The Wizard of OzCast Salaries: Why the Actress Who Played the Wicked Witch Made More Than Double Judy Garland (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Margaret Hamilton and Judy Garland in ‘The Wizard of Oz.'.Photo:Silver Screen Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty

Silver Screen Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty

Cynthia ErivoandAriana Grandemay have made the same salary for their work onThe Wizard of OzprequelWicked,but there wasn’t equal pay for the stars of the 1939 classic.Judy Garlandplayed Dorothy Gale, the lead role in the musical fantasy, but Margaret Hamilton who played the Wicked Witch of the West commanded a much bigger salary from the studio behind the movie.“Maggie Hamilton came to MGM as a Broadway star with credits and started out at a higher weekly rate,” explainsOzexpert John Fricke, the author ofThe Wizard of Oz, The Official 50th Anniversary Pictorial HistoryandThe Wizard of Oz, An Illustrated Companion to the Timeless Movie Classic.According to Fricke, Garland — who went on to star in films likeMeet Me in St. Louisand became one of the most famous performers of the 20th century — was paid $9,600 for her work on the movie (the equivalent of about $218,000 today).Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Judy Garland and Bert Lahr in ‘The Wizard of Oz.'.Silver Screen Collection/GettyThat amount “was a lot of money” at the time, says Fricke. And it was a raise for the teenage Garland, who started out on contract at MGM with a salary for just $100 per week in 1935. By the time she madeOz, it was up to $500.Though Hamilton has considerably less screen time, her salary was $21,000, says Fricke. (That’s roughly $476,000 today.)Part of the reason Hamilton’s salary was so much higher: She suffered burns on set while filming a scene with fire and was out of commission recuperating for six weeks — but continued to earn a paycheck.“MGM, to its credit, sent a memo around right after her accident and said, ‘We are to keep Ms. Hamilton on salary the entire time she is incapacitated,’” according to Fricke, who says her salary was for “the weeks she worked and the weeks she didn’t work.”As for the actor who played Scarecrow? To paraphrase a line from the movie: He made the most of all. Ray Bolger was a stage star in New York City who’d appeared on Broadway and at Radio City Music Hall.Ray Bolger as The Scarecrow in ‘The Wizard of Oz.'.MGM Studios/Courtesy of GettyHis salary for the film, according to Fricke: $72,000 (around $1.63 million today). Jack Haley and Bert Lahr, who played the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion, respectively “made near that amount,” as they too “came to movies from Broadway and they were established names,” says Fricke.According toThe Los Angeles Times, Terry, the terrier who played Dorothy’s faithful dog Toto, also earned a decent salary, earning $125 per week (about $2,838 today) — enough for a whole lot of kibble.Go behind the scenes ofWickedwithPEOPLE’s special issue, availablehere.

Cynthia ErivoandAriana Grandemay have made the same salary for their work onThe Wizard of OzprequelWicked,but there wasn’t equal pay for the stars of the 1939 classic.

Judy Garlandplayed Dorothy Gale, the lead role in the musical fantasy, but Margaret Hamilton who played the Wicked Witch of the West commanded a much bigger salary from the studio behind the movie.

“Maggie Hamilton came to MGM as a Broadway star with credits and started out at a higher weekly rate,” explainsOzexpert John Fricke, the author ofThe Wizard of Oz, The Official 50th Anniversary Pictorial HistoryandThe Wizard of Oz, An Illustrated Companion to the Timeless Movie Classic.

According to Fricke, Garland — who went on to star in films likeMeet Me in St. Louisand became one of the most famous performers of the 20th century — was paid $9,600 for her work on the movie (the equivalent of about $218,000 today).

Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Judy Garland and Bert Lahr in ‘The Wizard of Oz.'.Silver Screen Collection/Getty

Silver Screen Collection/Getty

That amount “was a lot of money” at the time, says Fricke. And it was a raise for the teenage Garland, who started out on contract at MGM with a salary for just $100 per week in 1935. By the time she madeOz, it was up to $500.

Though Hamilton has considerably less screen time, her salary was $21,000, says Fricke. (That’s roughly $476,000 today.)

Part of the reason Hamilton’s salary was so much higher: She suffered burns on set while filming a scene with fire and was out of commission recuperating for six weeks — but continued to earn a paycheck.

“MGM, to its credit, sent a memo around right after her accident and said, ‘We are to keep Ms. Hamilton on salary the entire time she is incapacitated,’” according to Fricke, who says her salary was for “the weeks she worked and the weeks she didn’t work.”

As for the actor who played Scarecrow? To paraphrase a line from the movie: He made the most of all. Ray Bolger was a stage star in New York City who’d appeared on Broadway and at Radio City Music Hall.

Ray Bolger as The Scarecrow in ‘The Wizard of Oz.'.MGM Studios/Courtesy of Getty

MGM Studios/Courtesy of Getty

His salary for the film, according to Fricke: $72,000 (around $1.63 million today). Jack Haley and Bert Lahr, who played the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion, respectively “made near that amount,” as they too “came to movies from Broadway and they were established names,” says Fricke.

According toThe Los Angeles Times, Terry, the terrier who played Dorothy’s faithful dog Toto, also earned a decent salary, earning $125 per week (about $2,838 today) — enough for a whole lot of kibble.

Go behind the scenes ofWickedwithPEOPLE’s special issue, availablehere.

source: people.com