COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN: DAY 2

It Ain't Easy Being Wicked

The first witch we here at The Goods will feature in our Countdown is almost certainly the most famous witch of modern times, perhaps all time…

The greatest female villain in the history of film is Margaret Hamilton’s Wicked Witch of the West, or so says the American Film Institute!  The disgruntled and fiery-mad witch is as full of hatred and as power mad as any male villain to ever show up on the silver screen.  Her portrayal has scarred many a child over the years and has shaped the way witches are perceived throughout the world.

Googlize images of the word “witch” and your screen fills with green

and the Wicked Witch of THE WIZARD OF OZ

is the reason why…

That’s right, before Hamilton’s green-painted face appeared in brilliant Technicolor on movie screens across America, witches had never been seen that way before.  Leave it to the power of Hollywood to change the face of witches for modern times.  Since the 1939 smash hit, the green-skinned stereotype has pretty well stuck.  Countless other witches have since come and all but a few have escaped the color of envy.  And now  here’s a brief and pointed explanation of why they chose green:

http://boingboing.net/2014/10/29/why-are-witches-green.html

And here we have one of the last appearances of Hamilton's Wicked Witch--she landed on Sesame Street where Oscar the Grouch was one of only a few characters unafraid of the broom-rider.

This appearance scared many younger viewers

and disturbed so many parents that it has never aired again.

Here is a photo of the event:

However, here is an appearance on Mr. Rogers:

(sorry for the quality of the footage)

UN-FUN FACTS:

Both Margaret Hamilton and her stunt double were severely injured during the filming of THE WIZARD OF OZ.  Hamilton's green make-up was flamable and burned her during a pyrotechnic entrance and her stunt double had her legs significantly injured when the "broom" she was riding exploded mid-flight.