why did they change darren on bewitched

How did the producers work around this and just what did this change mean for the character? Form 1964 to 1969 York portrayed the mortal husband to Elizabeth Montgomerys witch Samantha and her magical, misfit family members, including acerbic, mortal-hating mother-in-law Endora, played by Agnes Moorehead. How did the producers work around this and just what did this change mean for the character? "Bewitched," Pilato discovered, also depicted a strong work ethic. Bad investments had left him broke, and his teeth rotted out (a common problem for drug abusers), so he and his wife were reduced to cleaning houses for a living. Check out NeatoShop's large selection of T-shirts While York later accepted Darrin's role on Bewitched, he dealt with lingering back problems during his tenure on the show. Copyright 2023 Distractify. Funny T-Shirts | Horror T-Shirts | Video Game T-Shirts. York was cast as Darrin Stephens in the 1960s sitcom Bewitched as Samantha's (Elizabeth Montgomery) mortal husband. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. During the second-to-last day of filming Cordura, York was operating a railroad handcar carrying wounded men. And on the set, the crew would help me. The actor reportedly continued to take his medications, but he quit cold turkey in 1971. Lets have some Endora . The Ashers thought the show had possibilities, and Liz signed on to be Samantha. He began getting notable screen work in 1953, acting with Adam West in an episode of The Philco Television Hour, and by 55 he got some major films roles, one of them co-starring with Janet Leigh and Jack Lemmon in the musical, My Sister Eileen.He followed Jack Lemmon to Operation Mad Ball in 1957, which was the screen . The first 74 half-hour episodes were filmed in black-and-white for Seasons 1 and 2 (but are now available in colorized versions on DVD); the remaining 180 half-hour episodes were filmed in color. York asked a friend on the set to lower him from the 15-foot platform he was on. His 1959 role in They Came To Cordura changed his life forever. Sargent played a calmer Darrin who certainly reactioned to Samantha and her familys supernatural hijinks. How would you rate this article? Nosey Gladys Kravitz was first played by Alice Pearce and then Sandra Gould. Required fields are marked *. RELATED: Bewitched Stole Certain Plotlines From I Love Lucy Because Of One Sneaky Producer. Homes & Hues - Home design, decor and gadgets Bewitched is an icon in pop culture and in the history of '60s television. Darrin went to college with Charlie Harper and Daphne . Yorks seizure stemmed from a long history of painkiller use. That agony rippled to the production of Bewitched. Grimes was not a fan of the premise, asking why she wouldnt use her powers to stop wars or deal with Los Angeles traffic. All Rights Reserved. York and Montgomery indeed had instant chemistry. Alice Pearce played the part of a nosy busybody so well that even today the local neighborhood buttinski is referred to as a Gladys Kravitz. When Pearce was 9, she fell from a playground swing and landed on her chin, stunting its growth. "Now, instead of lifting the expected weight, I was suddenly, jarringly, lifting his entire weight off the flatbed180 pounds or so. York did release a statement to The Sacramento Bee in March of 1969 about his departure from the series, which read, "Five years as Liz's husband on Bewitched; there are no hard feelings. The seizure may have ended his time onBewitched, but industry insiders claim the ousting was a long time coming. You wouldnt be alone. He also appeared in hundreds of other radio shows and instructional films before heading to New York City, where he acted on Broadway in Tea and Sympathy and Bus Stop. Why did they replace Darren on Bewitched? The story is actually quite sad. York appeared in dozens of episodes of now-classic television series, including Justice, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, The Untouchables, Rawhide, The Americans, Wagon Train, Father Knows Best, and CBS's The Twilight Zone and Route 66. Despite the vast amount of time that passed between the magazine's appearance on the show, it always had the same . His teeth rotted and he put on over 100 pounds and found it difficult to find other work. While it wasnt exactly a secret that Montgomery was playing Serena, the credit was given to a made up actress named Pandora Spocks.. That flickering, flickering, flickering made me feel weird. - January 13, 2021 12:32 pm EST. The injury led to a chronic and debilitating back condition that York managed with a mix of painkillers, sleeping aids, and cortisone shots. York was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana to Bernard York, a salesman, and Betty, a seamstress. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Sargent was originally offered the role of Darrin in 1964, but declined in favor of a part in the short-lived sitcom Broadside.[7]. BUS STOP, from left: Kim Stanley, Dick York, 1955-1956 / Everett Collection. It came to everyone's notice, and to help the suffering actor, it became routine to have scenes and plots contrived and written in which poor Darrin was sitting down, lying down, or reclining (usually sitting at his office desk at work, or in bed or on the couch at home) as much as possible. But because of the slapstick nature and physical comedy required on such a show, occasionally situations arose that would tax even a man in good physical condition. While his career was something of a tragedy the upside, one of the few that people choose to remember these days, is that he didnt quit Bewitched and there was no real desire to replace him until there was no other choice. The muscles along the right side of my back tore. Later in his run, Darrin was written out of episodes with the explanation that he was away on business or by focusing on Samantha visiting with her warlock kin. At 15 he had a regular role on the radio show That Brewster Boy. The Christmas episode entitled Sisters at Heart would be considered politically incorrect today, to say the least (Tabitha, her parents, and even Larry Tate all appear in blackface at one point). Other effects included fast-motion film, backward-motion film, and invisible wires for levitation. In a case like that, Elizabeth Montgomery had to stand in place, arms upraised, while the director called cut and members of the crew then rushed around to remove the laundry, newspapers, and other clutter from the set. Magic stuff happens, Darrin's boss/client/etc sees it, and Samantha saves the day with a catchy jingle to tie up the freaky loose ends. - Wizard of Oz Coaster Set, Witch and Cauldron - Salt & Pepper Shakers, Wicked Witch of the East Legs and House - Salt & Pepper Shakers, Wicked Witch & Crystal Ball - Salt & Pepper Shakers, Playdough Surgery is Easier Than the Real Thing, Seniors Recreate Rihannas Super Bowl Dance Break, Invention Lets People Kiss Each Other Using Their Phones, The Challenge of Escaping from Colditz Castle. They knew I was feeling pretty rotten, and they tried to give me time to rest. Without warning or explanation, Dick Sargent replaced Dick York as Sams TV husband. The book is in large part a love letter to his wife, Joan (ne Alt), the seesaw girl of the title, who stuck with him through the hard times. By using this website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Dick York remained on his back for a full year after leaving Bewitched and fell on hard times soon after. Vaguely resembling Dick York, Dick Sargent played Darrin with a more defiant attitude toward his witchy in-laws. The act of nonchalantly switching out actors has become playfully known as "The Darrin Syndrome " evidence that they didn't exactly get away with the switcheroo. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. As any stuntperson the business could tell you anything that happens unprepared has a higher risk of injury than a stunt or action that is scripted and has people plan in advance for it to happen. You can see Moorehead wearing the brooch on an episode of Password above. With 18k+ articles and 40 novels written, Tom knows a little something about storytelling. Liz and I were more kissy-kissy. Indeed, Pilato revealed that even York disliked the shouting that went from Darrin to Samantha Stephens and often yearned to calm him down during his time on set. This could be because the show spent its first two seasons in black and white. As the series went on it began to cause shooting delays and script rewrites, before he eventually collapsed on set and was rushed to hospital. After leaving Bewitched, Dick York's career dried up and he faded into relative obscurity. Bewitchedoriginally aired from September 17th, 1964 to March 25th, 1972, and still airs reruns to this day because of its massive popularity. He was the first actor to play Darrin Stephens on the ABC fantasy sitcom Bewitched. Sadly, Dick's health did not improve after he stepped away from Bewitched. Anyway, there was one thing I never knew about the show - why they suddenly replaced Dick York, the actor who originally played Samantha's husband, Darrin. Some cast members did not even fully understand what a classic theyd made until years after. Originally starring Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York, the series went through a bit of a metamorphosis. He revealed that York had been the first choice for the part. Still, fans of the series insist that Sargent and Montgomery didnt have a ton of chemistry. In 1968, he was even nominated for an Emmy award for his portrayal of the likable Darrin. Eventually, Dick was given more scenes where Darrin was either lying in bed or seated on the couch. He knew of York's anguish and asked him point blank is he wanted to quit the show. During the filming of They Came to Cordura (1959) in 1959, Dick York suffered an excruciating back injury. Pictojam - Science & Tech How did Scott Adams come up with the name Dilbert? In the "A Is for Aardvark" episode from the first season, Darren is laid up in bed with a bad foot and Samantha tires of . Dick York, the original Stephens, endured immense pain following an injury while filming They Came to Cordura (1959). The facade appeared in shows including Dennis the Menace and I Dream of Jeanie. You have reached your limit of free articles. Eventually York would struggle with an addiction to painkillers that would in a sense keep him from the show and would end up getting him replaced as he couldnt fulfill his obligations. While under care York knew his ability to continue working on the series was finished due to his worsening health and reliance on pain medication, prompting show producers to recast Sargent in the role for the sixth, seventh and eighth seasons, ahead of the series end in 1972. The facade of the Stephens house was also the same facade . Who would have thought. York and Gary Cooper were propelling a handcar along the rail tracks while filming a movie scene. Was Mark Wahlberg ever a member of New Kids on the Block? :). Neatorama is the neat side of the Web. In the middle of Season Five, however, he was run-down and it showed on camera. Finally! [2] By 1989, he was using an oxygen tank to help him breathe. He unsuspectingly lifted the extras entire weight, and being unprepared for that additional 180 pounds, he tore most of the muscles on the right side of his back, and his spine never healed correctly. At some point the show started running into a few problems here and there anyway and eventually it was taken off the air and later on played on Nick at Nite and a couple of other stations. Please share: TV Shows Whose Lead Character is the Least Interesting, I'm a Witch! In the 1960's sitcom Bewitched, Sam's magical roots have a habit of causing chaos in not only her own life, but also in her mortal husband's. "[5], From York's hospital bed, he and director William Asher discussed York's future. York said yes. Goliath animation studio Hanna-Barbera created the opening, adding it to a packed resume that includes The Flintstones, Scooby-Doo, and The Jetsons.Some Flintstones episodes even feature magical cameos by the Bewitched cast.. As for the music, Bewitched did originally have a theme song with lyrics. He signed a contract with Columbia Pictures shortly after appearing on Broadway with Deborah Kerr in Tea and Sympathy. Aunt Clara was so endearing that even Darrin (who despised most of Sams relatives) loved her, even when her spells went wonky and turned him into a chimpanzee or a seal. Along with the chronic back pain, he had developed a powerful addiction to prescription drugs that consumed his life for the next two years. Darrin's role was later recast with actor Dick Sargent, who played the character for the last three seasons of Bewitched. Supa Fluffy - Cute Animals & Pets. Its saddening really to think that a career was cut short by one injury that turned into an addiction, but its not the only time its happened and it probably wont be the last since the saying stuff happens is something that people dont always like to hear, but its the unvarnished truth since there are plenty of moments that people just dont see coming and instances in which a career can be clipped off at the knees without any warning at all. The 1942 picture, directed by French filmmaker Ren Clair, tells the story of a woman named Jennifer, who just so happens to be a witch living in 1600s New England. People werent the only elements of the show that might have looked a little too familiar. For Darrin's "daydream daughter", see Little Endora. I didnt attend to the problem then. It's always jarring when a show recasts a familiar character with a new actor, but it's been done since the early days of television for myriad reasons. Jack Keller composed the music before working with The . The truth, unknown to audiences for years after York left the sitcom, is far less salacious, yet just as mortal as the character Darrin was envisaged for television: injury and addiction were the catalysts that prompted Yorks departure from Bewitched. However, according to Pilato, the show cut a few corners after the cast change. On the day of filming the Daddy Does His Thing episode, he skipped lunch to see his doctor, who was out. He staged a brief comeback, with guest appearances on Fantasy Island and Simon and Simon, but soon the calls stopped again, and Dick dedicated his last years to teaching acting and working with the homeless. While filming the movie They Came to Cordura (1959) with Gary Cooper and Rita Hayworth, he suffered a permanent, disabling back injury. The series shot to the number-two position in the Neilsen ratings by season's end. Using his telephone as his pulpit, York motivated politicians, business people, and the general public to contribute supplies and money. While under contract with Columbia Pictures, York starred in films such as They Came to Cordura, which premiered in 1959 and Inherit the Wind, which came out in 1960. But she wasnt the only one with a secret to keep. "And that was the start of it all the pain, the painkillers, the addiction, the lost career. Click here to view up to the first 100 of this post's. York did not appear in several third- and fourth-season episodes, and his eventual departure from the show well into the filming of the fifth season necessitated more episodes focusing on Samantha and other members of her family, with mentions that Darrin was away on business. Eventually, Sargent was allowed to bring his acting style to the role, which felt more natural. Meanwhile, that co-workers daughter was Tabithas close friend and was spending the weekend with the Stephens. The characters unusual fascination with door knobs was based on Lornes real-life fetish; she had a collection of over 1000 antique door openers. Why was York replaced in the first place, though? The episode was titled: Darren's breaking point. Additionally, Sargent overall felt, To tell you the truth, I think there was a stronger sense of warmth between Samantha and Darrin when I did the show. Darrin hails from Missouri and served in the United States Army. Is Shirley Manson from Garbage a natural redhead? The Real Reason There Were Two Darrins On Bewitched YouTube By Karen Corday / Jan. 15, 2021 4:50 pm EST It's a question that continues to puzzle people 50 years after it happened: why did the TV show Bewitched suddenly and seemingly inexplicably replace the actor who played Darrin in the middle of its run? In 1960's sitcom Bewitched, Sam's husband Darrin has a habit of overreacting to her magical hijinks. All Rights Reserved. The show revolves around a witchwho marries a regular, human man and promises to lead the life of a typical housewife. With Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, Agnes Moorehead, Erin Murphy. An illness during filming of the fifth season finally benched York for good. Thanks for the article. Because of this back injury however his time on Bewitched was great affected as he couldnt walk fast or run anywhere and he had to spend a lot of time seated in many scenes. I had always assumed it was because of creative differences or whatever term Hollywood likes to use, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. When the show returned for its sixth season, Darrin was portrayed by Dick Sargent. The producer didnt think a baby witch should be able to. Murphy added that Montgomerys wiggle was a camera trick. Look closely and youll see that her nose isnt really moving at all its her mouth. David White, who played unctuous advertising exec Larry Tate, had a son named Jonathan whom hed raised as a single father after his wife died due to complications during her second pregnancy. When Larry and Louise Tate were blessed with a son on Bewitched, the child was named Jonathan at White's request. Sandra Gould took over the role of Gladys Kravitz for the remainder of the series. This prop amusingly played on the title of the popular Harper's Bazaar fashion magazine. Work included numerous roles on television, including The Untouchables (1960), Dr. Kildare (1961), Route 66 (1963) and Rawhide (1961-1963), before York landed the role for which he would be forever associated with: Darrin Stephens in Bewitched. Dick York, the original Stephens, endured immense pain following an injury while filming They Came to Cordura (1959). To deal with the chronic pain he was experiencing due to the Cordura accident, York was prescribed several painkillers, including codeine, muscle relaxants, and sleeping pills (he stressed that he avoided drugs while working). I went to work that day, but I was sick. Your email address will not be published. The trouble with staying of acting so long, even in todays era, is that people tend to forget a lot of what the actor has done and will seek out new forms of entertainment. There was no such thing as computer-generated hocus-pocus in the 1960s; all the magic on Bewitched was created by a team of hard-working stagehands. I found this strange but decided to continue on. The years of poor health were not helped by his cigarette habit, and the three-pack-a-day smoker developed emphysema, which ultimately claimed his life at the age of 63 on Feb. 20, 1992. First The Oscars and Now The Voice Season 12 Finale Hallelujah! Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles, 5 Things Producers Didn't Want You To Know About. And I'm sitting on this platform up in the air and I turned to Gibby, who was just down below, and I said, 'Gibby, I think I have to get down.' Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York in Bewitched, Dick York: The Real Reason He Suddenly Left 'Bewitched', Photo: Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Photo Archives/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. According to York, "Somehow all that flickering made me feel weird." By 1968 he was addicted, and in 1969 he passed out while on the Bewitched set and had to be hospitalized. After Darrin in a fit of frustration says that they should tell everyone about Sam being a witch, she makes him dream about that very situation and the reactions of their friends and the US Government. The replacement wasnt a bad one, insist show experts. Kept in the dark though, they could only use their gut to determine if they could follow the show with such a drastic change of casting. Somehow though, if one can believe this, a lot of people barely noticed when York was replaced by Sargent, as the different apparently wasnt so great that people were willing to complain about it. As well as radio soaps, Yorks early years in New York also saw him acting on Broadway in Tea and Sympathy with Deborah Kerr in 1953. York managed to work through his severe pain for the first four seasons. 'Bewitched was so popular that ABC began re-running it during weekday mornings for two years starting in 1968. Dick Sargent took up the role of Darrin Stephens after York left because Sargent was actually the second choice for the role anyway. Copyright 2023 PopCulture.com. He was rushed to the hospital and never returned to the Bewitched set. Adam was the name of Darrin and Samantha's second child, but only son. He did guest spots on Fantasy Island, Simon & Simon, and a TV movie called High School, USA. Small correction, York's ill-fated cowboy movie was They Came to Cordura -- see. With that, York left the sitcom to devote himself to recovery, never to return. Enjoying The Special Effects of 'Bewitched' (Columbia Pictures Television) He believes that things were set up that the audience not only liked Gladys Kravitz for her humor but the character itself as well. Producers, on the other hand, hoped that the audience wouldnt notice when they changed Darrins identity. It turns out that Samantha and Darrin werent the happy TV couple living in their house. Endora disapproves of her daughter's decision to marry a mortal. I dont know why. The actor explained to PEOPLE in 1989, "I had a board in my trailer where I would flatten out. The human body, resilient as it is, doesnt normally respond well to quick and unexpected motions that tweak it in ways that it wasnt prepared to go. When the director yelled cut, one of the extras in the scene on the base of the car grabbed the rail that York was pumping and pulling, leading to his injury. In 1969, with Dick York as Darrin (his final season), the show was a ratings hit at #11, but when Sargent took over the role, ratings soon dropped and the show went to #24. Richard Crenna was the next actor offered the part of Darrin, but hed just spent several years on The Real McCoys, so he passed as well. Many have speculated through the years that Dick York's departure from the show had to do with either a dispute with the network or show executives or a clash with the cast, but nothing could be further from the truth. Much better this time around! "[5], York died of complications from emphysema at Blodgett Hospital in East Grand Rapids, Michigan, on February 20, 1992, at age 63. I kept having chills. [3], Despite his suffering, York said, "I've been blessed. Enthusiastic Bewitched writer Herbie J Pilato has covered the show and its stars from multiple angles in multiple books. 1 What was the name of Darrin and Samantha's son? Cordura and Inherit the Wind (1960) were his biggest film successes, but it was an accident during shooting on the former that would inform and influence the remainder of his life. York was a three-pack-a-day smoker for much of his life and often smoked cigarettes on the set of Bewitched; he spent his final years battling emphysema. You can't sleep. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Within a decade he had moved to New York City, was working on radio soaps and had married his childhood sweetheart Joan Alt, with whom he had five children and remained wed to until his death. The show ran from 1964 to 1972 and had a hugely successful 8-year run. The show's producer, Bill Asher (who was Montgomery's husband in real life) visited York in the hospital as he was recuperating. Then married to Asher, Montgomery won out and portrayed the iconic character for all eight seasons of the show. Once the living room was nice and neat, action was called and Montgomery could lower her arms and continue the scene. They did share a rather key difference, however. The classic television show focused on Samantha Stephens (played by Elizabeth Montgomery), a witch-turned-housewife who prompted magical acts with a signature wiggle of her nose. Tabitha liked to pretend that the two were sisters, and tried to make them both the same color so that theyd be twins. "We rented to people who were on welfare and a lot of times they couldn't pay the rent. Bewitched: There Was a Real-Life Affair on the Set of the Show. There was a time when a twitching nose only indicated that allergy season was starting. It was originally believed Adam was a mortal but was later shown (in the final season) that Adam had magic of his own. His back problems and then his dependency kind of took that choice and made it a necessity. A few years prior to production on the first season of Bewitched, Dick had suffered a debilitating and permanent back injury on the set of the film They Came to Cordura. His reliance on pills was too great at that point to mount any sort of a comeback and the actor even admitted to having hallucinated more than once thanks to so much of the stuff that was in his system. There was plenty of speculation surrounding why York departed Bewitched. She also admired his acting talent and was not at all pleased when he was replaced with Dick Sargent. I had a board in my trailer where I would flatten out, he told People in 1989. Darren was also missing from the opening but Samantha just did her normal acts as if he were there anyway. York did attempt a comeback once he was able to get on his feet, but nothing really opened up for him at that point and it was a bit obvious that his time had come and gone. This website uses cookies to improve user experience. On the hit 1960s sitcom Bewitched, Dick York played Darrin Stephens, the long-suffering mortal married to witch-turned-housewife, Samantha. She just always seemed to be having more fun. Richard Allen York (September 4, 1928 February 20, 1992) was an American radio, stage, film, and television actor. Comedy Family Fantasy Angry that the new male child is not named after him, Maurice zaps Darrin into the mirror until the situation is corrected to his satisfaction. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Thanks for reading! The two Darrins on Bewitched An expressive character actor already semi-famous thanks to his part in Inherit The Wind and guest spots on series like The Twilight Zone, Dick York became an icon of. However, Brockway refused to allow Darrin tohandle his account, since he mistakenly believed that Darrin was married to a black woman (actually the wife of Darrins co-worker). Fans of the hit sitcom were scratching their heads at the beginning of season six when a new actor stepped into the role of Darrin. He said he had to turn it down because he was already under contract. All rights reserved. Yet in season six of the show's eight-season run, York. 254 half-hour episodes were produced. 'Bewitched' Star Dick York: Why the Actor Who Played Darrin Stevens Exited the Series, 'Fatal Attraction' Reboot for Paramount+ Trailer and Release Date, Major NBC Show Moves to New Night, Suffers Big Ratings Drop, 'House of the Dragon' Season 1 Timeline, Explained, Candice Patton Has Filmed Her Final 'The Flash' Scenes, Rachael Ray Launches Major New Venture as Her Show Ends, Classic CBS Sitcom Leaving HBO Max This Month, 'That '90s Show': Laura Prepon Had a Special Role Behind the Scenes, and You Might Not Have Realized It, Ronda Rousey Reportedly Injured Just Weeks Before WrestleMania. Saks wasnt worried that some litigious types might find too many similarities between his TV show and those movies, though; both films were owned by Columbia Pictures, which in turn also owned Screen Gems, the company that produced Bewitched. When the director yelled Cut, one of the wounded extras reached and pulled himself up on the opposite side of the handle that York was about to upswing. One famous example comes from Bewitched when Dick Sargent had to replace Dick York as Darrin Stephens. They would plant someone on the other side of a door in case it was too heavy for me to open by myself.. York made a name for himself in the entertainment industry long before he nabbed a role on Bewitched. Now, instead of lifting the expected weight, I was suddenly, jarringly, lifting his entire weight off the flatbed 180 pounds or so. When a character popped in and out and changed clothes in the interim, the director made sure that the actors shoes were firmly affixed in place on the stage while the actor dashed backstage to change costume. This was the middle of the summer and I was wearing a sheepskin jacket and I was chilling. He was addicted to painkillers and kept missing episodes until finally, they had to replace him with Dick Sargent." She returned to 'Bewitched' because ABC made her an offer she couldn't refuse. Though his career was cut short, York is still fondly remembered to this day, thanks to reruns on Nick at Nite and TV Land, which have kept Bewitched alive for fans young and old. Originally starring Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York, the series went through a bit of a metamorphosis during its eight-season run. Dick Sargent replaced York in the role of Darrin Stephens, taking over the role at the start of the series' sixth season (19691970) and continuing in the part until the series ended after its eighth season (19711972). They were never actually sung over the opening credits, but the Bewitched theme song does have lyrics. But his career had already waned in his absence from television, as had his economic situation, forcing him and his family to rely on welfare, unemployment checks and odd jobs to make ends meet over the following decade.