Remembering Dick Sargent

Remembering Dick Sargent

Actor Dick Sargent, best known as the second Darrin Stevens on the hit ’60s ABC series Bewitched, died July 8 in a Los Angeles hospital after a long battle with prostate cancer. He was 61. Upon learning of Sargent’s death, his Bewitched costar Elizabeth Montgomery spoke of him fondly: ”I will miss him. He was a great kisser.”

Before replacing Dick York on the series in 1969, Sargent earned his stripes as a B-movie and TV actor. His film career peaked in 1959 with a small role in Blake Edwards’ Operation Petticoat. But he will likely be remembered for coming out of the closet in 1991. ”His [admitting he was gay] helped show many people that being who you are is more important than anything else,” said Lee Werbel, executive director of the Los Angeles chapter of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance. ”It was important to other gay and lesbian actors because he talked openly about how great it feels to finally let down the big facade.”

Turner Broadcasting System, which owns the 1969-1972 Sargent shows (the earlier Bewitched episodes, with York, are seen on Nickelodeon) will most likely mark his passing with a memorial notice inserted at the end of the regularly scheduled weekday airings of Bewitched, says a TBS spokeswoman.