In the film, Momba has an unspecified hold over the Wizard, who promises his crown to anyone who can release him from Momba's power. UConnToday, 23 April 2013. Hamilton made her debut as a "professional entertainer" on December 9, 1929, in a "program of 'heart rending songs' in the Charles S. Brooks Theater at the Play House in Cleveland. As IMDb celebrates its 30th birthday, we have six shows to get you ready for those pivotal years of your life ... your 30s. Series lead character Slim Sherman (John Smith) is skeptical of the suffragettes, and Sheriff Mort Corey and he concoct a tale the women should head to Cheyenne, where their services are more needed than in Laramie.[12]. "From 'Kiddie Lit' to Children's Literature: The Biography of Francelia Butler." She appeared on Broadway in the musical Goldilocks opposite Don Ameche and Elaine Stritch, gave a lighter touch to the domineering Parthy Anne Hawks in the 1966 revival of Show Boat (dancing with David Wayne), and was the tender Aunt Eller in the 1968 Lincoln Center revival of Oklahoma!. Hamilton and Morgan never share any scenes in Oz. Danko sat on a smoking pipe configured to look like the Witch's broomstick. However, it can be argued both ways. As a result of the overwhelming reaction, this episode never re-aired, and as of 2017, no … The 1910 silent film The Wonderful Wizard of Oz features a character similar to the Wicked Witch of the West, identified in intertitles as "Momba the Witch" (Compare the character Mombi from The Marvelous Land of Oz). While this relationship is not mentioned in Baum's books, in the movie, the Witch is the sister of the Wicked Witch of the East, who is killed when Dorothy arrives in Oz. Plans never got past the development stage, however, when Judy Garland became a major star, having great success in subsequent movies. She married Paul Boynton Meserve on June 13, 1931 and made her debut on the New York City stage the following year. In the 1960s, Hamilton was a regular on another CBS soap opera, The Secret Storm, playing the role of Grace Tyrell's housekeeper, Katie. She attended Hathaway Brown School while the school was at 1945 East 93rd Street in Cleveland. She appeared as herself in three episodes of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, between 1975 and 1976, because Fred Rogers wanted his viewers to recognize the Wicked Witch was just a character and not something to be afraid of. And I asked him what part, and he said, 'The Witch,' and I said, 'The Witch?!' And there's always a funny reaction, like 'Ye gods, they wish they hadn't asked.' She subsequently developed Alzheimer's disease and died in her sleep following a heart attack on May 16, 1985 in Salisbury, Connecticut at age 82. [7] Studio executives cut some of Hamilton's more frightening scenes, worrying they would frighten children too much. Hamilton produced the stage productions An Evening with the Bourgeoisie, The Three Sisters, and House Party.[where?][when? and he said, 'What else? The picture made a terrible impression of some kind on them, sometimes a ghastly impression, but most of them got over it, I guess ... because when I talk like the Witch, and when I laugh, there is a hesitation and then they clap. Some of the earlier scripts included a son for the Wicked Witch of the West whom she wanted to put on the throne of Oz, and a stuck-up niece for Miss Gulch. She had three grandchildren, Christopher, Scott and Margaret. [citation needed] Hamilton also practiced her craft doing children's theater while she was a Junior League of Cleveland member. They're scared. [14][15][16] On October 30, 1975, she guest-starred on the radio revival series CBS Radio Mystery Theater. The Witch asks aloud, "Who killed my sister?" They're really scared for a second. Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West with Dorothy Gale 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. The pipe exploded on the third take of the scene. And is one of the most memorable and iconic villains in movie history. [13] Hamilton continued acting regularly until 1982; her last roles were two guest appearances as veteran journalist Thea Taft (in 1979 and 1982) on Lou Grant. She appeared on an episode of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood in 1975 where she explained to children she was only playing a role and showed how putting on a costume "transformed" her into the witch. Looking for something to watch? – was ranked 99th in the 2005 American Film Institute survey of the most memorable movie quotes. In 1979, she was a guest speaker at a University of Connecticut children's literature class. Later in life, she would comment on the role of the witch in a light-hearted fashion. 1978 Maxwell House A.D.C. I said, 'Yes?' (1965–66; Hamilton had been offered the role of Grandmama, but turned it down. Her son, interviewed for the 2005 DVD edition of the film, commented that Hamilton enjoyed the line so much, she sometimes used it in her real life. Margaret had already built her resume with several performances in film before she came to her most ... Miss Gulch / The Wicked Witch of the West, Margaret Hamilton: More Than A Wicked Witch, ‘Wizard of Oz': 10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About the Classic (Photos), Horror Actressing: Anjelica Huston in "The Witches", My Best Supporting Actress Winners and Nominees, Memorable Character Roles by Character Actors, Passed Actresses I'd Resurrect Back To Their Prime, guest host: Judy Garland; guests: Margaret Hamilton, Van Johnson, Moms Mabley, Marty Brill, Rex Reed, The Ohio Express, Prettier Than Ever: The Restoration of Oz, Because of the Wonderful Things It Does: The Legacy of Oz, The Legend Floyd: The Dark Side of the Rainbow, Musicals Great Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit at MGM, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic, What to Watch if You Miss the "Game of Thrones" Cast. and he said 'Maggie, they want you to play a part on the Wizard.' One early script had Aunt Em as the wicked witch who wanted to kill Toto to punish Dorothy. Later in the decade, she was in a little-known film noir, titled Bungalow 13 (1948), in which she again costarred opposite Cromwell. Looking hideous in the make-up, she immediately declined the role and was replaced with Margaret Hamilton. 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. Momba captures Dorothy and her companions, evoking the events in Baum's original novel, and is destroyed when Dorothy throws a bucket of water ov… [19] She later moved to Millbrook, New York. During the 1960s and 1970s, Hamilton appeared regularly on television. I said to myself, 'Oh, boy, The Wizard of Oz! After Weeks of being in the make-up department, before and after film shootings, Hamilton's own natural skin tone begin to take on a greenish hue. ][17], Hamilton remained a lifelong friend of The Wizard of Oz castmate Ray Bolger. The Wizard of Oz appears in Dorothy and the Witches of Oz, portrayed by Christopher Lloyd. In 1960, producer/director William Castle cast Hamilton as a housekeeper in his 13 Ghosts horror film, in which 12-year-old lead Charles Herbert's character taunts her about being a witch, including the final scene, in which she is holding a broom in her hand. In the classic movie The Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch, played by actress Margaret Hamilton, was stooped, green-skinned, and dressed entirely in black. [2] She later moved to Painesville, Ohio. In the 1940s and 1950s, Hamilton had a long-running role on the radio series Ethel and Albert (or The Couple Next Door) in which she played the lovable, scattered Aunt Eva (name later changed to Aunt Effie). The Wizard of Oz Miss Gulch / The Wicked Witch of the West (1939) 13 Ghosts She had a small role in the made-for-television film The Night Strangler (1973) and appeared as a befuddled neighbor on Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, who is a friend of the very similar Mary Wickes. [18], Hamilton's early experience as a teacher fueled a lifelong interest in educational issues. Her image was of a New England spinster, extremely pragmatic and impatient with all manner of "tomfoolery". mystery guest on the popular Sunday night CBS-TV program. [3], Hamilton's career as a film actress was driven by the very qualities that placed her in stark contrast to the stereotypical Hollywood glamour girl. In 1945, she played the domineering sister of Oz co-star Jack Haley in George White's Scandals, comically trying to prevent him from marrying actress Joan Davis, even going so far as to throw a hatchet at her. Margaret Hamilton had different make-up as the Wicked Witch of the West when Richard Thorpe, was the film's original director but he was fired and was replaced by Victor Fleming. I guess for a minute they get the feeling they got when they watched the picture. !' 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 classic film The Wizard of Oz (1939).[1]. That has been my favorite book since I was four.' She did a stint as a What's My Line? She was severely burned during the "Surrender Dorothy!" 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. [10] She also made personal appearances, and Hamilton described the children's usual reaction to her portrayal of the Witch: Almost always they want me to laugh like the Witch. Margaret Hamilton, who played the green skinned Witch in the 1939 film was badly burned during a shot involving fire and smoke. Coffee TV commercial w/Margaret Hamilton as Cora the Storekeeper, Maxwell House ad w/Margaret Hamilton, 1978. Hamilton and Ray Bolger were cast members in the 1966 fantasy film The Daydreamer, a collection of stories by Hans Christian Andersen. And sometimes when I go to schools, if we're in an auditorium, I'll do it. For her last stage role, she was cast as Madame Armfeldt in the Stephen Sondheim musical A Little Night Music, singing the song "Liaisons" for the national tour costarring with Jean Simmons as her daughter Desiree. In 1939, Hamilton played the role of the Wicked Witch of the West, opposite Judy Garland's Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz, creating, not only her most famous role, but also one of the screen's most memorable villains. Hamilton was born in Cleveland, the youngest of four children of Walter J. Hamilton and his wife, Mary Jane (née Adams; known by her nickname, Jennie).