This article is about a character in a TV series. For the musician, see
Jonny Jakobsen.
Dr. Bombay is a fictional warlock / witch doctor character who appeared in eighteen episodes of the television series Bewitched (originally broadcast from 1964 to 1972). The role of Samantha's family "witch doctor" was played by actor Bernard Fox. He twice reprised the role for the spinoff series, Tabitha, where his first name, "Hubert", was revealed. Although fond of Samantha, he tends to regard her husband Darrin with little more than amused contempt. Occasionally he plays on Darrin's preconceptions, once declaring, after performing a simple procedure, "I could've worn a black cloak and stirred a steaming cauldron, but you said you were in a hurry!" On another occasion, he ominously demanded Darrin's soul in payment and, in response to Darrin's nervous reaction, said to Samantha, "Bit of a square, isn't he?"
Usually summoned by an incantation such as "Calling Dr. Bombay! Calling Dr. Bombay, Emergency! Come right away!", he would appear in an outrageous costume, appropriate for whatever bizarre activity he had been interrupted doing, with or without the attractive "nurses" whom he romanced. His antidotes for witch diseases and spells gone awry would often cause complications of their own. He usually ended his visits by teleporting away during a burst of laughter at one of his own witticisms. Dr. Bombay apparently served the witch/warlock community under the authority of the Witches Council, since Samantha's Aunt Hagatha once threatened to appeal to the Council to have him replaced.
In 1999, Bernard Fox reprised the role of Dr. Bombay for two episodes of the supernatural-themed soap opera, Passions; the series also included several other characters with allusions to Bewitched, but Fox is the only actor from the sitcom to actually appear as his same character in Passions. On an episode of Pee-Wee's Playhouse, Jambi the genie was sick. Bernard Fox played Dr. Jinga-Janga, the “wish doctor” a reference to Dr. Bombay, the “witch doctor” on Bewitched.
