Margaret Hamilton burned during iconic Wizard of Oz scene

In the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, actress Margaret Hamilton, who portrayed the Wicked Witch of the West, experienced a severe accident on set that resulted in second- and third-degree burns. This incident occurred during a scene where her character makes a dramatic exit engulfed in smoke and fire, utilizing a real fire effect instead of modern CGI techniques. Hamilton was required to stand on an elevator platform designed to lower her offstage while allowing flames to ignite from vents on the set. After multiple rehearsals, the execution of the scene went well initially, but post-lunch attentiveness waned among the crew. During the execution of the scene, as the red smoke engulfed her, an unfortunate accident led to the straw of her broom and a gauze piece hanging from her hat igniting. The fire quickly spread, resulting in serious burns to her head, shoulders, and hand. Crewmembers on site rushed to her aid, and Hamilton was told that the copper in her green makeup was toxic and could cause her skin irreversible damage if not removed quickly. The experience was traumatic for the actress, who later recounted needing to scream due to the pain of the burns as well as the process of removing the burnt makeup from her skin. After the incident, Hamilton required six weeks to recuperate before she could return to filming, but it took a longer time for her skin to return to its normal complexion due to the fact that her skin absorbed some of the copper-based green makeup. The burns affected not just her physical appearance but also her emotional state, as she later remembered being told by people that she looked “a little green” in the months post-filming. Nonetheless, Hamilton maintained a positive disposition regarding her experience on set and expressed pride in her work on the film until her passing in 1985. The incident serves as a reminder of the physical risks that actors faced in the early years of filmmaking, particularly before the advent of advanced special effects technology and safety protocols. Despite the adversity she faced, Hamilton's legacy as the Wicked Witch of the West remains iconic, celebrated through various adaptations of the story, including the recent film adaptation of Wicked starring Cynthia Erivo.