Margaret Hamilton

Margaret Hamilton was a prolific American character actress best known for her iconic portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (1939). Born on December 9, 1902, in Cleveland, Ohio, she grew up in a modest household and displayed an early affinity for the performing arts, joining local theater groups while still a teenager. After studying at the Carnegie Institute of Technology and later honing her craft with the Cleveland Play House, Hamilton moved to New York City in the early 1920s, where she quickly secured roles on Broadway, earning a reputation for her powerful voice and commanding stage presence. By 1928 she transitioned to Hollywood, signing with Paramount Pictures and appearing in a string of supporting roles that showcased her versatility, from comedic side‑kicks to stern matriarchs. Her breakthrough came when MGM cast her as the malevolent witch in The Wizard of Oz, a performance that earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress and cemented her status as a cultural touchstone; the snarling line “I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too!” remains one of cinema's most quoted moments. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s Hamilton continued to work steadily, appearing in films such as Lost Angel (1943), The House of the Seven Gables (1940), and The Bad Seed (1956), as well as numerous television series, including Perry Mason and The Twilight Zone. Though she never achieved leading‑lady fame, her distinctive look, sharp diction, and willingness to embrace grotesque characters made her an indispensable presence in genre filmmaking. In her personal life she married playwright and screenwriter Paul Stewart in 1931, a partnership that endured until his death in 1975; the couple did not have children. Hamilton retired from acting in the mid‑1970s, spending her final years in Los Angeles, where she died on February 27, 1985. Her legacy endures, influencing generations of actors who relish the challenge of turning villains into unforgettable icons.