BIO

Margaret Hamilton was born Margaret Brainard Hamilton in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1902, the youngest of four children.

Hamilton began her career as a school teacher and supported herself part-time while looking for acting work.   She made her Broadway debut in 1932, at the age of 30, and appeared in 11 productions through 1969, including a starring role in the short-lived Fancy Meeting You Again (1952).

She made her film debut reprising a role she originated on Broadway for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1933.

Hamilton, who played the Witch in The Wizard Of Oz (1939), was seriously injured with second and third-degree burns during filming and spent six weeks recuperating before she could return to the set.

Although she took mostly television roles beginning in the 1950s, she appeared in more than 65 feature films during her career.   Her last picture was released in 1971.

Hamilton married Paul Meserve in 1931.   The couple had one child and divorced in 1938.

Hamilton died of a heart attack in Salisbury, Connecticut, in 1985.  She was 82 years old.

Additional Broadway stage history is available at:

Additional biographical information is available at:

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