Margaret Hamilton, best known for her iconic role as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (1939), led an intriguing life both personally and professionally. Born on December 9, 1902, in Cleveland, Ohio, she initially worked as a kindergarten teacher before moving into acting, primarily on stage and later in film. She embraced her "character actress" status, often cast in villainous or stern roles, which she performed with great energy.
In her personal life, Hamilton was known for her grounded, no-nonsense personality. She married Paul Boynton Meserve in 1931, and they had one son, Hamilton Wadsworth Meserve, born in 1936. However, the marriage was short-lived, and the couple divorced in 1938. After the divorce, she remained close to her son and lived a mostly private life. Hamilton never remarried, choosing instead to focus on her career and raising her son.
Despite her fearsome on-screen presence, Hamilton was known to be warm and friendly in real life. She was passionate about education and children, stemming from her background as a teacher. Her experience in education inspired her to champion causes related to child welfare and literacy, and she worked for several years as a board member of the Beverly Hills Board of Education.
In later years,
Hamilton embraced her Wizard of Oz fame, but she was careful to reassure children that she was not truly wicked, even appearing on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood to demystify her character for young viewers. She continued acting in TV and film and doing charitable work until her death in 1985 at age 82.
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