#23: The Wicked Witch and Her Stand-In Were Both Hurt

During the filming, Margaret Hamilton, who portrayed the Wicked Witch of the West, was famously cautious about performing any scenes involving fire. Her concerns were well-founded, as she had already experienced a terrifying incident during a previous scene. Unfortunately, when a stand-in, Betty Danko, took over for scenes with fire and smoke, misfortune struck once again.

While shooting a scene where the Witch was riding a broomstick that emitted smoke, the pipe supplying the smoke unexpectedly blew up, causing serious injuries and scarring to Danko’s legs. This unfortunate incident underscored the inherent risks involved in filmmaking, especially in an era when safety standards were not as advanced as they are today. Unfortunately, Margaret Hamilton’s concerns about fire on set proved justified.