Mabel Albertson

 portrayed Darrin's mother, Phyllis Stephens. She appeared in nineteen episodes.

Background and Career
Mabel Albertson was an American character actress. She was born on July 24, 1901, in Lynn, Massachusetts to Russian immigrant Flora (Craft), and Polish immigrant Leo Albertson. A brother, Jack, was born in 1907 after the family moved to Malden, Massachusetts.

Albertson studied acting at the New England School of Speech and Expression. She started her acting career in vaudeville in the 1920s, then moved on to radio and stage work in the 1930s and 1940s. In the 1950s, she successfully broke into television and films, making a name for herself playing the quintessential domineering mother-in-law and interfering mom.

She appeared in over ninety film and television roles. Her best known films include Barefoot in the Park, The Long Hot Summer, Home Before Dark, Don't Give Up the Ship, Period of Adjustment, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever and What's Up, Doc?

Albertson is probably best known for her role as Darrin Stephens' neurotic mother on television's Bewitched. She also played Donald Hollinger's mother on That Girl, and Howard Sprague's mother on The Andy Griffith Show.

Personal Life
Albertson was briefly married to Harold Austin Ripley. They had a son George, who was born in 1926. In 1937, she married stage, radio and film writer Ken Englund, who adopted George. Englund wrote two first season episodes for Bewitched.

Later Years
Following a guest-starring role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1975, Mabel Albertson retired from the acting profession. Her health and memory were beginning to fail, and she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

Ten months after the death of her brother Jack on November 21, 1981, Mabel Albertson succumbed to the effects of Alzheimer's on September 28, 1982 at the age of 81. She was survived by her husband Ken, who passed away on August 10, 1993. Albertson was cremated and her ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean.

Bewitched Credits

 * The Dancing Bear
 * I Don't Want to Be a Toad, I Want to Be a Butterfly
 * Is It Magic or Imagination?
 * It's Wishcraft
 * McTavish
 * Mrs. Stephens, Where Are You?
 * Naming Samantha's New Baby
 * A Nice Little Dinner Party
 * Out of Sync, Out of Mind
 * Playmates
 * Samantha and the Antique Doll
 * Samantha and the Beanstalk
 * Samantha Meets the Folks (and repeat)
 * Samantha's Double Mother Trouble
 * Samantha's Psychic Pslip
 * Samantha's Secret Is Discovered
 * Samantha's Super Maid
 * Tabitha's Weekend