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Sally Field played the title role in the 1960s TV show "Gidget." She was adventurous, sassy, charming -- and even surfed. Her character was a departure from many female characters who played mothers and housewives in '50s TV shows. Getty Images
Barbara Billingsley wears pearls and a white blouse with lace stitching, her usual attire as mother and housewife June Cleaver in the 1950s show "Leave it to Beaver." Female characters in '60s TV moved beyond big skirts and heels into more adventurous territory. Getty Images
Marlo Thomas plays Ann Marie in an episode of the '60s sitcom "That Girl," portraying a single woman who moves to New York to make it big as an actress. Getty Images
Elizabeth Montgomery twitched her nose and made magic happen as Samantha the witch in "Bewitched," a show that premiered in 1964. Getty Images
English actress Diana Rigg plays the kickass spy Emma Peel in the '60s television series "The Avengers." Getty Images
Diahann Carroll starred in a groundbreaking TV sitcom, "Julia," playing an African American single mother -- a daring show for the time. Getty Images