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Erin Murphy Photo Marks A Bittersweet 62nd Birthday With Emotional Throwback Photo
Erin Murphy celebrated turning 62 by looking back at the television role that changed her life. The former child star shared a vintage picture of herself with Elizabeth Montgomery from their years on Bewitched. She paired it with a recent image taken six decades later.
According to Parade, the Erin Murphy photo carried a deeper meaning than a typical birthday throwback. At 62, Murphy has now reached the same age Montgomery was when she died in 1995. The milestone led her to reflect on the woman she knew as both a beloved costar and a mother figure.
Erin Murphy Shared A Bittersweet Throwback Photo
Murphy posted the childhood publicity image on Facebook alongside a present-day photo. In the older picture, she appears as a toddler beside Montgomery, who played her magical television mother, Samantha Stephens. Murphy joked about making fans feel old before announcing that “little Tabitha” had officially turned 62.
BEWITCHED, Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick Sargent, Erin Murphy, David Lawrence; 1964-1972/Everett Collection
Murphy began playing Tabitha Stephens at just two years old, initially sharing the role with her fraternal twin sister, Diane, before taking it over herself. She remained on Bewitched until its final season in 1972 as viewers watched Tabitha grow into a young witch. Her birthday post stirred nostalgia among fans who still remember her as the magical little girl, making her 62nd birthday a reminder of how much time has passed since the beloved sitcom first aired.
Reaching Elizabeth Montgomery’s Age Felt Especially Emotional
BEWITCHED, Dick Sargent, Erin Murphy, Elizabeth Montgomery, Greg Lawrence, (Season 8, 1971), 1964-1972/Everett Collection
The birthday carried a more difficult connection for the actress. Montgomery died from cancer at her Beverly Hills home on May 18, 1995. She was 62, only slightly older than Murphy is now. In the months before her birthday, Murphy admitted that reaching the same age often crossed her mind. She previously shared a side-by-side image that showed both women at 62. In the caption, she wrote that losing Montgomery at such a young age still felt painful. She also called her “ManthaMommy,” the affectionate nickname that reflected how close they became during the show.
Erin Murphy / Everett
Their relationship continued after Bewitched ended. Murphy stayed connected to Montgomery through cards and through friendships with her children. Although they no longer worked together each week, the bond they formed on the sitcom remained important to her. Turning 62 therefore became more than another birthday. It allowed Murphy to celebrate her own life while remembering someone who helped shape her childhood. Her post mixed nostalgia, gratitude, and sadness in a way longtime fans could understand. More than 50 years after Bewitched ended, the love between television’s Samantha and Tabitha still feels wonderfully real.
LOS ANGELES – DEC 2: Erin Murphy at the 2023 Thalians Winter Gala at the Brentwood Country Club on December 2, 2023 in Brentwood, CA
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