Department of Justice

MACUSA Attorney's Office

Southern District of California


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, August 14, 2018

INVESTIGATION OF BREACH OF INTERNATIONAL STATUTE OF SECRECY AND FEDERAL ANTI-NO-MAJ INTERFERENCE STATUTES


After a request from the British Ministry of Magic regarding a set of memories branded, "Bewitched", a team of agents from the MFBI began an investigation. Below are their findings:

The memories being viewed by Ms. Skeeter, a journalist attached to the British Daily Prophet, were identified as recordings created by the No-Maj entertainment industry. Specifically, the technology called television. This is a means by which No-Maj can view pre-recorded and live events. The entertainment show, "Bewitched", did show signs of magical knowledge. However, they were all inaccurate and used for comedic effect. In No-Maj parlance, it was a modern-day Fantasy comedy show. It was delivered episodically in half-hour increments and was produced over eight years from 1964 through 1972.

As this was a possible breach of several statutes, the team investigated each member of the production. Most are deceased. Of the few who are still alive, all are full No-Maj with no knowledge of the Magical world. Their spells, incantations, and other magics were special effect driven with few parallels with magic as it is performed today.

In regards to some memories being in color and others not, this was found to be directly tied to the technology available at the time. The first three seasons were in Black and White as the cameras were unable to store colors. These have been colorized and therefore can be confusing. The latter seasons were all recorded in color.

The primary cast was:

Elizabeth Montgomery – A No-Maj actor played Samantha Stevens. She played the witch wife of Darrin Stevens, a No-Maj. She died April 15, 1995.

Agnes Moorehead – A No-Maj actor played Endora, the mother of Samantha. She died April 30, 1974 months after the last Bewitched episode.

Paul Lynde – A No-Maj actor who played Samantha's Uncle Arthur. He died January 10, 1982.

Bernard Fox – A Welsh No-Maj actor played Doctor Bombay. He died December 14, 2016.

Marion Lorne – A No-Maj actor, she played Samantha's Aunt Clara. She died May 9, 1968 before the show ended.

Maurice Evans – A Welsh No-Maj actor, he played Samantha's Warlock father. He died March 12, 1989.

Dick York – A No-Maj actor, he played Darrin Stevens, Samantha's husband. He left the show after the 1968 season. He died February 20, 1992.

Dick Sargent – A No-Maj actor, he played Darrin Stevens, Samantha's husband. He took the role in 1969. He died July 8, 1994.

After watching each episode and talking with the few writers, actors, and others attached to the show still alive, the team determined that no violations occurred. The show was a fiction based on a No-Maj idea of what Witches and Wizards could do in the then current time.