Tabitha (series)

The series starred Lisa Hartman as Tabitha Stephens (some sources spell her name "Tabatha"), the daughter of Samantha and Darrin, now a young woman in Los Angeles working in television. Helping her along is her brother, Adam (David Ankrum) and their Aunt Minerva (Karen Morrow), while Robert Urich appeared as her love interest, Paul Thurston.

Description
The series takes place in the "present day" (1977-1978) yet does not attempt to reconcile how Tabitha and Adam could be in their early-to-mid twenties when they had been young children at the time Bewitched (also "present day") ended five years earlier (1972).

There were in fact two pilot films produced for the series. The first pilot, which was broadcast by ABC on April 24, 1976 (and used the variant spelling "Tabatha" for the title), starred Louise Williams in the title role, with Bruce Kimmel as Adam. The major difference between the first pilot and the series was Adam was a full-fledged and mischievous warlock in the first pilot, but was made a mortal for the series (thus making him the disapproving figure as Darrin had been) and going against the original series, where Adam had been proven capable of magic in the last season.

In the first pilot, Tabatha was an editorial assistant for the fictional Trend Magazine, lived in San Francisco, and had a boyfriend named Cliff (Archie Hahn), and also contended with the supernatural antics of Adam, who wanted Tabatha to use her witchcraft and have some fun. In situations that were very similar to the original debut of Bewitched, Tabatha tells Cliff that she is a witch, who at first does not believe her, but later discovers that she is telling the truth. Also, much like her mother did when she used her powers to deflect the unwanted affections of Sheila Sommers, her father's ex-girlfriend, Tabatha deflects rival Dinah Nichols (Barbara Rhoades) from seducing Cliff. The first pilot (directed by Bewitched producer/director William Asher) sold the series, but ABC changed the sitcom's setting from San Francisco to Los Angeles, recast the main roles, and ordered a second pilot with Hartman and Ankrum. This version also gave Tabitha an "Aunt Minerva".

The revised Tabitha pilot aired on ABC on May 7, 1977 and the series properly debuted on September 10 of that year. The series' second official episode would not air until November 12. The series then continued more or less uninterrupted, but failed to garner sufficient ratings to be renewed for a full season. The final episode aired on January 14, 1978 for a total of thirteen episodes produced and broadcast, including the two pilots.

Bewitched Guest Stars
Four actors from the original series appeared in separate episodes, reprising their signature characters. Bernard Fox reprised his role as Dr. Bombay, while George Tobias and Sandra Gould made guest appearances as Abner and Gladys Kravitz. Dick Wilson, who mostly played drunks on Bewitched, portrayed Paul's drunk neighbor, Mr. Green.

Other Bewitched guest stars also played guest roles on Tabitha including Mary Grace Canfield, Fritz Feld, John Fiedler, Billie Hayes, Hollis Irving, Cliff Norton and Barbara Rhoades.

Neither Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick Sargent nor Dick York appeared on the new series.

Main Cast

 * Lisa Hartman as Tabitha Stephens
 * Robert Urich as Paul Thurston
 * Mel Stewart as Marvin Decker
 * David Ankrum as Adam Stephens
 * Karen Morrow as Aunt Minerva

Writers

 * Martin Donovan
 * Ed Jurist
 * Bernie Kahn
 * Jerry Mayer
 * Robert Stambler
 * Roland Wolpert
 * George Yanok

Directors

 * William Asher
 * Bruce Bilson
 * Charles S. Dubin
 * Murray Golden
 * Charles R. Rondeau
 * George Tyne
 * Herb Wallerstein

Producers

 * Jerry Mayer
 * George Yanok
 * Robert Stambler
 * William Asher

Main Cast

 * Louise Williams as Tabatha Stephens
 * Bruce Kimmel as Adam Stephens
 * Barbara Cason as Roberta Armistead
 * Cindie Haynie as Bonnie
 * Archie Hahn as Cliff

Guest Cast

 * Barbara Rhoades as Dinah Nichols
 * Arnold Soboloff as Cab Driver
 * Maria O'Brien as Rosetta
 * David Carlile as Harry
 * John-Anthony Bailey as Willie
 * Eric Kessner as Boy on the Stairs

Production

 * William Asher (director)
 * Ed Jurist (writer)

Episodes

 * 1-0 Tabatha Pilot (original)
 * 1-1 The Pilot
 * 1-2 Tabitha's Weighty Problem
 * 1-3 Halloween Show
 * 1-4 A Star Is Born
 * 1-5 Minerva Goes Straight
 * 1-6 Mr. Nice Guy
 * 1-7 The Arrival of Nancy
 * 1-8 Tabitha's Triangle
 * 1-9 That New Black Magic
 * 1-10 What's Wrong With Mister Right?
 * 1-11 Paul Goes to New York
 * 1-12 Tabitha's Party