Margaret Hamilton (actress)
| Margaret Hamilton | |
|---|---|
(c.1958)
|
|
| Born |
Margaret Brainard Hamilton December 9, 1902 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | May 16, 1985 (aged 82) Salisbury, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Heart attack |
| Resting place | Ashes scattered at Amenia, New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Hathaway Brown School |
| Alma mater | Wheelock College |
| Occupation | Actress Schoolteacher |
| Years active | 1933–1982 |
| Notable work | The Wicked Witch of the West in MGM's The Wizard of Oz (1939) |
| Spouse(s) | Paul Meserve (m.1931–1938; divorced) |
| Children | Hamilton Wadsworth Meserve (b. 1936) |
| Parent(s) | Walter J. Hamilton (father) Jennie Adams (mother) |
| Relatives |
Neil Hamilton (distant cousin), Dorothy Hamilton Brush (sister) |
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 in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's classic film The Wizard of Oz (1939).
A former schoolteacher, she worked as a character actress in films for seven years before she was offered the role that defined her public image. The Wicked Witch of the West was eventually ranked No. 4 in the American Film Institute's 2003 list of the 50 Best Movie Villains of All Time, making her the top-ranking female villain. In later years, Hamilton made frequent cameo appearances on television sitcoms and commercials. She also gained recognition for her work as an advocate of causes designed to benefit children and animals, and retained a lifelong commitment to public education.
Hamilton was born to Walter J. Hamilton, and his wife, Mary Jane (née Adams; known by her nickname, Jennie), in Cleveland, Ohio, and was the youngest of four children. She later attended Hathaway Brown School, while the school was located at 1945 East 93rd Street in Cleveland. Drawn to the theater at an early age, Hamilton made her stage debut in 1923. Hamilton also practiced her craft doing children's theater while she was a Junior League of Cleveland member. She later moved to Painesville, Ohio. Before she turned to acting exclusively, her parents insisted that she attend Wheelock College in Boston, which she did, later becoming a kindergarten teacher.
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. Her image was that of a New England spinster, extremely pragmatic and impatient with all manner of "tomfoolery". Hamilton's looks helped to bring steady work as a character actor. She made her screen debut in 1933 in Another Language. She went on to appear in These Three (1936), Saratoga, You Only Live Once, When's Your Birthday?, Nothing Sacred (all 1937), The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938), My Little Chickadee (with W. C. Fields) (1940), and The Sin of Harold Diddlebock (1947 film) with Harold Lloyd. She strove to work as much as possible to support herself and her son; she never put herself under contract to any one studio and priced her services at $1,000 ($16,700 with inflation) a week.
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