I Love the Illusion: The Life and Career of Agnes Moorehead (63 page)

“It was quite a pressure . . . ,” Agnes to Georgia Johnstone, 5/7/63, The
Georgia Johnstone Papers re: Agnes Moorehead, T-Mss 2003-039, Billy
Rose Theatre Collection, The New York Public Library for the Performing
Arts, Box 1, folder 2.

“. . . Most teenagers are alike . . . ,” Agnes in
The Cleveland Daily Banner,
Cleveland Tn., 3/21/63.
Paul Gregory preparing
One of My Lovers is Missing for Agnes,
from the Paul
Gregory Papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming, Laramie.
“2 large stones were found and removed . . . I only hope and pray that
she will have some good normal years ahead of her,” Agnes to Georgia
Johnstone, 6/12 & 6/13/63, The Georgia Johnstone Papers re: Agnes
Moorehead, T-Mss 2003-039, Billy Rose Theatre Collection, The New
York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Box 1, folder 2.
Agnes’ comments from the
Flashbacks
program found in clippings of an
article titled
Moorehead about Virginia, Unrealistic and Sick
by Helen
McNamra, found in The Papers of Agnes Moorehead, Wisconsin State
Historical Society Archives, Box 154.
Letters in support of Agnes’ comments in
Flashbacks
also found in The
Papers of Agnes Moorehead, Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives,
Box 154.
The backstage story on the development of
Bewitched
comes courtesy of
Bewitched Forever
(Herbie J Pilato, The Summit Publishing Group, 1996),
an excellent biography of the show and its cast and crew A must for any
serious fan of the show.
Elizabeth Montgomery was “a lot of fun . . . ,” Laurie Main to the author,
4/21/04.
“He was from Chicago and was in New York . . . ,” Karl Malden to
author, 10/1/02.
Account of York injuring his back on
They Came to Cordura
from
The
Seesaw Girl and Me
(Dick York, New Path Press, 2004).
“Dick, she isn’t as ugly as you said she was . . . ,” told to the author by
Joey York, 6/30/02, and also recounted in
The Seesaw Girl and Me
(pg.86)
“He was just too perfect for the part . . . ,” William Asher to author,
3/28/02.
Story of how Elizabeth Montgomery approached Agnes at
Bloomingdales about playing “Mother” was told by William Asher to
author, and is also included in
Bewitched Forever
(pg.18)
Paul Gregory’s belief that he was “instrumental” in getting
Bewitched
for
Agnes, Paul Gregory to author, 11/5/03.
“The script sent to me by Dozier was titled,
Bewitched
and they want me
to play a witch . . . ,” Agnes to Georgia Johnstone, 10/24/63, The Georgia
Johnstone Papers re: Agnes Moorehead, T-Mss 2003-039, Billy Rose
Theatre Collection, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts,
Box 1, folder 2.
“I thought people would rather watch an operation or something,”
Agnes in the
Dallas Times Herald,
6/7/65.
“I’m not at all wicked . . . ,” Agnes quoted by Sally Hammond in the
LA
Citizen News,
8/1/64.
“The Ultimate mother-in-law,” William Asher to author, 3/28/02.
“. . . Please don’t worry about preliminary indications of wild ghost
outfits . . . ,” William Dozier to Agnes, 11/7/63, The Papers of Agnes
Moorehead, Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives, Box 73.
“The whole thing was very strange . . . ,” Elizabeth Montgomery to
Herbie J Pilato,
Bewitched Forever
(pg. 4)
Agnes stating she was “trapped” when pilot of
Bewitched
was picked up,
TV Guide,
July 17-25, 1965.
“I found my series was sold . . . ,” Agnes to Georgia Johnstone, 2/20/64,
The Georgia Johnstone Papers re: Agnes Moorehead, T-Mss 2003-039,
Billy Rose Theatre Collection, The New York Public Library for the
Performing Arts, Box 1, folder 3.
“
Barefoot
was offered to me . . . ,” Agnes to Georgia Johnstone, 4/1/64,
The Georgia Johnstone Papers re: Agnes Moorehead, T-Mss 2003-039,
Billy Rose Theatre Collection, The New York Public Library for the
Performing Arts, Box 1 folder 3.
“. . . she’s not hateful but mischievous . . . ,”
The Detroit News,
11/11/71.
“. . . very easy to work with and such a professional . . . ,” Karl Malden to
author, 10/1/02.
Background on the filming of
Hush . . . Hush, Sweet Charlotte
comes
from the following sources:
Fasten Your Seatbelts: The Passionate Life of Bette
Davis
(Lawrence J. Quirk, William Morrow & Company, 1990) and
Joan
Crawford, A Biography
(Bob Thomas, Simon and Schuster, 1978).
“. . . bless you my dear friend . . . ,” Joan Crawford to Agnes, The Papers
of Agnes Moorehead, Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives, Box 72.
“I will be in the middle of this series . . . ,” Agnes to Georgia Johnstone,
“I will be in the middle of this series . . . ,” Agnes to Georgia Johnstone,
039, Billy Rose Theatre Collection, The New York Public Library for the
Performing Arts, Box 1, folder 3.
“Thank you so much for being so nice to me . . . ,” Joan Crawford to
Agnes, 9/4/64, The Papers of Agnes Moorehead, Wisconsin State Historical
Society Archives, Box 72.
“When it came to the actual shoot . . . ,”
Debbie: My Life
(pg. 277-278).
“I am in a literal merry-go-round . . . ,” Agnes to Georgia Johnstone,
“I am in a literal merry-go-round . . . ,” Agnes to Georgia Johnstone,
039, Billy Rose Theatre Collection, The New York Public Library for the
Performing Arts, Box 1 folder 3.
“The chief charms of
Bewitched
are . . . ,” The
New York Telegram,
Harriett Van Horne, 9/18/64.
“Playing her mischief brewing mother . . . ,” The
New York Daily News,
Kay Gardella, 9/18/64.
“Between you and me and Halloween . . . ,”
TV Guide,
Cleveland Amory.

Fan mail sited found in The Papers of Agnes Moorehead, Wisconsin
State Historical Society Archives, Box 73.
“I am so tired, I can’t tell you they can take these series and go some
place far away . . . ,” Agnes Moorehead (AM) to Georgia Johnstone (GJ),
The Georgia Johnstone Papers re: Agnes Moorehead, T-Mss 2003-039,
Billy Rose Theatre collection, The New York Public Library for the
Performing Arts, Box 1, folder 3.
“Aggie’s big debate . . . ,” Dick York to Herbie J Pilato,
Bewitched Forever
(pg. 58).
“She took direction better . . . ,”
Bewitched Forever
(pg. 58-59).
“A luxury shoot,” Kasey Rogers to author, 1/11/04.
Montgomery was “every man’s idea of the ideal wife . . . ,” and York, “was
a hell of a comedian . . . ,” Kasey Rogers to author, 1/11/04.
Sam’s twitch . . . “Do Something!,” Bill Asher quoted in the
New York
Times,
11/22/64.
“She has quality, charm, warmth intelligence. Of course you know she
plays herself . . . ,” Agnes re: Elizabeth Montgomery,
TV Guide
article,
Agnes Moorehead’s Recipe for TV Success,
July 17, 1965.
Telegram from Elizabeth Montgomery to Agnes re: TV-Radio Mirror
Award, 2/19/65, The Papers of Agnes Moorehead, The Wisconsin State
Historical Society Archives, Box 78.
Comments by
Bewitched Forever
author, Herbie J Pilato, from an e-mail
interview, 1/17/04.
TV Guide’s
profile of Dick York, which includes York’s comments on
being “open to any and all ideas and thoughts . . .” re: religion, and Agnes’s
comment that “I probably understand him better than the others . . . ,”
published in
TV Guide,
May 29, 1965.
“Dick York absolutely loved Agnes . . . ,” Herbie J Pilato to author,
e-mail interview, 1/17/04.
“Dick admired and enjoyed working with Aggie . . . ,” Joey York to
author, interview, 6/30/02.
Robert Palmer’s comment that Agnes believed that York was the one
“who really held the show together . . . ,” from
Dreaming of Jeannie, TV’s
Prime Time in a Bottle
(Steve Cox with Howard Frank, St. Martin’s Press,
2000).
Background on the Golden Globe awards telecast 2/8/65 from Tom
O’ Neil’s
A Variety Book Movie Awards: The Ultimate, Unofficial Guide to the
Oscars, Golden Globes, Critics, Guild & Indie Honors
(pg. 273-274).
Background on the Academy Award ceremony on 4/5/64 come from the
following sources: Tom O’Neil’s
A Variety Book Movie Awards: The Ultimate
Guide to the Oscars, Golden Globes, Critics, Guild & Indie Honors
and Mason
Wiley & Damien Bona’s
Inside Oscar: The Unofficial History of the Academy
Awards.
Information on Agnes’ run in
High Spirits
came from a folder that Agnes
kept of clippings and other information on the show, The Papers of Agnes
Moorehead, Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives, Box 79.
Agnes’ comment on Marlon Brando while visiting the set of
The Chase,
AM to GJ, The Georgia Johnstone Papers Re: Agnes Moorehead, T-Mss
2003-039, Billy Rose Theatre Collection, The New York Public Library for
the Performing Arts, Box 1, folder 3, dated 7/11/65.
“I am not of the mumbling school . . . ,”
LA Herald Examiner,
8/10/70.
Agnes’ comments regarding the death of Everett Sloane and the “fair”
script of
The Singing Nun,
AM to GJ, The Georgia Johnstone Papers Re:
Agnes Moorehead, T-Mss 2003-039, Billy Rose Theatre Collection, The
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Box 1 folder 3, dated
8/23/65.
Agnes’ comments regarding “the star treatment” she got at MGM from
The Georgia Johnstone Papers Re: Agnes Moorehead, T-Mss 2003-039,
Billy Rose Theatre Collection, The New York Public Library for the
Performing Arts, Box 1, folder 3, dated 9/30/65 & 10/13/65.
Paul Gregory preparing a film for Agnes, Tallulah Bankhead and Janet
Gaynor,
Tallulah! The Life and Times of Tallulah Bankhead
(Joel Lobenthal,
Regan Books, 2004, pg. 524); Tallulah calling Agnes regarding a play on
suffragettes, from same book, pg. 524-525.
Letter from Shirley Temple Black to Agnes, dated 10/7/65, The Papers
of Agnes Moorehead, Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives, Box 81.
Cesar Romero’s comments on “the annual party” and Freddie Jones’
comments on Agnes’ routine prior to the Christmas party, both in Warren
Sherk’s
A Very Private Person
; Kasey Rogers comments on the Christmas
party, interview with author on 1/11/04; Laurie Main’s comments, “grand
fun — everyone who was anyone in Hollywood . . . ,” made to author in
an interview dated 4/21/04.
Letter to Agnes inviting her to sit on the member nominating committee
for foreign language films from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and
Sciences, 12/30/65, The Papers of Agnes Moorehead, Wisconsin State
Historical Society Archives, Box 87.
Karl Malden’s story of his purchasing a Chevy from Agnes, interview
with author, 10/1/02.
Barron Polan to Agnes, 5/2/66: “Now, I am relieved to have had a call
from Georgia the Johnstone, telling me that you’ve already had the
knife . . . ,” The Papers of Agnes Moorehead, Wisconsin State Historical
Society Archives, Box 88.
“My lumpy buddy,” Debbie Reynolds to Agnes, The Papers of Agnes
Moorehead, Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives, Box 88.
Interview with Rose Marie, 8/1/02.
“Sweet Agnes — I know you were pleased for Alice . . . ,” Debbie
Reynolds and Harry Karl to Agnes, 5/23/66, The Papers of Agnes
Moorehead, Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives.
Background on Agnes’ acting school by Quint Benedetti in interviews
with author, 7/22/03 & 7/23/03.
Bernard Fox generously wrote the author of his relationship with Agnes
and his experiences working for her acting school in letters dated 3/19/04
& 3/29/04.
Laurie Main’s experiences at the acting school, interview with author on
4/21/04.
“Their relationship was the kind where they were great friends . . . ,”
James MacArthur, regarding Helen Hayes and Agnes, from an e-mail
interview on 8/23/03.
Helen Hayes to Agnes, 9/22/66, The Papers of Agnes Moorehead,
Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives, Box 91.
James MacArthur on Paul Gregory, e-mail interview, 8/23/03.
Agnes’ use of her spare time, “she even used to climb a very high ladder
to wash windows . . . ,” came from Warren Sherk’s
A Very Private Person.
Agnes assembling her household help on Sundays to recite the Bible was
told to author by Bernard Fox in a letter dated 3/29/04.
Telegram from Rock Hudson to Agnes inviting her to an informal party
for Lauren Bacall, dated 10/14/66, The Papers of Agnes Moorehead, The
Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives, Box 90.
Lucille Ball’s story about urging Agnes to see
How the West Was Won
from
Lucy in the Afternoon
(Jim Brochu, Simon and Schuster, 1990 pg. 78).
Agnes’ relationship with Polly Garland and Freddie Jones is told in
Warren Sherk’s
A Very Private Person.
“Agnes . . . absolutely loved Ronald Reagan,” Quint Benedetti to author,
7/22/03.
Ronald Reagan to Agnes, 12/7/66, The Papers of Agnes Moorehead,
Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives, Box 93.
The background story of the making of
Alice Through the Looking Glass
came from an interview by the author with Nanette Fabray, 9/26/04.
Quint Benedetti’s comment to author of his belief that Orson Welles
“kept making excuses,” to avoid seeing Agnes, were made in an interview
dated 7/22/03.
Beatrice Welles letter to Agnes, April 25, 1967, The Papers of Agnes
Moorehead, The Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives, Box 99.
Congratulations by Joan Crawford on Agnes’ Emmy win, 6/16/67, The
Papers of Agnes Moorehead, The Wisconsin State Historical Society
Archives, Box 99.
Conrad Binyon to Agnes, 7/17/67, The Papers of Agnes Moorehead,
The Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives, Box 99.
Agnes taking lessons in sign language,
Tampa Tribune & Times,
11/12/67.

“I wouldn’t say she was hard . . . ,” Quint Benedetti to the author,
7/22/03.
Larry Russell and the author e-mailed back and forth on the subject of
Agnes and Sean — Mr. Russell lives in Canada. Most of the information
printed in this chapter are from e-mails dated 3/29/04, 3/30/04, 4/2/04,
4/5/04, & 4/6/04. He provided me with a great deal about his family
history, which he gave me as a way of establishing his credibility, but has
asked that I not put his family background in print — l can say it is a very
prominent and wealthy family.
“. . . I told her that she didn’t allow him any breathing space . . . ,”
Debbie Reynolds to author, 6/20/04.
“I didn’t find Sean to be unusual . . . ,” Debbie Reynolds to author,
6/20/04.
“He wanted to be on his own, with his own friends . . . ,” Agnes in
TV
Radio Show,
December 1970,
Bewitched Star’s Son Vanishes.
(Agnes also
kept a copy of this article, written by Clarke Hall, in a scrapbook, Box 129,
The Papers of Agnes Moorehead, Wisconsin State Historical Society
Archives — which is where I discovered it).
Agnes finding empty beer cans in Sean’s room,
Debbie: My Story
(pg. 280).
“He wouldn’t listen . . . he is so bright . . . ,” Agnes in
TV Radio Show,
December 1970,
Bewitched Star’s Son Vanishes.
“Sean is nowhere to be found . . . ,” Agnes to Georgia Johnstone, 9/11/67,
The Georgia Johnstone Papers re: Agnes Moorehead, T-Mss 2003-039,
Billy Rose Theatre Collection, The New York Public Library for the
Performing Arts, Box 1, folder 6.
“Barron . . . about the latest difficulty with Sean . . . ,” Georgia Johnstone
to Agnes, 9/20/67, The Georgia Johnstone Papers re: Agnes Moorehead,
T-Mss 2003-039, Billy Rose Theatre Collection, The New York Public
Library for the Performing Arts, Box 1, folder 6.
“She knew he was very angry at her and finding a gun . . . ,” Debbie
Reynolds,
Debbie: My Story
(pg. 280).
“. . . I think he became one of the children of the street,” Debbie
Reynolds to author, 6/20/04.
Sean and Mark Russell going to Switzerland and living off “the good
graces of Paulette Goddard,” Larry Russell to author, 3/30/04.
“All I can do is pray . . . ,”
Pasadena Star News Independent,
August 10, 1970.
Quint Benedetti’s recollections of traveling cross-country with Agnes, his
observations that Agnes “had a convenient way of forgetting to pay her
employees” and his assertion that Agnes “gave me back my self-respect”
come from interviews with Mr. Benedetti on 7/22 & 7/23/03.
Quint Benedetti on Mollie Moorehead, “ . . . she didn’t want Margaret
to be forgotten . . . ,” Quint Benedetti to author, 7/22/03.
“Her mother was very sweet, but tried to convert people . . . ,” Paul
Gregory to author, 10/22/03.
Jeanne Marking, of Reedsburg, Wisconsin, spoke of Mollie and Grace
Conkling in a letter to the author, 4/25/02.
Gordon Emery’s recollections of Agnes and Mollie Moorehead are from
an interview with author, 6/8/02.
“It must have been devine guidance that brought me home at this
time . . . ,” Agnes to Georgia Johnstone, 5/15/67, The Georgia Johnstone
Papers re: Agnes Moorehead, T-Mss 2003-039, Billy Rose Theatre Collection,
The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Box 1, folder 6.
Agnes’ response to what she felt was an unfair newspaper profile of her
is dated 11/11/67, The Georgia Johnstone Papers re: Agnes Moorehead, TMss 2003-039, Billy Rose Theatre Collection, The New York Public
Library for the Performing Arts, Box 1, folder 6.
Agnes’ account of the 1968 Emmy Award snafu appears in
The Boston
Herald Traveler
, 6/18/68.
Agnes reporting to Georgia Johnstone that she is “contemplating writing
a book . . . ,” (letter dated 8/27/68) and her comments “. . . I don’t know
whether
Bewitched
will go on or whether I will be on it . . . ,” (letter dated
9/28/68), The Georgia Johnstone Papers re: Agnes Moorehead, T-Mss
2003-039, Billy Rose Theatre Collection, The New York Public Library for
the Performing Arts, Box 1, folder 7.
Joey York told author of Paul Lynde’s comment to her that he felt that
Dick was “the funniest man” he ever worked with, 6/30/02.
Background on the circumstances which led to Dick York leaving
Bewitched
appear in Dick York’s excellent and very original autobiography,
The Seesaw Girl and Me
(New Path Press, New Jersey, 2004).
“Mrs. York is philosophical about this . . . ,” Joey York to author, 6/30/02.
Gordon Emery’s comments regarding Agnes and Dick York are from an
interview on 6/8/02.
“Have been going at breakneck speed . . . ,” Agnes to Georgia Johnstone,
“Have been going at breakneck speed . . . ,” Agnes to Georgia Johnstone,
039, Billy Rose Theatre Collection, The New York Public Library for the
Performing Arts, Box 1, folder 7.
Agnes comment “I don’t like change” and “Agnes Moorehead had a very
strong working relationship with Dick York,” from Herbie J Pilato in an
e-mail interview dated, 1/17/04.
“What a time I had getting mother out of her nest and bask her for the
winter . . . ,” Agnes to Georgia Johnstone, postmarked 1/16/70, The
Georgia Johnstone Papers re: Agnes Moorehead, T-Mss 2003-039, Billy
Rose Theatre Collection, The New York Public Library for the Performing
Arts, Box 1, folder 8.
“Now the farm is coming along . . . ,” Agnes to Georgia Johnstone,
4/10/70, Georgia Johnstone Papers re: Agnes Moorehead, T-Mss 2003-039.
Billy Rose Theatre Collection, The New York Public Library for the
Performing Arts, Box 1, folder 8.
“. . . I couldn’t with my show going back to filming in Salem in June”
(AM to GJ, 4/10/70), “Salem was frightening . . .” (AM to GJ, 6/26/70).
The Georgia Johnstone Papers re: Agnes Moorehead, T-Mss 2003-039,
Billy Rose Theatre Collection, The New York Public Library for the
Performing Arts, Box 1, folder 8.
“Materialism has brought about confusion . . . ,”
Los Angeles Times,
4/19/70.
“Will there be brotherhood in the 70’s?”
Detroit Free Press,
12/28/69.
“Should prostitution be legalized?”
Photoplay,
December 1971.
Much of the background on the filming of
Dear, Dead Delilah
comes
from Warren Sherk’s
A Very Private Person
(pg. 10-15), which included
most of the quotes provided by production manager Fred Carmichael.
“The film was most interesting and brought back so many memories . . . ,”
Fred Carmichael to Agnes, 1/17/71, The Papers of Agnes Moorehead, The
Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives, Box 129.
“My only memory of
Marriage: Year One
. . . ,” William Windom to
author in a note in response to a letter sent to Mr. Windom, dated 9/15/03.
Conrad Binyon kindly put me in touch with Dora Guerra, the mother
of Judith Ann Guerra, and she was most helpful in telling me the story of
how Judith Ann and Agnes became pen pals. She also sent me copies of the
letters Agnes sent to Judith Ann. The Agnes Moorehead Papers at the
Wisconsin State Historical Society archives holds the letters which Judith
Ann sent to Miss Moorehead.