Whatever Happened To Elizabeth Montgomerys’ 3 Children? How Bewitched Destroyed Their Lives | HO!!

In the golden age of television, few stars shone brighter than Elizabeth Montgomery. As Samantha Stevens on Bewitched, she was the glamorous, witty witch who could twitch her nose and make problems disappear. For eight seasons, America watched her conjure magic and laughter, embodying the perfect wife and mother in a world where every conflict had a happy ending.

But behind the laugh track and sparkling TV magic, Elizabeth Montgomery’s real life was far more complicated—and so were the lives of her three children: William, Robert, and Rebecca. Decades after her passing, fans still wonder: What became of Elizabeth Montgomery’s kids? And did the pressures of fame and the legacy of Bewitched leave a mark that never truly faded?

Born Into Hollywood Royalty

Elizabeth Victoria Montgomery was born on April 15, 1933, in Los Angeles, California. Her father, Robert Montgomery, was a leading man of the 1930s and ’40s, a respected director and producer. Her mother, Elizabeth Daniel Brian Allen, was a Broadway actress with a regal stage presence. From the outside, Elizabeth’s childhood seemed charmed—a home of privilege filled with show business connections, discipline, and structure.

But as Elizabeth herself later recalled, “Dad expected excellence. He taught me discipline, but I had to learn tenderness on my own.” That emotional toughness would shape not only her own journey, but the way she raised her children under the relentless expectations of Hollywood.

After attending Beverly Hills’ Westlake School for Girls, Elizabeth studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. She was determined to prove herself, not as Robert Montgomery’s daughter, but as Elizabeth in her own right.

Stardom and the Bewitched Era

Elizabeth’s career took off in the early 1950s, first appearing on her father’s anthology series Robert Montgomery Presents. By the early 1960s, she was a respected television actress, but her life would change forever in 1964 with the premiere of Bewitched.

As Samantha Stevens, Elizabeth became a household name. The show was an instant sensation, and her comedic timing and iconic nose twitch made her beloved across America. But the magic onscreen masked a much more complex reality behind the scenes.

Her marriage to Bewitched producer William Asher blurred the lines between family and work. Their arguments sometimes spilled onto the set, creating tension among cast and crew.

Co-star Dick York’s chronic health issues further complicated production, and when he left the series in 1969, Elizabeth’s close friend Dick Sargent stepped in. Montgomery’s support for Sargent, especially after he came out as gay years later, revealed her deep compassion—a trait not always visible in the pressurized world of network television.

Motherhood in the Spotlight

During Bewitched’s run, Elizabeth’s pregnancies were woven into the show’s storyline. Her first child, William Asher Jr., was born in July 1964, just as the series premiered. Robert Asher followed in October 1965, and Rebecca Elizabeth Asher arrived in June 1969.

Elizabeth often joked, “I was memorizing lines on set and rocking cribs at home.” But the reality was anything but easy. The pressure to maintain her image as the perfect TV wife and mother was relentless, and the demands of fame left little room for privacy or rest.

Crew members remember Elizabeth’s dressing room filled with baby cribs, toys, and script pages—a reminder that she was both America’s favorite witch and a very real mother, juggling sleepless nights and early call times.

The Hidden Cost of Fame

For Elizabeth Montgomery’s children, growing up in the shadow of Bewitched was a double-edged sword. On one hand, they were surrounded by privilege and opportunity. On the other, their lives were shaped by the pressures and scrutiny of Hollywood.

William Asher Jr. (Bill) spent his early childhood around studio lots and production offices. Though he eventually chose not to act, Bill remained connected to entertainment through behind-the-scenes work in production. But he always preferred to keep a low profile, quietly distancing himself from the spotlight that had defined his mother’s career.

Robert Asher was born just as Elizabeth returned to set for Bewitched’s second season. Friends recalled her bringing the baby to set, trying to weave family and work together. But as he grew older, Robert chose an even more private path, avoiding Hollywood altogether. To this day, little is publicly known about his personal life—a testament to his desire for normalcy after years of living in the public eye.

Rebecca Elizabeth Asher, born during the show’s fifth season, inherited her mother’s creative spark. Rather than acting, Rebecca gravitated toward directing and editing, building a strong career in Hollywood with credits on acclaimed series like Arrested Development, WandaVision, and Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23. Speaking about her upbringing, Rebecca once shared, “My mom never wanted me to feel pressured to act. She just wanted me to find my own magic.”

Did Bewitched Destroy Their Lives?

The answer isn’t simple. While the children of Elizabeth Montgomery were never embroiled in scandal or tabloid drama, the legacy of Bewitched—and the pressures of being Hollywood’s “perfect family”—left deep marks.

For Bill and Robert, the experience seems to have driven them away from the spotlight. Both have lived largely private lives, rarely speaking publicly about their mother or the show that made her famous. Friends and family say the relentless scrutiny and expectations pushed them to seek out normalcy and anonymity, a stark contrast to their mother’s public persona.

Rebecca, meanwhile, found her own path in entertainment, but behind the camera rather than in front of it. In interviews, she’s spoken about the “double life” of growing up with a famous mother—one adored by millions, but known privately only to her children. Her success as a director and editor is a testament to Elizabeth’s encouragement of independence and creativity, yet Rebecca has admitted that the pressure to live up to her mother’s legacy was always present.

Elizabeth Montgomery’s Struggle for Identity

After Bewitched ended in 1972, Elizabeth Montgomery faced a crossroads. She refused to be trapped by the image of Samantha Stevens, instead taking on television films that tackled difficult, often controversial subjects. Her performance in A Case of Rape (1974) and The Legend of Lizzie Borden (1975) showed a dramatic range far removed from sitcom magic.

Away from the screen, Elizabeth was a passionate advocate for women’s rights, LGBTQ+ equality, and AIDS awareness. Her friendship with Dick Sargent, who came out as gay in the 1990s, was especially meaningful, and she lent her voice to causes long before it was common for celebrities to do so.

Elizabeth’s personal life was just as eventful. Married four times, she finally found lasting happiness with actor Robert Foxworth, whom she met in the early 1970s. They lived together for more than 20 years before marrying in 1993, just two years before her death.

The Final Chapter

In March 1995, Elizabeth Montgomery was diagnosed with colon cancer. The disease spread quickly, and she spent her final weeks at home in Beverly Hills, surrounded by her children and Robert Foxworth. On May 18, 1995, she passed away at age 62.

Her funeral was small and private, as she wished. But the outpouring of love was enormous. Fans left flowers at her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences honored her with a memorial tribute. For her children, the loss was deeply personal. Though they rarely speak publicly, those close to the family say Bill, Robert, and Rebecca grieved privately, remembering not the TV witch adored by millions, but the mother who cooked their meals and encouraged them to live authentically.

Legacy: Magic and Shadows

Elizabeth Montgomery’s legacy endures through her children, her fans, and Hollywood itself. Bill and Robert carry her values quietly, living outside the spotlight but embodying the groundedness she always longed for. Rebecca credits her mother for encouraging independence and creativity—a gift she brings into her directing career.

Yet, the question remains: Did Bewitched destroy their lives? In some ways, the pressure and scrutiny of fame forced each child to carve out their own identity, away from the expectations of Hollywood. In other ways, Elizabeth’s determination to give them a normal childhood—home-cooked meals, bedtime routines, personal attention—may have shielded them from the worst of the industry’s excesses.

Nearly sixty years after Bewitched first aired, Elizabeth Montgomery remains beloved across generations. Her star still draws flowers and notes, and Hollywood continues to honor her influence. But perhaps her greatest legacy isn’t Samantha Stevens, but the resilience and independence she instilled in her children.

Her story reminds us that behind the sparkle of television was a woman of strength, creativity, and grace—a mother, an activist, and an icon whose light still shines, even in the shadows cast by fame.