Throwback TV: When BEWITCHED cast a spell that tackles racism
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The Story of How a Group of High Schoolers Wrote an Episode of 'Bewitched'
It is one of the most heartwarming episodes.
The Story of How a Group of High Schoolers Wrote an Episode of ‘Bewitched’
Lauren Novak2 minutes ago
Everett Collection
What To Know
- The “Sisters at Heart” episode of Bewitched was conceived and co-written by 26 African American tenth-graders from Jefferson High School.
- The students’ story was developed with the support of star Elizabeth Montgomery.
- Aired in December 1970, the episode received critical acclaim.
The unlikely journey began in 1969 with a young English teacher named Marcella Saunders. She was only 23 years old and facing a major challenge. Many of her students were reading far below grade level. Saunders realized that her class was far more engaged with television than with classic literature, so she decided to try something unconventional.
She asked her students what shows they liked. Again and again, they mentioned Bewitched. Saunders reached out to several television studios with an idea to use popular TV as a teaching tool. Only one responded, and it was the team behind Bewitched.
Star Elizabeth Montgomery and her husband, director William Asher, were intrigued. After hearing about the students’ struggles, Montgomery and Asher invited Saunders and her class to visit the set. Many of the teens had never been to Hollywood and could not afford the trip, so the couple paid for a chartered bus to bring them there. The students toured the soundstage, met the cast, and saw how a real television show was made.
Inspired by what they saw, the students returned to school and began developing an idea for an episode of their favorite show. Under Saunders’ guidance, they collaborated to create a story about two young girls, one Black and one white, who want to be sisters despite the prejudices of the adults around them. They called it “Sisters at Heart.”
At Christmas in 1969, the class presented their script to Montgomery and Asher as a gift. Montgomery later admitted they had received scripts from professional writers that were not nearly as good. The story still needed polishing, so veteran Bewitched writer Barbara Avedon stepped in to help. She visited Jefferson High School, worked directly with the students, and helped them shape their ideas into a full half-hour teleplay. Avedon promised the teenagers that no changes would be made without their approval, and she treated them as real writing partners.
The finished episode centered on Tabitha Stephens and her friend Lisa Wilson. When the girls are told they cannot be sisters because they have different skin colors, Tabitha uses her magic to try to make them look alike. The plot also involves a racist businessman who learns an important lesson after Samantha Stephens casts a spell that makes him see everyone as Black.
Bewitched/YouTube
When the episode aired, the students received on-screen credit for the story, with all 26 names listed alphabetically. They were invited back to watch filming and even took part in aspects of the production process. The money they earned was donated to keep the educational program going. “Sisters at Heart” became one of the most celebrated episodes of Bewitched and won the Governor’s Award at the 1971 Primetime Emmy Awards. Montgomery often said it was her favorite episode of the entire series.
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