Daphne Harper (Joanna Moore) is a redeemed antagonist in the 1967 episode "Charlie Harper, Winner" for the TV series "Bewitched".
Daphne Harper is the snobby wife of Charlie Harper (Angus Duncan), who was an old college friend of Darrin Stephens (Dick York). The Harpers come over to the Stephens' house for dinner to relive old memories. Daphne is constantly bragging about her possessions, houses, and her husband's successes. She looks down on Darrin, which bothers Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery). Samantha mother Endora (Agnes Moorehead), tells her that she should have picked a mortal like Charlie.
Darrin is unable to remember Daphne from college, but she tells him that she was the campus queen at the college during Darrin's senior year. Daphne tells Samantha that Darrin was the only red-blooded American boy on campus who didn't chase her around the quod.
The Stephens are invited to spend the weekend at Oyster Bay with the Harper's, which would include swimming, golf and other activities. In addition, Charlie says he would like to talk to Darrin about a business opportunity.
Daphne is holding court near the pool in a hammock, while Samantha is playing ping pong. The gentleman interrupts Daphne to be the next ping pong challenger for Samantha. This makes Daphne very jealous. Next, a girlfriend of Daphne remarks what a lovely girl Samantha is. Daphne responds with a backhanded comment that she is trying to get Charlie to give Darrin a descent job. Overhearing this, Samantha twitches her nose which makes the hammock give way, causing the lovely Daphne to crash down on the floor. The humiliated Daphne acts perplexed with how this could happen, while Samantha smirks in enjoyment.
Later while playing cards, Daphne made a comment about how stark and modern Samantha's ring is. She then shows off her huge diamond, which barely fits on her hand. The jealous Samantha twitches her nose while Daphne is shuffling the cards, which cause them to go flying all over the place. Samantha remarks that the cards must have gotten caught on her ring. With this, Daphne glared at Samantha. There seemed to be a little competition going on between the ladies.
The next day, Darrin was offered a job with Charlie's advertising agency. Meanwhile, Daphne entered Samantha's hotel room and commented that she wished there was something they could do to help Darrin. Samantha asked what she meant, and Daphne responded that they wanted to offer him a job so that he could realize his whole potential and find his proper place in the world. Samantha responded that Darrin likes to do things on his own merit. Daphne then asked if she needed to borrow any jewelry for the nights dinner party. Not wanting to be embarrassed, Samantha used magic to twitch a suitcase full of jewelry. Daphne was impressed, but said that "It's just amazing what they can do with this costume stuff now days". On Darrin's salary they have to be zircons". Feeling slighted, Samantha then twitched in a fabulous mink coat. This really caught Daphne's eye. As she was walking across the room to admire it, Daphne became frozen. Samantha's mother Endora soon appeared in the room, and proceeded to scold her for using her magic to impress Daphne, causing it an abuse of witchcraft. Samantha responded that "Daphne had it coming". After unfreezing Daphne, she proceeded to tell Samantha that it was the most beautiful coat she has ever seen. Samantha asked her not to mention it to Darrin, since she doesn't like to wear it. In actuality, she was worried what Darrin would say if he found out that she had used her magic to conjure up a materialistic item.
Daphne then went to her husband and told him he had to get her that coat. Charlie told her she had a closet full of mink coats, but Daphne responded that they would be doing Darrin a favor by buying it from the Stephens, since they couldn't afford it anyway. When Charlie was reluctant, Daphne told him, "if you don't get me that coat, I'm going to have a migraine until 1970".
Charlie later approached Darrin with an offer on the mink coat. This got Samantha in hot water since Darrin didn't know anything about it. Darrin became irate, and refused to sell it to Charlie. This also brought a division between Darrin and Samantha, since there isn't anything that he can provide that she can't zap up herself.
At the dinner party, Daphne proceeded to sulk like a spoiled child, making the excuse that she had a splitting headache. Samantha then asked to talk to Daphne in private. Bringing her out to the hallway, she grabbed the mink coat and handed it to Daphne telling her it was hers. Daphne called Charlie out and told him to write a check to Samantha, but Sam refused, telling her it was a gift. Daphne told Sam that "You can't give away something that is valuable". Samantha responded, "Oh yes you can Daphne, when you value something else a great deal more". With this, Darrin and Samantha embraced and kissed.
Later back at home, the doorbell rang and Samantha received a box. It was the mink coat from Daphne, who was returning it. In a card she said "Please accept my thanks for giving me sense of value". Charlie wrote, "Thanks for giving me a new Daphne".
Trivia[]
- Joanna Moore appeared as Cindy Rainey in the 1959 episode "No Pain" for the TV series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents".
- Joanna Moore married third, Ryan O'Neal (1941), and was the mother of Tatum O'Neal (1963).
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