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BEWITCHED IN SALEM TIMELINE

Saturday/Sunday - June 20 & 21, 1970

 

The cast and crew begin to arrive in Salem for on location shooting. They check-in to their accommodations at the Hawthorne Hotel.

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The Boston Globe - Sunday, June 21, 1970

Monday - June 22, 1970

 

Most of the "Bewitched" cast and crew of 32 arrive in Salem, MA over the weekend of June 20, 1970 and check in for their stay at the Hawthorne Hotel. The remainder arrive on Monday, June 22nd.

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Plans for shooting throughout the week are made, to commence on Tuesday, June 23rd in Gloucester.

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Salem Chamber of Commerce President Leonard Berkal pastes a face of Samantha Stephens on top of a sign welcoming visitors to Salem.

Photo from "Salem's Summer of Sam" by Peter Alachi, courtesy of The Salem News.
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The Salem Evening News - Monday, June 22, 1970
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The Gloucester Daily Times - Monday, June 22, 1970

Tuesday - June 23, 1970

 

On Tuesday, June 23, 1970, filming began for season 7 of "Bewitched."

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In the morning, the cast and crew were on location at Hammond Castle in the Magnolia village in Gloucester, MA.

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That afternoon, they moved to Stacy Blvd. to film near the Fisherman's Memorial, at the sewer pumping station, located approx. 150 yards from the actual statue.

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50 years ago today, on Tuesday, June 23, 1970, filming began for season 7 of "Bewitched."
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The crowd watches as Elizabeth Montgomery and Robert Brown rehearse a scene at Hammond Castle in Magnolia on June 23, 1970.
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William Asher directs Elizabeth Montgomery and Robert Brown at Hammond Castle in Magnolia on June 23, 1970.
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William Asher checks a shot at Hammond Castle in Magnolia on June 23, 1970.
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Elizabeth Montgomery signs autographs at Hammond Castle in Magnolia on June 23, 1970.
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William Asher directs a scene on Stacy Blvd. in Gloucester on June 23, 1970.
Dick Sargent, Robert Brown, and Elizabeth Montgomery relax between scenes on Stacy Blvd. in Gloucester on June 23, 1970.
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Dick Sargent, Robert Brown, Elizabeth Montgomery, and stand-in Melody McCord relax between scenes on Stacy Blvd. in Gloucester on June 23, 1970.
Dick Sargent adjusts the umbrella, as Robert Brown poses as the Fisherman's Memorial on June 23, 1970.

Wednesday - June 24, 1970

 

On Wednesday, June 24, 1970, the cast and crew returned to Gloucester to film at the Gloucester House Restaurant.

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Dick Sargent, David White and William Asher pose in front of the Gloucester House Restaurant on June 24, 1970, with owner Michael Linquata (2nd from right).

Photo from the Michael Linquata Collection.
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Elizabeth Montgomery and Gloucester House owner Michael Linquata, June 24, 1970.

Crew in background setting up a shot.

Photo from the Michael Linquata Collection.
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The Gloucester Daily Times - Wednesday, June 24, 1970
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This scene from "Darrin On a Pedestal," filmed 50 years ago today on June 24, 1970, includes a cameo of Gloucester House owner Michael Linquata and his wife.

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How convenient that Larry got to park right in front of the entrance.

Thursday - June 25, 1970

 

On the morning of Thursday, June 25, 1970, the cast and crew shot scenes at The House of the Seven Gables.

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A crowd of about 300 local residents gathered in anticipation of the arrival that morning, and were delighted when Elizabeth Montgomery arrived.

After spending about 3 hours at the House, they unexpectedly returned to Gloucester to reshoot scenes on Stacy Blvd. in the afternoon.

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This could possibly have been to include the 1966 Excalibur that Serena zaps up to go sightseeing with Darrin.

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While previously in Gloucester, producers had seen Marblehead resident William "Uncle Sid" Tracy driving around in the car and asked if they could use it in the episode.

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That evening, Agnes Moorehead arrived in Salem from Ohio to shoot scenes the next day at the Witch House.

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Elizabeth Montgomery arrives at The House of the Seven Gables on the morning of Thursday, June 25, 1970.
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David White and Dick Sargent between scenes at The House of the Seven Gables on the morning of Thursday, June 25, 1970.

Local resident Gary Richard, hired as an assistant and extra, appears in the background. 
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Elizabeth Montgomery waits between scenes at The House of the Seven Gables on the morning of June 25, 1970.

Photo Credit: The Peabody Times via "Salem's Summer of Sam" by Peter Alachi.
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Gary Richard and Elizabeth Montgomery at The House of the Seven Gables on the morning of June 25, 1970.

Photo from the Gary Richard collection.
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Darrin, "Serena" and the 1966 Excalibur from "Darrin On a Pedestal."
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William "Uncle Sid" Tracy in his 1966 Excalibur.

The cast and crew unexpectedly returned to Gloucester to re-shoot scenes on the afternoon of Thursday, July 25, 1970, possibly to include the 1966 Excalibur, which was zapped up by Serena.

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That scene was filmed at the corner of Perkins Rd. and Stacy Blvd.

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The location is almost directly across the street from the sewer pumping station, which was used as the pedestal for the Fishermans Memorial statue.

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Thursday, June 25, 1970, was known as "TV Guide Day," as the cast and crew were accompanied by east coast picture editor Susan Ludel and a TV Guide photographer as they filmed in both Salem at The House of the Seven Gables and once again on Stacy Blvd. in Gloucester.

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As described by Executive Producer Harry Ackerman, who was also present in Salem, the day did not end on a positive note.

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Each evening, when returning to accommodations at the Hawthorne Hotel (then known as the Hawthorne Motor Inn), they would encounter hundreds fans waiting to get a glimpse of Elizabeth. Because of this, she would have to be slipped into the hotel by various means to avoid the crowds, most often unsuccessfully.

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On this day, it was requested by Ms. Ludel that she be delivered to the front entrance, with the fans knowledge, so that the TV Guide photographer could cover the arrival.

Ms. Ludel was informed by Ackerman that they would be shooting in Gloucester until about 8:00pm and to expect the arrival at the hotel at about 8:30pm.

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According to plan, the limousine carrying Elizabeth, Bill Asher, Dick Sargent and Ackerman approached the hotel at almost exactly 8:30pm. Massed in the street were 600 or 700 people and the limo couldn't even get to the curb before it was engulfed with people, "crawling on the hood and everywhere."

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Once Elizabeth was out of the car, she tried to accommodate the people nearest her with photographs, and the police tried to clear an area for picture taking, but the crush was too great and they all had to fight their way into the hotel.

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Inside the hotel lobby, which was also crowded with people, Ackerman was informed that police officers were put on extra duty and stationed around the hotel, and National Guardsmen were stationed on a side street nearby.

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There was only one thing missing. Sue Luddel and the TV Guide photographer. They had already returned to New York.

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Due to the fact that unnecessary extra police officers and the National Guard had been recruited for this "staged" performance devised by Ms. Ludel, Elizabeth felt obligated to post herself in an upstairs window of the hotel, answering questions on a bullhorn and posing for pictures.

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This went on for over two hours without a break, finally having dinner at about 11:30pm after being up since 5:00am, and having to rise at 5:00am the next morning.

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There were also "certain witch-type signs" that were made to be used in the filming, and Ms. Ludel requested that they be delivered to the hotel to be photographed.

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Because they were not scheduled to be delivered by truck until the next morning, the carpenter personally drove them to the hotel that evening, so not to cause any delay for Ms. Ludel, and Ackerman advised her that it would be at least 9:00pm before they could get the shots of Elizabeth and the signs. At that point, she stated that she would plan on leaving to return to New York at about 10:00pm.

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Upon being contacted by a Screen Gems executive, Ms. Ludel stated that she had asked "some member of the crew" to call her at the hotel when they were on the way back to Salem, and when she hadn't heard anything by 7:15pm, took off back to New York.

Ackerman did not accept that information, noting that Ms. Ludel did not bother to leave a note for them, and had not made an attempt to contact them to call off the picture-taking event. He also noted that upon checking with hotel records, she had checked out of the hotel at 5:10pm.

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A two page article titled "Samantha Goes Home" appeared in the September 5-11, 1970 issue of TV Guide. It includes photos taken on the morning of June 25th at The House of the Seven Gables, but no author is credited for the article.

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Susan Ludel passed away July 18, 1999 at the age of 56.

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TV Guide photographs taken on the morning of Thursday, June 25, 1970 at The House of the Seven Gables.
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The "witch-type" signs.

Friday - June 26, 1970

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Friday, June 26, 1970, was supposed to have been the final day of filming in Salem, but due to rain that would not let up, filming was canceled and the day ended up being a bust.

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The morning was spent in trailers near the Witch House, hoping for the opportunity to film scenes with Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick Sargent and Agnes Moorehead, who had arrived in Salem the night before.

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Agnes Moorehead and Elizabeth Montgomery wait for the rain to let up for filming at The Witch House on Friday, June 26, 1970.

Photo Credit: The Salem Evening News
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Scenes completed with the use of rear screen projections, and at the Columbia Ranch in Burbank.

The afternoon was spent with the cast and crew hanging around the Hawthorne Hotel, hoping the rain would let up.

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Some incidental shots of Elizabeth and Dick were shot at the hotel elevator, and used in "Samantha's Bad Day In Salem."

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Elizabeth Montgomery greets fans at the Hawthorne Hotel on the afternoon of Friday, June 26, 1970.
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Elizabeth Montgomery (in the make-up chair),Dick Sargent and William Asher at the Hawthorne Hotel on the afternoon of Friday, June 26, 1970.
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Photos from the Gary Richard Collection
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Scene from "Samantha's Bad Day In Salem," filmed at the Hawthorne Hotel on Friday, June 26, 1970.

That evening, the Hawthorne celebrated the cast and crew with a dinner party they called "When Witches Get Together."

 

The witchy menu consisted of items like a Witches Brew Cocktail (Cauldron of Punch), Green Goulish Stew (Fish Chowder), and Jack O'Lantern Beams (Candied Whole Carrots).

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Elizabeth Montgomery, Agnes Moorehead, Dick Sargent and David White enjoy the dinner party at the Hawthorne Hotel on the evening of Friday, June 26, 1970.
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Color photos from the Gary Richard Collection
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The menu for the "When Witches Get Together" dinner party at the Hawthorne Hotel on the evening of Friday, June 26, 1970.

That day, The Salem Evening News published an article about 19 year old Gary Richard, who was hired as an assistant and stand-in for Dick Sargent.

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Dick Sargent with Gary Richard at The House of the Seven Gables, Thursday, June 25, 1970.

From the Gary Richard Collection.

Saturday - June 27, 1970

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On the morning of Saturday, June 27, 1970, the "Bewitched" cast and crew departed Salem to pandemonium outside of the Hawthorne Hotel.

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Before heading outside to make their way through the crowd of hundreds of people, Elizabeth Montgomery, Agnes Moorehead and Dick Sargent made one last appearance from the hotel window, waving at the crowd.

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Monday - June 29, 1970

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On Monday, June 29, 1970, the cast and crew returned to Columbia Studios in Hollywood to begin regular production on the seventh season of "Bewitched."

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The first three episodes to be completed were "Samantha's Hot Bedwarmer," "Darrin On a Pedestal," and "Samantha's Bad Day In Salem." All three were completed on July 17, 1970.

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None of these episodes required the use of the Stephens home. The set had been completely destroyed in an electrical fire on the sound stage (Stage 4) in April, so it's possible that repairs and reconstruction may still have been underway at this point and these episodes were completed on a different stage.

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TV Guide - Week of September 5 - 11, 1970

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Thursday - October 8, 1970

 

ABC broadcast Episode #203, "THE SALEM SAGA," the first episode to feature on location scenes filmed in Salem, MA.

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To commemorate the event, Salem Mayor Samuel Zoll proclaimed October 8th "Bewitched Day in Salem!"

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