A Smashing Good Time – the Wicked Witch of the West
Few villains are as iconic as Margaret Hamilton’s Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (MGM, 1939). Is it the green skin, the archetypal witch’s nose, or the wide-brimmed black hat that makes her so memorable? Maybe her screeching voice is what sticks in your memory. The Wicked Witch of the West has had multiple incarnations in the 100+ years since L. Frank Baum first published his novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Many additional authors have written about this witch. We will explore the four primary versions of the Wicked Witch of the West. These versions are:
- The Wicked Witch of the West, from The Wizard of Oz (film, MGM, 1939).
- Elphaba, from Gregory Maguire’s Wicked: The Life and Times of The Wicked Witch of the West.
Note: This is the original version of the character made famous in the Broadway musical, Wicked. - The Wicked Witch of the West, from L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
- Ondri-baba, from Tarl Telford’s Hidden History of Oz books.
What makes each of these versions different? Who is the Wicked Witch of the West, anyway? (more…)
Intersections of Oz
This handy infographic displays the interrelationship of Oz stories.
There are a lot of Oz stories out there, and we’re about to discover even more. Find out where The Hidden History of Oz series, written by Tarl Telford, fits into everything.
Annotating Oz
The Hidden History of Oz came to life over several years. It didn’t spring fully-formed from my forehead. The concept began when I discovered clues cleverly dropped by L. Frank Baum that told the story of Oz before the Wizard came …
But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s take this one step at a time.
Why annotate Oz?
The Hidden History of Oz 