The Curse Behind The Wizard of Oz: Unfortunate Tales from the Set

Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch of the West, was injured during a special effects scene involving fire and smoke. When a trapdoor malfunctioned, she was exposed to flames that burned her face and hands. The copper-based green makeup she wore made the burns even more painful to treat.

Hamilton needed several weeks to recover before she could return to set. Even when she did, she avoided scenes involving fire. Her injury became one of the production’s most well-known accidents, highlighting how risky early Hollywood special effects could be for actors.