Who played the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 film?

Margaret Hamilton played the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 film.

Hamilton also plays the witch’s Kansas counterpart, Miss Almira Gulch, who tries to take Dorothy’s dog Toto away. The film links the two roles through a visual transformation during the tornado sequence, making Hamilton’s presence part of both Dorothy’s ordinary life and her nightmare-like adventure in Oz.

Her portrayal became one of classic Hollywood’s defining villain performances. The witch’s green makeup, black costume, pointed hat, broomstick, and piercing voice helped establish the standard image of the Wicked Witch for later popular culture.

Hamilton suffered serious burns during a filming accident while making her fiery exit from Munchkinland and was away from production for several weeks. A frequent mix-up is naming Billie Burke, who played Glinda, or Judy Garland, who played Dorothy; neither portrayed the witch.