Priscilla Montgomery, an actor from the 1939 classic film “The Wizard of Oz,” has recalled the on-set fire that severely burned Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch of the West. According to Montgomery, Hamilton, before filming the dramatic entrance scene, took the time to comfort the young performers and reassured them that what they were about to see was not real, just play-acting for the camera.
Suddenly, a loud siren went off and men rushed to the area in panic, revealing that Hamilton had sustained severe burns on her face and hands. Montgomery remembers Hamilton returning to filming a few weeks later, like a “trouper,” despite her injuries.
This incident highlights the risks associated with practical effects in early Hollywood film productions. Unfortunately, it was not an isolated incident. The Wizard of Oz production was marred by several accidents, including the original Tin Man actor, Buddy Ebsen, experiencing severe reactions to toxic makeup, and stunt doubles playing the flying monkeys getting injured when their wires broke.
These incidents demonstrate the challenges faced by actors and crew members working with experimental effects and unregulated safety practices in the past. With fewer safety protocols in place, the injuries sustained were often severe and long-lasting. In the case of Hamilton’s injury, she had to step away from filming for weeks, and even her stunt double suffered comparable injuries.
The experience serves as a stark reminder of the unsafe conditions that actors faced during the production of the film. Today, movie sets rely on detailed safety guidelines, protective equipment, and CGI to achieve complex effects without putting performers and production teams at risk. Revisiting incidents like Hamilton’s injury emphasizes the significant strides made to ensure safer working environments for the cast and crew.
