By Paul

Although probably best known for his role as the doctor on "The Love Boat," Bernie Kopell was a very versatile actor who made nine appearances on Bewitched, playing six different characters. He made four appearances as Postlethwaite, the Apothecary; two as psychiatrists; and one each as a client, a warlock, and an adventurer.

Kopell is reported to have said that Bill Asher would call him up and ask him to play, on very short notice, any one of the above characters. This reflects Asher’s confidence that Bernie could produce any character that was required. And characters he did play. There is only one episode where Bernie can be readily identified; the rest of the time, make-up pretty well hid his face.

 

# 166, "Samantha Twitches for UNICEF"

Bernie’s first appearance was in the 5th season in a non-Darrin episode. He played Dr. Chomsky, the psychiatrist that Haskell visits, after he keeps seeing Samantha everywhere he goes.

As part of her plan to harass Haskell, Samantha takes the doctor’s place for a time.
   
   

# 178, "A Bunny For Tabitha"

Bernie’s next appearance was not until the 6th season, when he appeared as a client, A. J. Sylvester. Sylvester and Larry crash Tabitha’s birthday party, where Sylvester promptly falls hard for “Bunny,” a beautiful girl that Uncle Arthur zaps up from a rabbit.

   
   

# 179, "Samantha’s Secret Spell"

In this episode, Bernie makes his first appearance as Postlethwaite, the Apothecary, who runs a shop named “Postlethwaite’s Potent Potions.”
Endora and Darrin have an argument, and Endora threatens to turn Darrin into a mouse. Samantha goes to the Apothecary for a spell that will prevent Endora’s spell from taking effect. He gives her a complicated three part spell that works.

   
   

# 186, "Samantha’s Lost Weekend"

Esmeralda accidentally casts an eating spell on Samantha, and then can’t remove it. She goes to Postlethwaite for a potion that will remove the spell. In what becomes his trademark, Postlethwaite demands a kiss in payment.

   
   

# 188, "Samantha’s Secret Is Discovered"

Here Bernie plays the psychiatrist, Dr. Rhinehouse, who treats Mrs. Stephens, who is in a state of shock after catching Samantha and Endora in a game of “switch the furniture.” In this episode he wears a beard, instead of just a moustache, as he did in # 166. One thing that is consistent about Bernie: his German/Austrian accent is the same in both episodes.

   
   

# 231, "Samantha and the Loch Ness Monster"

Bernie plays the German adventurer, “The Baron”, who is out to collect the reward for capturing “Nessie,” the Loch Ness Monster. Due to some timely intervention by Samantha, the Baron fails to capture Nessie, and departs in disgust, his wetsuit in tatters. Again, Bernie has the same German accent.

   
   

# 237, "A Plague on Maurice and Samantha"

Samantha loses her powers, diagnosed by Dr. Bombay as being caused by marriage to a mortal. Bombay sends Samantha to Postlethwaite for a potion that will cure her. Postlethwaite supplies the potion and demands a kiss in payment, but only after he examines her and allows that Bombay was right in his diagnosis "for the second time that year."

   
   

# 239, "The Warlock in the Gray Flannel Suit"

Here Bernie appears as the Warlock, Alonzo. Endora calls on Alonzo, and by threats, makes him try to mess up Darrin’s work in order to force Darrin and Samantha apart. Samantha catches on, and comes down hard on Alonzo, who, recognizing that another witch is near, hastily removes his spells and departs.

   
   

# 253, "Samantha’s Witchcraft Blows a Fuse"

In his last appearance, Bernie is again the Apothecary who must come up with a cure for the red stripes on Samantha’s face, caused by exposure to a Himalayan cinnamon stick. Again, Postlethwaite requests a kiss for payment.



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