Tragic final days of Bewitched star who went from fame and fortune to cleaning toilets
Bewitched star Dick York spent his final days cleaning toilets to get by after a pill dependency from a previous set injury led to his demise.
York was known for his role as human husband Darrin Stephens to nose-twitching witch Samantha played by Elizabeth Montgomery in the hit sitcom from 1964 to 1969.
However, his troubles started long before Bewitched was on air while he was on the set of the Western film They Came to Cordura in 1959, reported the Los Angeles Times.
York was shooting a scene with other actors that required them to lift a railroad handcar, but when the director yelled 'cut' everyone but him let go and the car wrenched his spine and the surrounding muscles.
He became dependent on painkillers and other drugs to work through the pain by the time he was shooting Bewitched.
While he was filming an episode of the show in February 1969, York collapsed while being hoisted onto a platform, according to People.
York suffered an epileptic seizure after the fall and was left with no choice but the leave the show. Dick Sargent then took over the role of Darrin until the series wrapped in 1972.
As the hit sitcom is approaching its 60th anniversary, Twitch Upon A Star author Herbie J Pilato told Fox News Digital that York's final years out of the spotlight were 'very difficult.'
Dick York was known for his role as human husband Darrin Stephens to nose twitching witch Samantha played by Elizabeth Montgomery in the hit sitcom from 1964 to 1969
York died in 1992 at age 63 from complications due to emphysema
'Yes, Dick York was financially and physically destitute. He just did not have the money anymore. His career had dried up. He was in very poor health. There were no more calls for acting. It was tough to watch,' Pilato said.
'He became a cleaning man. He went from being a star of one of the biggest TV shows in the history of television to cleaning toilets.
'It was humbling for him, and he never complained about it, but... it should not have happened.'
Erin Murphy, 60, who played Darrian and Samantha's magical daughter Tabitha, told People in October that York was her favorite TV dad.
'I will give you a scoop. My entire life I have been so diplomatic because I loved them both. They were wonderful guys. Watching the show, Dick York is a better Darrin,' she said.
'Dick York was a dad, and he had a lot of kids, so he was just more paternal. So he was more like a dad. Dick Sargent was a great guy, and we stayed in touch until he passed away. But I'm going with Dick York on this one.'
Pilato said York was devastated and riddled with guilt over having to leave the show.
'He never really recovered from the pain. He missed 14 episodes. What's Bewitched without Darren, without the main conflict of, "No honey, don't do the magic,"' said Pilato.
'They had to replace him – they didn't have a choice. He felt horrible about it. He did not want to damage the opportunity for all those people who were [working on the series].
York spent his final days cleaning toilets to get by after a pill dependency from a previous set injury led to his demise
However, his troubles started long before Bewitched was on air while he was on the set of the Western film They Came to Cordura in 1959
'He didn't want them to lose their jobs. He didn't want the show to end, so he just gave in and left. However, he did tell me that if he had that summer of 1969... to fully recover, he [felt] that he would have been able to finish the show.'
York died in 1992 at age 63 from complications due to emphysema.
