Aug 15, 2017
In memory of Gale Sondergaard (Feb 15, 1899 - August 14, 1985), the first actress to be cast as the Wicked Witch of the West. Her character was originally written as a glamorous and beautiful witch, like “Snow White”’s evil queen, but when the decision was made to present the witch as the old hag depicted in L. Frank Baum’s book, Ms. Sondergaard was initially tested in age makeup, then dropped when it was clear the makeup could not keep her glamorous look from shining through. The role then went to Margaret Hamilton. Ms. Sondergaard was cast the following year in “The Blue Bird” as Tylette the Cat.
