Haunted child star Erin Murphy, 60, has given a rare interview.
He’s finally revealed his favorite Darrin, the role of the mortal father/husband played by two different actors in the beloved comedy.
Murphy, who captivated audiences as Tabitha, the magical daughter of witch Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) and Darrin Stephens, is now 60 years old and one of the last surviving members of the original cast of Bewitched, along with her twin sister Diane, with who shared the role. .
Over the years, fans have debated which Darrin, originally played by Dick York and then Dick Sargent, was best suited for the role, and now Murphy is settling the debate.
‘I’ll give you a scoop. All my life I have been very diplomatic because I loved them both,” she admitted to People on Saturday. ‘They were wonderful kids. Watching the show, Dick York is a better Darrin.
York played Darrin from 1964 until a serious back injury forced him to leave the show in 1969. Sargent then took over the role until the series ended in 1972.
Haunted child star Erin Murphy has finally revealed her favorite Darrin, the mortal father/husband role played by two different actors in the beloved comedy; (pictured in 2021)
Over the years, fans have debated which Darrin, originally played by Dick York and then Dick Sargent, was best suited for the role, and now Murphy is settling the debate; (pictured with Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York)
Murphy fondly reflected on his close bond with York and described how he took on a fatherly role both on and off screen.
“Dick York was a father and had a lot of kids, so he was more paternal,” he shared with the outlet.
He added: “So he was more like a father.” Dick Sargent was a great guy and we stayed in touch until he passed away. But in this case I’ll stick with Dick York.
Sixty years later, Bewitched continues to captivate.
The series centers on Samantha, a witch who marries a normal man, Darrin Stephens.
Although she promises to live like a normal housewife, her magic constantly disrupts her daily life, causing endless mischief.
“It’s really interesting because I grew up on the show, so it’s the only childhood I know, but I feel lucky,” Murphy said.
The actress began appearing on the show as Tabitha, Darrin and Samantha’s daughter, in 1966, and remained on the show until it ended in 1972.
York played Darrin from 1964 until a serious back injury forced him to leave the show in 196; Dick Sargent (pictured) took over the role until the series ended in 1972.
‘I’ll give you a scoop. “I’ve been very diplomatic my whole life because I loved them both,” she admitted to People on Saturday. ‘They were wonderful guys. Watching the show, Dick York is a better Darrin’; (York and Murphy in 1966)
She and her twin sister Diane were jointly cast as Tabitha to comply with American child labor laws that limit the number of hours each girl can work.
But, as Murphy said Study 10 As of March 2020, she and Diane were twins and “as soon as they hired us they realized we really don’t look much alike.”
He explained that ‘they ended up showing my sister from behind or from afar and then after the first year I took over.’
Murphy also said that Montgomery, who died of cancer in May 1995 at the age of 62, “was like a mother” to her, adding: “We were very close from the set and I loved her very much.”
However, her “favorite” co-star was Agnes Moorehead, who played Endora, Samantha’s mother, and “she was like a grandmother to me and I thought she was beautiful and colorful and funny.”
“And his favorite color was purple and everything in his dressing room was purple.”
Later in the 1970s, there was a short-lived spin-off series called Tabitha, in which Lisa Hartman played the character as an adult.
After Bewitched ended in 1972, Erin Murphy faded from the spotlight, but reruns kept her a familiar face to viewers.
Murphy began her role as Tabitha at just two years old and graduated from El Toro High School in Lake Forest, California, in 1981.
“Dick York was a father and had a lot of kids, so he was more fatherly,” he shared with the outlet, adding, “So he was more like a father.” Dick Sargent was a great guy and we stayed in touch until he passed away. But in this case I’m going with Dick York’ (Murphy in October 2024)
“It’s really interesting because I grew up on the show, so it’s the only childhood I know, but I feel lucky,” Murphy said.
She then explored various roles in the industry as a casting director, makeup artist, hairstylist, acting teacher and stuntwoman.
As life moved on, the mother of six re-entered the entertainment world as a television host for networks such as Fox Reality Channel and E!, hosting several infomercials.
Today, she continues to work as an actress and voice-over artist, in addition to being co-owner of Slim Chillers, a brand of alcoholic ice popsicles.
In 2019 she reprized her role as Tabitha in the comedy web series TV Therapy, where fictional characters from famous television shows undergo psychoanalysis.