Bewitched washer and dryer
- Thread starter norge999
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GM-Frigidaire.
WK78
WK78
launderess
Well-known member
Appliances shown on Bewitched varied and were largely influenced by whoever was current sponsor.
https://automaticwasher.org/threads/the-bewitched-major-appliance-inventory.86880/
For most of time show ran General Motors was main sponsor of Bewitched, so.....
vacerator
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They sure did advertise Frigidaire like Chevrolet. Even the Astrovette show car. GM was a sponsor. I think Zenith TV too.
launderess
Well-known member
Both Chevrolet and Frigidaire were General Motors companies at the time.
GM got out of the major appliance market early on seeing where things were going.
Post WWII boom had slowly petered out and major appliance sales were more and more about replacing old or whatever appliances rather than huge amounts of new home construction.
On other side of things many of their plants that produced various appliances (such as famous Jet Action washing machines) were worn out and required retooling. Cost benefit analysis probably showed it just wasn't worth GM bothering.
vacerator
Well-known member
That and, GM needed a second plant for the S series small trucks.
launderess
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Set design for Sam's kitchen over the years often made no real world sense.
Having W&D near side door to carport made sense in that Sam could use that side door to reach backyard where clothesline would be located. Sam and Darrin never had a clothesline from what one can ever tell and besides why would they? Sam had a dryer.
That washer and dryer being where they were also made sense when set was redesigned giving a second "back" staircase that supposedly lead down to kitchen area. All well and good but that staircase didn
Product placement, really nothing more.
GM was paying good money to sponsor Bewitched and had every right to get best bang for their bucks.
Final seasons Bewitched was only on air largely due to fact sponsors and others threw buckets of money at Elizabeth Montgomery and her husband (whose marriage by then was on the rocks) to keep it going. Show ended when EM put her foot down and said money or not she was done.
vacerator
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The entire street the Stevens House was on were set facades in the universal studios back lot. I've seen it in other TV shows.
launderess
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When you think about it most action in Sam's kitchen took place within a triangle formed by sink, range and fridge (with table in center). It wasn't that often we got to see rest of Sam's kitchen including area near door to carport where W&D were located.
vacerator
Well-known member
I liked how the oven was visible from the dining room through the pass through
launderess
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Ratings for Bewitched began to decline by 6th season. Large reason was departure of Dick York who played Darrin and replaced by Dick Sargent. Audiences just didn't take to Dick Sargent and didn't understand why Dick York left series.
Also by that time Elizabeth Montgomery was clearly phoning in her performances. It was clear she wasn't happy any longer playing Sam Stephens and began doing all sorts of passive-aggressive things such as not wearing a bra and shedding Sam's suburban matron image.
Scripts were being reused, cast members departed (original Louise Tate got the push for being on side of Dick York, IIRC). Agnes Moorehead had her contract rewritten to include less episodes so she would be free to do other things.
launderess
Well-known member
Which was torn down a few years ago.....
And lets remember that Dick Sargent was the original Darrin, but he turned it down. I liked Dick York better. Too bad about his back pain which ended his role as Darrin.
launderess
Well-known member
Dick York made far better Darrin than Dick Sargent, period.
Maybe because DS was gay there just wasn't same sort of chemistry or whatever between his Darrin and Dick York's. They do say EM felt DY was bit too free with his hands and that it was her call to give Dick York the push (back injuries or not), but whatever.
Dick York also seemed to capture well the confusion and sometimes fear that came from knowing what his wife and family were, and what they were also capable of doing. Dick York's Darrin often raised his voice to Sam, but in a different way.
OTOH Dick Sargent's Darrin was always either yelling at Sam, threatening members of her family (you'd have thought by then he'd know better) or otherwise behaving as if he was always annoyed.
The parents had a dryer added a year into the 1964 house but mom continued to line-dry much of the laundry during the non-winter seasons into the 1980s.
Speaking of Frigidaire, back in the 60's, my aunt and uncle had all GM Frigidaire appliances and they were rock solid.
It wasn't until around 1970 or so when they bought a new Whirlpool washer and dryer. And they were both rock solid as well.
Made in USA
It wasn't until around 1970 or so when they bought a new Whirlpool washer and dryer. And they were both rock solid as well.
Made in USA
One of my dad's uncles had a Chevy dealership during the Frigidaire time so all their appliances were such. We went to their place once for a holiday in the 1960s (Easter? Thanksgiving?). I remember having a look at the washer and dryer but don't recall details other than they were really fancy-looking so surely were TOL units. They had a dishwasher but refused to run it after the meal because it was "very noisy" ... I was NOT happy about that!
magic_clean
Well-known member
Was watching a few Bewitched episodes on YT recently. With regard to the washer and dryer, they did show up from time to time. Very early on in Season 1, when the nosy neighbors and their boys came calling. Gladys Kravitz walked passed them to answer the kitchen door and they were in view for a bit. But, as mentioned the Custom Imperial Flair range was in many scenes and in use often. A few times there were close ups in front of the range showing the analog clock. Some times as the scenes changed the clock either kept time or there were large time differences. Guess they were reshooting or editing. Also, the "Flair" emblem was in clear view too on occasion. Getting back to the topic, I wonder how many Flair's and other GM products were sold due to Bewitched placement.
On another episode, when Samantha's father showed up, She had the refrigerator shelves, crisper and door bins taken out and the contents of fridge on the table while she was cleaning it.
On another episode, when Samantha's father showed up, She had the refrigerator shelves, crisper and door bins taken out and the contents of fridge on the table while she was cleaning it.
vacerator
Well-known member
Correction on the showcar used in bewitched. It was not the Astrovette. It's the Reactor built by Gene Winfield. It has a Corvair air cooled flat Six engine and Citroen DS hydropneumatic suspension.
phillymatt53
Well-known member
I suspect that a lot, if not all, appliances used in many TV series shows and sitcoms are merely props. - empty shells just for the visual effects.
Stripped of internals to lessen weight, making transporting, shipping, storing, and setting up quicker and easier.
And possibly aquired that way from the manufacturers at a production cost saving to the show production department.
As for the Steven's house, I found that it wasn't even fully constructed.
The upstairs wasn't ever finished.
Various scenes like in a bedroom, were shot someplace in the studio.
For more information, consult with Gladys Kravitz.... SHE knows everything.
Stripped of internals to lessen weight, making transporting, shipping, storing, and setting up quicker and easier.
And possibly aquired that way from the manufacturers at a production cost saving to the show production department.
As for the Steven's house, I found that it wasn't even fully constructed.
The upstairs wasn't ever finished.
Various scenes like in a bedroom, were shot someplace in the studio.
For more information, consult with Gladys Kravitz.... SHE knows everything.
On the show, DY Darrin, and AM Endora were always fighting. But behind scenes, they got along great.
phillymatt53
Well-known member
Yes, it's called acting, and following the script.
Never would have guessed.....
steved
Well-known member
These machines were 1964 Custom Imperial models and were probably "Sunny Yellow" as Avocado didn't appear for 3 more years. The early episodes that were colorized were not accurate color-wise.
From the kitchen, you could see into the laundry room on the Beverly Hillbillies, but you could never get close enough to see that brand and model they were. I still remember those perfectly folded towels on top of the washer and dryer.
It seems to me they changed brands after a few seasons. The early episodes looked like Maytag. I don't know what brand these are from the picture.
It seems to me they changed brands after a few seasons. The early episodes looked like Maytag. I don't know what brand these are from the picture.
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TOL Maytags. Around 1964 vintage.
1964/1965 Maytag YA902/YDG750
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