50 Years Ago, a Wicked Witch of the West Appearance Got a ‘Sesame Street’ Episode Banned

“I’ll get you, my pretty, and your little public broadcasting children’s show, too!” Margaret Hamilton might as well have screeched such a taunt as she reprised her role as The Wizard of Oz’s Wicked Witch of the West in a Sesame Street episode that aired 60 years ago before being deemed too wicked to re-run.

The infamous “Episode 847” debuted on February 10, 1976, as the 52nd episode of Sesame Street’s seventh season. More than three and a half decades after the release of The Wizard of OzHamilton once again donned green faceprint and a pointy black hat as she played the Wicked Witch once more.