Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows: Complete List

Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows span more than five decades, from Depression-era Hollywood dramas to 1970s sitcom cameos, and almost everyone knows her for one role: the Wicked Witch of the West. This guide goes well beyond that single performance. It is written for general information, and filmography details vary between databases, so treat release years and credit names as a well-sourced starting point and check a major film archive if you need an exact citation.

Hamilton worked steadily for so long that her career can be hard to summarize. She was a character actress who rarely played the lead, yet she appeared in dozens of films, an enormous number of stage plays, and countless television and radio programs. If you like deep dives into the people behind famous screen moments, AI Power Digest publishes plain-English guides on culture and technology throughout the year.

In this article, we will walk through Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows in roughly chronological order, explain what made her such a distinctive presence on screen, and cover the famous (and sometimes controversial) television appearances of her later years.

Who Was Margaret Hamilton?
Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows at a Glance
Early Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows Era (1933–1938)
The Wizard of Oz (1939): Her Defining Role
Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows of the 1940s
Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows From 1950 Onward
Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows on Television: Anthologies, Westerns, and Sitcoms
Mister Rogers, Sesame Street, and the Witch on Television
Commercials and the Maxwell House Years
Archive Appearances and Documentaries
Acting Style: What Ties Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows Together
A Short Timeline of Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows
Interesting Facts About Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows
How to Watch Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows Today
Her Legacy
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Thoughts

1. Who Was Margaret Hamilton?

Margaret Hamilton was an American actress born on December 9, 1902, in Cleveland, Ohio, and she died on May 16, 1985, in Salisbury, Connecticut. Before acting full time she worked as a kindergarten teacher, a background that colored how she spoke about children for the rest of her life. Her stage career took off with the 1932 Broadway production of Another Language, according to the Turner Classic Movies database, and that success helped carry her to Hollywood.

A quick note to avoid confusion: there is another, unrelated Margaret Hamilton, a computer scientist known for her work on Apollo-era flight software. This guide is only about the actress. When people search for Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows, they are almost always looking for the performer who played the Wicked Witch, so that is where we will focus.

Hamilton deliberately avoided signing a long-term studio contract, partly to avoid being typecast, according to the same TCM profile. That choice shaped her filmography. Instead of building a career at one studio, she moved between productions, which is why her credits are so varied and why Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows turn up across many genres.

2. Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows at a Glance

Because her career was so long, a short overview helps. The table below lists some of the best-documented credits, grouped by era. It is not exhaustive, since sources count anywhere from roughly 70 to 80-plus film credits depending on how uncredited roles and archive appearances are handled.

Era	Selected Credits	Type
1930s	These Three (1936), You Only Live Once (1937), Nothing Sacred (1937), The Wizard of Oz (1939)	Film
1940s	My Little Chickadee (1940), The Ox-Bow Incident (1943), State of the Union (1948)	Film
1950s–60s	People Will Talk (1951), 13 Ghosts (1960), The Addams Family (1964)	Film and TV
1970s–80s	Brewster McCloud (1970), The Partridge Family, The Night Strangler (1973)	Film and TV

Reading across the table, you can see a pattern: Hamilton moved easily between comedy, drama, horror, and family entertainment. That range is one reason Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows remain interesting to classic-film fans who want more than a single famous performance.

3. Early Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows Era (1933–1938)

Hamilton’s film career began in the early 1930s, and by the time she took the role that made her famous she had already appeared in about 25 films, according to a BroadwayWorld profile. She typically played prim, stern, nosy, or disapproving women, which suited her sharp features and precise delivery.

Some of the notable early credits among Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows include:

These Three (1936): A drama in which she played Agatha.
You Only Live Once (1937): A crime drama in which she played Hester.
Nothing Sacred (1937): A screwball comedy from the same period.
Breaking the Ice (1938) and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938): Family-oriented films that showed her range.
A Slight Case of Murder (1938): A comedy based on a Damon Runyon and Howard Lindsay play, in which TCM notes she played a woman in charge of an orphanage.

Hamilton also played alongside future Oz co-star Frank Morgan in several projects during this period, including the 1934 films By Your Leave and There’s Always Tomorrow, and the 1937 film Saratoga. Looking at these early titles, it is clear that Hamilton was already a dependable supporting actress before 1939, which is worth remembering when people assume her career began with the witch.

4. The Wizard of Oz (1939): Her Defining Role

Any list of Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows has to put The Wizard of Oz at the center. She played two characters: the sour Miss Almira Gulch in Kansas and the Wicked Witch of the West in Oz. The casting was not a foregone conclusion. According to TCM, she had played the witch in a Cleveland stage version, but producer Mervyn LeRoy originally wanted Gale Sondergaard for the part, until her makeup and costume tests made her look too glamorous.

Her screen time was surprisingly short. Reference sources note that the Witch appears for only about twelve minutes in the finished film, and that Hamilton worked on the production for roughly four months. Even so, the performance became one of the most recognized in movie history. Her line “I’ll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!” was ranked number 99 on the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 most memorable movie quotes, as noted in a reference summary of her career. Retellings of her story also describe the Witch as one of the top five movie villains on the AFI’s list.

The film’s success cut both ways. It made her a household name, but it also meant that Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows from later decades were often introduced with the same line: “the Wicked Witch from Oz.” Hamilton herself was reportedly gracious about being asked to talk about the role, but she eventually began turning down some opportunities to play the witch again, according to profile writing about her career.

5. Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows of the 1940s

The decade after Oz kept her busy. She did not become a leading lady, but she worked constantly, and many of the best-known Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows of this decade are supporting turns in notable films.

The Invisible Woman (1940): A comic fantasy in which she appeared in a supporting part.
My Little Chickadee (1940): A comedy Western, mentioned in career summaries among her memorable post-Oz films.
Johnny Come Lately (1943): A drama from the middle of the decade.
The Ox-Bow Incident (1943): A celebrated Western in which she appeared in a small, uncredited role as Mrs. Larch.
Guest in the House (1944): A melodrama in which she again appeared in a supporting role.
Driftwood (1947): A drama in which she played Essie.
State of the Union (1948): A political comedy-drama in which she played Norah.
Reaching from Heaven (1948): A drama in which she played Sophie Manley.
The Red Pony (1949) and The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend (1949): Two more entries in a crowded decade.

Taken together, these credits show a pattern. Hamilton rarely carried a film, yet filmmakers repeatedly cast her because she could make a small part memorable in a single scene. That reputation is the main reason Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows from the 1940s are rewarding for anyone who enjoys character actors.

6. Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows From 1950 Onward

By the 1950s, Hamilton had settled in New York, where she lived from 1951 onward according to biographical notes, and she traveled between coasts for film, theater, and television. Her film output slowed compared with the 1940s, but several titles stand out among Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows in the second half of her career:

Wabash Avenue (1950): A musical from the start of the decade.
People Will Talk (1951): A comedy-drama in which she played Sarah Pickett in an uncredited role.
13 Ghosts (1960): A horror film that remains popular with fans of low-budget thrillers.
Brewster McCloud (1970): Robert Altman’s offbeat comedy, in which she played stadium vocalist Daphne Heap, according to TCM.
The Night Strangler (1973): A made-for-television horror film from the early 1970s.
Journey Back to Oz: An animated sequel to the 1939 classic, in which she provided the voice of Aunt Em. Databases list the release year as either 1972 or 1974, so check the source if you need a precise date.

Journey Back to Oz is an interesting entry for completists, because it let Hamilton return to Oz in a very different role, as the warm Aunt Em rather than the Witch.

7. Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows on Television: Anthologies, Westerns, and Sitcoms

Television gave Hamilton a second career. In the early years of the medium, live anthology series were a major source of work for stage-trained actors, and Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows lists from that period include Kraft Television Theatre in 1947 and Goodyear Television Playhouse in 1951. Other credits from that era include Lux Video Theatre, Man Against Crime, and a 1955 appearance on the Western Gunsmoke.

In the 1960s and 1970s, she became a familiar guest star on sitcoms. Among the best-remembered entries in the Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows catalog:

The Addams Family (1964): She played Hester Frump, the mother of Morticia Addams, according to a career summary. She drew on the sour image of Miss Gulch for the role.
The Partridge Family (1970–74): She played Clara Kincaid, including in the episode “Reuben Kincaid Lives,” which aired in October 1973, according to an entertainment retrospective.
Here’s Boomer: She appeared as a “mean woman” in the “Jailbreak” episode of this family series, as shown in the same retrospective.

These guest roles matter because they show how Hamilton adapted. Television producers could cast her as a cranky neighbor, a stern relative, or a comic foil without ever needing the green makeup, and audiences recognized her at once.

8. Mister Rogers, Sesame Street, and the Witch on Television

No account of Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows would be complete without her children’s television appearances, because they are some of the most discussed moments of her late career.

Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood

In 1975, Fred Rogers invited Hamilton onto Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood to help children understand that the Wicked Witch was not real. She appeared as herself, and viewers saw her put on the witch’s costume (without the full green face paint) while explaining that it was “just like a Halloween costume.” According to a summary on Wikipedia’s page for the famous Sesame Street episode, she made several guest appearances on Rogers’ show across 1975 and 1976. Many retellings describe the 1975 visit as a gentle, reassuring moment, with Rogers noting that his friend Margaret was a grandmother and that acting was her job.

Sesame Street (1976)

On February 10, 1976, Hamilton appeared on Sesame Street as the Wicked Witch of the West in what became known as the “Wicked Witch episode.” In the story, the witch loses her broomstick over Sesame Street and tries to get it back. Parents complained that the episode was too frightening, and the production staff recommended that it not be re-run, according to an AOL retrospective. The episode has since been shown in archival settings and discussed widely online, but for years it was treated as a cautionary tale about how scary a beloved villain could be to very young viewers.

The Paul Lynde Halloween Special (1976)

Later in 1976, Hamilton appeared as both herself and the Wicked Witch in The Paul Lynde Halloween Special, which aired on October 29, according to the Oz-focused reference sources. This was one of her last major turns as the witch, and it shows she was willing to poke fun at the role.

9. Commercials and the Maxwell House Years

Among the less obvious entries in the Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows story are her commercials. In the 1970s she became the face of Maxwell House coffee as Cora, a small-town storekeeper who stocked only that brand. According to the Wikipedia summary of the Sesame Street episode, the Sesame Street script even included a joke in which the witch refuses a cup of coffee because she “can’t stand the stuff,” a wink at Hamilton’s commercial persona at the time.

The commercials are a reminder that Hamilton became a recognizable presence for people who had never seen a classic Hollywood film. A Movie Fanfare career profile singles out Cora as perhaps her most memorable small-screen role of the 1970s, and a satirical sketch show of the era even combined the two characters, which tells you how well known both had become.

10. Archive Appearances and Documentaries

Hamilton died in 1985, but her image continues to appear in new projects through archive footage. Databases list her in documentaries and tribute programs about Oz and about Hollywood history, including Lynch/Oz (2023) and The Dark Side of the Rainbow (2000), as well as the 1990 documentary The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic. One entertainment database also lists The Wizard of Oz at Sphere (2025), which presents the 1939 film in a new format in Las Vegas, with her credited through archive footage as Miss Gulch.

These posthumous credits are not new performances, but they matter for two reasons. They show how durable her image is, and they explain why modern databases count 100 or more credits for her, many of them archive appearances as “Self.” When you see wildly different totals for Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows online, this is usually the reason.

11. Acting Style: What Ties Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows Together

Across such a long career, a few patterns show up again and again. Hamilton specialized in characters who disapprove of something: the nosy neighbor, the strict relative, the unsmiling official, the prim woman who notices what everyone else is trying to hide. She delivered dialogue in a clipped, precise way that made even a single line land, and she used her distinctive profile and posture to signal authority in an instant.

That consistency is part of why Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows are easy to enjoy in bulk. You can watch a 1930s drama, a 1940s comedy, and a 1970s sitcom guest spot and recognize the same craft in each. It is also why directors kept hiring her: in a studio system where time was money, an actress who could establish a character in a few seconds was valuable. Several retrospectives also stress that she was known as a warm, funny person off screen, which makes the contrast with her most famous role even more striking.

Recurring Character Types in Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows

Looking across the credits listed above, three character types dominate:

The stern authority figure. Schoolteachers, matrons, and officials, such as the orphanage head in A Slight Case of Murder.
The comic busybody. Gossipy or fussy neighbors and relatives, common in comedies and sitcoms.
The villain. Most famously Miss Gulch and the Wicked Witch, but also menacing turns in thrillers and horror films.

Seeing these types laid out makes it easier to understand how a performer could appear in more than seventy films without ever becoming a conventional star.

12. A Short Timeline of Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows

For readers who like a quick chronological view, here is a simplified timeline built from the dates cited in this article.

1932: Broadway success in Another Language.
1930s: Steady film work, including These Three (1936), You Only Live Once (1937), and The Wizard of Oz (1939).
1940s: Supporting roles in films such as My Little Chickadee, The Ox-Bow Incident, and State of the Union.
1947–1951: Live television anthology work, including Kraft Television Theatre and Goodyear Television Playhouse.
1960s: 13 Ghosts (1960) and The Addams Family (1964).
1970s: Brewster McCloud, The Partridge Family, Maxwell House commercials, and the Mister Rogers and Sesame Street appearances.
1985: Hamilton dies on May 16.
2000s–2020s: Archive footage in documentaries and new presentations of The Wizard of Oz.

A timeline like this shows how Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows track the history of American entertainment itself, moving from the studio era to live television to the sitcom boom.

13. Interesting Facts About Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows

A few details, drawn from the sources cited in this guide, make good trivia:

She had already appeared in about 25 films before being cast in The Wizard of Oz.
The Wicked Witch is on screen for only about twelve minutes in the finished film.
Her Sesame Street episode aired on February 10, 1976, and was not re-run after parent complaints.
Her Maxwell House character, Cora, was so well known that the Sesame Street script referenced coffee in a joke.
Her line “I’ll get you, my pretty” ranks among the most memorable in American film.

These facts are a good reminder that Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows contain more surprises than the famous Oz clips suggest.

14. How to Watch Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows Today

Streaming availability changes constantly, so we cannot promise where any particular title will be playing. A few practical tips can help you track down Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows:

Start with the obvious. The Wizard of Oz is widely available through rental and purchase on major digital storefronts and is frequently shown on television around holidays.
Check classic film channels. Many of her 1930s and 1940s films appear on classic movie networks and in curated streaming collections.
Search by title, not by actor. Small supporting roles often are not listed in an actor’s streaming page, so search for the film name directly.
Try your local library. Libraries often carry DVD collections of older films and TV anthologies.
Look for archive clips. Official channels of children’s television programs sometimes post clips of her Mister Rogers appearances.

Always confirm that you are using a legal source, and remember that availability and licensing vary by country.

15. Her Legacy

Hamilton’s legacy goes beyond a single costume. She was a working actress for decades, an advocate for causes benefiting children and animals, and the recipient of the 1977 Governor’s Award of the State of Ohio, according to biographical notes. Her willingness to appear on children’s television and explain that the Witch was “pretend” is a quiet but significant part of her public image.

For film historians, the broader lesson of Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows is how essential character actors were to the studio era. Leading stars drew audiences, but performers like Hamilton gave films their texture, humor, and menace. Her screen time as the Witch was brief, but the performance has shaped how popular culture imagines villainy for generations.

16. Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most famous Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows? Her most famous film is The Wizard of Oz (1939), in which she played Miss Gulch and the Wicked Witch of the West. Notable television appearances include The Addams Family, The Partridge Family, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and the 1976 Sesame Street “Wicked Witch episode.”

How many movies was Margaret Hamilton in? Sources vary. TCM’s profile describes more than 70 features, while another biographical source cites roughly 75 movies. Databases that include archive footage and documentaries list considerably more credits.

Did Margaret Hamilton appear in anything besides The Wizard of Oz? Yes. Her credits include These Three, You Only Live Once, My Little Chickadee, The Ox-Bow Incident, State of the Union, People Will Talk, 13 Ghosts, and Brewster McCloud, among many others.

What TV shows did Margaret Hamilton appear in? Her television credits include live anthology series such as Kraft Television Theatre and Goodyear Television Playhouse, the Western Gunsmoke, and sitcoms like The Addams Family and The Partridge Family.

Why was the Sesame Street episode with Margaret Hamilton pulled? After the episode aired on February 10, 1976, parents sent letters saying it was too frightening for young children, and staff recommended it not be re-run, according to retrospective coverage.

Did Margaret Hamilton appear on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood? Yes. She appeared in 1975 and again in 1976, explaining to children that the Wicked Witch was a character she played.

Who did Margaret Hamilton play on The Addams Family? She played Hester Frump, Morticia Addams’ mother, according to a career summary.

Was Margaret Hamilton in commercials? Yes. In the 1970s she played Cora, a storekeeper in Maxwell House coffee commercials.

Is the actress Margaret Hamilton the same person as the Apollo software engineer? No. They are two different people who share a name. This article covers the actress.

17. Final Thoughts

Margaret Hamilton movies and tv shows tell the story of an unusually durable career. She began in the early 1930s, built a steady reputation in supporting roles, became immortal as the Wicked Witch in 1939, and then reinvented herself on television as a go-to guest star and a gentle ambassador for children’s media. The single role that defined her image was only part of a much larger body of work.

If you want to explore her career, start with the classics, then work outward to the character parts, the sitcom cameos, and the unusual television moments of the 1970s. For more guides that connect screen history to the culture we still talk about today, AI Power Digest will keep publishing new articles.

This article is for general informational and educational purposes only. Filmography details, including titles, release years, role names, and credit totals, vary between databases and may contain inconsistencies. Please verify specific credits with an authoritative film archive before citing them. Streaming availability changes frequently and differs by region.

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Margaret Hamilton Movies and TV Shows: The Complete Guide to Her Career