Tabitha Stephens' arrival as Samantha and Darrin's daughter, on Bewitched in 1966, was
a pivotal turning point for the series.
Tabitha blossomed into a main character, with her own plot-driven episodes, all the way
through the last season in 1972.
But what happened to the girl best-known for playing the daughter of America's favorite
witch-next-door?
Here's what little Tabitha Stephens — aka, actress Erin Murphy — looks like now!
Booking babe
Erin Murphy was born in Encino, California, 1964, and she quickly landed in the spotlight.
At just 11 months old, Murphy booked her first gig in a Folgers commercial and then did a
laundry detergent commercial with future-president Ronald Reagan.
Just before she was 2 years old, she and her fraternal twin Diane booked the role of Tabitha,
on Bewitched.
"As fraternal twins, we really don't look that much alike"
"so they would show me for the closeups, and they'd show my sister from the back or from
a distance."
But it was Murphy who was bitten by the acting bug, telling ABC News, "I liked the lights
and loved being on my set.
My sister used to cry when they would bring her on set.
Even now she hates it."
Series wrap
When Bewitched aired its final episode on March 25, 1972, Murphy was almost 9 years
old — even still, she dug right into new work.
In 1973 she made a guest appearance on Lassie, and quickly made her way back to even more
national commercials.
Murphy told Life After 50 magazine, "I did over 80 commercials up until I was in junior
high.
By then, I kind of lost interest, because I was into things like cheerleading and school
activities."
But it wouldn't be long before she hit the small screen once again.
Back on TV
After graduating from El Toro High School in 1981, Murphy landed a few odd jobs, and
then found her way back to TV.
When she got her first taste of reality as a correspondent for the Fox Reality Channel,
she was hooked.
She told Life, "With Fox, I could make lunches and take my kids to school, work for a few
hours, and still be home before school let out."
Then, in 2008, Murphy appeared on Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling.
"Erin Murphy!"
But if you can't imagine little Tabitha Stephens as a wrestler, neither could Murphy.
She said, "I had never even watched wrestling before I did the wrestling show.
It was scary and wonderful and awful and kind of everything you would imagine, and I'm really
glad I did it."
Total drag
In 2010, Murphy appeared as a contestant on another reality TV show, this time, RuPaul's
Drag U.
She told Socialite Life, "[You] go in there and it's all for good fun, but I have to say
a lot of the drag tricks translate well to the red carpet, so I kind of got some posing
pointers."
But why the shift to reality TV?
She says it's all about her kids, telling the mag:
"I think the biggest influence having a big family has had on my career is that it's made
me rethink my job choices.
I can't do a sitcom or an hour-long drama — which is something I would be typically
drawn to — but I'm not willing to be away from the family 12 hours a day, 6 days a week."
Boss lady
With her children in school, Murphy wasn't content to just sit at home.
So she helped start a company, and is now the co-owner of Slim Chillers, maker of low-cal
vodka popsicles.
She described the brand, saying, "Our signature products are four frozen pops that are flavored
as an Appletini, a Cosmopolitan, a Lemon Drop, and a watermelon lemonade Martini."
Dusting off her chops
If there's one thing Murphy said she'd never ever do, it was theater.
But in 2016 she told the Windy City Times, "In the last two years I decided to act again
so I started doing local LA theater."
She started rehearsing her fourth play in 2016 called Dead Pilots Society about TV comedy
pilots that never aired.
It may seem like Murphy will do just about anything, but she does have her boundaries,
saying, "I say no to many things.
I never did horror films or Playboy but was asked many times."
Charity work
Murphy isn't just all about herself.
In fact, she's all about helping many others.
According to A&U magazine, Murphy has been an AIDS activist for many years.
She also delivers food through Meals on Wheels, raised money after Hurricane Katrina, has
spoken out against bullying, and is a Childhelp Celebrity Ambassador.
But one cause hit especially close to home for the mother of six when one of her sons
was diagnosed with autism.
Murphy told Fox News, "I was involved with autism charities before Parker was born and
then obviously once he was diagnosed, I put that as my focus.
I go to board meetings, I volunteer.
I speak at events.
I think it's important to be there for other parents who have questions.
It's one of those disorders that have become so prevalent."
Coming soon
Now that some of Murphy's kids are fully grown and the others are no longer small children,
it may just be time for her to get back to her passion of acting.
In 2017, she starred in TV movie Life Interrupted, and while the project didn't garner much buzz,
it just might signal Murphy's return to acting.
Whether or not she goes full-fledged sitcom star again, we're certain to see her slaying
the screen soon!
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