Salem approves "Bewitch"-ing monument
By Laura Crimaldi
(Friday, April 8, 2005)
A twitchy-nose TV witch is flying into Salem to become that city's most visible woman on a broom.
A nine-foot bronze replica of Samantha Stephens, the lovable witch with a twitchy-nose played by Elizabeth Montgomery on ``Bewitched,'' will cast a spell over Lappin Park, thanks to the TV Land channel.
"Not be cliche about it, but the most magical of these places is Salem. It just seemed to underscore who she is,'' said Rob Pellizzi, a TV Land executive.
Salem's fame as a kitschy tourist destination is based on its infamous history as the place where 20 people were accused of witchcraft and executed in the 1690s.
The Salem Redevelopment Authority voted 3-0 for the statue Wednesday. A tentative unveiling date has been set for mid-June, just a few weeks before the release of the "Bewitched'' movie starring Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell.
"There's a definite feeling that this will help tourism to the city, which is great,'' said Kate Sullivan, chief of staff to Salem's mayor.
Well I know this will piss off the traditionalists, but I have a real soft spot for Bewitched and never saw it as being detremental to the overall community of Witches. It was a fun show, a nice tip of the hat to 'Bell, Book, & Candle', and filled with a terrific cast. I loved Maurice Evans and Paul Lynde's guest appearances. Remarkable stuff. And it's not like Salem is the occult center of all things Wicca. It's a tourist trap that plays with the image of Witchcraft already. Makes perfect sense to marry (or should I say handfast) a fictional character to the city tourism pool.
(Friday, April 8, 2005)
A twitchy-nose TV witch is flying into Salem to become that city's most visible woman on a broom.
A nine-foot bronze replica of Samantha Stephens, the lovable witch with a twitchy-nose played by Elizabeth Montgomery on ``Bewitched,'' will cast a spell over Lappin Park, thanks to the TV Land channel.
"Not be cliche about it, but the most magical of these places is Salem. It just seemed to underscore who she is,'' said Rob Pellizzi, a TV Land executive.
Salem's fame as a kitschy tourist destination is based on its infamous history as the place where 20 people were accused of witchcraft and executed in the 1690s.
The Salem Redevelopment Authority voted 3-0 for the statue Wednesday. A tentative unveiling date has been set for mid-June, just a few weeks before the release of the "Bewitched'' movie starring Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell.
"There's a definite feeling that this will help tourism to the city, which is great,'' said Kate Sullivan, chief of staff to Salem's mayor.
Well I know this will piss off the traditionalists, but I have a real soft spot for Bewitched and never saw it as being detremental to the overall community of Witches. It was a fun show, a nice tip of the hat to 'Bell, Book, & Candle', and filled with a terrific cast. I loved Maurice Evans and Paul Lynde's guest appearances. Remarkable stuff. And it's not like Salem is the occult center of all things Wicca. It's a tourist trap that plays with the image of Witchcraft already. Makes perfect sense to marry (or should I say handfast) a fictional character to the city tourism pool.
posted by Bob Freeman at 7:52 AM
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