Trivia: The daughter of film star Robert Montgomery, Elizabeth Montgomery made her television bow on her father's popular 1950s anthology series. Her first film was 1955's The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell, for which she was generously reviewed as one of the most dynamic young actresses of her time. Often cast in hypertense roles, Montgomery won an Emmy for her portrayal of a conniving gun moll on a 1959 episode of TV's The Untouchables. She shifted to domestic comedy with ease in the role of Samantha Stephens, the attractive witch heroine of the long-running (1964-1973) TV sitcom Bewitched. After this project folded, Montgomery returned to dramatic roles with a vengeance, spending the next two decades starring as abused, beleaguered women in such TV movies as A Case of Rape (1974) and The Legend of Lizzie Borden (1975). In her last made-for-TV project, Montgomery portrayed real-life reporter Edna Buchanan. Among Elizabeth Montgomery's husbands were actors Gig Young, producer/director William Asher, and Robert Foxworth.

Trivia: His father was a World War I flying ace, and his mother was a silent film actress. His name was Richard Cox until he changed it to Dick Sargent, fearing that casting directors of the 1950s would assume he was trying to capitalize on the success of then-hot TV star Wally Cox. In films since 1957's Bernardine, Sargent was also a regular on several one-season-wonder TV series of the '60s; his oddest gig was on the very short-lived The Tammy Grimes Show (1966), playing the star's twin brother. Sargent's latter-day fame rests with his five-season (1969-73) tenure as the "second Darrin Stevens" on the weekly sitcom Bewitched. "I don't know why (Dick York) quit the show" commented Sargent at the time he succeeded York as Darrin. "I just thank God that he did." At the peak of his popularity, Sargent listed a failed first marriage on his studio biography. This, however, was a subterfuge, calculated to keep the actor's homosexuality a secret. Many years after the cancellation of Bewitched, Sargent became incensed at California governor Pete Wilson's veto of a gay-rights bill. At this point, the actor deliberately put his career on the line by making public his own sexual orientation. Thus, Sargent was one of the first major Hollywood actors to voluntarily come out of the closet without the spectre of AIDS hanging over him. Dick Sargent died of prostate cancer at the reported age of 61.

Trivia: Character actor David White is best remembered for playing advertising executive Larry Tate on the popular '60s sitcom Bewitched (1964-1972), but he began his career as a movie actor in 1957 with The Sweet Smell of Success. White died of a heart attack in 1990. He was married to actress Mary Welch.

Trivia: Born in Missouri and educated at the University of Oklahoma, Alice Ghostley created a sensation in her first Broadway production, New Faces of 1952. In the company of such powerhouse co-stars as Paul Lynde, Robert Clary and Carol Lawrence, Ghostley stole the show with her plaintive renditions of the satirical ballads "The Boston Beguine" and "Time for Tea." Within a year of New Faces, she was headlined in the film version of that popular revue and was cast as a regular on the network-TV series Freedom Ring. Ghostley has been convulsing audiences ever since, playing a rich variety of man-chasing bachelorettes, overprotective mothers and dotty neighbors. While most of her film appearances have been in comedies (Viva Max!, The Graduate, Grease), Ghostley proved quite effective in the comparatively straight role of Stephanie Crawford in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). In 1965, she won a Tony award for her performance in the Broadway seriocomedy The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window. In addition, Ghostley has been a regular or semi-regular on a multitude of TV series: The Jackie Gleason Show, Car 54 Where Are You, Captain Nice, The Jonathan Winters Show, The Golddiggers, Designing Women and a host of others. She is most fondly remembered for her portrayal of bumbling witch Esmerelda on the long-running (1964-72) sitcom Bewitched. On both this series and 1972's Temperatures Rising, Alice Ghostley was reunited with her old New Faces cohort, Paul Lynde. Ghostley died of colon cancer at age 81 in September 2007.

Trivia: Instantly recognizable for his sophisticated and grim-visaged manner of speech and his sharp, expressive features, popular character actor Jonathan Harris' villainous role on the beloved series Lost in Space earned him both a noted spot in the annals of television history and a warm place in the hearts of TV viewers everywhere. Born Jonathan Charasuchin in November 1914, the son of impoverished Russian-Jewish immigrants worked as a pharmacy box boy in his early teens, later pursuing a pharmacology degree from Fordham University. Though successful in his early career, the young pharmacist couldn't resist the lure of the stage, and after changing his surname, Jonathan Harris began making frequent appearances on the local stock company stages. Though his talent was undeniable, Harris felt that his thick New York accent impeded his ability to pursue the roles he wanted. Taking to British film as a means to remedy this, Harris took in as many British movies as possible in order to re-create their speech patterns, an ability he used to striking effect on both stage and screen -- so effective, in fact, that it became his trademark, with many of his fans failing to realize that offscreen, Harris' accent was pure "New Yorkese." Eventually drawn to the bright lights of Broadway, Harris became a fixture in the office of the Henry Miller Theater. Introduced to Gilbert Miller by Miller's sympathetic secretary, Harris' Broadway career subsequently took off following a small role in The Heart of a City. After finding a steady career on the stages of New York and on live television, Harris packed his bags for Hollywood and made his feature debut in 1953's Botany Bay. Television roles in The Twilight Zone and Bewitched followed in short succession, and in 1965 Harris received the biggest break of his career when cast in Lost in Space. Crediting producer Irwin Allen with giving him free rein regarding character interpretation, Harris quickly became the biggest draw of Lost in Space due to his unique comic villainy. Despite his co-stars' rumored aggravation over his breakout performance, Harris' utter professionalism and genuinely friendly demeanor won over cast and crew as effectively as his villainous persona did the viewing public. Also appearing in such popular television series as Zorro, Sanford and Son, and Night Gallery, Harris would frequently lend his distinct voice to numerous cartoons (Darkwing Duck, Freakazoid!) in addition to the infrequent theatrical release (A Bug's Life [1998] and Toy Story 2 [1999]). Married to high school sweetheart Gertrude in 1938, the couple's marriage endured to Harris' death in late 2002 resulting from a blood clot in his heart. He was 87.

Trivia: American actor Bert Convy excelled in baseball while attending North Hollywood High School and was signed upon graduation by the Philadelphia Phillies. After two years' stagnation in the Phillies' farm system, Convy gave up baseball and attended UCLA, where he became a member of a briefly popular singing group called the Cheers. A 1959 stint with the songs-and-laughs Billy Barnes Revue led to small TV and movie parts, notably a brief bit as a murder victim in the Roger Corman "C minus" horror classic Bucket of Blood (1959). Convy's star ascended on Broadway in the 1960s, when he originated two memorable musical comedy roles: Perchik in Fiddler on the Roof, and Clifford Bradshaw in Cabaret. He was a popular variety-show guest star in that decade, but despite starring appearances in several TV pilots he was unable to get his own prime time series. However, thanks to his ingratiating personality and smooth speaking voice, Convy developed into the perfect daytime game show host, headlining such quizzers of the 1970s and 1980s as Tattletales (which won him an Emmy), Super Password, The Third Degree and Win, Lose or Draw. This last program was co-produced by Convy's close friend Burt Reynolds, who had previously arranged for Convy to obtain good secondary roles in several of Reynolds' films. Convy finally cracked prime time TV with a continuing role on the 1972 mystery series The Snoop Sisters; four years later, The Late Summer-Early Fall Bert Convy Show was briefly telecast by CBS, with Convy presiding over a motley crew of sketch comics. From 1977 to 1986, Convy was a frequent guest star on the long-running TV anthology series The Love Boat, seemingly popping up in every other episode when the series is rerun today. Convy co-starred in the very short-lived TV sitcom It's Not Easy in 1983, and hosted the 1984 Candid Camera clone People Do the Craziest Things. In 1989, the actor learned that he had a brain tumor, and in 1990 suffered a series of severe strokes. One year later, Bert Convy was dead at the age of 58.

Trivia: Often introduced as "one of America's most familiar faces," it's likely that you've caught a glimpse of Ron Masak either in one of his over 300 appearances in various television shows, on that commercial that lingers in the back of your memory somewhere (he was once blessed with the moniker "king of commercials" and was the voice of the Vlassic Pickle Stork for 15 years), or maybe in one of his 15 feature film appearances. Whatever you might recognize him from, if you don't remember his name, he's the guy that you know you've seen somewhere before, but just might not be able to place where. A native of Chicago, IL (he was once offered a contract with the Chicago White Sox by Hall-of-Famer Rogers Hornsby), Masak was classically trained as an actor at the Windy City's own CCC. A tireless performer, Masak found an initial platform for his talents in the Army, where he toured the world entertaining in an all-Army show in which he served as writer, performer, and director. Masak became well-known not only for his acting abilities, but for the fact that he was a dedicated performer who never missed a show. Proving himself adept at roles ranging from Shakespeare to his almost decade-long stint as the sheriff on Murder She Wrote, Masak thrived in theater and in commercial work around Chicago in the late '50s and early '60s.After a few minor roles in such television series as Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, The Monkees, and The Flying Nun (not to mention what many consider to be one of the earliest Elvis impersonations on the Spade Cooley Show in 1958), Masak was spotted by producer Harry Ackerman early in his career and went to California to audition for a lead in a pilot. Though that particular prospect fell through, Masak was introduced to John Sturges, a meeting which resulted in his feature debut in the cold-war thriller Ice Station Zebra (1968). Masak's work as an emcee is another testament to his universal appeal and versatile likeability; he has served as host for some of the biggest names in show business, including such talents as Kenny Rogers and Billy Crystal. Masak also starred in four of the most successful sales motivational videos of all time, including Second Effort with Vince Lombardi and Ya Gotta Believe with Tommy Lasorda (which Masak also wrote and directed). The first recipient of MDA's Humanitarian of the Year Award, Masak's work as field announcer for the Special Olympics and his eight-year stint as host of The Jerry Lewis Telethon represents only a fraction of his remarkable work as a compassionate philanthropist, and though Masak's film work may not be as prolific or as frequent as his extensive television work, his roles in such films as Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) are always memorable and constantly ring true with an appeal that often leaves a lasting impression, even though his screen time may be brief and his characters secondary.

Trivia: A leading light of network radio in the 1940s and 1950s, actor Parley Baer appeared on virtually every major program emanating from Los Angeles. Baer is most closely associated with the radio version of Gunsmoke, in which, from 1955 to 1961, he played Dodge City deputy Chester Proudfoot. Those who worked on Gunsmoke have had nothing but the kindest words for Baer, who endeared himself to his colleagues via his dedication, professionalism, and weekly purchase of donuts for the rehearsal sessions. The jowly, prematurely balding Baer began free-lancing in films around 1949. He played a number of small parts at 20th Century-Fox (his largest, and least typical, was the Nazi sergeant in 1957's The Young Lions), and later showed up in such films as Warner Bros.' Gypsy (1963) and Universal's Counterpoint (1993). On television, Baer portrayed Darby on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Mayor Stoner on The Andy Griffith Show (1962-63 season) and Mr. Hamble on the 1966 Red Buttons sitcom The Double Life of Henry Phyfe. Active into the 1990s--he was seen as the Senate Majority Leader in 1993's Dave--Parley Baer is most familiar to the public as the voice of commercialdom's Keebler Elf.

Trivia: Actor Dick York started out as a child performer on radio, playing important roles in such airwaves favorites as Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy. In the early '50s, York began showing up in New York-based instructional films, including a now-infamous reel about proper dating etiquette. Establishing himself as one of Broadway's most versatile young character actors, he was seen in such major productions as Tea and Sympathy, Bus Stop, and Night of the Auk. In films from 1955, York's most famous movie role was schoolteacher Bertram Cates in Inherit the Wind, the 1960 dramatization of the Scopes Monkey Trial. Though a prolific TV guest star, he didn't settle down on a weekly series until 1962, when he co-starred with Gene Kelly and Leo G. Carroll in a short-lived video adaptation of Going My Way. Two years later, he landed his signature role: Darren Stephens, the eternally flustered husband of glamorous witch Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery), in Bewitched. He remained with the series until 1969, when a recurring back ailment (the legacy of an on-set injury suffered while filming the 1959 feature They Came to Cordura) forced York to relinquish the role of Darren to Dick Sargent. Though he was for all intents and purposes retired from acting, York remained active on behalf of several pro-social causes. He was the founder of Acting for Life, an organization designed to help the homeless help themselves. Living a spartan existence in Grand Rapids, MI, an increasingly infirm Dick York tirelessly continued giving of himself for the benefit of others until his death from emphysema in 1992.

Trivia: At age three Agnes Moorehead first appeared onstage, and at 11 she made her professional debut in the ballet and chorus of the St. Louis Opera. As a teenager she regularly sang on local radio. She earned a Ph.D. in literature and studied theater at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She began playing small roles on Broadway in 1928; shortly thereafter she shifted her focus to radio acting, becoming a regular on the radio shows March of Time, Cavalcade of America, and a soap opera series. She toured in vaudeville from 1933-36 with Phil Baker. In 1940 she joined Orson Welles's Mercury Theater Company, giving a great boost to her career. Moorehead debuted onscreen as Kane's mother in Welles' film Citizen Kane (1941). Her second film was Welles' The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), for which she received a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination; ultimately she was nominated for an Oscars five times, never winning. In films, she tended to play authoritarian, neurotic, puritanical, or soured women, but also played a wide range of other roles, and was last onscreen in 1972. In the '50s she toured the U.S. with a stellar cast giving dramatic readings of Shaw's Don Juan in Hell. In 1954 she began touring in The Fabulous Redhead, a one-woman show she eventually took to over 200 cities across the world. She was also active on TV; later audiences remember her best as the witch Endora, Elizabeth Montgomery's mother, in the '60s TV sitcom Bewitched. Moorehead's last professional engagement was in the Broadway musical Gigi. She died of lung cancer in 1974. She was married to actors John Griffith Lee (1930-52) and Robert Gist (1953-58).