Alice Ghostley "Esmeralda" dies at 81

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~sudsshane

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The beloved "Bewitched" star passed away Friday after a long battle with colon cancer. She filled the gap on "Bewitched" after the death of Marion Lorne "Aunt Clara" in 1968.

With the death of Ghostley, that leaves Bernard Fox, "Dr Bombay" the sole remaining adult actor from the series run.

of course Erin Murphy and David Lawrence, "Tabatha" and "Adam" are still with us as well.
 
I must have posted my notice about Alice when you did. If mine doesn't come through, no biggie. It's a shame she's gone, and I can't help but notice it was the same thing that killed Elizabeth Montgomery. What a loss!
 
some "Bewitched" trivia

Originally, before landing the role of wacky witch "Esmeralda"( 1969-72), Alice Ghostley was offered the role of nosy neighbor "Gladys Kravitz" after the death of Alice Pearce. Because she was a good friend of Pearce, she declined the role and it eventually went to actress Sandra Gould.
 
actually it is a bit odd that nearly the entire cast

has died of cancer at some point.

Elizabeth Montgomery- d.1995
Dick Sargent- d.1994
Dick York- d.1992
Alice Pearce- d.1966
George Tobias- d.1980
Agnes Moorehead- d.1973
Irene Vernon- (first Louise Tate)- d.1998

a bit odd isn't it?
 
Supposedly Paul Lynde "stole" Alice Ghostley's schtick with that voice. I think they're equally as funny. Great trivia, Sudsshane, one could hardly blame her for not taking the place of a deceased friend. I believe 1967 is the year Alice Pearce died.
 
actually...

Alice Pearce passed away on March 3, 1966 from Ovarian Cancer. If any of you have the DVD from the 2nd season, you can clearly see Alice was very sick. She worked up right to the end of her life and never once told any cast members she was terminally ill.
 
Kasey Rogers (second Louise Tate) passed away in 2006, had been battling throat cancer, went into cardiac arrest, and had a stroke. The stroke killed her.
 
correct..

Hi Alan. that is true about Kasey Rogers, the second Louise Tate. It is odd isn't it that so many cast members from that show had cancer or died from it. What a dreadful disease!
 
David White(Larry Tate)died in November, 1990 of a heart attack. His son died in the airliner bombing over Locherbie, Scotland.
 
Both Elizabeth Montgomery and Alice Ghostley died of the same form of cancer. How very "errie" for a show dealing with the supernatural.

Just yet another reason to have regular bowel exams, especially as one reaches/passes middle age. Look how that poor White House press secretary is faring.

L.
 
She certainly was very funny. I love Bewitched, but I was definitely more familiar with "Bernice" from Designing Women (I'm 29 years old).
 
She certainly was very funny. I love Bewitched, but I was definitely more familiar with "Bernice" from Designing Women (I'm 29 years old).
 
Black man, Black Man.....

Always think of "Bernice" singing that song on DW, in her own off-beat way. She was like the old spinster aunt in every Southern family, who everyone thinks is just one sandwich short of a picnic basket; but in reality they are wiser than many of us.

Best skit was when Bernice's daugher (or was it niece) wanted to have her committed because amoung other things she keeps referring to the woman's two boys as the "two Dicks".

Personally think much of Miss. Ghostley's best work on televison came after Bewitched, which only used her off and on and not much screen time.

Trivia Question:

Like Paul Lynde before he became "Uncle Arthur", Miss. Ghostley made her appearance on Bewitched in another role; anyone care to guess?

L.
 
Naomi Hogan, the maid hired to help when Samantha was pregnant with Tabitha. Naomi couldn't cook nor keep house very well so Samantha would give her a little "help". It was in this episode that she went cover for the Tate's maid.
 
A Spell in Honor and Memory of Esmeralda

To cause an inanimate object to move. Esmeralda
Thirteen uncles
Eighteen neices
Waggle wag
Your tail to pieces.

Doesn't work. Let's try again.
Flap jacks and noodles
Hamburgers rare
I want two poodles
And make it a pair.
 
second part of spell

Yikes! A bear appears. Get rid of the bear:
Eat a peach
Peel a pear
O'Leary and O'Brien
Bear fade and change to air
To prove that I'm not lyin'.
 
Another Spell from Esmeralda

To straighten the Leaning Tower of Pisa.Esmeralda
My heart is light,
My spirits soar
Tower that leans
Be no more.
 
Very strange

Agnes Moorhead died of cancer thought to have been cause by being down wind from a nuclear bomb test in the 50’s. She was filming the movie "The Conqueror" about Genghis Khan. John Wayne and Susan Hayward, Both died of cancer as did the majority of the cast, it is really scary. I read also not only they were down wind, but the production company scooped up a large amount of the dirt at the location site to be brought back for use on the sound stage set. Wonder if Bewitch was ever filmed in the same sound stage. Bigger question is what unsuspecting construction sit or park/play ground got all the radio active dirt for back fill?
 
A friend did some interior designing for Susan Hayward who went by her married name of Chalkley. When she answered the door, he was sorta dumbstruck because she had given her married name on the phone. Her complexion was flawless and she had him touch her face to prove it wasn't makeup.

In the late 80s, she, along with Robert Vaughn (Man from U.N.C.L.E.) were part of a cast that did an AIDS benefit in Sarasota. As I got on the plane to go home, I nodded to Robert Vaughn was sitting in first class. Passengers back in coach started wondering if it really was Vaughn. Once I explained why he was in Sarasota, women began going up to ask for his autograph. He was still very handsome. We thanked Alice Ghostley at the reception after the show. The crowd around Vaughn was too large to get close.

I remember Bernice wearing that tree skirt at Christmas and when her daughter tried to have her separated from her crazy friends at Sugarbaker's.
 

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