together.

Samantha agrees to live a typical suburban housewife’s life while keeping her magic hidden from the rest of the world. However, she continues to use her magic at home, frequently getting her, Darrin, and several other characters into trouble.

Finally, the couple embraces and reflects on overcoming their challenges together. The show implied that witches and their male counterparts, warlocks, use physical gestures in addition to incantations. Samantha’s signature nose twitch assisted her in casting a spell.

Samantha and Darrin had a daughter, Tabitha, in the third season of the show, played by actress Erin Murphy. For 18 episodes, the role of Tabitha was shared with Murphy’s fraternal twin sister, Diane, before their appearances began to differ, and only Erin continued to play the role.

Murphy, now an adult, recalls her childhood on “Bewitched” with fondness. She has even stated that Montgomery and Sargent are her surrogate parents.

Continue reading to learn more about Murphy and her large family of six children, as well as to see what she looks like now at the age of 58.

Murphy was born on June 17, 1964, in Encino, California, and began her career as an actress when she was two years old, in 1966. Murphy appeared in 103 episodes of “Bewitched” as Tabitha from the third season until the final original episode in 1972. She had the opportunity to grow up on a television set during that time, which she describes as a very positive experience.

Murphy had always wanted to be an actor. “I’ve loved it since I was a baby,” she said. “I liked the lighting and enjoyed being on set. When they brought my sister on set, she used to cry. Even now, she despises it.”

Her co-stars, Montgomery and Sargent, contributed to the show’s success. Murphy stated in an interview with ABC News in 2015: “Because I couldn’t say, Samantha, I always called her ‘Mantha Mommy,’ and I called Dick Sargent, Darrin Daddy. That’s what I called them. They were truly like parents to me.”

Murphy went on to say: “Many people who knew Liz and knew me said how much I resembled her. And I believe it’s because we spent 12 hours a day together as kids. I looked up to her as a parent, and she would tell me what to do. In many ways, I’m more like her than my mother, which is hilarious.”

Murphy was only 2 years old when she began filming and was 8 years old by the end of the series.

Closer Weekly quoted her as saying:

“I have memories based on what I see on camera. But I remember things like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s the day when…,’ and I remember something we had for lunch that day, or I remember, like, behind-the-scenes stuff.

So having the shows to watch is excellent, but I remember a lot of it. I recall the scenes and the animals — we had chimps and elephants — and the people. Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York were both wonderful people who taught me a lot. And they adored children.”

Agnes Moorehead, who played Samantha’s mother, Endora, was one of Murphy’s favorite people to hang out with on set. According to the actress, she told ABC News:

“I adored her like a grandmother. I had grandparents who lived in other states, and I didn’t get to see them, and she didn’t have grandchildren, and we had an excellent, loving relationship.

In between scenes, she’d do things like draw little cartoons for me. She used to tell me stories. I enjoyed going into her dressing room because it was all purple. I thought she was the most colorful and beautiful person I’d ever seen.”

“Bewitched” is still a popular television show today. “People enjoy the magical aspect of it; I believe everyone wishes they could perform magic. And I think it translates well to other languages, because it’s a very visual show, and different things appeal to different people.

For example, the show was extremely popular among the LGBTQ community because the main character was a witch who lived in the closet. She was unable to be herself. And that’s all there is to it: it translates across so many different things and holds up, “Murphy told Closer Weekly.

Murphy appeared in “Lassie” and the film “Deadly Fighters” after the series ended. When she was in sixth grade, her family relocated from Los Angeles to Orange County, and she took a break from acting. This was good for Murphy, who described her childhood as having “the best of both worlds.”

Murphy explained: “I was approached for jobs immediately following ‘Bewitched,’ but I declined. Instead of appearing on ‘The Waltons,’ I attended Girl Scout camp. So I walked away from the company.

We moved to Orange County, and I continued to go up to L.A. when there were guaranteed jobs, but I stopped doing the crazy auditions where I’d be sitting in a room with a hundred kids who looked exactly like me, all of whom were being rejected.”

Despite the difficulties, Murphy reflects on that period in her life with fondness. “I enjoyed the auditions. I had friends I only saw at auditions, so I enjoyed that aspect of it. The audition process isn’t too bad if you’re there for the fun of it and you enjoy the work.

Even now, when I do things, I don’t often audition. I’ve worked in casting, and it’s always interesting to see everyone. It’s all about having the right attitude, once again, “said the celebrity.

In a world where so many child actors struggle after they grow up, it’s heartening to see Murphy so content with her career. “I’ve had incredible life experiences that could only have happened because I was a child actor. You can focus on the long, difficult hours, or you can focus on all the positives. And, in my opinion, there are far more positives than negatives, “She stated.

Murphy modeled for Hang Ten swimwear after graduating from El Toro High School, where she was a cheerleader and homecoming queen. She also appeared in over 100 commercials and worked as a casting director and makeup artist on some film and television projects. Murphy is a busy person who has worked as a fashion stylist, an acting teacher, and as a stunt double for actress Virginia Madsen.

Murphy has also worked as a television host and correspondent for television networks such as T.V. Land, Fox Reality Channel, and the E! Network. She has appeared in several infomercials for products like the SomaTrac Inversion Table. She has been the co-owner of Slim Chillers, which are frozen low-calorie vodka martini popsicles, since 2014.

Murphy has worked as a motivational speaker and frequently speaks out about autism, as one of her sons has the condition. She stated:

“I am convinced that you must return the favor. I consider myself extremely fortunate for the life I’ve led and the opportunities I’ve had. And you can either allow them to lead you astray or figure out how to use those opportunities to do good.”

Murphy has had three marriages in her life. Terry Rogers was her first husband; they were married from 1984 to 1989 and had two sons together. She remarried Eric Eden in 1993, and they have one son.

Sadly, the couple divorced in 1998. She married her current husband, Darren Dunckel, the same year, and they have three sons. Murphy told Closer in 2020 that her youngest son will graduate in three years.

Murphy stated about her children: “It’s wonderful to see them all doing things they enjoy. Parents can either impose their choices on their children or see what they are truly interested in and encourage them to live their lives.”

“That’s exactly what I do. My six boys are as diverse as six people can be, and they’re all amazing.” Murphy is a highly positive person as a motivational speaker, and she has passed those lessons on to her children. She elaborated:

“I’ve always taught my children that they have no control over what happens or how others act. You have complete control over your actions. You can choose to be happy in any circumstance. I could sit in the corner and cry, but why would I?”

Murphy said in an interview with Closer Weekly: “If I’m going to be on the red carpet, I’d rather talk about something important than my shoes, I usually say. It’s your responsibility as a parent to show your children that side of the world. I’ve raised some very optimistic children who take advantage of and enjoy things, and they have adopted my philosophy. You have the option of laughing or crying.”

Murphy responded when the interviewer praised her for her courage and optimism: “The truth is that I’ve always wanted to do everything and go everywhere. I’ve always had a strong desire to live. So my life philosophy has always been to seize every opportunity that comes your way. You go with the flow and try new things. I don’t want to sit around doing anything. I’d rather throw myself off a cliff than sit on a couch.”

Whether it’s dealing with rejection at auditions or dealing with life’s unexpected twists and turns, Murphy always sees the bright side. She stated: “To be honest, I am still perpetually optimistic. I’ve been all over the world. I’ve had so many wonderful opportunities and have met people like Carol Burnett. When she gets up and speaks at the Golden Globes, which everyone is watching, I think to myself, ‘I know her!'”

Murphy became the owner of Erin Murphy Knits, which sells hand-knit wear made entirely of alpaca fur, over the last decade. The star is extremely busy with numerous projects, but she always makes time for her family. In 2020, she told Closer:

“Last year, I purchased my dream car, a Tesla. I bought my dream beach house. I still have three children at home, and I’m just figuring out what I want to do with the rest of my life, whether I want to work or do a few fun projects. You see a lot of people who work and work and never take time to enjoy themselves. So I’m making an effort to have fun along the way.”

We don’t know what Murphy’s future holds, but we’re confident she’ll make the most of it. Regarding her current plans to return to acting, she stated: “Even though I still do a few acting jobs each year, I haven’t had an agent in years. I now do a lot of theater. I’ve done several web series and pilots as favors for friends. I’m committed to being a parent, and I have one autistic son, so that consumes a lot of my time. I have no criticisms. Life is wonderful.”

Do you remember Tabitha from the TV show “Bewitched?” Did you enjoy the television show? What are your thoughts on Murphy’s life as a six-parent mother? Please let us know your thoughts, and please share this with your friends and family.

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