It’s been 49 years since Erin Murphy played Tabitha Stephens on the much-loved ’60s sitcom, Bewitched.
The now 56-year-old starred as the daughter of a twitchy-nosed witch between 1966 and 1972 and opened up about her iconic role as Tabitha.
Erin and her fraternal twin sister Diane initially nabbed the role of Tabitha through a casting call for the series’ third season.
“They had previously shown it in black and white, so the big push of the third season was that the show was going to colour and that they were going to focus more on the character of Tabitha,” the actress previously told Fox News.
“So they were looking for someone who looked like Elizabeth Montgomery [who played Tabitha’s mum, Samantha Stephens] and wasn’t afraid of the lights. I auditioned with my fraternal twin sister Diane and we got the part.”
Throughout the seasons, Erin and Diane began to resemble each other less so Diane moved on from the industry while Erin played the role alone for the remaining seasons.
Erin said the late Elizabeth Montgomery — who passed away from colon cancer at age 62 in 1995 — was like family to her both on and off-screen.
“She really was like a mum to me,” Erin recalled. “I definitely think of her more like a family member than a co-worker. And I think it’s because when I was on set, it was just me. My parents weren’t standing there next to me… So I looked up to her as family, as a parent almost.”
Erin fondly remembers Montgomery for making her laugh on set.
“She and I are very, very much alike. She had a really dirty sense of humour and so do I,” she said. “She was just one of those people who was so beautiful, but she wasn’t afraid to look silly.”
The mum-of-six had delved into acting once again in the last few years.
In 2017, she starred in the TV movie Life Interrupted and she also appeared in an episode of TV Therapy as Tabitha in 2019.
Most recently, on March 24, Erin attended the Family Film Awards at Universal City in California — and she looked as sweet and fresh-faced as she did on Bewitched all those years ago.
And if you ever see her on the street, feel nostalgic, and want to say hello, go ahead. Erin loves that.
“I think any moment that someone comes up to you just to say they liked you on a TV show, that’s flattering,” she said. “I think it’s very kind and I’m very open to posing for pictures, meeting fans and answering questions about Bewitched.
“I’m thankful that people appreciate what I did. I think it’s awesome.”