Sesame Street "Episode 847" (found "Wicked Witch of the West" episode of children’s educational TV series; 1976)

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Scan of a February 8, 1976 newspaper article on the then-upcoming episode/higher quality scan of the photo included therein.

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Scan of a February 8, 1976 newspaper article on the then-upcoming episode/higher quality scan of the photo included therein.

Status: Lost

On February 10, 1976, what is arguably Sesame Street’s most controversial episode to date aired for the first and last time. The episode (ie. Episode 847) starred Margaret Hamilton, reprising her role as the Wicked Witch of the West from the classic 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.

The central plot of the episode involves the witch losing her magic broom whilst flying over Sesame Street, only to have it wind up in the hands of David, who refuses to return it, sceptical towards the witch's intentions; as a result, she threatens to turn both Big Bird and David into inanimate objects (a feather duster and a basketball, respectively), also suggesting that she would make it rain inside Mr Hooper's Store if the broom was not returned. Out of all the Sesame Street residents, the only one to react favourably towards the witch is Oscar, even to the point of developing a crush on her, although Big Bird also eventually warms to the witch and is saddened when she leaves (comically dropping her broom for a second time as the episode ends).

In the days following the episode's airing, a barrage of complaints were received by the Children's Television Workshop, the majority of which were from angered parents whose children had been traumatised by Hamilton's frightening guest appearance. Due to the episode's overwhelmingly poor reception, several additional test screenings were held the following month, although the results were generally inconclusive, with a large portion of the test audience appearing fascinated by the witch, rather than scared, on account of her green face (as, during this period, most families didn't have access to a colour TV). Despite the tests' inconclusive results, the initial complaints were enough for Anna Herera (of the CTW Research Department) to declare the episode unsuitable for re-airing; it has not been aired or shown publicly in any form since.

Notably, a year earlier Hamilton had made a brief appearance on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood as herself (dressing up in her witch costume at the end of the segment, in order to reassure children that the Wicked Witch of the West didn't actually exist and was simply a character), although said segment was not met with any controversy and was generally well received.

External links

• Margaret Hamilton's 1975 Mister Rogers' Neighborhood appearance, via YouTube; Dec 26 2011.Last retrieved 28 Sep 2014.