Once a ’70s Child Star, She Left the Spotlight to Raise 6 Children, Including One with Autism – Her Story
Before deciding to live a life away from the spotlight, she appeared in a popular television program. Years later, she was helping her kid gain confidence by spending Sundays at the beach. She tells the tale of her early stardom, her purposeful departure, and her silent return to a more fulfilling career.
In the past, she was frequently seen on television and was well-known to millions of people by only one character name. She didn’t pursue the next position, though, after the cameras stopped rolling. Rather, she chose to leave and started a completely new life.
She reared six kids at home, one of them had an autistic diagnosis. Her priorities eventually changed to campaigning, caregiving, and remaining present—things that stardom never demanded.
Her journey was unexpected and her actions were well-considered; they were based on her convictions rather than on public recognition.
A Well-Known Face in American Living Rooms: Her Ascent to Stardom
On June 17, 1964, she was born in Encino, California. She began working in television at the age of two, getting the part that would come to characterize her formative years.
Her role as Samantha and Darrin’s daughter, Tabitha Stephens, in the popular television show “Bewitched,” made her one of the most well-known child actors of her era.
In the third season of the show, she first played the same part as her fraternal twin sister. However, the job was assigned exclusively to her as the sisters aged and their looks evolved.
She made 103 appearances on the show between 1966 and 1972, playing a young witch who effortlessly and charmingly came into her abilities.
She appeared briefly on various television programs outside of “Bewitched,” such as “Lassie” in 1973, and she starred in the 1979 movie “Deadly Fighters.” Although her main public activity during those years was acting, she also worked as a bikini model for Hang Ten.
The Silent Farewell: Her Reasons for Leaving Hollywood
Offers kept coming in after “Bewitched” concluded. She declined most of them, though, sometimes in favor of more straightforward childhood experiences rather than pursuing them. She turned down several offers, including one to appear on “The Waltons” in order to go to Girl Scout camp.
After her family eventually moved to Orange County, she stopped going to auditions and only took guaranteed jobs in Los Angeles. She was tired of waiting for a callback that would never come in casting rooms full of kids who looked exactly like her.
“I walked away from the business before maybe the business kicked me out,” she said. She continued to accept infrequent roles on her own terms because she had a strong sense of who she was and didn’t care much about approval from others.
As a child, she recalled truly enjoying the audition process, particularly because it allowed her to rekindle friendships. But as the excitement subsided, she didn’t see the point in continuing the cycle.
Her Private Life Out of the Public Eye
She didn’t disappear after leaving the full-time performing profession. She simply shifted to the backstage area. Despite not having an agent anymore, she kept taking on a few acting gigs, mainly small parts in independent movies, web series, or friend projects.
She was able to play either herself or characters that reflected her early renown in many of these roles, which drew heavily on her history. In the short-lived films “Youthful Daze” (2014) and “The Comeback Kids” (2014–2015), she portrayed a fabricated identity in a narrative about former child stars.
She played Nina Woodworth in “Life Interrupted” (2017) and in the 2017 short film “I Might Be Famous,” which also included this self-referential technique. She then made a brief comeback to her iconic role in 2019.
She reprised her role as Tabitha Stephens in a single episode of “TV Therapy,” although this time she was recast as an adult receiving therapy. It was a lighthearted yet complete moment that respectfully recognized her history without attempting to duplicate it.
Meet the Mother of Six, Actress, and Advocate
Although she is still well-known to many as Tabitha Stephens from “Bewitched,” Erin Murphy’s greatest enduring role has been off-screen: mother to six boys. Rather than being a collective with a common path, she characterizes her sons as individuals who are “as different as six people could be.”
Encouragement, not control, has always been the foundation of her parenting style. Instead of pressuring her kids to achieve any one objective, she concentrated on assisting them in finding their passions and pursuing them wholeheartedly. She has brought them up to share her positive outlook and passion for the possibilities of life.
When Parker, one of her sons, was diagnosed with autism, that optimism was put to the test and strengthened. Her parenting perspective was strengthened by the diagnosis rather than altered. She made the decision to face it with determination, forbearance, and action.
She became more involved in causes that were similar to her family’s experience as the boys grew up, particularly those related to neurodiversity and support for kids with developmental disabilities.
Living with Autism: Acquiring Knowledge, Adjusting, and Contributing
Long before autism entered her family’s everyday lives, Murphy was active in children’s organizations. However, her focus changed after Parker was diagnosed. Advocacy became individualized. She started spending time on autism-related causes. The actress talked to parents who needed support, volunteered at different events, and went to board meetings.
Murphy revealed in 2020 that she and Parker participated in a surf therapy program run by Mighty Under Dogs, which is affiliated with the Malibu Foundation, every Sunday. One effective component of their program was the weekly sessions.
She wrote, “It’s changed his life,” at the time. The experience supported his development outside of therapeutic settings by combining structure, camaraderie, and sensory engagement. Murphy has also discussed her more general philosophy of giving back.
She said, “I’ve always volunteered,” “I have a strong belief that you need to give back.” She talked about how she uses her red carpet appearances to draw attention to critical issues, saying that if she’s going to be in the spotlight, she would rather talk about something significant than her attire.
Understanding Autism: A Synopsis of Medicine
The developmental difference known as autism, or autistic spectrum disease (ASD), impacts how the brain interprets everyday functioning, social behavior, and communication. People—adults and children alike—interact, communicate, and react to their surroundings differently as a result of it.
Early in childhood, often before the age of two, the symptoms frequently manifest. Generally speaking, there are two primary categories of autism features. The first relates to social communication and interaction issues, which might impact a child’s ability to read body language, maintain eye contact, or socialize.
The second entails limited or recurring interests, activities, or habits, like reciting the same motions or concentrating intently on particular patterns. Among the early indicators of autism are:
Insufficient or nonexistent eye contact
Unusual or repeated motions of the body, such as flapping of the hands
Using the same terms or expressions repeatedly
inability to read tone of voice or facial expressions
A strong inclination toward consistency or routine
Although everyone with autism is affected differently, there is support available to help people deal with difficulties and capitalize on their abilities. Behavioral therapies, occupational and speech therapy, and family-based approaches are among the therapies created especially for kids with autism.
In addition to helping the child, these techniques teach parents and other caregivers how to establish productive routines and communication techniques.
The significance of early intervention is emphasized by experts. A child’s chances of long-term benefits increase with the timing of support, ideally starting before the age of three.
Children with autism can flourish in both home and school environments if the proper framework and knowledge are in place. Murphy has admitted that both genetic and environmental variables may be involved, but he has been cautious not to speculate about the causes.
“There is something out there, but they are not yet certain what it is. and it has been demonstrated that it is more common in some places,” she said. Murphy believed that comprehending autism involved more than just study. It was about changing day-to-day living.
Her priorities stayed the same as she adjusted to her son’s needs: provide him with the assistance he requires while continuing to live life to the fullest and with purpose. That kind of thinking has influenced not just her campaigning but also her whole perspective on life.
Appreciation and Grounding
Murphy has spoken positively of her childhood acting career, highlighting the chances and experiences that came with entering the field at such a young age. She attributed that period to her ability to travel extensively, buy a beachfront home, and make connections with individuals she looked up to.
She acknowledged the long hours but made it apparent that the advantages outweighed the difficulties. She has talked about instilling resilience and perspective in her kids, urging them to laugh at failures and embrace life.
Murphy bought her ideal car—a Tesla—and her ideal beachfront home before 2020. At the time, three of her children were still living at home, and she was debating whether to resume her normal job or keep taking on side ventures.
She talked about going through a period of transition, considering her options and finding time to appreciate what she had created.
