If you’ve been a fan of this channel for a while, then you already know how we’ve done a lot of videos on the hit 1960s fantasy sitcom Bewitched. If you grew up in the 60s or enjoyed the series’ reruns at any point in your life, then you probably know full well why we’re such big fans.
Bewitched not only had a stellar premise that inspired a whole slew of other similarly themed series – including, of course, 1965s I Dream Of Jeannie – but it also boasted a phenomenal cast featuring the likes of Dick York – later Dick Sargent – as Darrin Stevens, Agnes Moorehead as Endora, David White as Darrin’s boss, Larry Tate, and Elizabeth Montgomery as the Bewitching Samantha Stephens.
And then you had little Tabitha Stephens played by Erin Murphy. Samantha’s daughter first made her appearance in the show’s second season in the episode “And Then There Were Three”. Her addition to the cast would prove to be a crucial turning point in the program.
Tabitha went on to become one of Bewitched’s main characters receiving her very own plot-driven episodes. She would remain a show staple throughout the remainder of it’s run until it’s cancellation in 1973.
Many of you are probably curious what happened to the child actress that was best known for playing Tabitha in over 100 episodes of one of televisions most beloved sitcoms. Join Facts Verse as we check in with Erin Murphy to see what she is up to today. You won’t believe what she looks like all grown up!
Erin Murphy’s Early Life And Career
Erin Murphy found herself in the spotlight at a very early age. She was born in Encino, California, in 1964 and began appearing in TV commercials for things like Folgers Coffee and laundry detergent while she was still just an infant.
When she was 2, Erin and her fraternal twin, Diane, landed the role of Tabitha Stephens. At first, Erin shared the role with her sister, but she was the one that was featured in all of the close-up shots, while Diane was only used in cutaways.
While Diane would often get fussy on the set, Erin seemed to be natural when it came to remaining composed when the camera’s were rolling. Even though she was just a baby, she seemed to love being a star. Murphy told the press in 2015 that as a child, she loved being on the set and especially liked all of the bright lights.
As Erin and her twin grew older and started looking less alike, the show’s producers agreed that Murphy was the obvious choice to keep playing the character. Throughout the show’s run, Erin and her co-stars would become quite close. Eventually, they even began seeing each other as a second family.
In that same 2015 interview, Murphy recalled how she would call Elizabeth Montgomery ‘Mantha Mommy’ since she had trouble trouble saying Samantha. Likewise, she would refer to Dick Sargent as ‘Darren Daddy’. To her, they had become like a second set of parents.
Murphy Kept Busing After Bewitched Wrapped
After Bewitched ended after airing it’s final episode on March 25, 1972, Murphy, who was not yet nine years old, had a leg up on other children her age. While most kids have no clue what they want to do with their lives at that age, Murphy knew that she had loved acting.
After deciding that she wanted to continue down the path she had been on, Erin guest-starred in a 1973 episode of Lassie. In that episode titled ‘The Visitor’, Murphy played a young girl named Molly Craig. After that, she went back to appearing in commercials. By the time she was in junior high, Erin had done over 80 commercials. At that point, however, she lost interest in being in front of the camera, as she wanted to feel more like a normal teenager.
Instead of constantly having to remember lines and show up to shoots, Murphy wanted to do things like cheerleading and attending prom.
Murphy earned her diploma at El Toro High School in Lake Forest, California. By all accounts, her high school years were pretty typical. She even was crowned homecoming queen!
After graduating from high school in 1981, Murphy worked a series of odd jobs while trying to figure out what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. Obviously this a decision that all people have to face at that age, but for Murphy, she had to decide whether or not she wanted to continue pursuing a career in the limelight or carve out a life of her own out of the public eye.
Finding Her Path Was A Difficult Task
Erin Murphy is a woman of many talents, so it shouldn’t surprise you that she has experimented with a number of career paths throughout her life journey. Among the many odd jobs she has taken on, Murphy has sold cosmetics at the Mission Viejo Mall, worked as a makeup artist, and even hosted a Karaoke Club.
On top of all of that, Murphy has also earned experience as a casting director, acting coach, fashion stylist, and as a motivational speaker.
In a one-on-one interview with The Tolucan Times in 2016, Murphy expressed that she is a ‘big believer’ in the notion that ‘life is short’ and that you need to ‘throw yourself into it’ to not miss out on anything. She went on to say that it’s good for people to push themselves and take risks to keep life interesting.
Erin’s Return To Show Businessess
In 1984, Murphy got married to her first husband, Terry Rogers. She and Rogers would have two children together. The couple purchased a ranch home in Arizona. While living in the southwest doing a lot of behind-the-scenes production work whenever a film shoot would come to the area, Murphy eventually came to the realization that she wanted to take a stab at acting once again.
After working for years in various positions behind the camera and in the retail environment, Murphy eventually found herself back in front of the camera once again as a stunt and photo double for Virginia Madsen and Melissa Leo.
After moving back to LA, Murphy actively returned back to show business after largely being away from it for a decade.
One of the first jobs that Murphy took after moving back to Hollywood was as a reality TV correspondent for Fox Reality Channel. As a young mother, the position worked well with her schedule. She could pack her children’s lunches, take them to school, work for a couple of hours, and then come home before school let out.
Murphy has a total of eight children – the two we already mentioned, as well a one that she had with her second husband Eric Eden, and three more with her most recent husband, Darren Dunckel.
Although her career is definitely one of her biggest priorities, her family will always come first. So, finding a job that fit in with the demands of her home life was something of a Godsend.
In addition to working for Fox Reality Channel, Murphy has served as a television host and correspondent for TVLand, E!, and TVGasm.com. She is also the host of DisneyFamily.com’s Parentpedia web series.
In 2006, Murphy appeared on the NBC game show Identity as one of the ’12 Strangers’. A year later, she was featured on CNN Headline News in a segment called ‘Celebrity With a Cause’. In it, she discussed her work with Autism-awareness charities.
In 2008, Murphy was a celebrity judge on the VHI reality series I Know My Kid’s a Star. That same year she also appeared alongside the late Bob Saget on 1 vs. 100. A few other TV shows that she has made guest appearances on include HGTV’s Craft Lab and Over Your Head, as well as Animal Planet’s Groomer Has It,
Erin Murphy: Pro Wrestler
In 2008, Murphy appeared on the reality program Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling in which she competed against other stars like Saved by the Bell’s Dustin Diamond, legendary basketball player Dennis Rodman, and The Partridge Family’s Danny Bonaduce.
You wouldn’t think that the Murphy would make an outstanding wrestler. And to be fair, she didn’t. Erin ended up being the third participant to be eliminated. Before appearing on the show, Murphy had never watched wrestling before, nor did she know anything about the sport.
Still, she made the best out of the experience. She even came up with her own wrestling persona, Mistress of Mayhem, aka M.O.M.
Murphy’s next on-screen appearance was in a 2008 episode of Rupaul’s Drag U. In 2021, Erin was featured as a ‘central character’ in the ABC panelist show To Tell The Truth.
Popsicles and Alpacas
Erin Murphy owns a ranch in Bell Canyon, California, where she raises alpacas. In 2012, Murphy told OK magazine that she had started a company called Erin Murphy Knits which offers customers environmentally friendly alpaca wool knit clothing.
Murphy owns yet another business called Slim Chillers. This company sells frozen vodka-infused popsicles designed to taste like a variety of mixed drinks like Appletini and Cosmopolitan. These fruity, boozy adult treats can be found in grocery and liquor stores across the nation.
Apparently, Murphy’s popsicle hustle has paid off, because in 2018, Erin told Variety that she had bought her dream home in Malibu for $2.3 million. Recent estimates put her net worth at somewhere north of $12 million. Not bad for a former child star.
Erin Murphy has lived a full life so far. At the age of 57, she still looks incredible!
Not many people are able to accomplish all that she had in their professional careers. While many child stars struggle to find their place in this world after reaching adulthood, Murphy sure seems to have done just that.
Can you think of any other former child stars that have managed to achieve the same level of success that Erin has? And do you think her life would have played out differently if she hadn’t played Tabitha on Bewitched? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.
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