Margaret Hamilton and Frank Morgan

Margaret Hamilton Margaret Brainard Hamilton December 9, 1902 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. Died May 16, 1985 (aged 82) Salisbury, Connecticut, U.S. Was an American film character actress best known for her portrayal of Miss Gulch and 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. In later years, Hamilton made frequent cameo appearances on television sitcoms and commercials. She 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. 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. Before she turned to acting exclusively, her parents insisted that she attend Wheelock College in Boston. 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 (with Harold Lloyd, (1947). 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 ($17,100 with inflation a week Hamilton costarred opposite Buster Keaton and Richard Cromwell in a 1940s spoof of the long-running local melodrama The Drunkard, titled The Villain Still Pursued Her. Later in the decade, she was in a little-known film noir, titled Bungalow 13 (1948), in which she again costarred opposite Cromwell. Her crisp voice with rapid but clear enunciation was another trademark. She appeared regularly in supporting roles in films until the early 1950s, and sporadically thereafter. Opposite Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, she played a heavily made-up witch in Comin' Round the Mountain, where her character and Costello go toe-to-toe with voodoo dolls made of each other. She appeared, uncredited, in Joseph L. Mankiewicz's People Will Talk (1951) as Sarah Pickett. In 1960, producer/director William Castle cast Hamilton as a housekeeper in his 13 Ghosts horror film, in which 12-year-old lead Charles Herbert taunts her about being a witch, including one scene in which she is holding a broom in her hand. The Wizard of Oz Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West with Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz (1939) In 1939, Hamilton played the role of the Wicked Witch, opposite Judy Garland's Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz, creating not only her most famous role, but also one of the screen's most memorable villains. Hamilton was cast after Gale Sondergaard, who was first considered for the role, albeit as a more glamorous witch with a musical scene, declined the role when the decision was made that the witch should appear ugly. She suffered a second-degree burn on her face and a third-degree burn on her hand during a second take of her fiery exit from Munchkinland, in which the trap door's drop was delayed to eliminate the brief glimpse of it seen in the final edit. Hamilton had to recuperate in a hospital and at home for six weeks after the accident before returning to the set to complete her work on the film, and refused to have anything further to do with fire for the rest of the filming. After she recuperated, she said, "I won't sue, because I know how this business works, and I would never work again. I will return to work on one condition — no more fireworks!" Garland visited Hamilton while the latter recuperated at home looking after her son. Studio executives cut some of Hamilton's more frightening scenes, worrying that they would frighten children too much. Later on in life, she would comment on the role of the witch in a light-hearted fashion. For an interview, she joked: I was in need of money at the time, I had done about six pictures for MGM at the time and my agent called. I said, 'Yes?' and he said 'Maggie, they want you to play a part on the Wizard.' I said to myself, 'Oh, boy, The Wizard of Oz! That has been my favorite book since I was four.' And I asked him what part, and he said, 'The Witch,' and I said, 'The Witch?!' and he said, 'What else?' When asked about her experiences on the set of The Wizard of Oz, Hamilton said that her biggest fear was that her monstrous film role would give children the wrong idea of who she really was. In reality, she cared deeply about children, frequently giving to charitable organizations. She often remarked about children coming up to her and asking her why she had been so mean to Dorothy. She appeared on an episode of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood in 1975, where she explained to children that she was only playing a role and showed how putting on a costume "transformed" her into the witch. Only co-star Frank Morgan played more roles in the film (five roles). Hamilton and Morgan never share any scenes in Oz. However, in By Your Leave (1934), she plays his housekeeper, and in Saratoga (1937), she has a colloquy with Morgan regarding a cosmetic product he invented (with side glances and eye rolls by Morgan as to its effect on her "beauty"). Hamilton's line from The Wizard of Oz — "I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!" — was ranked 99th in the 2005 American Film Institute survey of the most memorable movie quotes. Her son, interviewed for the 2005 DVD edition of the film, commented that Hamilton enjoyed the line so much, she sometimes used it in her real life. A few months after filming Oz, she appeared in Babes in Arms (1939) as Jeff Steele's mother, Martha, a society do-gooder who made it her goal to send the gang of child actors, led by Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, to a work farm. In 1945, she played the domineering sister of Oz co-star Jack Haley in George White's Scandals, comically trying to prevent him from marrying actress Joan Davis, even going so far as to throw a hatchet at her. Hamilton and Ray Bolger were cast members in the 1966 fantasy film The Daydreamer, a collection of stories by Hans Christian Andersen. A few years later, they were reunited on Broadway for the short-lived musical Come Summer. Margaret Hamilton, Ray Bolger, and Jack Haley reunited in 1970, a year after the death of co-star Judy Garland. Hamilton with Oscar the Grouch on episode #0847 of Sesame Street, 1976 In the 1940s and 1950s, Hamilton had a long-running role on the radio series Ethel and Albert (or The Couple Next Door) in which she played the lovable, scattered Aunt Eva (name later changed to Aunt Effie). During the 1960s and 1970s, Hamilton appeared regularly on television. She did a stint as a What's My Line? mystery guest on the popular Sunday night CBS-TV program. She played Morticia Addams' mother, Hester Frump, in three episodes of The Addams Family. (1965–66; Hamilton had been offered the role of Grandmama, but turned it down.) She appeared as herself in three episodes of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, between 1975 and 1976, because Fred Rogers wanted his viewers to recognize that the Wicked Witch was just a character and not something for them to be afraid of. Hamilton continued acting regularly until 1982, her last roles were two guest appearances as veteran journalist Thea Taft (in 1979 and 1982) on Lou Grant. Hamilton as Madame Armfeldt in the national tour of A Little Night Music (1974) Hamilton produced the stage productions An Evening with the Bourgeoisie, The Three Sisters, and House Party.[where?][when?][14] Hamilton remained a lifelong friend of The Wizard of Oz cast mate Ray Bolger. She married Paul Boynton Meserve on June 13, 1931, and made her debut on the New York City stage the following year. While her acting career developed, her marriage began to fail; the couple divorced in 1938. They had one son, Hamilton Wadsworth Meserve (born 1936), whom she raised on her own. She had three grandchildren, Christopher, Scott, and Margaret. She lived in Manhattan for most of her adult life. She later moved to Millbrook, New York. She died in her sleep following a heart attack on May 16, 1985, in Salisbury, Connecticut. She was 82 years old. Her body was cremated at Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery, and her ashes were scattered at Amenia, New York.

Frank Morgan Born June 1, 1890 in New York City, New York, USA Died September 18, 1949 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA (heart attack) Birth Name Francis Philip Wuppermann Height 5' 8" (1.73 m) Jovial, somewhat flamboyant Frank Morgan (born Francis Wuppermann) will forever be remembered as the title character in The Wizard of Oz (1939), but he was a veteran and respected actor long before he played that part, and turned in outstanding performances both before and after that film. One of 11 children of a wealthy manufacturer, Morgan followed his older brother, Ralph Morgan (born Raphael Wuppermann) into the acting profession, making his Broadway debut in 1914 and his film debut two years later. Morgan specialized in playing courtly, sometimes eccentric or befuddled but ultimately sympathetic characters, such as the alcoholic telegraph operator in The Human Comedy (1943) or the shop owner in The Shop Around the Corner (1940). He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for The Affairs of Cellini (1934). Frank Morgan died at age 59 of a heart attack on September 18, 1949, in Beverly Hills, California. Family (2) Spouse Alma Rose Muller (11 March 1914 - 18 September 1949) (his death) (1 child) Parents George Wuppermann Josephine Wuppermann Born, with his elder brother, the actor Ralph Morgan, into a well-to-do family that formerly distributed in the United States the universally-known condiment "Angostura Aromatic Bitters.". A character actor best remembered as Professor Marvel/The Wizard in The Wizard of Oz (1939). Interred at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York, USA, in section #168, plot #14447. Member of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. Uncle of actress Claudia Morgan. Youngest of eleven children (six boys and five girls) of the co-founder of the Angostura-Wuppermann Corporation which marketed bitters used in drinks and cocktails. Hobby -- boat enthusiast who participated in yacht races. A boy soprano in church, some of his early pre-acting jobs included selling toothbrushes, soliciting advertisements, and bronco busting Son, George Morgan (1916 - 2003). W.C. Fields was originally considered for Morgan's role in The Wizard of Oz (1939). However, Fields haggled endlessly over salary, and the role was given to Morgan. Was a member of the famous "Irish mafia"--even though he wasn't Irish--which also included fellow Hollywood actors James Cagney, Spencer Tracy, Frank McHugh and Pat O'Brien. Brother-in-law of Grace Arnold. Honorary pallbearers at his funeral included Clark Gable and Pat O'Brien. Irish tenor Dennis Day sang. Was cast in the role of Buffalo Bill Cody in the MGM film Annie Get Your Gun (1950) but died in his sleep of a heart attack after shooting only the opening scene. He was replaced by MGM contract player Louis Calhern. Morgan owned a 550-acre ranch in Hemet Valley, California, and raised cattle. He also owned yachts, one of them winning a race from Los Angeles to Honolulu in 1947. Was involved in a serious car accident in New Mexico in December, 1939. Frank and his son George Morgan were not hurt, his wife Alma re-injured an already bad knee that often left her incapacitated, but their chauffeur/house servant was killed. Was a deeply conservative Republican. Was a lifelong member of the Lambs Club, the theater's oldest professional club. Wife Alma Muller (1895-1970) was the daughter of a New York real estate magnate and a woman suffragette. They eloped in 1914. Of his ten brothers and sisters, he was closest to brother Carlos Domaso Siegert Wuppermann (aka Carlyle Morgan) (1887-1919) whose death while serving in the United States Army's Corps of Intelligence Police in Germany was initially deemed a suicide. It was later learned he was murdered by a fellow soldier. Carlyle was a writer, poet, playwright and actor. Frank appeared in his deceased brother's play "The Triumph of X" in 1921 on Broadway. Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz (1939) said that whenever she saw the scene in the film where Frank Morgan as the Wizard is giving Dorothy's friends gifts from his "black bag" (a diploma for the Scarecrow, a ticking heart for the Tin Man, and a medal for the Cowardly Lion), she got teary-eyed, because "Frank Morgan was just like that in real life - very generous". He was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Pictures at 1708 Vine Street and for Radio at 6700 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California. Morgan was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Tortilla Flat (1942). He did not live to see The Wizard of Oz (1939) become one of the most famous films ever made through its annual network telecasts. His father was born in Venezuela and was of Spanish and German descent. His mother was born in the United States and was of English descent. Was considered a heavy drinker but kept his imbibing in the dressing room and seldom let it interfere with his professionalism and jovial manner on the set. Was in four Oscar Best Picture nominees: Naughty Marietta (1935), The Wizard of Oz (1939), The Great Ziegfeld (1936), and The Human Comedy (1943), with The Great Ziegfeld winning in 1936. In her autobiography, Child Star, Shirley Temple remembered being warned that Frank Morgan was an inveterate 'scene-stealer' and was advised on ways to counteract the practice during her movie scenes with him. An alumnus of the AADA (American Academy of Dramatic Arts), Class of 1914.