Margaret Hamilton, the actress whose role as the cackling Wicked Witch of the West in ''The Wizard of Oz'' unnerved generations of children, … ”, Almost always they want me to laugh like the Witch. Margaret Hamilton The Wicked Witch of the West, Almira Gulch. In the 1970's she appeared in several PSA commercial and provided the role of Cora the store clerk that only sells Maxwell House Coffee. Prior to her acting career, Hamilton had worked as a kindergarden teacher. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Plus, without The Wizard of Oz, we wouldn't have the fantastic soundtrack from Wicked! Margaret Hamilton. She had been supporting herself and three year old son as a hard working character actress. The character is considered to be one of the screen's greatest and most memorable villains of all time. For several weeks after she completed work on her role, Hamilton's complexion retained a green tinge from the Witch's makeup. Also present was Billie Hayes as her "sister" Witchiepoo, from the series H.R. Margaret Hamilton played the role of the Witch as well as that of Miss Gulch and received high praise for her wonderful performance. The incident occurred during the scene of her fiery exit from Munchkinland. Aside from starring as the Wicked Witch, Hamilton was credited for the role of Almira Gulch in the classic. At four years old (I think) I first watched The Wizard of Oz with my parents on television. In a letter dated 16 July, L. Frank Baum's granddaughter Florence wrote to Ruth Plumly Thompson about a preview three weeks earlier: "It was very good, although the Witch was so terrifying that some small children had to be taken out." A former schoolteacher, she worked as a character actor in films for seven years before she was offered the role that defined her public image. The picture starred Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley and of course Cleveland’s own Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West. She later attended Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights, Ohio, and practiced acting doing children's theater while a Junior League of Cleveland member. Margaret had already built her resume with several performances in film … Buy The Making of The Wizard of Oz 75th Anniversary ed. Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. She remarked on that matter: “I won’t sue because I know how this business work, and I would never work again. Margaret Hamilton, the Wicked Witch of the West, suffered 3rd-degree burns while making “The Wizard of Oz” Jul 22, 2017 Stefan Andrews Without question, The Wizard of Oz has obtained status as a film icon ever since it was released in 1939. In the meantime, Garland would pay a visit to Hamilton at her house, where was also looking after her son. In the finished film, Hamilton's Wicked Witch has twelve minutes of screen time. In Pix, prolific author of several television and movie history books, Stephen Cox, shares personal insights behind an amazing photo containing 20 autographs of then-surviving Munchkins from the 1939 The Wizard of Oz film. In the 1970's she donated considerable amounts of money to Public Broadcasting Service, in particular the Children's Television Workshop, in an effort to promote early learning. Munchkin Mania. Hamilton's infamous Witch's laugh blew out sound equipment circuits. Mr. Rogers sat down with Margaret for a little interview, talking about her role as the evil Wicked Witch in Wizard of Oz, make believe, and much more. She wasn't able to return to the movie until February 10. Margret Meeting Hinton Battle, Mabel King and cast member after a showing of The Wiz. However, while most of us have been happy to enjoy the classic comfortably sitting either in a theater or on the sofa back home, for most of the actors starring in it, the filming was rather like hell. John Fricke, Jay Scarfone, and William Stillman. Hamilton needed a few weeks to recover in the hospital and at home, before coming back to the set to finish her part. Here are a few questions on her life and roles. So MGM turned to her double, Betty Danko. Her legs were permanently scarred…! Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch and Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale in "The Wizard of Oz" Photo: Silver Screen Collection/Hulton … Enter former kindergarten teacher Margaret Hamilton, 36 years old and recently divorced. Margaret Hamilton (December 9, 1902 – May 16, 1985) was an American film actress known for her portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Margaret_Hamilton?oldid=72955. This also tied to one of Hamilton’s greatest fears. And there’s always a funny reaction, like ‘Ye gods, we wish they hadn’t ask.’ They’re scared. On December 23, 1938, while filming the Wicked Witch's exit from Munchkinland in a blaze of fire, Hamilton suffered first-degree burns on the right side of her face and second-degree burns on her right hand; the flames rose too soon, before she had descended below the stage. Margaret Hamilton, well known for her portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West as a contrasting character to Garland’s sweet Dorothy Gale, suffered a second-degree burn on her face as well as a third-degree burn on her hand. Hamilton with Oscar the Grouch on episode #0847 of Sesame Street, 1976, Appearing in a 1975 episode of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Hamilton even demonstrated to children that she was only playing a role, showing how dressing in the costume changed her into the wicked witch. Hamilton would also describe the public reactions to her role as the Witch since apparently her evil ways deeply impressed everyone. Hamilton's green makeup was copper-based and potentially toxic, and had to be removed from her burned flesh with alcohol, an intensely painful process. Margaret Hamilton was born December 9, 1902 in Cleveland, Ohio to Jennie and Walter Hamilton. And sometimes when I go to schools, if we’re in an auditorium, I’ll do it. Reportedly, the year before The Wizard of Oz filming took place, the studio managers exchanged memos about Judy Garland’s daily intake of food. When the film was previewed for test audiences in June 1939, Hamilton's performance as the Witch was perceived as too frightening. I will return to work one condition–no more fireworks!”, Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West with Dorothy Gale. Margaret Hamilton (December 9, 1902 - May 16, 1985) was the actress who played the Wicked Witch of the West and Miss Gulch in MGM's 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and Aunt Em in Journey Back to Oz. There were several scenes in the Wizard of Oz which in the post production were considered too frightening for a child, and most often those scenes featured Hamilton. The three Hudson Brothers played the tin man, scarecrow and lion. 80 years after Oz, the life story of Margaret Hamilton continues to enchant and inspire. On August 25, 1939 “The Wizard of Oz” was released by MGM. They had one son, Hamilton Wadsworth Meserve. Margaret Hamilton who played the … (As tormentor of the heroine Dorothy and her pup Toto, Hamilton uttered the famous line "I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too! Even adolescents. Hamilton's film career began in 1933, when she recreated her Broadway role in the movie version of Another Language. Margaret Hamilton may refer to: . Margaret obtained her teaching certificate in 1923 from the Wheelock Kindergarten Training School in Boston. She also played the part when an unidentified flying witch appears in the tornado scene, but according to some this Witch was intended to be the Wicked Witch of the East rather than Hamilton’s credited role. Margaret Hamilton, who flew a broomstick to fearsome fame as the Wicked Witch of the West in the classic film “The Wizard of Oz,” died Thursday in a Connecticut nursing home. by Harmetz, Aljean, Hamilton, Margaret (ISBN: 9781613748329) from Amazon's Book Store. The book has info about the smart little Cairn terrier who played Toto too. The characters fascinated me, except one. However, Hamilton had a nightmarish experience on-set, all of which has been documented in Aljean Harmetz’s book the Making of The Wizard of Oz. Margaret Hamilton was born in Cleveland, Ohio on December 9, 1902, the youngest of four children. Jul 15, 2018 - Explore Karen Towle's board "Margaret Hamilton - actress" on Pinterest. )[1] She had previously played the Witch onstage, in two community theater productions. When she did return, she wore green gloves, since her hand was not yet fully healed.[2]. She was best known for her iconic portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West and Miss Almira Gulch in the 1939 musical film, The Wizard of Oz. Margaret Hamilton played the nasty, cackling Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. She played Morticia's … in 1975 Hamilton appeared on the PBS series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Danko was burned while doing the “Surrender Dorothy” skywriting sequence situated in the Emerald City. A new stunt double, Aline Goodwin, was employed to finish the broomstick-riding scene instead of Danko. But a stunt actress, Betty Danko, was injured. more of her brilliant and should have been nominated performance Other actors endured struggles, although for some very different reasons. In this scene, the stunt artist sat on a smoking pipe made to look like the Witch’s broomstick, but during a take of the scene, the pipe exploded. Have fun. Margaret had already built her resume with several performances in film before she came to her most memorable and astronomically successful role, Almira Gulch/ The Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (1939). Margaret Hamilton had previously played with Oz castmate Frank Morgan in By Your Leave and There's Always Tomorrow (both 1934) and Saratoga (1937). There is a delightful introduction written by “Wicked Witch” actress Margaret Hamilton for the original 1977 edition, and an appendix that supplies background on L. Frank Baum, author of the bestselling Oz books, who was pretty much a failure at everything else he did. She would appear with Judy Garland again in Babes in Arms (1939), with Jack Haley in George White's Scandals (1945), and with Ray Bolger in The Daydreamer (1966). A former schoolteacher, she worked as a character actor in films for seven years before she was offered the role that defined her public image. Hamilton died in her sleep on May 16, 1985 from a heart attack in a nursing home in Salsbury, Connecticut at the age of 82. The family tree for Margaret Hamilton is still in the early stages of research. Original Vintage Halftone Photograph Signed ("Maggie Hamilton") in black fountain pen ink on 3/4 length pose in costume from "The Wizard of Oz" as the "Wicked Witch of the West," her hands in a hexing pose.Very good (creasing to right side and two left corners of the halftone). The autographs were collected at various times, beginning in the 1980s, all the way through the 2000s. Karen Wyman, a popular vocalist at the time, played Dorothy. As a result of the overwhelming reaction, this episode never re-aired. They were cut in the final edit because of worries over children seeing the movie and getting too frightened. 12" x 10". Margaret Hamilton (9 December 1902 – 16 May 1985) was an American actress. This was more or less true as children would often approach her to ask why she had acted so evil toward little Dorothy. Margaret Brainard Hamilton (December 9, 1902 – May 16, 1985) was an American film character actress best known for her portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West, and her Kansas counterpart Almira Gulch, in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's film The Wizard of Oz (1939). It was no different for Margaret Hamilton, who played the iconic role of the original Wicked Witch of the West in 1939 Wizard of Oz film. The film’s influence on contemporary popular culture is immense. She made efforts to stay true to her roots by promoting elementary education throughout her life. Magaret Hamilton will forever be remembered as the Wicked Witch of the West in MGMs 1939 movie classic The Wizard of Oz. They’re really scared for a second. Pufnstuf. filmed in 1939 at MGM Studios in Culver City, just south of Hollywood on several different sound stages at a cost of $2.8 million dollars, Margaret Hamilton, Actress: The Wizard of Oz. Nevertheless, it would only be co-starring actor Frank Morgan who took more roles than Hamilton in Oz, five in total, though the two of them did not share any scene in the film. If that is the case, this would be a third and an uncredited role for the actress. By the time she was cast as the Wicked Witch, she had already made 25 films. Hamilton wisely turned down this alarming offer. This past summer a play premiered in Sag Harbor, New York, entitled My Witch: The Margaret Hamilton Stories . I saw Margaret Hamilton play the role of the witch in a production of THE WIZARD OF OZ at the Muny in St.Louis. Before returning to the set, Hamilton naturally had refused to do any more work that included the use of fire. Margaret Hamilton won the role of a lifetime when glamorous actress Gale Sondergaard declined the part of the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz.The script had been revised so that Sondergaard would play the character “with a hint of evil beauty” instead of as the repulsive crone in the original L. Frank Baum book. In 1948 she was elected to a school board in Beverly Hills, California. Hamilton provided the voice for Aunt Em in the 1974 animated film Journey Back to Oz. How I wish I could have seen it! Margaret-Hamilton – the Wizard of Oz witch. Reportedly, her performance scared so many children that their parents wrote in to CTW, saying their kids were too scared to watch the show anymore. Hamilton worked on the production for four months, and earned precisely $18,541.68.[4]. The final edit of the film removed a least a dozen lines of the Witch's dialogue to tone down her effect.[3]. "The Wizard of Oz" You wouldn't guess it by watching the film, but several injuries occurred on the set of "The Wizard of Oz" (1939). Margaret Hamilton (December 9, 1902 - May 16, 1985) was the actress who played the Wicked Witch of the West and Miss Gulch in MGM's 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and Aunt Em in Journey Back to Oz.. Hamilton's film career began in 1933, when she recreated her Broadway role in the movie version of Another Language.By the time she was cast as the Wicked Witch, she had … April 2018 Pix: Extraordinary Autographs. One character sent me running from the room down to the safety of my bedroom and my teddy bear sitting on my bed. (FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images) A remake of 1939 classic film The Wizard Of Oz is in the works, New Line Cinema announced.. Nicole Kassell, known for her work on acclaimed TV drama Watchmen, will direct the movie, the studio said.It is the latest adaptation of L Frank Baum’s beloved 1900 book The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz. (Hamilton worked more than many actors in her day, because she freelanced instead of signing a studio contract, and cleverly kept her salary below $1000 per week. Margaret Hamilton (December 9, 1902 – May 16, 1985) was an American film actress known for her portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. On June 13, 1931, Margaret Hamilton married Paul Boynton Meserve, a landscape architect. She was put on a rigid diet that really sounds horrific: chicken soup, black coffee, four packs of cigarettes a day, and diet pills every few hours. Judy Garland, Margaret Hamilton in The Wizard of Oz. I guess for a minute they get the feeling they got when they watched the picture.”. Margaret Hamilton (nurse) (1840–1922), American nurse in the Civil War Maggie Hamilton (1867–1952), Scottish artist; Margaret Hamilton (educator) (1871–1969), American educator Margaret Hamilton (actress) (1902–1985), American film character actress Margaret Hamilton (software engineer) (born 1936), American software … Danko needed to spend nearly two weeks in a hospital recovering from the incident, and her legs were lastingly scarred. Without question, The Wizard of Oz has obtained status as a film icon ever since it was released in 1939. Hamilton appeared in an episode of Sesame Street which aired February 10, 1976, reprising her role as the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz (1939). And she appeared with Clara Blandick in three films from 1934 to 1950. Poor Betty went to hospital for 11 days after she too was injured by flames. Margaret Hamilton, Ray Bolger, and Jack Haley reunited in 1970, a year after the death of costar Judy Garland. ")Hamilton had a long career on stage and screen, often playing spinsters and nosy neighbors with names like Aunt Huddy, Mrs. … Much of the-behind-the-lens hoopla revolved around the Wizard of Oz’s beloved Munchkins. Margaret-Hamilton—wizard-of-oz-witch-makeup-test Margaret Hamilton – the Wizard of Oz witch. She appeared as both herself and the Wicked Witch of the West. Take the Quiz: Margaret Hamilton, Ozs Wicked Witch. The family tree listed here should not be considered exhaustive or authoritative. Eighty years later it is still considered one of the most seen films in the world. 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Hamilton deeply cared about children, and she worried that her monstrous portrayal of the witch would give children the wrong idea of who she really was. Margaret Hamilton [1902–1985] (Miss Almira Gultch / The Wicked Witch of the West) fittingly capped off five decades of acting with an appearance in the 1979 television documentary "The Making of 'The Wizard of Oz.'" Hamilton appeared in the Paul Lynde Halloween Special which aired October 29, 1976. Sesame Workshop  (successor to CTW) still has the episode in it's archives and seven minutes of the episode was shown in 2019. The Wizard of Oz had its Hollywood premiere on August 16, 1939, which means the classic is celebrating its 75th anniversary today. 1976. In an interview, later on, the actress also stated that she took the role as she had been in a need of money at that point, but also because The Wizard of Oz had been her favorite book ever since she was four years old.Hamilton spared herself from more burns. 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